My Twitter Account Was Suspended

My Twitter Account Was Suspended 5 I had a nasty surprise when I woke up this morning. I don’t usually check my Twitter account first thing when I get on the Internet every morning but today I did by chance. And when I did, here’s what I saw: Every time I tried to visit http://twitter.com/jacobshare, I would get redirected to http://twitter.com/suspended. My wife suggested that my account had been suspended as a result of The Ultimate Twitter Job Search Guide. Needing to take my kids to daycare and having some early morning errands to run, I didn’t have time to react until almost 2 hours later. By the time I returned, my account had already been restored. Apparently, my account was one of many accidental suspensions that were the result of human error at Twitter.com. I hope no one got fired for it. Download The Ultimate Twitter Job Search Guide

Book Review What Business Should I Start - VocationVillage

Book Review What Business Should I Start - VocationVillage If you want to start a business but you aren’t sure what business to start, What Business Should I Start?: 7 Steps To Discovering The Ideal Business For You is one of the few books to offer a step-by-step process to evaluate and choose a business to launch.In the 7 step process for decision-making, steps 1 through 3 focus on identifying your Entrepreneur Type (E-Type), clarifying what you want from your business, and exploring how you will integrate your interests and abilities into your business. USA Today put a version of this assessment online so you can take The E-Type Test here to see what you think. Initially, I didn’t agree with my results but then when I thought about them more, they made sense. I’m a hybrid of three different types.Steps 4 and 5 discuss solo entrepreneurship and different business sectors, industries, and specific businesses.Steps 6 and 7 help you to choose your own niche, to rate business opportunities, and to focus in on your top choice.One of the be st parts about this book is that small business expert Abrams shatters the myth that successful entrepreneurs are all extroverted visionary risk takers who love to sell, to lead others, and to work nonstop. Many successful entrepreneurs buck this stereotype. Business owners come in many flavors and the key is to build a business that fits your unique personality, strengths, interests, and values.I like Abrams’ classification of four types of business ventures: Actualizing Activity A business where the primary motivation is personal satisfaction and income generation is not a concern Solo Sustainer One person businesses with the primary goal of providing income; this is the most common type Balanced Business A business that provides income for the owner and others and while it may have potential for growth, empire-building is not a primary goal Visionary Venture The businesses that aim to grow big, often starting as exciting, sexy, risky ideas that attract a lot of media attentionThe book includes a list of career coaching questions. Some of my favorites are: When I was a kid, I used to like doing… I’m really good at… My idea of fun is… I like to read about… If I could take a class on anything, it would be…Abrams provides lists of interests and abilities to stimulate brainstorming, and then she asks prospective entrepreneurs to go beyond obvious ideas. Different aspects of an interest area include: Doing/creating/working directly with it Selling it or something related to it Teaching it/communicating information about it Consulting/counseling related to it Investing in it/owning it/trading it Providing technology/machines for it Administering or organizing stuff related to it Caring for it/maintaining it Providing entertainment/hospitality related to it Abrams surveyed her email newsletter subscribers (sign up at her website PlanningShop.com) and found the distribution above of how entrepreneurs decided which business to start.The largest category, “Replication/Modification,” is based on previous work experience where the business owner duplicated or tried to improve an existing business idea. If you combine that with the second largest category, “Hobby,” which means basing a business on the owner’s existing hobby, the survey shows that 58% of the business owners surveyed drew on their own professional and life histories to choose a business idea, while 42% chose something in which they didnt have previous experience.Abrams does some research for prospective entrepreneurs by writing about these popular business categories: Construction Consulting Franchising Independent sales Manufacturing Retail She also profiles 23 business ideas for the Solo Sustainer category (Animal Groomer, Auto Detailer, Bed and Breakfast, Childcare, Computer Network/System Administrator, Doula, Event Planner, Financial Planner, Florist, Freelance Writer, General Contractor (Residential), Interior Decorator/Designer, Landscaper (Installation/Maintenance), Limo Driver/Operator, Marketing Consultant, Massage Therapist, Nail Salon, Personal Trainer, Private Investigator, Real Estate Agent (Residential), Restaurant, Specialty Foods Manufacturing, and Website Developer/Designer.The business ideas above could also evolve into Balanced Businesses or Visionary Ventures by employing others or scaling them in an innovative way.The final section of the book offers ideas for making a business idea unique by targeting a specific industry or business type, demographic group, geographic area, unique knowledge, or style/product mix. For instance, a bakery could specialize in sugar-free desserts, a childcare business c ould specialize in caring for twins and triplets, or a freelance writer could niche in the medical industry.Abrams also gives specific ideas for how to evaluate the soundness of your business idea. I like her suggestion to consult with a Small Business Development Center consultant, especially because doing so is free!I like this book. I hope a digital version is available at some point to make the book accessible to more readers.Did you find this review helpful? If so, please use the buttons below to share it.

Converting an internship into a job offer

Converting an internship into a job offer Unless youve made a concerted effort to filter out all careers related info, it cant have escaped your notice that an internship (or its less glamorous cousin, the work placement)  is undeniably A.Good.Thing. The benefits are well documented  and graduate recruiters of all stripes agree that work experience is close to essential. But the big question is HOW do you convert an internship into a graduate offer? Finding the fit There has been  very little  research into the conversion process, so the recent report  Converting interns into regular employees; the role of the intern/supervisor exchange by Rose, Teo Connells is welcome indeed.  One of the key findings was that ‘the intern-supervisor exchange played a strong role in influencing the intern’s performance, learning opportunities and satisfaction.’ And in the plainest of plain English, this simply means: how well you get on with your supervisor during your internship is really important. Surprisingly, the interaction between intern and workplace supervisor was found to be a stronger predictor of  future outcome (job offer or not)  than the interns performance. Now, before you take this as carte blanche to coast throughout your placement, do remind yourself that youll be under close scrutiny. Any indication that you are performing below par and expectation will  certainly be noted. What this research suggests is that fit can  trump ability , all other things being equal. What counts This isnt really so surprising when you think about it. Consider for a moment, the three criteria most likely to influence an employers hiring decision: Can you do the job? Are you motivated? Will you fit into the organisation. An internship is a fairly cost-effective way for both parties to try before they buy. Organisations want to limit the time and money spent on lengthy recruitment processes,  and minimise the risk of appointing the wrong candidate. Very polished individuals can game the selection process, make all the right noises and  get offered the job. A few months down the line,  the cracks begin to show and the employer realises perhaps too late that theyve made the wrong call. This is far less likely to happen when a company operates an internship scheme; with 6-8 weeks close supervision. This gives recruiting managers a much more complete picture of the individual, and sufficient evidence to decide whether they are the right fit for the role and the company. Heres what Harpavan Khaira, a graduate recruitment specialist at RWE nPower has to say: The advice I always give to our interns is to make the most of the time they have with us. Interns are in a fantastic position being on the inside  and should take every opportunity  and  network with as many people as they can.  I always encourage interns to book meetings with someone in graduate recruitment and also the heads of departments in the  areas of the business they may want to work in. It shows the right attitude, a pro-active nature and  a confidence which  all companies look for in a graduate. It will also  greatly enhance your future prospects of employment with the  company How to convince a recruiter Prepare for your internship. If youve thoroughly researched and understood the company ethos, brand and culture, you will be able to anticipate and understand whats expected of you. And heres where you can really stand out:  dont just meet expectations, exceed them! Build and maintain rapport with colleagues, clients and above all, your supervisor. Your attitude and behaviour are strongly correlated with future success, so hit the right notes. Ask questions…be a sponge. Your commercial awareness will  increase  as you absorb  insider info about clients, stakeholders and business practices.  Attend any and every meeting you can, as this will give you exposure and help you develop a 360 degree understanding of the organisation. Enthusiasm is infectious. Nobody wants to work with a doom and gloom merchant. Say yes even if you dont always feel like it. Im not suggesting you become a lap-dog, but a keen interest and upbeat approach will go a long, long way. A  positive outlook and initiative will make an impression, highlight your value to the company and help you to develop a network of useful contacts. Act like a graduate recruit â€" arrogance is not endearing but confidence is compelling.    if you project a can do approach, your senior colleagues may decide to give you more challenging, and worthwhile projects this adds up to a more fulfilling internship experience. For  Dan Wickens, success on his placement at the defence company DSTL was “as simple as doing any task you are given to the best of your ability and by the date it is due, in order to avoid delaying the bigger project as a whole.” Be professional from day one arriving late for lectures may be a rite of passage for (some) students but poor timekeeping during a placement sends out all the wrong messages. That first impression tends to  last. Dear diary…keep a daily record of your achievements and progress. This record of  â€˜distance travelled’ will help you to reflect on your progress, enhance your CV and help you prepare some knock-out answers to those dreaded competency questions at graduate interviews. Maintain your network. Schedule a meeting with your manager to reflect on your achievements and the contribution you have made during your placement. Thank the employer for the opportunity, and be sure to register your interest if you know this is a role and sector you want to consider. Ask about the intended recruitment and see if theres anything you can do to enhance your prospects are there future networking events you could attend, or LinkedIn groups to join. Keep in touch. Connect with your contacts through LinkedIn (see above!) and follow companies on Twitter and Facebook. Make sure your  online profile reflects your professional aspirations. The benefits of an internship are clear â€" increased confidence and self-esteem, an enhanced skill set and  evidence of your ability to build working relationships with both colleagues and clients.  For Paul Harfield, Associate Consultant with Microsoft and Warwick Computer Science graduate, a placement can set you apart from other applicants, “When I asked why I was shortlisted, employers said if you can get an internship at a leading edge company there must be something about you! “