Forget Digital Dirt Think Digital Anything!

Forget Digital Dirt â€" Think Digital Anything! Theres been a lot of good conversation about digital dirt this is the concept of what bad stuff can be found about you by performing online searches? Idealists say that just because an employer finds something bad it shouldnt matter after all, isnt it discriminating (and thus illegal) to use digital dirt to keep from hiring you? Im not a lawyer but Id guess it can be illegal (probably is). Heres my take: there are lots of illegal or unethical things that happen behind closed doors. Just because it isnt legal for an employer to discriminate against you based on digital dirt doesnt mean its not going to happen. So keep it clean. Furthermore, you should do searches on your name to see what comes up. Heres how you do it: Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. ZoomInfo Jigsaw Looks like this is getting to be a trend that has picked up steam. From TechCrunch today: People search is a space that went from nowhere to crowded, fast. Wink changed direction and launched a people search product last November. Also in this space is Streakr (yet to launch), ProfileLinker, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo and Upscoop. Want to take more control of what comes up when people search on you? The last time I posted on this topic I was introduced to Naymz (thanks Kent). There are services that claim to help clean up digital dirt, for a price. But I think there is one easy, effective way to get the job done: have a blog. (start broken record player) Yep, having an active blog may be the most effective way to claim the majority of search results when people are looking for information about you. When I started blogging almost a year ago the only results for Jason Alba where from the author of an accounting book, or for Alba Botanicals. Now the first page is usually about me and/or JibberJobber. Other things to do to take over that first page of results: Get an Emurse.com account, and create your resume on their site. I see a lot of people that have their Emurse profile in the top 5 results on their name. Hat tip to Nadine Turner for doing her own testing/reporting of this. Get a Jobster account, and flesh it out. Search engines also love Jobster, and profiles usually score on the first page of results. Get a LinkedIn account, and flesh it out. Again, LinkedIn profiles usually show on the first page. Comment on other blogs and leave your link as any of the three that I just mentioned (preferably leave your blog URL but if you dont have one then you should leave one of these three URLs). Many blogs dont pass your link on to search engines (this is not a technical explanation click here for more), but I think well see a trend where blogs are more loving and let search engines see your link. Michael Arrington (of TechCrunch) calls this space people search. Dont think that a resume, cover letter and good interview will preclude you from someone doing a search on you. How does your online persona look? Forget Digital Dirt â€" Think Digital Anything! Theres been a lot of good conversation about digital dirt this is the concept of what bad stuff can be found about you by performing online searches? Idealists say that just because an employer finds something bad it shouldnt matter after all, isnt it discriminating (and thus illegal) to use digital dirt to keep from hiring you? Im not a lawyer but Id guess it can be illegal (probably is). Heres my take: there are lots of illegal or unethical things that happen behind closed doors. Just because it isnt legal for an employer to discriminate against you based on digital dirt doesnt mean its not going to happen. So keep it clean. Furthermore, you should do searches on your name to see what comes up. Heres how you do it: Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. ZoomInfo Jigsaw Looks like this is getting to be a trend that has picked up steam. From TechCrunch today: People search is a space that went from nowhere to crowded, fast. Wink changed direction and launched a people search product last November. Also in this space is Streakr (yet to launch), ProfileLinker, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo and Upscoop. Want to take more control of what comes up when people search on you? The last time I posted on this topic I was introduced to Naymz (thanks Kent). There are services that claim to help clean up digital dirt, for a price. But I think there is one easy, effective way to get the job done: have a blog. (start broken record player) Yep, having an active blog may be the most effective way to claim the majority of search results when people are looking for information about you. When I started blogging almost a year ago the only results for Jason Alba where from the author of an accounting book, or for Alba Botanicals. Now the first page is usually about me and/or JibberJobber. Other things to do to take over that first page of results: Get an Emurse.com account, and create your resume on their site. I see a lot of people that have their Emurse profile in the top 5 results on their name. Hat tip to Nadine Turner for doing her own testing/reporting of this. Get a Jobster account, and flesh it out. Search engines also love Jobster, and profiles usually score on the first page of results. Get a LinkedIn account, and flesh it out. Again, LinkedIn profiles usually show on the first page. Comment on other blogs and leave your link as any of the three that I just mentioned (preferably leave your blog URL but if you dont have one then you should leave one of these three URLs). Many blogs dont pass your link on to search engines (this is not a technical explanation click here for more), but I think well see a trend where blogs are more loving and let search engines see your link. Michael Arrington (of TechCrunch) calls this space people search. Dont think that a resume, cover letter and good interview will preclude you from someone doing a search on you. How does your online persona look?

Book Review Jason Lees Photo Book A Plain View - Algrim.co

Book Review Jason Lee's Photo Book A Plain View - Algrim.co I have the pleasure of owning this book by Jason Lee. In fact, I knew I would be such a fan of this book that I ordered the signed version without ever seeing it. I'm a fan of Jason. Who doesn't like a cool [now Texan] who rides motorcycles, take photographs and films great movies? A likable character no matter who you are. This book is quite amazing. If you know me, you know that I appreciate art that has a streamlined sensibility that makes you feel something strongly. The book makes me feel the true America. If you haven't ever driven across the country, I would recommend doing so. We sort of having this idea that the world is quite full. That there's not enough space for us. That's not the truth. In fact, there are desolate plains across America that are quite abandoned. And they have an eerie feel. To me that now feels very Americana. Inside the series are many photographs, with no people, but architectures. Broken down, old, used, given away architectures. Sometimes the photography isn't using the most beautiful subject matter. In fact, most of it isn't. And I think there's something kind of beautiful about that. Its much more like documentation than it is anything else. All in all, I love this book. I often pick it up if I have that feeling like I need to 'get away'. That sense in us we have sometimes where we want to jump in the car and go on an adventure. The book can actually provide that, given that's primarily how Jason shot the series. Just by driving through America, finding these unique architectures needing to be captured. Pick up Jason's book right on his site.

10 Surprising Beauty Benefits of Coffee

10 Surprising Beauty Benefits of Coffee Coffee is best known to us as the beverage that helps us wake up in the morning and makes our workday possible! But did you know that coffee has surprising beauty benefits as well? Luckily we have good news for our readers who wake up to the smell of coffee each morning brewing on their favorite coffee maker.   Recent research suggests that your daily dose of java can also make you prettier if applied in the right way. How? Let us tell you! Here are the top 10 reason why coffee (in any form) should be a part of your beauty and skincare regime along with your morning routine. Antioxidants:- We typically associate antioxidants for the many health benefits it provides. However, antioxidants are equally good for skin as well. According to health experts, coffee contains antioxidants that help combat premature aging which is caused by pollution, stress, heat, and free radicals. Coffee’s antioxidant power comes from ‘flavonoids’ and are only released when the coffee is brewed or heated. This means that to avail the particular beauty benefit, you have to drink the coffee. But remember not to exceed the recommended FDA dosage for coffee which is 400 mg or 4 cups per day. Reduces puffiness under the eye:- The caffeine content in coffee is helpful in eliminating under-eye puffiness by increasing blood circulation and shrinking blood vessels. Beauty experts often recommend using an under-eye cream that includes caffeine as its active ingredient. However, you can make your very own de-puffing cream by using leftover coffee grounds. Simply apply the cool grounds under the eye and rinse it off with cold water after a few minutes. You can also make ice cubes with the leftover coffee grounds and use it to reduce dark circles and puffiness around the eye area. Exfoliates:- Old coffee grounds can also be used as an exfoliator to remove dead skin and also reduce the appearance of cellulites. For an easy DIY scrub, simply use leftover grounds and rub it on the skin for smoother and softer skin. You can also mix coffee grounds with a spoon of olive oil and sugar for a more deluxe scrub. Protects:- None of the best coffee maker reviews you read will tell you that drinking coffee is a good way to protect yourself from skin cancer. In fact, studies have shown that women who drank three cups of coffee each day had a 21% less chance of developing skin cancer. For men, the risk reduction was 10 percent. Additional research has also shown that caffeine can directly absorb damaging UV rays. This means that it can be applied topically or mixed in sunscreen for enhanced protection. Smooth and bright skin:- Coffee works as a great facial scrub and makes the skin soft and smooth by removing dead skins and impurities from its surface. For a face scrub, just take some coffee and mix it with milk until a thick consistency is reached. Apply the mixture on face and leave on for 10 â€" 15 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Skin tightening:- You may have noticed coffee is added to many anti-aging creams and serums. Well, that is because coffee has the ability to tighten skin and increase hydration as well as collagen within the skin surface. For an anti-aging mask, combine coffee grounds with Epsom salt and coconut oil. Leave on for 5-10 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Reduces acne:- Individuals who are prone to acne are often told to quit drinking coffee and other caffeine beverages as the ingredients in these drinks can trigger their hormone levels and increase acne. However, this does not mean you can NOT apply coffee grounds on your face to treat the same issue. Beauty experts highly recommend coffee to treat acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties. For an acne reducing exfoliator, just mix coffee grounds (not instant coffee) with ½ tsp coconut oil and ¼ tsp of cinnamon or turmeric. The anti-bacterial properties of all the ingredients will not only reduce the appearance of acne but also halt further growth of acne causing bacteria. Hair Mask:- A beauty regime is not complete without hair care, right? Coffee works as a great mask for hair and helps reduce hair fall, increases growth and makes hair soft, smooth, and manageable. Just take 2 teaspoons of coffee powder and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey and olive oil each. Leave on hair for 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly. Hair brightener:- Just like women with light colored hair use tea to brighten their hair color, those with dark colored hair can use coffee to enhance the shine. Simply boil coffee beans and use the cooled water as a final rinse after shampooing. However, make sure you test out an area first as coffee can cause a slightly orang-ish hue in grey and blonde hair. Fights odor:- Had a long day in the kitchen and now hands reek of garlic and onions? Don’t worry? Coffee has the ability to fight odor and is more powerful than any stubborn kitchen ingredient. Just rub some coffee ground on hands after cooking and the smell will go away in seconds as who would want a beauty who reeks, right? Coffee: Do But Dont Overdo!:- These were just some of the tips you can apply to your daily beauty and skincare regime for a better and prettier you. Coffee based remedies do work but nothing is extraordinary. This is why we strongly suggest that you exercise caution when following the above mentioned tips and don’t get carried away. And of course, it is highly recommended that you don’t OVERDO the usage of coffee. Whether it’s drinking or applying topically â€" make sure that you don’t overuse coffee in order to achieve quick results. It’s always best to consider the pros and cons of every product that we undertake so make sure to use in moderate level for the desired benefits.   This guest post was authored by Edna Francis: Edna Francis is a professional content writer, digital marketer and contributing editor who is working on many blogs like  http://homekitchenary.com/. Apart from the blogging activity, she has a deep passion for singing and has performed at the National level.

Heres how to ask for help

Heres how to ask for help I only fly business class because too many things go wrong when I dont. When Im at the airport, I miss my planes. A lot. My biggest problem is that I cant actually read my boarding pass. So, Im going to tell you about how I get help. But asking for help is complicated. Garret Keizer, author of Help: The Original Human Dilemma, explains how nuanced the act of giving and receiving help is. But he shows also that help is what makes us human. Research about mentoring, startups, organizational development, and even  Aspergers all  show that ones ability to ask for assistance makes or breaks their career. One way to get good at it is to watch how other people get and give help. Here are seven other ways to get good at asking for help: 1. Remember that people like to help. It feels good if its a defined task. When I fly, I bring a Sharpie to the counter and I say to the person who checks me in, I have dyslexia. Can you please write my gate and boarding time on the back of the boarding pass? The person is always nice. The person always looks at me, smiles, and writes it. And then the person shows it to me and says, Is that good for you? Every time. 2. Ask for help when you need it, regardless of when people typically need it. I want to tell the person at the checkout counter that I dont have dyslexia. Which I dont. Of course. I mean, Im a writer. And an obsessive reader. I have dyscalculia. But no one knows what that means. And anyway, people who have dyscalculia could still get to their gate on time if you tell them. My problem is that I cant manage all the visual input of an airport. I cant sort it fast enough. It looks like a confetti party to me. You know how the confetti falls and you do not sort the red pieces and the yellow and the long and the short? You just see it all as confetti. Thats how I am at the airport. I see it all as airport. 3. Pay people to help you. Melissa books all my tickets because she is my assistant now that shes freelancing. Her freelancing has not actually been that good for me; she used to book tickets for me out of pity, because Id make mistakes on every ticket, and now I have to pay her. When I had a startup and employees there was always someone assigned to book my tickets. And to double check every time and date for everything. But now Im on my own. So, for example, I told my brother Id meet him in NYC for a wedding but I got the month wrong, and he called from NYC and asked me which building entrance were meeting at. He went to that wedding alone. And I realized I needed more help. Now Im flying to LA to get a haircut. Dont tell me its a waste of money. My friend Sharon is there, and every time I write about how I fly there for a haircut we have to debate if it is, indeed, cost effective for me to fly to LA for a haircut. I think it is. Well, it used to be. Before I started flying business class everywhere. But its cost effective because Sharon is a good friend. I love spending the day with her in LA, thinking of when we met, no kids, huge careers, and no worries except who wed marry. 4. Its OK to pay more if you need more help. But friends will help for free. I drove my new BMW to the airport. First, I drove my old car, a Toyota Highlander, with the Farmer, and my son, to the BMW dealer in Chicago where my friend Grace negotiated a trade-in. I did such a lousy job of negotiating for the Highlander that car payments for the BMW are only $100 more a month. When I negotiated the Highlander it wasnt a negotiation. I walked into the dealer and said, My car has bed bugs and I want to get rid of it right now. I want a car right now. What kind of car are you looking for? I said, Highlander. I knew two people who had just bought one. So, I walked out of the dealer that day with a 2012 Highlander. Leased, with $800/mo payments. Grace tells me I got totally ripped off, but that I shouldnt blame the guy. She says I basically walked in and handed him extra money. OK. I get it. I panicked about the car and the bed bugs and I wanted to pay someone to help me. Which I pretty much did with that guy. He was very nice and helpful that day. Lots of free hot chocolates, for instance. Grace is a tough negotiator and has instructed the BMW dealer not to talk to me about anything. In fact, I am not even signing for the car. The Farmer is, because my credit sucks. The BMW guy had never seen a tax return for a farmer and he said the Farmer didnt qualify, and Grace had to explain to the BMW guy that the Farmer could liquidate his farm and buy the whole showroom, with cash. 5. Dont take advantage of friends. We get the car and head back to Wisconsin. I ask the Farmer if people will hate me for driving a BMW in rural Wisconsin. He says, People here  think of all foreign cars as one group. Theres no difference between BMW and Kia. So I hightail it through downtown Darlington, drop off the Farmer and my son and then drive to Chicago to fly out of Midway to Los Angeles. I was going to sleep at the house, but I realized I was too short on time. Then I drove to Midway but when I got there, I realized my plane was taking off at OHare. So I called Melissa crying. At 5am. Friends call friends crying at 5am, but now shes a freelancer, and she has a client who wants everything right away and pays a rush fee. So I say, Melissa. Its me. Im at the wrong airport. Im really sorry to call at 5am. You can charge me a rush fee. 6. If you cant get help, get out. So we book a ticket on Southwest but only sort of because theres a hold on my credit card because I have been charging things in two states nonstop for 48 hours. I dont know how thieves get away with anything because I get a hold on my card once a month. While I am talking to Melissa and yelling at Wells Fargo, the Southwest ticket agent says, I just Googled you. What? How did you know to Google me? Eccentric people who fly first class are usually famous. I get my first class ticket and wait for boarding. They announce, Numbers 1 -30 now boarding. I am number 1 but people are pushy and mean in line, and I have a first class ticket so I wait until 1-30 boards. I get on the plane and its open seating. Like a Greyhound bus. I call Melissa. I am screaming that theres no first class and I have a $500 ticket and it gets me nothing and this is the most scrunched plane Ive ever been on and the aisle seats are taken. Almost the second after I say the word refund, the flight attendant is offering a refund and shepherding me off the plane. 7. Consider that anything is manageable if someone capable is helping. So, Im at Midway with no ticket to LA. So I have to drive to OHare. Which takes me 90 minutes because I pull over and sleep and wake up when Melissa calls to see if Im at OHare. I fly out on American. Which has great food and big seats and I am very happy. In LA my life is set up so nicely. I have room service. I have my friend who cuts and colors my hair and never asks me what I want. And then she picks where we eat and tells me what Ill like. And I do like it. I fly home. I read Simon Rich  on the plane. I get to OHare and I cant find my car. I send a picture to Melissa with the message: Oh. Crap. Can you find my car? She says I should call the hotline. I talk to the hotline person: Whats the license plate? I dont know. What? Its a new car. What kind of car? Im not sure. Is it really your car? Yes. BMW x3 or x5 or if there is another x maybe one of those. She sends a guy to get me. We drive around for two hours until we find my car. The thing is, Im fine driving around because he is helping me. I just like having a helper. I am very scared when its only me. And Ill pay any amount of money to have someone help me with what Im bad at. The Farmer tells me Im like a money train. And I think there is an engine pulling tons of money that I put in my train, but actually the money is blowing out the tops of the cars and people are running next to the train collecting all my money. Hes probably right. But I dont care. Im so grateful for having help. You might say, at this point, that you do not need help with this stuff. But you know what? You need help with other things. And we only get power from knowing our strengths if we can surround ourselves with people who compensate for our weaknesses. Whatever those might be.

Writing a Resume For Register Nursing - Take Control of Your Career

Writing a Resume For Register Nursing - Take Control of Your CareerWriting a resume for register nursing can be very challenging especially if you're working as a registered nurse. You need to ensure that the information you put on your resume is truthful and accurate. You should know that there are two options for writing a resume.Option one is where you do the actual writing yourself and the other is an online resume. Both work just as well but the first option can take you longer because you are required to write your resume on your own. It's much easier to allow someone else to do it and you can still make some changes to it if you want to.Option two allows you to create your resume on your computer and then send it to the company that you are applying with. This is an easier way to do it because you don't have to write it yourself and then you have to proofread it. The employer can read it as many times as they want until they are confident that you meet their requirements.Optio n one is the best way to go for most people. It saves time and you are guaranteed that your resume is going to be accurate, current and reflects your qualifications and skills to the company. Another thing you can do is to customize your resume with skills and experience that you have acquired over the years.Keep in mind that even though you are writing a resume for register nursing you are still applying for a physical job. They will be using the information you put on your resume to decide if you are qualified for the job or not. They need to know how to utilize your abilities so they can get the job done.If you are feeling overwhelmed at this point you might want to get help to write your resume. There are many websites that offer individuals who need help with this task. Just take the time to search for one that works for you and then take advantage of the free information that they offer you to do the job for you.While the whole process may seem intimidating, you should not put it off any longer. You can get help and learn more about this very important job by taking advantage of the information available online. It's time to take care of yourself and take care of the job.So let your resume speak for you. Choose the right resume writing service and you can choose your career path. So when you are working on your resume for register nursing know that you have what it takes to make it happen.

Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs

Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs Beyond the amazing innovations he has brought to our world, there are three lessons I have learned by observing Steve Jobs, the leader, from afar.   And the good news is that these don’t require being an inventive genius to be useful. Career Resilience Steve Jobs was publicly and unceremoniously fired, yet came back to rise again.   As leaders, we all have set backs, and it is valuable to have examples of successful people who have failed publicly and then bounced back to achieve even greater success. Sometimes setbacks are a sign that you aren’t the right person for that time or situation, or maybe you are and they have gotten it wrong, or maybe you were unintentionally doing more harm than good.   Whatever the reason, the key is what you do in the interim:   learn, regroup and keep moving forward. Sustainable Leadership The sign of a great organization is whether it can transcend the span of any one particular leader, whether we are talking about dynasties in ancient China, armies in the Middle Ages, or today’s corporate world. At this early stage, the signs are that Steve Jobs and his board have created a succession plan that can carry on the mission far into the future.   Not only is there top leadership bench strength, more importantly it seems they have managed to inculcate the entire company with the ethos, mindset and “DNA” that makes Apple Apple. Leadership resides in every employee, not just at the top. Personal Courage Whether or not we possess the insight and genius of Steve Jobs, we can adopt his courage.   He had the courage of his convictions, took calculated risks and was willing to stand for what he believed, even in the face of criticism and, in the early years, even ridicule.   When everyone else was rushing to the equivalent of the “sale aisle at Walmart”, he was focused on his own true north. So, thank you Mr. Jobs for your lessons in leadership â€" and for rocking our world.   My fellow Meyler Campbell coach, Anne Waldron, summed up the news of his passing best:   “another star that’s gone back to the universe.”   Photo credit: EPA

Guest Post Important Reminder About Your Resume

Guest Post Important Reminder About Your Resume Given that many of us are updating our resumes to keep up in this dynamic economy, what a fitting time for a reminder on resume ethics. This one comes compliments of TJ Hanson, Associate Editor of the Digital Student Blog on GoCollege.com When it comes to your resume, think twice about embellishing your past experiences.One of the key elements in the job search process is to put together a well-polished resume. But no matter how attractive it may appear, a students experiences and accomplishments are the critical factors that set the stage for a potential interview and the possibility of a job offer.Because of this fact, job seekers cannot afford to be too modest. They must sell themselves in the most positive manner possible, finding ways to make those experiences and accomplishments jump off the page.However, the need to stand out has led many a candidate to stretch the truth and in some cases downright fabricate their list of achievements. These individuals reconcile their actions based upon a definitive belief that employers cannot possibly check the factual content of each resume.That belief is one all potential job seekers should set aside. The public humiliation of college football coach George OLeary is proof positive that such actions can come back to haunt an applicant at the worst possible moment.Have you ever felt tempted to embellish your resume? Do you think it matters if you stretch the truth just a little? Have you ever caught a candidate with a lie on his/her resume?