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Use Your Resume to Help You Move up the Corporate Ladder

So, you’ve been working in the same position for several years and now feel the time is right to elevate your level of responsibility along with your title and salary. However, with this being your first time attempting to move into a more prominent role, you have no idea where to start.

Many people are in your position and also wonder what steps they should take to move up the corporate ladder. One thing you can do is stay on top of current trends and educational requirements in your field. But once you’ve fulfilled these tasks and are ready to apply for a job, you’ll need a great resume to get your foot in the door. Let’s look at some ways to create the right resume to match your accelerated career goals.

Try a Functional Resume Style

One recommended way to create a resume that appeals to higher-level recruiters and hiring managers is to shine a light on the skills you’ve acquired. You can get this done by using a functional resume format.

For example, if you were to use a functional format to describe your skills as an IT tech, instead of listing each job you’ve had year after year, you would focus on specific skills. By creating headings for each skill (ex. Software Development) you would be able to describe in detail all of the software you’ve developed for each company you’ve worked for. Using a functional resume in this way can help you expand on each skill you possess and show the employer your versatility as an employee.

Highlight Your Outside Achievements and Awards

Another great way to make your resume appeal to upper-level recruiters and hiring managers is by using a section to highlight anything you’ve achieved outside of your hired role. This works especially well if you focus on roles that have required you to act as a supervisor or manager of others.

For example, let’s say at your current company you have worked as a training coordinator for 5 years. However, in your spare time you founded and led a diversity awareness group that consisted of 10 volunteer employees. With this group, you used presentations and focus groups to demonstrate the need for diversity awareness in a work setting. By noting such a huge accomplishment on your resume, you show the hiring manager that you’re able to successfully develop and manage projects outside of your hired role.

Staying at Your Current Employer?

If you want to move up the corporate ladder while remaining at your current employer, it is a good idea to create a resume similar to one you would create for an outside employer. Why? Because it is very likely that the hiring manager won’t have any idea what you’ve accomplished on the job. But don’t feel bad about this duty as there are benefits to applying in-house, including being able to use respected employees for recommendations, and noting in-house training programs that are very relevant to the company.

Working your way up the corporate ladder can be an exciting ride – especially when you come equipped with the right tools. By showing up with a great resume and even better attitude, you’ll see in no time that your ride to the top will move smoother than you could ever imagine.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top resume writing services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com

The Next Time You See a Firefighter

Give him a kiss. Well, if you’re a man, a handshake will do. Think about it. You don’t call 911 unless you’re having a bad day. Unless it’s a law enforcement issue, you’ll be connected to the fire department and, whatever your problem, you’ll expect them to help you. Unless it’s something really stupid, in fact even if it is something really stupid, they will be on their way ASAP.

Firefighters have an amazing amount of training, an incredible range of skills, and a level of physical conditioning, which no one ever thinks about.

Twenty-five years ago, 80% of calls to the fire department were about fire. Today, approximately 10% are about fire and the rest are about health problems, traffic accidents, construction accidents, explosions, spills, trapped hikers, people in rivers. The list goes on and on.

The L.A. County Fire Department receives as many as 1,500 911 calls a day, and that excludes calls to L.A, City Fire. If you have fallen off your roof, cut off your finger, or spilled hot grease on yourself in the kitchen, you should hope a paramedic shows up (he will). If you are trapped in an automobile accident, you should hope they know how to use the Jaws of Life or a K2 Rotary Saw (they do). If you get zapped on a high power line, you should hope someone will know how to get you down (they will). If you are trapped in a structure fire, you should hope they understand what kind of fire it is (electrical, flammable liquid, gas, or just plain combustible materials), understand how to fight it, know where to cut ventilation holes, how to revive you, and how to keep you alive until medical help arrives (they do).

If you are being swept away in a flash flood, or have fallen down the side of a mountain, you should hope they know their ropes and knots and remember their rappelling skills (they do) and that they are not afraid to come after you (they are not). If a wildfire is coming to your neighborhood, you should hope they understand weather patterns, fuel models, humidity indices (they do) and that they are ready to be dropped from helicopters onto mountain sides to cut fire lines to stop the blaze (they are).

The physical demands are incredible. Full turnout gear and respirators can weigh 50 pounds. Try climbing up a two-story ladder wearing that. Try dragging an additional 50 pounds of (empty!) fire hose. Try holding onto a fire hose pumping 150 gallons per minute. Try carrying someone the size of a football player out of an inferno.

When firefighters ask, “How can I help you?” they really mean it. That’s how they get their kicks. This is a group of positive thinking, “can do” men (and a few women). When the tone sounds in the firehouse, it’s an opportunity to go out and get killed or injured. They don’t stop to consider whether they should respond, or to find someone else to handle the problem. When the tone sounds, they are on their way, that’s what “first-responder” means, and they will rely on all of their training and skills and physical endurance to help you. Need them at 2:00 in the afternoon? No problem. Need them at 2:00 in the morning? Still no problem. Cat up a tree? No problem.

Firefighters never stop training and learning and one of them could someday save you in one of a hundred different ways. For a firefighter it’s not a job, it’s a life. An old firefighter’s phrase says, “Let no firefighter’s ghost return to say his training let him down.”

Finally, just so you know, here’s the history of the Maltese Cross, which is the badge of a firefighter. When a group of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John fought the Saracens in the holy land, they were faced with a new weapon unknown in the West. When the Knights moved to the walls of Jerusalem, they were hit by glass bombs containing naphtha. The Saracens then dropped burning torches on them, burning them alive. The surviving Knights were awarded a cross similar to the ones worn by firefighters today. The Knights of St John lived on the island of Malta, and the cross became known as the Maltese Cross. Today it is our symbol of protection.

So, next time you see a firefighter, give him a kiss, or shake his hand.

Kurt Kamm writes novels about fires and firefighters. A resident of Malibu, he has lived through several wildland fires. He is a regular visitor at the fire camps, stations and training academies of L.A. County Fire Department and CalFire. To learn more about his novels, One Foot in the Black, and Red Flag Warning, visit Kurt Kamm.

Top Ten Things You Need to Know to Become a Celebrity Personal Assistant

When someone meets me for the first time, the top two questions I can guarantee I will be asked are: “What’s your celebrity really like?” and “What do you need to know to become a celebrity personal assistant?” If you have no interest in those questions, I want to meet you! Please email me. Let’s have lunch. (I digress.)

Seriously, dear reader, you and I know the obsession with celebrities and their assistants won’t be dying down anytime soon. So we might as well take a look at the skills needed to become a personal assistant. Having worked for almost ten years as an assistant, and having met and worked with many assistants for much longer than that, I believe you must have the following skills to make it:

1. A college education. This seems like a no-brainer but you’d be amazed how many kids right out of high school come to Hollywood or New York hoping to land a job as the right hand to a famous star, yet they have neither the life experience nor know-how required to represent a celebrity in the real world. College allows a student to experience many different ethnicities, age groups and philosophies during the course of a year.

2. A command of the English language. And if you are bi- or even tri-lingual that can be a huge advantage for you in the work place. I know the assistants to some very well known Spanish A-list actors and the assistants’ knowledge of Spanish has definitely been an added plus. You must be able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing. All students out there take note. Those writing assignments you had to do in English 101 really will pay off at last.

3. The ability to listen and take direction. It may seem that I’m stating the obvious, but you’d be surprised how often a person given a series of tasks to complete has to ask again and again for direction. Listen and get it right the first time. If you truly missed one of the ten items on a list, ask another person in your work area (if that’s possible) for help. If that doesn’t work, read #5 on this list.

4. Know how to handle typical office equipment, ie, the computer, fax machine, copy machine, scanner and various types of communication devices, such as cell phones and Blackberries. The majority of assistants I know spend the majority of their time in a home office environment. Are you Bluetooth savvy?

5. The ability to laugh at yourself and not take things too seriously. Mistakes are a normal part of life, and you will make some mistakes in any job. But, what’s the worst thing that can happen if do make a mistake and you tell the truth? My advice is, if you do something wrong — break something, double-book an auditorium, or simply forget an item on the list — tell your employer immediately and ask for help to fix the situation.

6. The ability to take charge. Once you feel comfortable in your working environment, take the lead and complete tasks before they’re even asked of you! The more you can take command of your responsibilities, the easier your working relationship with the celebrity will become. They will begin to entrust you with more and more interesting work, not to mention letting you into their private lives. Both of you will see more of each other in a week than you see of your own friends and family in a month.

7. The ability to speak up for yourself. Ask for what you need and accept that you deserve it. I wouldn’t suggest asking for a raise when you’ve only been on the job for two weeks, but do let them know if you have something on your mind. I know an assistant who never established his working days with his celebrity. He just assumed it would be Mondays through Fridays, however at the end of his first Friday night at work, the celebrity said, “Great! See you tomorrow morning.” Not wanting to lose his job, the assistant showed up on Saturday and worked a full day. At the end of that day, the celebrity again said, “Great! See you tomorrow!” On a Sunday? This went on for a month before the assistant finally spoke up. Dear reader, promise me you won’t wait a month to speak up!

8. The ability to leave the job at the office. We need to play more and focus less on work! Start with a hobby or something that makes you happy and focus on that. I suggest starting small. Take a walk at lunchtime, or buy a magazine that you normally wouldn’t buy and read it cover to cover without interruption. Once you discover that the world isn’t crumbling around you because you took a few minutes off, then aim for higher rewards. This may seem like a minor irritation — to actually have to think about yourself and not work — but it’s very therapeutic to direct one’s attention to something other than work for a few minutes every day.

9.The ability to be discreet. The celebrity is always right, except when they aren’t, but your job will be to always profess in public your undying devotion to them and how fabulous they are. It might appear to be easier to learn a foreign language (see #2 above), but this is part of the job description for personal assistants. Of course if you observe something illegal or obviously unethical, such as illegal drug use, I assume you’ll get help handling that by bringing in the proper authorities. Asking people around the celebrity like the spouse, adult children, or business manager, to help is always a good idea. Don’t try to do anything on your own!

10. Have a support group. Nothing is more frustrating in the world of the celebrity personal assistant than to feel all alone. Once you begin working as a personal assistant, make friends with as many other assistants as you can. There are other people out there dealing with this unique job experience too. Network!

Oh, by the way, to answer the first question: “What’s your celebrity really like?” She’s fabulous!

Shelley G. Anderson is the personal assistant to self-help author Louise L. Hay, and writes the column Dear Miss Know It All. She is the author of Dealing With Divas: A Survivor’s Kit for the Celebrity Personal Assistant (or Anyone with a Pushy Boss). To learn more about her, visit Dealing with Divas.

The Pros and Cons of a Cheating Spouse Support Group

Cheating spouse support groups are, unfortunately, growing in rapid numbers all around the world as more and more people are turning to one another for guidance and advice However, what one person perceives as a negative quality may indeed be a positive aspect of the whole support group process, so much like anything we must decide upon, the decision to join a cheating spouse support group mainly boils down to being merely a matter of personal opinion and choice.

What type of person are you? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you enjoy sharing your feelings and opinions with others, or are you more of a quiet, tight-lipped type of person? Would you prefer an online support group where you can communicate with others via forum posts, email and instant messages, or would you rather attend meetings in person so you can really get to know the people and quickly learn their stories?

The answers to all of those questions should help you to decide whether or not a cheating spouse support group would be something of benefit to you, or if you’re better off finding another form of support to get through this tough time. But, as the old saying goes, there’s really no harm in trying, and if you happen to find that it simply isn’t for you, just leave the group and wish everyone well in their future endeavors.

Misery Does Love Company

After a spouse has been unfaithful and has broken the ultimate sacred vows of marriage, not to mention your heart and your trust, the often long road to recovery, either with or without them in your life, can most certainly be a lonely one. However, after joining a support group, loneliness definitely goes right out the window as you’ll quickly be surrounded by people who already know what you’re going through and will be there to lend an ear or a few encouraging words when you need them.

Besides the genuine caring and camaraderie you’ll find at these types of forums, there are many other benefits to be had such as virtual libraries of informative articles written by counselors and learned people of all walks of life offering invaluable advice, as well as numerous references and referrals, and also links to marriage counselors and divorce attorneys all over the world.

Becoming Mired in Anger

Many times friendships are quickly formed amongst participants of a support group, which is definitely a positive thing as one can never have too many good friends or too much support, unless, however, those friendships are based purely on anger, with one person feeding off the other’s self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

This is definitely one of the cons of some cheating spouse support groups, although, it can be avoided by following the guidance of the group’s leaders or moderators, as well as remembering what the main purpose of joining was in the first place, to heal yourself and become healthy, independent, and happy.

Is your spouse cheating or do you suspect that they

6 Signs of Female Infidelity:How to Know if Your Wife or Girlfriend is Cheating on You Once and For All!

Although it’s true no one wants to find out their wife or girlfriend has been cheating on them and has been betraying their trust, not to mention exposing them to a possible host of sexually transmitted diseases, protecting yourself and your best interests is something to seriously think about, especially if you have that gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach that never seems to go away.

Here are six classic signs of female infidelity you should be on the lookout for:

1. Apparent boredom: If the two of you once had a good rapport, enjoyed each other’s company and truly liked spending time together, but now, she seems distant, preoccupied, or generally disinterested in you, take a closer look to find out why this may be. In most any relationship that electric spark that’s present in the beginning will inevitably fade over time, but, change into something different and equally as pleasant, manifesting itself as a sense of comfort and stability. And, there’s definitely a different between comfort and boredom.

2. Changes in appearance: Changes in appearance is a tricky one as women often change their hairstyles or try different makeup or things that will make them appear younger or make them feel attractive, but, if her nails are always done now, her hair is always just so and she’s dressing now more provocatively than ever before, you should be wondering why.

3. Lack of interest in sex: There’s no doubt women’s sex drives differ from men’s and that hormonal changes, stress, work, and dealing with the kids can all come together to create the best form of birth control ever thought of, abstinence, a lack of desire may also indicate something else is going on behind the scenes.

4. Unexplained phone calls: In general, women do tend to spend a lot of time on the phone, but if your wife leaves the room to make a call or leaps out of her skin every time the phone rings, it’s probably safe to say that it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.

5. Unexplained gifts: Is your girlfriend suddenly showing up for dates wearing new, and expensive looking, jewelry that you haven’t given her? What about clothing, does she always seem to have a new outfit on but you’re well aware of her financial situation and she can’t seem explain her newfound wealth?

6. Unexplained absences: If your wife or girlfriend is usually right on time and is where she says she’ll be, then take note of any changes in this behavior that can’t be attributed to circumstance. Spending more time with “the girls” than normal and going out on the weekends more often without inviting you to come along should also give you reason for concern.

While each of these signs on their own may not necessarily indicate that a female is being unfaithful, if two or more of them are occurring together, then it may definitely be time to start paying attention and getting some truthful, honest answers.

Is your spouse cheating or do you suspect that they

How to Catch Your Cheating Spouse With Text Messages

It’s no secret that the many recent advances in technology have made it much easier to keep track of what people are doing on a daily basis, whether they want us to or not. But, this also allows us to protect ourselves in the unfortunate event our spouse is being unfaithful and having an affair especially when it comes to cell phones and text messages.

While text messages may be a quick and convenient way of communicating with someone, much like “talking” with someone over the internet, it also allows us to lose some of our inhibitions as the interactions aren’t actually taking place face to face. Texting may also allows to be more open and honest, but on the other side of the coin, it also allows some people to act inappropriately.

Asking the Phone Company for Help

Depending on the cell phone’s carrier, it may be possible to contact the company and ask if there’s any chance of retrieving an “accidentally” deleted text message. Many companies say that text messages are stored for 24 or 48 hours and then deleted, making them irretrievable, and if your name isn’t on the phone bill, you may have to take legal action to access this information if by chance it is available.

Tell a “White” Lie

While lying certainly isn’t something we’d want to make a habit of, in this case, it can be justified as if your spouse is in fact cheating on you, then they’ve committed a far worse sin and you are merely trying to protect your own interests as they obviously haven’t been thinking of them too much lately.

The white lie in question in this case would be alluding to the fact that you saw a questionable text message on your spouse’s cell phone, when in fact, you’ve seen nothing at all. A very important warning must follow this particular way of catching a cheating spouse as if you aren’t already certain that they are indeed cheating, you’re going to not only look rather foolish, but you’ll also be damaging your relationship and be telling your spouse outright that you have absolutely no trust in them.

Using Technology

A relatively new device has come on the market, unknown to most people which is fortunate for those of us who may have been cheated on, that allows you to retrieve all deleted information from a cell phone. They’re called SIM card readers or SIM card data recovery recorders and they work relatively simply and are also easy to use.

The SIM card within the cell phone is usually located under the battery, which is accessibly by removing the back cover of the phone. The card is inserted into the reader which is then plugged into a computer’s USB port and accompanying software tells you what to do with simple onscreen instructions. Detailed reports provide data such as any SMS (short message service) text messages on the phone, whether they’ve been deleted or not, as well as phone numbers both called and received.

While catching your cheating spouse with text messages may be difficult, it certainly isn’t impossible, but hopefully, the only thing you’ll ever find is that you need to take a closer look at your own self as well as your relationship.

Is your spouse cheating or do you suspect that they

Life’s Precious Moments

Learning to fully live during tough times…

“Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ken’s asleep now. It’s been a big couple of days. Seems like a life time has come and gone; perhaps it has. Surgery for the new melanoma was Wednesday morning—early. Ten hours later, it was over. Four hours later he was out of recovery and into the next phase of life, learning to survive cancer. My work with the men at the Oregon State Correctional Institution gave me gave me an appreciation for freedom. Ken’s rollercoaster ride with cancer has given me a whole new appreciation for life and a deep understanding of the preciousness of each of life’s moments.

I know now why people close down and create walls around themselves for protection. Being open is painful when what is present is filled with sadness and suffering, but that is my commitment, to not close down in any way so here I sit wide open, allowing it all to be what it is, without story, without running or hiding. The love of everyone is so present here too. One would miss that if they closed down. You have to accept it all, to remain open to it all, or you miss the joy inherent in the sorrow, you miss the deep connection that lies amidst the pain.

The natural instinct of self-preservation creates walls easily, automatically, lending itself well to fight or flight, and misses the opportunity of being present. It would be nice if we could partition off the good from the bad and experience only happiness and joy, but we can’t. When we partition off the unacceptable, we partition ourselves off from life. We build walls that prevent us from experiencing all of life. Rather than experiencing life, being truly alive, we unconsciously tone down our experience to one we deem more acceptable. Unfortunately what we get is a mental experience rather than the entire experience, one that leaves us feeling disconnected and lost.

“Every life has dark tracts and long stretches of somber tint, and no representation is true to fact which dips its pencil only in light, and flings no shadows on the canvas.” Alexander Maclaren

A picture is worth a thousand words, so let me draw one. When we build a wall, it is as if we create a shell around ourselves. Consider yourself an egg inside an egg shell. Without the shell the egg slides all over the place…including into the frying pan…erase that…good for a picture but the analogy, while accurate, will most likely add more fear rather than opening an opportunity to shed it.

Let’s try again with a trip down memory lane. Back in 1976 John Travolta starred in a movie called, “Boy in the Plastic Bubble”, a film about a boy who was forced to live in a plastic isolation chamber because he was born with a non-functioning immune system, leaving him vulnerable to even the most common everyday viruses. The bubble is a great analogy for what we do to ourselves when we say ‘no’ to any aspect of our lives. In “The Grand Experiment” we call it the crystalline shell. Rather than being forced to live inside the bubble, though, we choose it, believing it to be safer than this painful experience of life. The virus we are vulnerable to is fear. When something good comes along, we don’t drop the layers and step free of the bubble. If we did that, the painful energy might find us, so instead, we engage life, the good and the bad from inside the bubble.

None of this is conscious, and though it may sound contradictory, it is a choice. It becomes a choice when we realize what is happening. At that point, we choose either to stay safely inside the bubble or choose to crack it, dissolve it, dismantle it…whatever it takes to live freely. Even knowing, we may continue to choose what appears to be safety, at least until the pain of being ensconced within the bubble exceeds the pain we perceive to be on the outside. In the movie, John Travolta’s character fell in love with the girl next door. He decided that life on the outside, even if it meant his death, was better than a long, safe life, disconnected from the ability to fully love—a true coming of age story.

Coming of age…what does that mean? It usually means growing up and entering into adulthood. Consider using it to mean growing into a true human, into our humanity, into our full compassion, fully aware of what it means to be human and that includes the good and the bad, the suffering and the pain. We are not meant to find the golden bucket at the end of the rainbow. There is no prince on a white horse. We cannot and should not choose only the apparent good in life. If we do we miss out on life…messy life…complex life…real life. We miss out on the ability to engage life. We miss out on the ability to live life fully present—present and accounted for! We look through the bubble and wonder why it feels as if we are missing out on something, why we feel so disconnected, why life just doesn’t satisfy. Inside the bubble we have the appearance of safety, but it is killing us slowly, roasting us one dream at a time. Outside is painful. Outside is joyful. Outside is all full! Outside is life. Inside is mind’s version, mind’s game, mind’s diversion from life.

Live now. None of us know how long we have here or how long the people we love will be with us. These moments are precious. They are God’s gift to each of us when we choose to fully experience life. Hell is inside the bubble of mind’s making. Heaven is filled with sorrow and suffering, joy and ecstatic, full-on living and it is here, outside the bubble. Come out and play.

“Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.” Albert Schweitzer

Gayle Gregory, co-author of The Grand Experiment, an Expedition of Self-Discovery, is a coach and consultant dedicated to radically transforming humanity’s interactions, personally, locally and globally. Freedom from fear is not only possible, it is our birthright! Her coaching business is Pure Possibility and is affiliated with WE, Workplace Evolution.

A Profile of a Cheating Spouse

Surprisingly enough, cheaters often suffer from low self esteem, causing them to continually look for validation and approval from others, and often others who are of the opposite sex. Cheating spouses also tend to play psychological games with their partners, accusing them of being the ones who are unfaithful in at attempt to take the focus off of their own transgressions and guilt.

While there’s no one particular rule book to follow as to what a cheating spouse does or will do, there are definitely some obvious signs and changes that one should be able to recognize. Here are just a few of those changes to watch for that cheating spouses often make in their lives:

- Changes in appearance: Are your wife’s nails always neatly manicured when before it wasn’t ever a concern of hers? Has her hairstyle dramatically changed or is she now wearing more provocative clothes? Is your husband now suddenly overly concerned with his appearance?

- Changes in demeanor: A cheating spouse will most usually begin behaving differently in some way or another. Usually at the beginning of the affair, or when one is contemplating one, they will become more attentive to their spouse, which is, of course, due to the guilt they’re feeling. It’s also often said that women who are cheating will have a certain “glow” about them, similar to a giddy teenager “in love.”

Other times, people who are cheating will go out of their way to avoid an argument at all costs and becomes either defensive or visibly nervous when the subject of infidelity is brought up or discussed.

- Changes in interest on the home front: A cheating spouse will most usually lose interest in family life, or things that go on around the house, or become noticeably lazy when at home. A man may take less interest in doing repairs or keeping up the appearance of the home, or take less of an interest in the kids, while a woman may also lose interest in housework, making dinner, or spending time at home. Both sexes may become indifferent when it comes to family gatherings or get-togethers, while others will avoid activities like attending church.

- Changes in grooming habits: By the time we’re adults, most of us have adopted our own grooming habits and patterns that we follow on a daily basis. For instance, some of us shower in the morning before work, while others prefer to do so in the evening before bed, while others still may do both.

Regardless of the frequency of bathing or showering, a cheating spouse will almost always make subtle, or sometimes even noticeable, changes to their routine that’s relatively easy to pick up on, provided you’re actually looking, that is. Does your husband now wear cologne wherever he goes but never did before? Does he take it with him to the “gym”? Is he now showering as soon as he returns home, or before getting into bed at night?

Since everyone is different, not every person will fit the profile of a cheating spouse all of the time, so it’s important to trust your instincts and intuition when it comes to finding out if your mate has indeed been unfaithful to you.

Is your spouse cheating or do you suspect that they

Pinhole Video Camera: Why You Shouldn’t Tell Your Cheating Husband About It

Finally, after the mini-skirt, another invention is empowering women. Call this the pinhole video camera. This is a powerful spying tool to use if you suspect your husband is having a good time with someone else right in your home. To keep him in ignorant bliss, don’t talk to him about spy cameras that will just alert him and nip your sleuthing career in the bud.

What Your Husband Shouldn’t Know

Countless women go through their marriage without suspecting that their husbands are having affairs right and left. Probably it’s because the wife is always the last to know. If you suspect that your husband is having an affair, catch the bastard off guard with a pinhole video camera when he least expects it in your own home.

When he gives up, do not tell him about the merits of the pinhole video camera that did him in. Here are the things you should not tell him about the little wife-friendly gadget:

* Size - This spy camera is so small, just about the size of a coin or the eraser tip of a pencil and fits in your hand. These are the latest commercial models. Unless your husband is into small video cameras, he won’t suspect a thing, even when he is looking at it. This is easy to hide anywhere without racking your brains where to park it.

* Efficiency - Despite its tiny size, it works as well as the standard video cameras. It can capture light, format messages compatible to existing equipment and transmit signals 1,000 feet away. You can place this conveniently in the bedroom, or in other areas of the house and get vivid images. Because of its pinhole lens, it can record activities through small cracks or hole.

* Battery operated - This tiny video camera works on a 9-volt battery. There are no telltale wires to give you away. You can conveniently transplant it to other parts of the house without your husband knowing any better. There’s a wired model if you want to be obvious in your spying.

* Easily hidden - These are ideally placed in smoke detectors; your spouse won’t bother with smoke detectors on the ceilings, not knowing that everything is being recorded by the pinhole video camera. Put in the clock, flower vase, or picture frame. No one will ever know what you are up to.

* Added features - There are models that can capture images in full color, some can pan and tilt, and zoom, all on remote control. There are models with audio - the better to hear your husband with.

* Connectivity - You can connect the system to your PC at work, or to your cell phone. How sweet would it be to call your husband and describe everything he is doing, blow by blow.

* Easy set up - You can install the system in less than 30 minutes. No second party involved party.

* Staying power - The pinhole video camera can work non-stop 8 hours daily.

With all the conveniences and features of this small video camera, spying on your husband at home is easy. When it is divorce for you, you have the evidence to prove your marriage will not work anymore - that is if it is allowed by the law. If you are taking the other route towards reconciliation, you will still need the pinhole video camera for a nanny soon.

A pinhole video camera and hidden nanny camera can be used for many purposes, and are perfect as a nannycam system. Visit Video-Surveillance-Guide.com today for expert advice.

Responding To Career Setbacks & Job Loss

While career setbacks are often unavoidable, they are not insurmountable or irreparable: with a good mix of planning, networking and optimism, you can find yourself a new position or find a way to circumvent obstacles to growth in your current role.

In order to regain your momentum (and earning potential), you will need to think strategically and assess your situation objectively. Below, we outline some things you should think about if you are currently facing employment problems, or just want to be prepared.

UNDERSTAND YOUR SKILLS

The first crucial step when planning a career change or pursuing new employment is to take stock of what you know and what weaknesses you have. For example, if you are a great analyst but a poor communicator, then look for a role where you can utilize your analytical skills but won’t have to give many presentations. At the same time, if you know your presentation and writing skills need work, start looking for opportunities to speak more. Informal meet-ups of peers and professional organization events are both great ways to build your speaking skills (and network).

We all have areas that we excel in and those that, despite training and experience, we still struggle with. Understanding both sides of your skill set lets you focus your efforts on roles where you will achieve the best results.

GET TALKING

Perhaps the most important and most poorly utilized asset any professional has is their network. When you are looking for a change or need new employment, it’s the people you know that will be your best source of insight and leads. If you think about your relationships – friends, family, and colleagues – and make the effort to touch base with them, you will be amazed how many new opportunities can appear. Of course, this assumes that you have remained in contact and have been a resource to them in the past (whether personal or professional).

Many times, our pride stops us from asking for an introduction or a recommendation, but the truth is that the people around you want to help you. Not only will it make them feel good to lend a hand, but its also good business: while you may be in need now; who can say when the positions may be reversed? By helping you out now, they strengthen their own network and create new possibilities for their own advancement. It’s a win-win situation.

BE AWARE

Even the most conservative industries experience change: maybe it’s a tool that streamlines processes and makes people redundant, or, a new initiative that brings specialized-skills into demand. Either way, there will be winners and losers from the changes.

The trick to being a winner is knowing what’s coming. Of course, you are not psychic and often company decisions are opaque; but you should always be looking for information about your industry, company, and clients:

1. Perhaps you’ve noticed that more and more customer service is being shipped offshore?

2. Perhaps a previously non-critical business division is suddenly a major revenue generator?

3. Perhaps one of your peers has been recruited by another firm due to skills and experience you also possess?

4. Perhaps a client is looking for additional services that your company provides, but no one has put together a clean proposal to capture the additional business?

These are just some of the scenarios that occur in every industry. If you are paying attention, you may be able to capitalize on any of them.

1. If off-shoring is occurring, look for the niches that are less transferable or start preparing for a job search.

2. If a division is getting mentioned more, see if you can work on a joint project that will gain you visibility or see if they could use your skill set.

3. If you have transferable skills and experience, then why not look at other industries. Getting outside your comfort zone can offer a huge benefit – especially, if your skills are in short supply in a younger industry (or an older one experiencing a shift).

4. Don’t assume someone else will make the pitch. Maybe you aren’t the one to close the deal, but if you put the idea in front of the client you can gain a new contact and pickup some recognition for ‘going beyond the call of duty’. Taking initiative is crucial to your success.

CONCLUSION

Your job might depend on a company, but your career is your responsibility. Hopefully, you will take some of the ideas discussed above and incorporate them into your career strategy. If you are in a dead-end job, then now is the time to take stock and find a way out. If you are currently looking for a job, then make sure you are searching efficiently and looking at the right opportunities.

Either way, you will need to keep your eyes on your skills, your voice in conversations, and your ear to the ground.

Good luck.

Diversified Recruitment, Inc. (DRI) is an online resource for MBAs and other professionals. The Staff Writers have created a collection of hundreds of articles on a wide range of business and career topics. Visit www.dricareers.com for more great articles.

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