Managing the Human Being Behind the Business

It’s a common problem and we’ve all seen it – business owners that are just ‘too busy’ all of the time, and as a result, do not enjoy the success in business they had hoped for. Let’s not kid ourselves, there is a lot to focus on: technology, employees, sales, marketing and so on. These functions are essential and need to be well organised and managed. But there is a second aspect to business success that is often overlooked – the effectiveness of the person running the show. Businesses are a reflection of the people who run them. If those people are ‘too busy’, stressed, or poorly organised, then these characteristics are reflected back in the business. The underlying behaviour and values of the business owner drive how much control they need, how they will delegate and how they use their time. Growth of the business and the business owner need to match up
If the business is to grow, then the owner has to take the necessary time to learn the new roles and skills that a growing business will demand. Imagine for one moment where you would like your business to be in 5 years time. Then ask yourself: “Is it possible that I can be exactly the same person in 5 years that I am today and fulfil that growth strategy for my business? The answer has to be no. Business owners need to be prepared for new learning and taking on new, different, and bigger responsibilities – without fear or hesitation. The reality is that the owner is usually the limiting factor in growth – the business can only grow to the extent to which the owner grows. When owners feel out of sorts, overworked, and like they are running on a treadmill, it is almost always because they have fallen victim to the reactive “let’s go faster” management approach. They are forced to live from problem to problem, and may fail to see their own (lack of) self-management as part of the problem. So why aren’t we better at managing ourselves? There’s really four reasons:

• Being comfortable – we all do what we are comfortable with – it’s human nature. So we keep doing what we have always done
• Not knowing what else is possible
• Not knowing that there are other ways to do what they are doing
• Actually getting energy (and maybe some identity) from being stressed and overworked

There are 5 steps to take on the road to better self-management: 1. Clarify personal goals for the future.
Many business owners lose sight of these as they get immersed in the day-to-day running of the business. Articulating your personal goals can reveal any issues about whether these support or conflict with their business goals. These goals need to cover both the immediate and future plans. What do you want to achieve personally in the next 1 to 2 years. And where do you want to be in ten years time?
2. Clarify the business goals.
Having spent some time expressing personal goals for the future, take a look at your business goals and rethink them. Are your personal and business goals working together, or are they working against each other? If they do seem to be mutually exclusive, what choices will you make next? Putting the business goals ahead of your personal ones will inevitably lead to stress and feelings of overwhelm. Determine instead whether the business goals can be re-oriented or modified to support what you would like to achieve personally.
3. Identify the owner’s ideal role 3 years from now.
Think about who you want to be – what role you want to have in the business – in 3 years time. Will you still be doing the majority of work? Will you have others doing the work and your capacity is more advisory? Or perhaps you would like to remove yourself completely from the operational parts of the business and focus on product or business development? Thinking about what you want as an owner in the future can give you great insights into what strategies you may need to put in place now. 4. Conduct a detailed personal time analysis for a one-week period.
This is where the rubber hits the road. If you really are true to yourself when you do this exercise you will learn a lot about where the potential lies for making changes. How are you really spending your time? Break your day down into at least half hour slots and write down exactly what you do in each 30 minutes. 5. Create a plan of action for the next 30 days.
Based on the data from steps 1-4, create an action plan to cover the next 30 days. Your plan should include:

• steps to align personal and business goals
• strategy for moving to the role the owner wants to play in the business in the future
• analysis of the results of the one-week detailed monitoring exercise
• deciding which activities add the most value and planning to spend time on those
• identify how much time is spent on low value activity and planning to delegate or stop doing those things

There is never a better time than right now for planning to do things differently. Take charge of yourself and your business by choosing a direction that allows you to meet both your personal and business goals, and still retain your sanity!

Megan Tough, Director of Action Plus, is passionate about helping people enjoy their businesses. She works internationally with business owners to systematically remove the stress points from their business, giving them more time and space for – well -whatever they want! Visit her at http://www.megantough.com for more information on taking the stress out of your business.

As vehicle engines become old, or improperly maintained, internal engine component failure can occur. While some vehicle owners may choose to simply buy a new car, there are many people that want to repair their engines so that they do not have to take on a car payment for a new car. Especially in this economy, it is understandable how people want to stretch their money as far as it can go. In many cases, rebuilding a damaged engine is more cost effective then buying a new car in the long run.

When an engine has failed, a skilled automotive technician will remove it from the vehicle. This is a laborious process and can often cost around seven hundred dollars to remove and reinstall automotive engines. Once the engine is out of the vehicle, it normally is given to a skilled engine builder for further assessment.

Once the engine builder has the engine, it will be carefully disassembled. Notes will be taken during this process to document the damage found. Once the engine is completely disassembled, all of the components are chemically cleaned to remove the oil, carbon and any contaminates. At this point, the engine builder can use specialized measuring tools to determine whether or not the internal engine parts are within acceptable tolerances. After a full assessment is made, the engine builder will then quote out the parts and labor necessary to repair the engine.

The labor to repair an engine is the largest component of the overall engine repair bill. In many cases the cylinder block must be bored, new pistons installed on the connecting rods and the cylinder heads reconditioned. Another labor intensive process is repairing the crankshaft.

When you hear people saying that their engine has a “spun bearing,” this simply means that one of their crankshaft bearings has failed. Bearing and crankshaft failure, by most accounts, are the leading cause of failed engines being removed from vehicles. When the crankshaft must be reconditioned, the process is completed in a crankshaft grinding machine. The equipment to perform this task can cost well over $50,000, which is why repairing crankshafts is not inexpensive.

After all of the engine components have been repaired or replaced, an engine builder will thoroughly clean all of the components before assembly. This is needed to remove any contaminates from the internal engine parts. With clean parts in hand, the engine builder may assemble the engine in a clean environment so that it is ready for the automotive technician to install.

After the automotive technician has installed the rebuilt engine, in most cases they will offer a limited warranty of one to three years. This warranty assures vehicle owners that the investment they made in repairing their engine is protected by a contract. With a typical car payment being $300 or more each month, vehicle owners can often save nearly $10,000 when they repair a failed engine instead of buying new. In these tight economic times, those savings can allow consumers the opportunity to save a significant amount of money over just a few years.

This author is an engine builder and certified automotive engine machinist. As part of his engine building career, Jeff also is responsible for the crankshaft grinding, welding and reconditioning services which are performed in his automotive machine shop.

It happens every time during your Caribbean sailing charter. You are relaxing onboard in a peaceful, idyllic anchorage – the crystal clear turquoise water gently lapping against the hull- when suddenly, the warm tropical breezes lure you ashore like a siren song with the sound of a party! Every year, the Caribbean plays host to hundreds of different parties ranging from religious celebrations, music festivals, fishing tournaments, sporting competitions to sailing regattas. No matter where you go, a party in paradise can almost always be a part of your Caribbean sailing vacation. The greatest party, however, is the annual Carnival celebration. Basically a street party, it is a fun mixture of party, theater, art and folklore tradition. For each island, the annual Carnival is big business, and preparations for the next one begin almost the day after the last one ends.

The history of Carnival celebrations began hundreds of years ago in Italy where Catholics held wild costume festivals right before Lent. Since they were not supposed to eat meat during Lent, the festival got the name, “Carnevale”, which means “to put away meat.” The famous Carnival celebrations eventually spread to other Catholic countries, including France, Spain and Portugal. As Catholic Europeans set up colonies and entered the slave trade, Carnival took root in the New World as well.

Today, Carnival celebrations are found throughout the islands. They have been transformed, however, from those original Italian costume festivals to something distinctly Caribbean that differs from island

to island. The Caribbean Carnival is a blending together of many European cultures, as well as African dance and music. Important to the celebration of the Caribbean Carnival is the African traditions of parading in costumes and masks and moving in circles through villages in order to bring good fortune, heal problems and calm angry spirits. Carnival is an important way for the people of the Caribbean to express their rich African cultural traditions by creating elaborate masks and costumes. It takes months and a lot of energy and creativity to come up with a concept and develop costumes for the dancers to depict a common theme.

When Carnival first began, it was celebrated from December 26th until Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). Still using this traditional time, Trinidad has the largest carnival, with daily events for four weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday. The last two days are the frenzied culmination of all the parades, the largest floats and the final competitions to decide the winners of various contests.

Other islands hold their carnivals at different times so as not to clash and allow people to enjoy several celebrations during the year. If you are planning a Caribbean sailing vacation, check with each island’s tourist office to get a schedule of events. It is great fun to plan a charter around Carnival. Although each island may hold Carnival during different times of the year, there are some common elements to the celebration. Many of the islands will use Carnival as the perfect occasion to commemorate other events in the island’s past. All will include elaborate costumes (Mas) worn by many people. Colorful floats and street parades (Pan) are accompanied by lots of music (especially Calypso) and bands, and there is usually an elected King and Queen.

Following is a glimpse of Carnival celebrations throughout the islands:

British Virgin Islands

The biggest event in the BVI, this Carnival goes by two names. Some locals refer to it as the, “August Festival”, while others call it the, “Emancipation Festival.” It begins July 1st and ends August 31st. This annual celebration marks the 1834 Emancipation Act which abolished slavery in the British West Indies. All the islands celebrate with events taking place across the region, although most celebrations are held in Road Town, Tortola. Visitors are in a for treat including live music, dancing, street performers, parties, parades and food and drink booths laced with a distinct Caribbean flavor. A hotly contested calypso competition leads to the coveted crowning of the Calypso King. There is also a competition for a festival Queen. Events not to miss include the food booths set up near the waterfront in Road Town; the children’s pageants; calypso, reggae and costume competitions; bands on huge sound trucks cruising the waterfront accompanied by crowds of dancers; steel bands on floats; all night parties and the grand costume parade.

St. Martin/Sint Maarten

This island is unique because it has a French and Dutch side-both of which are extremely distinct from one another. The way in which Carnival is celebrated is also distinct, depending on which side of the island you are on. Since French St. Martin is considered a part of Guadeloupe, see below. Carnival in Dutch Sint Maarten begins with the Balloon Jump-Up after Easter and lasts until April 30th, the birthday of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The Balloon Jump-Up celebrates the opening of Carnival Village, an area two blocks from Front Street that houses more than 100 food booths. The Jump-Up parades are a top Carnival attraction with their brightly costumed dancers, floats and live bands. The largest of the processions is the Grand Carnival Parade, which features elaborately dressed Carnival dancers winding along a four-mile route. In between parades, spectators are entertained by steel drum bands from other Caribbean islands. Competitions (especially Calypso competitions) are an integral part of the festivities. A traditional art form of the Caribbean, Calypso competitions test the improvisational and narrative skills of a solo performer. The winner goes up against the previous years’ Calypso King or Queen in a battle for the new title. The day after a new Calypso monarch is crowned, a Jump-Up Parade called Jouvert (pronounced Jou-vey) begins at 4 a.m. and lasts until sunrise. The grand finale to Carnival is the Last Lap Jump-Up, lead by King Momo, the straw figure who reigns over Carnival. The burning of King Momo signals the end of Carnival. Local folklore is that he takes the sins of the villages with him, thus leaving the island pure.

St. Barths

St. Barths is one of the three countries in the world where Carnival actually ends at the end of Ash Wednesday. It officially begins the Saturday preceding Ash Wednesday, but unofficially starts the day after New Year’s Day. During this unofficial time, the Carnival associations begin rehearsals in the street and people spend their time making the beautiful floats for the parades. The official start of Fat Saturday (Samedi Gras) is an all night dance party. The king of Carnival is King Vaval – a giant mannequin. He is featured with revelers and floats on Fat Sunday (Dimanche Gras) when people enjoy Jump-Ups during the day and all night parties. There are parties every night during the official celebration of Carnival. On Fat Monday (Lundi Gras), everyone dresses in red for the day of the red devils. The costumes are beautiful works of art decorated with glitter and reflective silver. Finally, Ash Wednesday is the day everyone dresses in black and white for the funeral of King Vavel. Festivities continue until 7 p.m. when the straw figure of King Vavel is burned, marking the end of Carnival.

St. Kitts and Nevis

Carnival on St. Kitts and Nevis officially begins on Christmas Eve and ends on New Year’s Day. The unofficial start occurs months before with costume making and float building. The Carnival season consists of many different activities such as beauty pageants, street jamming, calypso shows and competitions, masquerades, mocko jumbies and other traditional folklore.

Antigua

The Antigua Carnival dates back to August 1, 1834, when slavery was abolished and locals went to the streets to joyfully express their celebration of freedom. The celebration continued until 1957, when it was officially declared Carnival. Antigua’s Carnival always takes place around the last week of July through the first week of August. The ten days of revelry includes marches, parades, Jump-Ups, shows, and dances to the beat of Calypso. The Antigua Carnival is a great time for visitors on a Caribbean sailing charter to immerse themselves with the culture of this island. During Carnival, St. John teems with street performers, food and drink booths. Pan Ban- steel pan orchestras- are followed by dance troupes wearing intricate costumes. The lively event culminates with a massive road party called Jouvert, (meaning “day break”), where everybody is on their feet dancing to the beat of steel drums.

Montserrat

Carnival in Montserrat is celebrated between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The festival includes steel bands, Jump-Ups, King and Queen competitions, and parades. One of the highlights of Carnival is the calypso competition finals where performers dress up and act out their calypsos. Calypso is usually a social commentary about things that are going on in the island as well as feelings about the current government. There is usually a double entendre and the songs tend to be quiet risqué. The winner of the competition is awarded prizes and celebrity status on the island, and they will represent Montserrat in the inter-island competitions. Besides the calypso competition, Carnival also includes steel bands, sporting events, barbecues, and dancing contests.

Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe’s Carnival also finishes on Ash Wednesday. Rehearsals begin in January, with groups disguised in costumes dancing and singing in the streets. Carnival reaches its feverous pitch between Shrove Sunday and Ash Wednesday. Shrove Sunday begins with parades, dancing, costumes, masquerades and street parties. On Shrove Tuesday, pajama clad masqueraders dance throughout the day. On Ash Wednesday, Guadeloupe’s unique celebration of Carnival is apparent as revelers dressed up in black and white he and she wolves take to the streets. That evening, with people dancing and dining, Carnival comes to a close with the cremation of King Vaval. Midway between Carnival and Easter Sunday, Carnival is revived for one day at Mid-Lent Thursday, where revelers, depicting themselves as devils, dress up in red and black costumes.

Dominica

Mas Domnik is held at the traditional pre-Lenten time. During the ten day celebration, there are lots of activities taking place around the island. It is a feast of calypso shows and street Jump-Ups. The opening parade kicks off Carnival. The Queen contestants, calypsonians, the most popular bands, people in sensay costumes, moko jumbies, cheerleaders and many more people parade through the streets in a kaleidoscope of colors encouraged by a huge crowd of onlookers. Throughout Carnival, there are calypso competitions, costume contests, street jams, sensay festivals and beauty pageants. On the two final days of Carnival, music, culture and people merge to celebrate with costumes, bands and parades. The final event takes place on Ash Wednesday with the burning of the Carnival King and the beginning of Lent.

Barbados

Beginning in May and continuing throughout the summer with various events, Crop Over is Barbados’ biggest, loudest and best-loved festival. Dating back to the late 1700s and early 1800s, when Barbados was one of the biggest sugar producers in the world, the end of the sugar cane harvest was celebrated with big parties. Today, the celebration continues with more flamboyance and extravaganza. The event officially begins in early July with a ceremonial delivery of the last sugar cane harvest and the crowning of the Carnival King and Queen. The following five weeks is marked by a heady mix of live music (including tuk, calypso, soca and street bands), dancing, food and craft markets, cultural presentations and much more. The Pic-O-De-Crop is part of the Carnival celebrations and is a part of a fierce competition to pick the best calypso band. The best bands then compete against one another in a bid to win the honor of taking on the reigning Calypso Kings. This is a great community event. Carnival culminates with a parade called, “Grand Kadooment.” Costumed bands take to the streets for the final competition for “Designer of the Year” crown. Revelers dressed in elaborate costumes depicting various themes wind their way through the streets, dancing as DJs play the most popular music.

St. Vincent and The Grenadines

Vincy Mas, as Carnival has become known since 1977, was first celebrated as a pre-Lenten festival by French colonists in the late eighteenth century. The observance of Carnival as a celebration of the privileged class continued under the rule of Great Britain, who celebrated the four days preceding Ash Wednesday as their annual, “Masked Balls”. With the coming of freedom, the ex-slaves took Carnival to the streets introducing African cultural traditions. In 1872, the colonial authorities attempted to ban the celebration. On February 11, 1879, Vincentians decided that Carnival would be celebrated, ban or no ban. The people resisted the armed forces of the empire, leading to riots in the streets, and the St. Vincent Carnival Riots became part of the island’s history. The peoples’ festival continued to grow until 1973, when the Carnival Development Committee took charge to put resources into the planning and organization of the carnival. In 1976, the CDC decided to change the dates of the official celebration of Carnival, and the rest is history. Beginning the end of June, Vincy Mas today is a ten day festival of Pan (panorama), Calypso and Mas (costumes), where society becomes classless and non-racial. The streets of Kingstown become a hive of activity with around the clock excitement. Vincy Mas is filled with mirth and gaiety. The streets are filled with the constant hammering of DJ music blaring out of temporary bars. Various competitions, including costumed bands, Queen Shows (beauty pageants) and calypso are all part of the celebration. If you are on a Caribbean sailing charter, you will be overwhelmed by the riot of color, clash of music, display of talent and the teeming mass of humanity that overtakes the island during Vincy Mas.

Grenada

Carnival is one of Grenada’s biggest annual festivals. Renowned for its color, creativity and unique cultural character, Carnival celebrations are held during the second week in August, just one week after Emancipation Day festivities. Although each parish has its own brand of traditional costume or mas, the main Carnival action is in the streets of St. George’s. Festivities begin in July with the opening of various calypso tents, where singers vie for a chance to compete in the National Calypso Monarch Competition. In early August, Carnival celebration gains momentum. Every night of the week, there are cultural presentations and calypso shows, while steel bands rehearse for the upcoming Panorama competition. Carnival week proceeds with the National Carnival Queen show, the Soca Monarch Finals, and the Panorama Steel Band Competition. Carnival Sunday brings the Dimanche Gras Show- featuring the Kings and Queens of the Fancy Mas Bands in competition for King and Queen of Carnival. From dawn on Carnival Monday, the streets of Grenada’s towns are filled with traditional masqueraders depicting Jab-Jabs (devils) and social commentaries of the highlights of the past year (Ole Mas). Spectators, and masqueraders alike dance in the streets to the sound of steel bands and popular music played by DJs. On Monday afternoon, the fancy or pretty bands appear on the streets as they make their way to the big stage for the fierce Band of the Year competition. The street party continues late into the evening as the Monday Night Mas Bands weave their way through the streets dancing and waving brightly colored fluorescent lights and continues until the early hours of Tuesday morning. On Carnival Tuesday, spectators and masqueraders again dance through the streets with the fancy bands. The party continues until midnight, when the official Carnival celebration ends.

Although the dates of the music competitions, Jump-Ups, food booths, beauty pageants, costume parades and others activities that make up the festivities vary from island to island, Carnival celebrations are held annually through the Caribbean. Even though each island may have its own twist to the event, it is an opportunity for the people of the Caribbean to express themselves artistically and socially. Carnival is a celebration of the sheer joy of life! Regardless of what your social status is or the color of your skin, everyone, including spectators, is a part of the celebration. No matter where you go, you do not need an elaborate festival to have a great time in the islands, but a Carnival celebration can be a fun part of your Caribbean sailing vacation.

Remember, “Dis party can’t done ’til morning come.”

Donna Wolfson also know as “Sailgirl” at Virgin Island Sailing, has been sailing in the Caribbean and writing about it for years. Learn more about Catamaran Charters.

First thing to consider in making this decision is, were you planning on getting another vehicle in the very near future? If the answer to this question is yes then you have to ask the second question. And that is were you going to use the vehicle as a trade in on that next vehicle? If the answer to that is yes then you have to answer a third question. Can you afford to buy another vehicle without using this vehicle as a trade in? If you can answer this question yes, then maybe buying another vehicle is the thing to do.

But in most all cases the answer to one or all of those three questions is great big NO! So let us look at what the reason to ask these questions and what they have to do with the original question. What to do when your vehicle needs a new engine? Repair it or write it off? And the answers to those questions are going to help you determine the best thing to do in your current situation.

The first question is answered no 98% of the time. Why is that? Because most of the time we have no reason to get a new vehicle when the one we are driving is working fine. So if you had no intention of buying another vehicle before your vehicle broke down, why would you suddenly need to buy one now? Unless you are going to go out and buy a brand new vehicle or one that is still under a factory warranty, what are you really doing? You are going to get rid of your vehicle that you know everything about and has been a trusted mode of transportation, for one that you know nothing about and may have more problems than your current vehicle. If it does have more problems that were hidden and it starts breaking down. You will have spent the money you could have fixed that old trust friend with and now have to start putting money into this vehicle. By the time you are done you could be spending much more than if you had just replaced the engine in your original vehicle.

The second question is not answered no to as often as the first question, because if you have answer no to the first question, you had no intention of trading this vehicle in. So if you have answer no because you were not thinking of trading it in, then why would you suddenly want to get another vehicle just because it is expensive to replace the engine. But for all same reasons above the investment in your current vehicle will usually be the a better decision than writing it off.

Finally the answer to the third question is no at least as often as the first question. And if you can afford to buy the vehicle without a trade in and you are planning on buying a brand new vehicle, then writing off this vehicle may be your best decision. But if you are just going to buy some other used vehicle then again we go back to all of the reasons in question one why you should make the investment in your current vehicle. You can not buy any reliable vehicle for less money than it will cost you to put a rebuilt exchange engine into your current vehicle. Sometimes the idea of buying another vehicle is more appealing than fixing the current vehicle. Maybe your eyes are just tired of looking through that same windshield or your seat is tired of sitting in that seat.

For a breakdown of the costs of buying a new vehicle compared to keeping and maintaining a vehicle. You can email us and we will forward you an Excel spreadsheet that you can input your own data and check it out. As you will be able to see over a five year period even spending $2500.00 you could still be saving thousands dollars by repairing the vehicle you have. By repairing your current vehicle you have time to save for that next vehicle and shop for one that is really in great shape not one that only appears to be in great shape.

So what it all boils down to is this is going to be a tough decision and one only you can make. Hopefully you have a trusted mechanic that will help you make this decision. And if not just give us a call and we will do our best to help you with straight forward answer and questions to make sure you are making a decision you will be happy with.

C. Ray Brower
209-463-2700
209-463-2769 Fax
info@browertrans.com Email
http://www.browertrans.com Website
Brower Tranzpro Transmission
1204 Enterprise Street
Stockton, CA 95204
San Joaquin County’s Most Referred Transmission Shop

Television has taken on an entirely new look and feel, even in the past decade. What was once an industry based on three major networks with very limited programs in the 1950’s has erupted into many major networks and thousands of cable channels available throughout the world in every imaginable language. Television has truly become a three-dimensional experience for producers, directors, project coordinators and other professionals in the industry, not to mention a multi-dimensional experience for viewers. With a variety of genres and styles of programming available, from news programs and specials to different types and lengths of commercials, sit-coms, dramas, reality programs, game shows and countless others, being someone involved in television production is both wrought with opportunity and teeming with challenges.

Finding inexpensive background music and production music for television programs can be much more difficult than finding it for other types of media projects because the medium is so diversified and so societally pervasive. As a director or producer of television programs looking for ear-catching television music for your show, you have to be very cognizant of not only your target audience, but also what you are up against in your allotted time slot. Sometimes whether a show succeeds or fails has nothing to do with its quality. Success in television programming has more to do with what you are up against and the time and day your program airs. If you are producing a talk show, for example, you might be on at the same time as more than five or ten other talk shows. Or your program might conversely be when no other talk shows are on television, but at a time when typically people are more likely to watch news programs, Sit-coms or other types of programming.

Still, choosing the right television music can certainly help you make the most out of your particular project. Again, because of the diverse nature of television, there are many different types of production music and background music to choose from. There is music for commercials, music for dramas, music for news programs and specials, music for sit-coms and many others. As a producer of a television show, you probably also will have to consider how your music will blend in with the music of commercials that might air during your broadcast. Because the line between commercials and programming has been blurred, starting in the 1960’s commercials have become an integral part of all television shows, sometimes not only on network television but also on cable television. Before the mid-1960’s, commercials used to have to be signaled in all television programs by an announcement that they would begin. Similarly, announcers were responsible for signaling the return of the regular program. Now, there is not always any clear sign where the show ends and the commercial begins or vice versa. It’s all about the timing.

Because Copyright Law has become stricter to account for the proliferation of diverse recorded music, finding and affording production music and background music for television programming has been further complicated. Before the 1980s, music in commercials and even on many television programs was limited to jingles and transitional music, most of which was instrumental or with very brief and simple vocals. Occasionally lyrics to popular music would be changed to fit a particular product or the theme for a show, a phenomenon that would not work easily or cheaply under today’s copyright standards, and didn’t come inexpensively then either. Still, while some pop and rock songs were re-recorded for television programs and commercials, the cost of licensing original recordings was very daunting until the late 1980s when it became more doable.

Today commercials use many popular songs as background music and production music, and many programs, particularly those geared towards young people use popular music regularly in an effort to promote burgeoning music groups. Television has become such a cultural phenomenon and a showcase for music that many shows, including “Dawson’s Creek” and “The O.C.” have even gone on to put out music compilations based on music heard in episodes of the show throughout specific seasons. Previously, songs were often used without artist consent, but thanks to stricter Copyright Law this is no longer a possibility. Still, most artists are willing to accept often high payment for use of their songs in popular television programs and enjoy the exposure they get as a result to very specific markets made up of people that will buy music they make in the future.

Using popular music in television programs and commercials can be incredibly expensive for the typical producer and director. Whether your show is a hit with a large budget, or a smaller show just starting out, you want to make an impact musically at minimal cost, as there are so many other elements to consider in the production of television projects. Fees for use of popular music can total thousands of dollars, and when you multiply that by how often you will probably use songs as themes, production music, background music and other incidental elements, the numbers can add up quickly. But, even though you want to save money on television music, you certainly don’t want to skimp on quality.

What are your options when it comes to production music and background music for your television projects if you want to build a collection inexpensively and still honor the spirit of your project?

As a producer or director of television programs, you most likely travel in circles of artists and musicians. You might know some good composers or bands, or people you know might know some that would be happy to help with music for your project. Because of the almost culturally invasive nature of television, most struggling musicians or composers would not object to helping you out with your project in exchange for exposure and the chance to work on something beyond the norm. Many bands have been launched when their song was chosen as a theme song for a television series, and many composers have broken into the film, television and music industry after working on scores for television programs.

Finding under-appreciated talent in your network is a good option and often one that could help get you a deal on production music or background music, but it is by no means a simple solution, nor one that is long-term. If your show is a hit, or your theme song or the band that sings it is a hit, you will be morally, if not legally obligated to pay more for the music you are using. This either leads to the same problem you had before of expensive music or back to square one, looking for inexpensive television music.

Another option for inexpensive production music, and one that more producers and directors are choosing every day, is royalty free music provided by reputable music companies. Choosing royalty free music allows you access to a catalog of music in varying styles and can be downloaded directly from a centralized royalty free music company website online. Well-known companies such as Royalty Free Music.com give you music libraries with songs you can add permanently to a collection. This means you can build your own store of production music and use it in present and future projects. And because of the nature of the music, you just pay a very low upfront fee to satisfy all aspects of Copyright Law.

Television production gets more complex as time and technology progresses, but directors and producers will never lose the ability to control what production music and background music fits best with their projects. Television music is critical to keeping a program or a commercial at the top of its game, and helps communicate important themes to viewers. As a producer, director or project coordinator, the musical choices you make are some of the most important decisions.

Offering hand crafted children’s furniture online for sale is a terrific niche market. If you drill down a bit more you will find that you can offer items like tables and chairs sets, small bookcases and wall decorations. People love anything that is handcrafted and do not seem to mind spending money to make their kids rooms look great. Add the fact the children’s demographic is continuous, and you have a terrific market opportunity. Demand is strong for this market if you approach it with a good plan and a sensible mind.

Pros and Cons

Cons

First of all, anything that is hand crafted involves significant time. If you plan on making the items yourself, it can involve an amazing amount of time. I started out in this business out of the passion of creating something special. I quickly learned that the time to make each unit actually ate away at my bottom line because of the time it took to make the units. If your items are painted you have to contend with sanding, priming, painting at least two coats, artwork and sealing the project. Any shortcuts you can make will help cut down on your assembly time. If I were to coach someone through this process today, I would recommend having someone cut your parts or even supply everything you need. Anything you can do in this capacity will save you time which means you save money.

Pros

Just about everything today is made overseas. Finding good quality craftsmanship with a personal flair is getting harder and harder. You can build up a great following if you can offer special made items. Younger children’s items like tables and chairs do especially well. Targeting the right crowd of buyers also helps you sell for a better price. The “walmart” price conscious buyer is not who you are really after. Goods on the very high end also do well offering a higher margin but less frequency of sales. Of course this all is a matter of research. We made the habit of using commercial artists that were just starting out and willing to work for reasonable items. We would offer to name a line of products using their name and that had some good selling appeal. Who would not like having their own furniture line? (it reminds me of giving a person a title instead of a raise, but it does work)

Another technique that works well is outsourcing your parts after you develop a good feel for what is selling. There is nothing wrong with importing chairs or blank parts to help cut down your production time. Submit your own designs and many importers will build to your exact specifications. Finishing the product yourself using this technique can still be labeled with the handmade label. This is a powerful technique but you have to order parts in larger quantities to make it work best.

If you are thinking about setting out to specialize in this field, it can be very rewarding. Knowing the obstacles before you get into is, can make the difference between staying in the market or moving on to something else.

Ken Schulte is a contributing editor to http://www.routertabledepot.com as well as a coach for small business specializing in manufacturing.

So you’ve got your Neon or LED under car kit, and can’t wait to have it installed and running… am I right? No problemo, we’ll have you up and running in no time!

Just in case you’re wondering about how to install other neon or led lights sold at “out-lets” other then the All-Neon-Car-Lights.com website, I can assure you that most of the instructions that come with each of the various kits are easy to follow. They have been designed with the do-it-yourselfer in mind. (Or at least they “should” be). However, if you are in need of any special advise about a particular car lighting product, please continue reading, or you can contact us via the email link provided below and we will do our best to help you with your enquiry.

For some people, a car is a means of transport and nothing more. As long as their vehicle gets them from point A to point B and back again, has nice comfortable seats, a good sound system and a coffee mug holder, it serves all of its purposes well. And of course there are other drivers for which a car is much, much more — It can be an extension of their personality or an object of their fixation. In this huge world of automotive accessories, there is no product that screams louder than the underbody light kit for this type of individual. If you consider cruising in your car is among your favorite hobbies and you relish the stares of pedestrians and fellow-motorists, then a under car light kit may be for you.

These lights, which mount to the body around the perimeter of the vehicle’s undercarriage, come in kits that contain the elements you’ll need for installation. The “how to install under car lights” instructions that you’ll be directed to shortly, are fairly straight forward, but since it requires drilling into the body of the vehicle and substantial electrical work (depending on the kit you buy), it’s best left to the more experienced do-it-yourselfers. If this project seems a little too hard for you, rest assured that there is a growing number of custom shops that perform this type of installation. If you do decide to take on the installation yourself, which anyone can do with the correct instructions, be sure to purchase a kit that is compatible with your vehicle, and read and follow the instructions that come with the kit carefully.

Ever wondered how long car lighting kits have been around? Well Hot Rods were the first cars to have undercar lighting installed on them, (although, the lights were nothing like they are today) back before import and export was a big industry world wide. And today, thanks to the World Wide Web and the fact that import and export is now more commonly practiced throughout the world, they have become more popular then ever before.

So this is the reason why we set out to write up these “How to install under car lights” instructions, as they are *required* by people like yourself.

Our team of dedicated Market & Product Researchers and including myself, have spent an enormous amount of time & money installing under car kits from a variety of manufacturers, and as a result after all this testing, we can now provide you with generic instructions on how to install under car lights on your vehicle. We also found after this extensive testing was carried out, that Plasmaglow had the best, “all round” car lighting products available on the market today, outlasting and out-performing the competition in every aspect, hence the reason why we recommend their products on the all-neon-car-lights.com website.

As a related note, please keep in mind that the main issues we face with having neon or LED car lights on our vehicles these days is the fact that they are often frowned upon by the authorities. So to avoid any uninvited fines, its best to install neon lights under a car so as they can be activated through a separate switch rather than having them come on when the headlights are turned on. To do this, you can run a power wire directly from the car battery to the kits operating switch, thus by-passing the vehicles headlight wires.

The “How to install under car lights” instructions below have been designed & written with ALL “under car kits” in mind. These instructions will benefit those who have LED under car kits to install, and/or Neon under car kits.

Enjoy your new undercar lights, and drive safely.

Kind regards

Antonio Gabellone

Please choose the instructions below that suit your needs:

For LED under car lights installation instructions – visit:

http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com/how-to-install-led-under-car-lights.html

For Neon under car lights installation instructions – visit:

http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com/how-to-install-neon-under-car-lights.html

Antonio Gabellone is a enthusiast for all things related to neon/led car lights. His website, http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com, is a great resource of articles aimed at car lighting products with “life-time Warranties”.

Copyright All-Neon-Car-Lights.com 2005. Permission is granted to reprint this article provided you supply a live link to the authors website.

Doing auto repairs at home is one of the best ways to keep a car in tiptop shape. Home auto repair is cost-efficient, too, because you can save on professional fees. All it takes to fix your car is a substantial amount of know-how plus a collection of quality tools.

For most people, doing things themselves has its own rewards. The most obvious benefit is that they get to save their hard-earned dollars. When it comes to auto repair, the same mindset applies. It is not surprising why there are many people who still prefer to fix their car in the comfort of their own homes instead of bringing their vehicle in for commercial auto repairs.

Home auto repairs allow car owners the chance to work closely with their own vehicles. They get to tinker around with their cars to identify if it needs tuning up or if a certain part needs replacing. Home auto repairs leave the responsibility in the hands of the car owner. Owners would not have to worry about mechanics mishandling their vehicles or charging them huge fees for simple auto repairs.

If you are planning on repairing your vehicle in the comfort of your own home, do thorough research first. The World Wide Web holds a lot of information regarding auto repair as well as do-it-yourself vehicle maintenance. You will also find a lot of car tips and trivia online.

It would also be wise to amass a collection of commonly used car tools and equipment. Wrenches, screws, jacks and bolts are among the tools you need to get together. You can buy ready car tool kits on the Internet. Do some comparison shopping. Look around for the best deals. Once you have narrowed down your choices to the tools that provide you with the most value for your money, it is easy to have them delivered right to your doorstep.

Auto Repair provides detailed information on Auto Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Online Auto Repair, Auto Body Repair and more. Auto Repair is affiliated with Discount Auto Parts.

I strongly believe that everyone has to take advantage of the opportunity that blogging offers. Some People would often jump into blogging straight away without even understanding what blogging really is. in this article, I hope I could in some way, get you started to blog.

There are tons of reasons why people might want to start a blog. Finding all the reasons would be next to impossible. After all, there are over 150,000,000 blogs out there and I bet everybody has a different answer to the “why do you blog?” question. In this section, I am going to cover some of the best reasons to why you should start blogging today and hopefully get you to decide if blogging really is for you. There are 4 main types of blog and these are:

• 1. Company blogs – blogs run by a company who are selling a product or service to people. Most of the time, These types of blogs are made to give product/service updates to their customer and usually created to build good relationships with them. A good example of a company blog is the Google Blog which ranks 10th most popular blog in the world (according to technorati)
• 2. Personal Blogs – these types of blogs are more like an ‘online diary’ where you write updates about your life, post some of your cat’s pictures and share those updates to the world. (pretty much like how twitter and facebook are being used today.)
• 3. Blogs that Provide Value – blogs that are usually started by a single person and often run by one. These are blogs that talks about informative subjects and specific expertise. I.e. Problogger for blogging advice, Copy blogger for Copywriting, SEObook for SEO tips
• 4. Automated / fake blogs – these are types of blogs that I wouldn’t recommend but they do deserve a mention since there are literally millions of them out there. Automated blogs are blogs that were setup to scrape other blog’s content. Basically, all they do is steal content from other sites and post it on their blogs automatically by using an Autoblogging software. the owners of these sites makes hundreds of these and even if each one only makes $5 a month, they can make a tidy profit out of it.

Blogs that provide value is written with an ‘underline’ because that’s the type of blog which I recommend you build. So if you’re looking for a way to make money out of creating a spammy auto blog that steals content from others, this article is not for you and you may be better off searching for a guide about it on one of those black hat forums. But if you’re here to provide value (and make money while doing it at least), Then this article may just what have everything that you’ll need to answer the – ‘Why should I start a blog?’ question.

These are the 4 main types of blogs and the reason for creating them includes:

Profit

Money is always a Good Motivator and I can’t hide the fact that most bloggers starts a blog for the sole intention of profiting from it. In fact, (Although it doesn’t sound great) I wouldn’t be into blogging today if I didn’t know that I can make money out of it.

Note: blogging only for money is the last thing you would want to do. Providing Value should be your number one priority and That’s something you should always keep in mind.

below are some examples of successful blogs who were able to make their authors – Millionaires:

1. Johnchow.com – Blog by John chow is a blog that earns over $40,000 per month.

2. Mashable.com – blog owned by Pete Cashmore that’s focused on the social media news. it was said on a recent interview that mashable is now earning over $200,000 worth of monthly income.

3. Problogger.net – Darren rowse the author of Problogger, has never revealed his exact earnings but judging to the numbers of his subscribers and his alexa stats, A good $45,000 per month calculation maybe enough to say that his earning this big every month.

of course, These blogs had been online for a long time and each of the owners had put hard work and effort to get to where they are today. (by the way, if you wish to see more blogs that makes money, you can easily do so by searching on your favorite search engine: “Top Money Making Blogs in the world”)

While Having a $40,000 monthly earning sounds cool, I would still advise you to target a more realistic earning first. $5,000 is a reasonable income to target and there are thousands of blogs out there who earns this much. After you’ve reached that point though, the sky really is the limit.

Showcase your expertise

Blogs will always be a good chance to get you noticed as a Photographer, Designer,Guitar tutor, or even a Food Lover who writes about food. No matter what chosen field you’re in, blogging is always a great way to get you known.

When you blog, you’re providing value and providing value means you’re showcasing your expertise to the world. All thanks to blogging, I had been able to share my knowledge about making money online to a quality number of people including *you* – and that’s a good example of how powerful blogging can really be. You get the chance to Establish yourself.

Ease of use

Before blogging had ever existed, it would had been impossible for a regular Joe to start his own website. He would have to pay a lot of money to some web designer before everything could be set up. But since blog Softwares and CMS (content management Softwares) were born, life had never been so much easier for someone (including me) to build a website.

Today, anyone who could type in a keyboard could literally post content online. Content that does not only comes in Text form, but also in Video, Image – you name it. They can all be easily added with basic computer skills.

Those are basically the major reasons that I think about every time I see someone blogging. Hopefully, This would get you motivated to start blogging today.

elie palima is the author of the blog ” make money online and start a blog with this blog” if you want more blogging and internet marketing tips from him, check out his blog.

Have you heard of the waterless cooking method? It is a relatively new method of cooking that has many advantages. In the past, a lot of household cooking has involved cooking food with water. When cooked in water, however, a lot of the food’s nutritional value, not to mention the flavor, is taken away. Waterless cooking allows you to cook food in it own juices, retaining all the vitamins and minerals as well as most of the original flavor. There is no need to add water to foods (especially vegetables) because the natural moisture in the food is released and the steam created helps the cooking process. The steam is circulated throughout the pot and falls back into the food allowing it to stay moist and juicy.

So what are the advantages to waterless cooking? First of all, it is an easy way to cook. Many times you can use a one-pan cooking method so that all the food (meat, veggies and potatoes) is cooked together. This also allows for easier clean up with only one pan to wash up. And the new waterless cookware, with its superior heat distribution, tends to have less chance of food burning or sticking.

Waterless cooking also tends to cook food a lot faster. With the new waterless cookware available now the heat is evenly distributed along the bottom of the pot or pan. Because of this, there are no ‘hot-spots’ that may tend to burn your food. The lid of the pot forms a seal, which locks in the heat (as well as the moisture) so the cooking time is decreased.

As mentioned, waterless cooking is a healthy way to cook. None of the nutrients are lost during cooking, and you don’t need to add oil to stop the food from sticking to the pan, which also makes it healthier. The natural color and texture of the food is also retained which makes the food more appealing. Foods that are supposed to be crisp tend to keep their crunchy texture as well.

The features of waterless cookware that allow this cooking method to work include a flat bottom on the pots and pans which allow the most efficient means of heat transfer. The flat bottom connects with your stove element better, whether it be the coils of an electric stove or a gas unit, so that the heat transfer is more efficient. The cookware also has an iron core and an aluminum or copper base plate built into it that helps to retain a continuous, constant cooking temperature even after the heating element has been turned off.

Waterless cookware is typically made of high-grade stainless steel, which is better than other traditional pans in a couple of different ways. The stainless steel does not allow the taste of the metal to transfer to your food, as may be the case with aluminum or Teflon-coated cookware. Some companies use surgical stainless steel, which is the highest grade you can get for a real quality product. The stainless steel is easy to clean, durable (enabling it to last an extremely long time) and it allows you to keep your cookware sterilized.

One of the main features of waterless cookware is the special lid that keeps the natural moisture in the food from escaping. The lid forms a seal with the pot and lets the natural juices form into steam so the food cooks in its own natural juices, retaining all the nutrients and original flavors. There is a steam valve that whistles and tells you when you should turn off the heat (once the juices have created sufficient steam). In this way you save energy when cooking and the food is always cooked at a constant temperature.

Although it is referred to as waterless cooking, one thing you should do before cooking with this method is to rinse your food in water and then drain it before cooking. This ensures there will be enough water clinging to the food to create enough steam, mixed with foods natural juices, to cook it properly.

Cooking times with the waterless cooking method is generally a little less than traditional cooking times, depending on personal tastes for doneness. You should always cook your food at medium to low temperatures because the special waterless cookware construction allows the unit to conduct heat in the most efficient manner. You must also resist the urge to lift the lid during the cooking process as this will lengthen the cooking time and may even allow the food to dry out when the steam escapes.

The steam valve will tell you when you should turn off your stove element-when the correct temperature has been reached to allow the food to cook itself. When the steam valve whistles, turn off your stove, but do not lift the lid until the specified cooking time has elapsed-then you can open the lid and serve out your hot food. As a tip, put warm water into the unit after the food has been removed and let it sit while you eat so clean-up will be a snap afterwards.

Most recipes can be adapted (with a few alterations) to using the waterless cooking method as well. You will discover that old favorites will taste better and new recipes will be simple to master. The waterless cooking method is a new and healthier way to cook. It is more energy efficient, allows the food to retain its own juices, texture and color, and is an easy way to cook.

For more cooking articles, recipes, and cookware guides please visit my website at http://www.potsandpanscity.com/blog

For internet entrepreneurs, there are many internet marketing strategies to increase sales and maximize profits online. You will discover and learn the best internet marketing strategies in this article. With those strategies, you will boost skyrocket your profits and grow rapidly your home based internet marketing business.

Strategy #1: Research Everything You Need to Know Effectively.

It is obvious that research hot niche keywords to attract more traffic, maximize the benefit of your pay per click (or PPC) campaigns, and find new hot niche markets with high demand are required in this strategy. Of course, this is the first important strategies you must do for your own home based internet marketing business. With those well-researches, you will understand everything you must know for your markets, particularly needs and want in the market. There are many resources on the internet to help you to discover hot niche markets and keywords. The highest recommendation for discovering those markets and keywords is to use both of Overture and WordTracker keyword search tools to generate a massive list of keywords. With the list, you can analyse and evaluate the market, competitors and keywords.

The first key success of home based internet marketing business is to discover niche keywords with low competitors. With those keywords, you can: (1) Set up your high quality content website with high quality and tightly targeted traffic (2) Improve your ranking in search engines (3) Build your unique & high quality content/articles with keyword-rich (4) Create your profitable pay-per-click campaign and (5) Build up profitable successful blog online.

Strategy #2: Approach the Front-Back Sell through Great Sale Letter.

Second of the best internet marketing strategies you must concern is to provide a great and easy to understand sale letter on your website. This internet marketing strategy is all about writing a great sale letter with high conversion rate and builds your online mailing lists. The sale letter on your website is the first place for visitors to walk through your products, services, testimonial, bonuses and your required action. You should state all required information for what they are looking. You should definite clearly what you want visitors to do in your website. For example, you might want them to order your products, you want them to subscribe your mailing lists or you want them to download your bonuses. The highest recommendation in this strategy is to focus on how to convert those visitors to buyers through your own sales letter. You will not earn any dollars if you can not convert those visitors into your buyers. Also, you are losing your time to drive traffic to your website if you can not convert into sales. Remember, the more conversion rate you have, the more sales you get!

Apart from trying to sell your products through sales letter, it is obvious that you should capture visitors’ information in order to sell your products or other products to them after they leave. Without capturing the information, you are losing the opportunities to earn money in the future.

The real keys to your success in this strategy are: to create a powerful sales letter with high conversion rate and sell products in the future. With capturing the visitors’ information, the opportunities to make money in the future are opened.

Strategy #3: Do Not Reinvent the Wheel.

The core concept of this strategy is that you do not reinvent the wheel all the time. You must utilize the full use of others’ expertise to maximize the opportunities to make serious money online from home based internet marketing business. There are many websites, expertise and other successful entrepreneurs on the internet. You can ask them to minimize your mistakes and grow your home based internet marketing business. The highly recommendation is to join other membership sites and utilise the others’ expertise as much as possible. The more you learn, the more you know! With others’ support, you will minimize your mistakes and can grow your business easier.

The real keys to your success in this strategy are: (1) to research effectively from others and (2) utilise those others’ expertise to minimize your mistakes and maximize your profits. Many studies reveal that those truly successful internet entrepreneurs are willing to help people who are serious and passionate with the internet marketing and success.

Strategy #4: Automate Your Home Based Internet Marketing Business.

Without the automation internet marketing strategy, not only you would get fewer sales, you simply would not have more time to research ideas for new home based internet marketing businesses. By building home based internet marketing business that is fully automated. You can withdraw from your daily business as usual works and you will have more time to look for more untapped niche markets and other opportunities. Many studies show that this strategy is the best of the best internet marketing strategies to grow your home based internet marketing business in the long term. The rules of thumb, 80/20 rule, for your business are: (1) put 80% of your effort and time for your day-to-day operation tasks and (2) put another 20% for growing your business.

The real keys to your success in this strategy are: to find automated tools to help you and automate your online business. With those tools, you will have more time to think and grow your business. Otherwise, you will live in the daily business as usual works.

Strategy #5: Set up Your Own Affiliate Program.

There is no doubt that affiliate marketing business is a win-win relationship business between merchants and affiliate entrepreneurs. If you have your own products or even profitable products, it is a great idea to boost your sales through the affiliate marketing business. You will pay the affiliate commission to those affiliate marketing entrepreneurs when they gain sales for you. All you have to do is to support and follow up with those affiliate marketers in order to maximize your profits online. With those super affiliate marketing entrepreneurs, your sales will be increased rapidly and consistency.

The real keys to your success in this step are: to build a great relationship with affiliate entrepreneurs and support them as much as possible. Their sales are your sales too.

Strategy #6: Improve Yourself Consistency.

The last best internet marketing strategies for your home based internet marketing strategy is you. You are the most important and valuable asset in your business. You have to improve yourself all the time. Learning everything you need to know for your business is a must. Also, you should not give up too quickly if you can not earn big money in the short term. Truly entrepreneurs are always looking forward to the long term success. The online internet marketing business is a real business. With this sense, you have to treat it as real business.

The real keys to your success are to improve yourself, the best valuable asset in your business, and to build consistency your online internet marketing business always.

Final thoughts, the best internet marketing strategies for your highly successful in home based internet marketing business are: well effective researches, front-back sell, smart utilization, automate effectively, and self-improvement consistency. With these things, there is no doubt that you will success in the home based internet marketing business.

About The Author

Siripong R. or zMillionDollars is a recognized authority on the subject of building super-profitable internet marketing business. His website, www.zMakeMoney.com [http://www.zMakeMoney.com], provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything you’ll ever need to know about internet marketing business.

Grab free special reports at: www.zMakeMoney.com/free-report [http://www.zMakeMoney.com/free-report].

Why Career Advice Is So Important

Choosing a career presents a nerve-racking decision, as it can have a life-long impact on you. Do not fret, as you can gain a clearer outlook into your future by thorough career planning.

Having a clear vision of the future can guide you by helping you set career goals and helping you on your way towards attaining them. Whether you are starting out on a new career or looking to change your current career, you will benefit enormously from taking sound advice.

Don’t Spend Most of Your Life Doing …

Chances are that you will be spending a great deal of time at your job, about 40 hours a week. Career advice and career profiling can guide you to a job that is enjoyable for you and matches your interests.

There are many reasons people change their careers and career advice can help them along the way. Some frequently cited reasons are:

· Stuck in a dead end job.

· Lost interest in current line of work.

· Gained a new interest in a different career option.

A Job For Life … Not Anymore

In today’s world, there is increased job rotation … also with the down turns in the economy, many people can be laid-off.

Good career advice for unemployed persons would be to consider a career change. Some of the fastest growing occupations are Medical Assistant, Network Systems Analyst, Physician Assistant, etc. Occupations that are struggling to gain workers can be a suitable option for currently unemployed individuals.

People often back off from changing careers if they are unsure of the effort it might take to start a new career and learn a new trade. If you are one of these people, career advice from professionals can help you make a knowledgeable decision.

How To Identify Your Career Choices

When choosing a new career field, career advice and career planning can help you figure out your career choices. When embarking on a new career, you need to take into account your previous education and work experience.

You should start thinking about the skills you currently possess and how they can be beneficial in each of the new career options available to you.

Have You Considered a Career Test?

Valuable career advice can come from career tests as they can help in identifying suitable job options. Career tests include tests such as personality profiling, leadership skills, motivation, management style, etc.

The results of such tests can give you the career advice that can direct you to a suitable career, by matching your interests with career options.

Many career tests are offered online. They may be free or available for a small fee. Many experts provide the career advice to employment seekers to take some time to plan their career and set their goals. Knowing your career goals can provide you with valuable guidance.

Remember that career planning and goal setting is an on-going process, changing as you continue on your career.

The web can be a great source to find valuable career advice. It can provide you with many resources to research new career choices and find out information on a particular career field such as average salary, work environment, job responsibilities, etc.

Use Resumes That Give You an Advantage

Whether you are starting a career, changing careers or looking for a different job in your present career, the best career advice is to have a great, eye-catching resume.

You may be thinking about using your old resume, maybe the one you made after graduating from college. However, you will have to make changes to that resume to make it relevant to your present situation.

Upgrade your resume with the additional skills and experiences you have acquired. People going through a career change, need to present the skills they have acquired through the years in a way that makes it relevant to the new career jobs for which they are applying.

You may not have all the standard education for that career, so you need to convince potential employers that your previous education and work experience have given you the skills that make you a suitable candidate to transition into that job.

Career planning involves gaining information that can ease your transition to a new career. This information can help get you out of your current dreary jobs and into a dynamic and interesting career.

Act Now… and Take Control of Your Career

It’s never too late to think of making a career change… seek professional career advice and give yourself the best chance of achieving your career goals.

Roger Clark has an excellent selection of articles providing details on writing resume letters posted on his blog and if you want to find out where to get free resume writing software [http://www.studentsforasecurefuture.org/write-your-own-resume-and-save-money], then this is an article you should not miss.