Is It Time To Part Company?

What's the first thought you have about your work or employer when you wake up? Are you energized, enthused and eager to get on with your day, or just hoping to get through it? If you're energized and looking forward to the day, you likely reflect the 21% of nearly 90,000 employees surveyed in a recent survey who said they were engaged. (Only 8% reported being "fully engaged.") If you feel anxious, resentful and unmotivated, you probably identify more with the 38% surveyed who said they were wholly or partially disengaged. For sure the cost of disengagement for employers is high, including lost productivity, less innovation, more conflict and higher health care expenses. If you've been there, you know about the personal toll that it takes too.

I remember an article targeted to employers about "5 Signs That You Made A Bad Hiring Decision." It got me to thinking about the other side of the coin - signs that maybe we've gone to work for the wrong employer, or better yet that we shouldn't sign on in the first place. Here are my top ten signs that might be the case; they might also serve as indicators for employers of things to shore up if they want a more engaged workforce:

• Unclear or muddled direction - The organization either hasn't articulated its mission, strategy and priorities, or it's hard to buy in to its value proposition. Is this an organization or unit in an organization with a clear understanding of how it creates value


• Lack of fit - Is the organization's mission one that you identify with? Can you get behind the goals and are you excited about helping achieve them? Will you have the opportunity to employ your most motivated skills? This is about "flow,"in a book by the same name - when we are "stretched to our limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile."


• No "center" - What does the organization stand for? Core values, principles or beliefs are easier stated than practiced consistently, so look beyond a web site or posters on the walls. Ask others who know the organization or consult the internet to learn what a culture is really like. Dr. Research demonstrates that compatibility of individual and organizational values correlates highly with workers' desire to remain with their employer.


• Stunted growth potential - Is this someplace where you can learn and grow? Much of this is linked to an organization's value proposition and strategy, but not all. Selfish managers with no interest in your aspirations or inclinations to help you achieve them play huge roles. How do the organization and your likely boss invest in training or mentoring others?


• Clueless leaders - Is your immediate supervisor or a sizeable group of managers severely "E.Q.-challenged?" Do they exhibit significant blind spots and a severe shortage of self-awareness or self-control? Is there no concept of how much additional workload is too much? I still remember the sense of dread, cynicism and resignation among employees I interviewed in an organization headed by a modern-day Simon Legree.


• Poor alignment - Is everyone and everything pretty much "in-sync" with the organization's stated direction? Or do you get the sense that as much or more energy is spent arguing, posturing or engaging in office politics than on "keeping the main thing the main thing" and satisfying customers?


• Confusing "unity" with "sameness" - Unity is great, but that doesn't mean that everyone should look alike, think alike, act alike or always agree. Are different perspectives and respectful disagreement encouraged?


• Lack of truth-telling and transparency - Is the culture overly secretive? Is it unsafe to surface "bad news," or is it hard for people to get information that they need? Are financial statements or other information that investors, customers or other stakeholders want easy to find and understand, or opaque?


• Toxic culture - "Toxic" means just that, poison, or a health hazard. Contributors to toxic cultures beyond those mentioned here include gossip and rumors, unfairness, bullying and blatant disrespect.


• Integrity gaps - From my perspective all of the above signal integrity gaps. Other integrity-related trouble signs include ethically questionable practices, poor stewardship of human or natural resources and lack of accountability.

Try assigning a rating from "0" to "5" for each of these, with "5" being worst. If the total rating for your work or employer is 20, or 5 on any one of these, I'd say start making a move. Update your resume and social network profiles, fire up your network and exercise due diligence evaluating future potential opportunities.

I know that in some organizations there is a fair amount of pent-up interest in jumping ship when the opportunity arises. It has been mainly an employers' market the last few years, but that will likely change. As the market continues to improve and competition for talent heats up, applicants and employees will be in a position to be more discerning. If not too late, I hope that this checklist proves useful for organizations that want to minimize their loss of talent when the tide turns.

How does your employer rate for each of these dimensions? Is it time to think of parting company?

Employers - do you know how talent in your organization rates you on each of these dimensions? How will you find out and make adjustments in order to keep your best talent?

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How Can Resume Distribution Benefit Me?

There seems to be a rule of thumb out there that if you land a job you should always try to negotiate for more money as a matter of course. If you've done your homework and realize that the salary offer is too low for your level of education and experience, you should at least try to negotiate a higher salary. However, negotiating your salary just because you think you should can hurt you in a number of ways.

Contract positions are usually set at a certain rate and are only sometimes negotiable. If you try to negotiate a contract job offer, chances are that you delay many onboarding tasks such as drug screening, background and references checks and getting signed up for benefits. You may also find that the employer still expects you to start on the original date stated in the offer, leaving you scrambling to comply.

If you can negotiate your salary higher for other types of positions, you may leave yourself vulnerable to layoff if your salary is higher than your peers'. Your salary may be the first on the cutting block when it is time for your employer to make budgetary cuts. In today's competitive job market, and as companies continue to downsize, you certainly don't want to be let go simply because you make more than the guy sitting in the cube next to you.

Many people lose out on job opportunities because they think negotiating for a salary or benefits has to be done during the interview. Potential candidates need to get through the interview process, and wait until there is an offer on the table before asking for a certain amount of money or an excessive amount of vacation time. Once you've received the offer, negotiations can commence. If you are starting at entry level, don't push your luck. However, if you have 10+ years of experience, you may have some room to negotiate for a higher salary or an extra week of vacation time.

Negotiating a salary higher than what you originally stated you would be willing to take may make a potential employer think that you did not do your salary homework or are trying to get more money just because you think you can. This does not leave the employer with a good impression of you. Of course, you could prevent yourself from being boxed into a corner like this by not giving a specific dollar amount answer to the question, "What are your salary expectations?" If hard-pressed by an interviewer, give a wide salary range because this question is often used as criteria to weed out a large candidate pool.

Whatever situation you find yourself in, whether it be a job review or interview, be sure you know when to negotiate and when to just take the job and get to work.

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Banish Workplace Stress

It's no secret that stress is a daily occurrence at work for many UK employees. According to stressexperts.co.uk, work-related stress caused a loss of 10.5 million working days in the UK in 2012, with each person suffering from stress taking 24 days off work.

What's stressing you out?

In part 1 of our stress in the workplace series, we outlined the most common stress profiles and asked our readers to share their workplace worries and their tips for managing anxiety.

Our survey of senior HR professionals revealed their most common causes of stress are:

• Heavy workload (53.6%)
• Tight deadlines (19.2%)
• Bosses (11.5%)
• Coworkers (11.5%)

These same respondents identified their stress profiles as:

• The doer - takes on all responsibility (67.8%)
• The decisionmaker - delegates and doesn't sweat the small stuff (21.4%)
• The ditherer - looks busy doing nothing (7.1%)
• The denier - ignores the problem (3.5%)

On the hairiest days, we all wish that stress just didn't exist. But it's important to remember that a healthy amount of stress is what's needed to be in top form at the office. Positive stress, otherwise known as eustress, is what pushes you to try your hardest, and is key to reaching your goals. Negative stress (distress), is when it all becomes too much to balance, and you end up feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.

Top tips to banish negative stress

Want to push yourself to accomplish your career aspirations? Try these tips:

1. Pinpoint your triggers: Did your blood pressure rise when your boss called you out in a team meeting? Did you want to walk out when your manager dumped a stack of paperwork on your desk? If you can identify the exact cause of your anxiety, it will make it easier to come up with a plan or talk to your boss about managing your workload.
2. Focus on the solution instead of the problem: Getting stuck in a pattern of thinking about your problems will only make it worse. Ask yourself: how would I rather be feeling right now? Once you have that answer, you can plan your way towards it.
3. Learn to say no: Though the majority of our survey respondents identify their stress profiles as doers, over half of them said their biggest cause of stress is a heavy workload. See a correlation? Taking everything on will only burn you out; instead, trying to manage your own workload by saying no or delegating will allow you to keep your anxiety levels in check.
4. Use your off switch: When you're not at work, don't think about it. Instead, spend time with family and friends, or find a hobby that you get deep satisfaction from. It will give your mind some resting time, so you can approach work with a fresh perspective.

How do you deal with stress? Practical advice from our readers

"Write a list and immediately tackle two or three small, easy things on it. Tick them off the list - you'll feel brilliant!"

-Amanda Rao, HRD Northern Europe, TNS

"Rather than looking at what you haven't done on the 'to do' list, look at what you have done and note down all that you have done extra today that was not on the original list - you'll be surprised and rewarded about how much you have actually done. If the pile to do is still large, just accept that you are being asked to do too much and that you should not blame yourself if you have to leave something for now."

-Kim Stallard, personnel payroll and development manager, Wychavon District Council

"Avoid extreme reactions. I handle each task as it comes or selectively deal with matters in some priority. I also try to be positive about coping with situations."

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Molehills, Mountains and Miscommunication in the Workplace

I love sayings and quotes by the unknown author. Seems like unknown really knows their stuff. One of my favorite unknown quotes is, 'Don't make mountains out of molehills'. Another quote by an unknown author that expands on the mountain-molehill quote is, 'A single moment of misunderstanding is so poisonous, that it makes us forget the hundred loveable moments spent together within a minute'. Misunderstandings at work are unavoidable but there are things that we can do to prevent our molehill sized misunderstandings from becoming mountains we have to climb to communicate with one another.

I recall a time a few years ago, I was on assignment with a large corporate client when I received a call from a human resource representative. This H.R. representative and I had previously exchanged phone calls, emails, instant messages and had recently met face-to-face. Her office was located in another state with another time zone. Her office had a position that had not been filled in over a year.

I was on the job only two months and had located the ideal candidate. Part of the reason I was hired was to fill the difficult-to-fill positions that had been open so long as well as press both the hiring managers and human resources to be more responsive.

This H.R. representative was aware that the hiring manager had conducted a phone interview with the candidate and the department was eager to proceed to the next step in the process which was to fly in the candidate for a panel interview. The H.R. representative was responsible for making the arrangements to fly in candidates and setting up the interviews. I placed a call and left a voice message for her. I then sent her an email and a text message. I waited a few hours and went home; I figured she would respond in the morning. The next day was a Wednesday. I once again had to leave a voice message. I called the hiring manager to see if he could tell me where she was but there was no answer at his number so I sent him an email. I tried to instant message the hiring manager and H.R. representative but both of their instant message connections were turned off. On Thursday I once again tried to reach the H.R. representative but received the same silence. I knew that site had a 4 day work week so I would not be able to reach her the next day and I did not want the candidate to wait the entire week-end wondering if they were really going to have a panel interview or not. Also, it was important to get this candidate in ASAP to make sure he didn't have too much time to visit other companies or wonder why we were dragging our feet. On Thursday afternoon I left a final voice message asking her to please reach out to the candidate and make the necessary arrangements. I mentioned that I wondered what might be wrong as she has previously been very responsive and I had not been able to get ahold of her all week.

The following week I was surprised to see this H.R. representative at the office where I worked. It turned out that she was visiting another site the previous week and had not been in her office. She was visiting our company site for three days and then flying back to her site where she would resume her duties the following Monday. I told her I had been trying to reach her but she claimed she never received any voice messages, emails or texts. She then made the arrangements for the candidate to interview and I thought the matter was put to rest.

Two weeks go by and she must have decided to check on all of her messages at work. She finally hears my previous messages about arranging the flight and interview date for our out of state candidate. The H.R. representative calls me up and is very upset with me. She said I was rude and didn't like my tone and that she already arranged for the candidate to come in and interview. I had no idea what she was referring to. The last voice message I had left for her was 2 weeks prior on a Thursday expressing my concern that we get this candidate in for an interview ASAP and wondering if there was something wrong as she is usually very responsive.

Finally I realized she must have picked up my old voice message and I let her know that she was referring to something that we had already discussed when she paid a visit to our office the previous week. There was a long pause on her end as she pieced together the trail of the conversation and series of mishaps regarding lost messages. She apologized once she understood why I had the tone I did when I left the message two weeks ago, as it was indeed critical to contact the candidate right away. She realized the tone was one of urgency for the situation and not demanding bossiness. Still, after we hung up the phone I recalled the saying about how one misunderstanding can ruin everything. Even though we wrapped up on good terms it took me awhile to get over the hurt of someone that I thought was a strong team-player assumed I meant harm to them when I merely left a voice message indicating the urgency of a situation we were both working on.

What the H.R. Representative did correctly was contact me directly to address what she perceived to be an offense on my behalf. She did not discuss it with anyone else or let it fester to the point of avoiding contact with me. By contacting me directly we were able to discuss the situation and eventually trace the original point of the misunderstanding. Due to the H.R. Representative's professional handling of the misunderstanding we were both able to move forward and work cohesively on future projects.

To prevent miscommunications in the workplace you can do three things:
1. Respond swiftly to requests.
2. Communicate in a clear concise manner.
3. Send professional emails with helpful subjects lines, detailed messages written in proper English and sign off with your complete contact information.

No matter where we work there will be that co-worker, boss, client that will be a spur in our side that will rub us the wrong way OR we will be that person that rubs someone else the wrong way... it is human nature. There will be lost emails and missed calls and all kinds of mishaps that will cause misunderstandings. The molehills are everywhere, the trick is to not turn them into mountains - keep the molehills small and your journey through the work-field mines will be a lot smoother.

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Congrats! But You're Missing The Point

They all suffer from the same basic problem: The successful executive who wonders why his social life is in disarray; the office worker who always produces but never seems to get promoted; the artisan who is magnificent at his craft, but fails to generate any business; and the intellectual with three advanced degrees who wonders why infinitely stupider people are in charge of the operation.

The issue is this: They are focusing an enormous amount of mental energy on the wrong things.

Let's start with the successful executive with no love life. Why, he wonders, is he still alone, downloading meaningful relationships from the internet, when he has so much going for him? The simple answer is that the skill-set required for a successful social life is completely different to the skill-set that has ensured his success as an executive. He's good at the wrong things.

To be effective in the world of dating requires social and networking skills, an understanding of body language and charm, the ability to converse and connect with others; a sense of humour. The guy working behind the till at Pizza Hut, who intrinsically gets how to do these things, is eminently more qualified.

Yet this concept will continue to baffle the executive, who will wonder why less successful people are enjoying greater success in the dating world than him. The reason is simply that they are focusing on the right things. They are doing what works.

Next case: The staff member who works hard but never gets promoted. This scenario is as common as soap, and sadder than the single hair you find on it.

This person will tend to feel cheated and underappreciated. Their excellence at what they do; they contend; should be rewarded by promotions and pay increases. After all, they've spent years consistently doing their job well.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Success in the corporate world is very rarely about how technically capable you are at doing your job. In fact, the more technically capable you are, the less sense it would make to move you up. You're useful in that position.

Moreover, the more consistently you are excellent at what you do, the less your excellence will tend to be noticed. You become invisible because you are so proficient. There's no noise from your department; no banging of drums; and so nobody notices you.

As with the executive who is missing the point, this person tends not to realize that real career growth depends on a completely different skill-set.

So which skills do help such a person to get ahead? To move up to the next level, you will need some, or all, of the following:

Leadership skills
Assertiveness skills
Public speaking skills
Networking skills
Problem-solving skills
Communication skills
Entrepreneurial skills
Personal branding (the capacity to bang the drum and get noticed).

Think of it this way: If you are astonishingly good at fixing the warp drive on the Star Ship Enterprise, you are always going to be Scotty. However, if you have leadership and problem-solving skills, and if you can communicate confidently and assertively with a team, you could be Captain Kirk. But no one is ever going to give command of the Enterprise to Scotty based on how effectively he fixes the warp drive. It just doesn't work that way.

The artisan who is gifted at his craft but has no customers also needs to realize that he requires an additional and completely different skill-set. He has to learn sales and marketing skills. He needs to add the basic principles of business to his understanding of his craft. No degree of artistic excellence will create a successful business. But add an understanding of business, and it's a different story.

And, sadly for the super-qualified academic, degrees do not necessarily equate to wealth or leadership. In fact, they have almost nothing in common. Becoming wealthy requires a completely different skill-set to the one used for attaining degrees, and being placed in charge of an operation is not about knowledge, but once again, about the ability to lead, communicate and solve problems.

To the great shock and horror of the highly qualified person, a less qualified person with stronger leadership skills and a more prominent voice can, and sometimes should, be placed in charge of them. Captain Kirk may not know how to fix a warp drive. But he knows how to get Scotty to do it!

Is there a chance that you might be focusing all your energy on the wrong thing? Do you need to invest in a new skill-set, in addition to the one you already use, in order to move up?

If you identify with any of these scenarios, the smartest thing to do is to act quickly. You can spend years lamenting how unfair the world is being to you... or you can invest the next year in changing your scenario entirely. And of course it's going to be hard. But it's also going to be worth it.

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Resume Paper - Why the Paper Matters

The resume paper you use to apply for a pharmacy technician position needs to make a statement. The paper should be high quality to resemble your professionalism.

"What kind of paper should I use to print my resume?"

This is a common concern for pharmacy technician job seekers near the end of the resume-creation process. Your pharmacy technician resume needs to impress. The best paper will show hiring managers that you mean business. Before you fall asleep, give this some consideration.

You want your pharmacy technician resume to stand above the rest. Now, the paper itself won't get you the technician position. But poor quality paper can rule you out. Using odd paper, styles, stickers, borders, or uncommon fonts are all unprofessional.

Your pharmacy technician resume should be printed on the best paper.

Paper Texture

High quality paper shows potential employers that you understand that this job process is serious. Do not use printer paper. You will be at a serious disadvantage.

Common professional paper textures are linen, cotton and parchment. At least 25% cotton is probably the best because it has a soft feel and look. Linen is typically grainy looking and can distract the reader from your resume content.

Paper Thickness

24 lb. or 32 lb is perfect resume paper thickness. Anything heavier than 32 lb. is card stock, which is unsuitable for a resume. Anything less than 20 lb. and the paper can rip easily.

Paper Color

Light off-white is your best bet. Off-white is easy on the eyes. Variations of off-white are acceptable, ranging from light tan to bright off-white. However, any color other than white is not acceptable. I've seen blue and green resumes thrown in the trash.

I do not recommend ivory or light gray. This looks like a college diploma, which is not the message you want to send.

10 second pause

Place yourself in the hiring manager (or pharmacist, whoever is hiring you). What kind of paper do you think looks great?

Put yourself in this scenario:

You have two applicant resumes. One clearly resembles typical printer paper. The other resume is a thicker paper. It's weighty and won't bend easily. It's white and yet has a tint of light tan.
Which applicant, all things being equal, would you choose?

Hopefully you would choose the one that means business and took every step to get the job!

But I'm applying online. I don't need to print anything off.

Wrong! Let's say you get asked to interview (Yes! Half the battle is won!). Many times, a pharmacist or pharmacy manager will interview you during their work day. They could easily get distracted and forget to print your resume before an interview.

Would you look amazing if you brought copies of your resume to the interview? Yes! "The prepared person wins/succeeds" quote

The recommendation is to have your resume professional printed.

Use a laser printer, not an ink jet printer

Yes you will have to pay a little more to use a laser printer. However, you really want the job. Deliver the best to the hiring manager. Remember, look for any way you can stand above the rest.

Watermarks are risky

Watermarks are risky because of representation. If you apply for a new job and place your current company's logo watermark on your resume, would your company approve of you leaving and applying for another job? Or maybe you're a high school or college student. Would your school approve?

Where/How do I get my Pharmacy Technician Resume Paper?

The easiest way to print your resume is to travel to your local office supply store. It does not cost much to print off resume copies. While you're printing your resume, it may be worth buying a business card. Find out why business cards set you above the rest here.

Office Depot has an easy to use service online. You can upload your resume online. Your resume can be printed at your local store to be picked up at your convenience.

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Inflatables - The Business End

If you've been looking into the inflatables industry and have decided you want to get involved, then you should know that you have four main options to choose from. After all, inflatables aren't just for backyard play rentals anymore. To be a really successful businessperson, you will need to choose a specific avenue of operation for your company. I will list these avenues in order of size.

Your first option is the basic backyard rental company. This type of inflatable company is easy to operate, but is designed for small-scale growth. For instance, renting an inflatable to a household for a child's birthday party typically only happens on weekends, and the largest inflatable you can buy is one that fits nicely into a large backyard. Bouncers are the most popular inflatables to buy in this situation, and ball pits are a secondary choice. Since this type of business only functions on the weekends and holidays (for the most part), this is a good investment for families who are looking to make a little extra money part time.

The next option requires a slightly bigger operation. It is the full-time event inflatables rental company for personal or business use. This inflatable company type requires you and a group of employees (or family members) to run events, such as church VBS groups, corporate picnics and kids events, school carnivals, and other such happenings. The process is similar to that of the backyard rental company, except you can buy bigger and better inflatables. I've seen these companies have everything from a giant slide to a full-scale bouncy obstacle course. Of course, these events must be manned by a staff of inflatable operators to make each even possible, which means employees and a different tax bracket. Also, you will need vehicles to haul the heavy inflatables, equipment to maintain them and process repairs, advertising and marketing efforts in your area, and a lot more time than a weekend or two a month.

Next, there are the pay-for-play companies. These are a step above the event rentals, but with the same basic concept. Instead of renting inflatables and choosing some employees to man them, this company targets specific carnivals, fairs, and public events, like the California State Fair. They set up a permanent location at these events, pop up a large inflatable, and people purchase tickets to enjoy the inflatable area for a certain period of time. For this company, the wear and tear on the inflatables is less sporadic and more of a full time concern. However, they make a constant stream of money during the events, unlike the one-day rental options. Many of these companies make up their start-up costs in only one season! Plus the advertising is done for them, as each public event draws in more and more people. The downside is that the cost of a rental space, combined with paying a full-time team of employees, can be pretty high and more accidents are prone to happen to your inflatables in a large crowd of people.

And finally, there is the indoor inflatable play center option. Family fun centers are popping up all over the United States and are doing surprisingly well. Children of all ages enjoy coming to locations with a series of inflatables, vendors, and video games. All it requires is a prime location, a large indoor space, and a series of inflatables to fill the space. Because of its indoor nature, these companies don't experience the same problems with sun damage and accidental punctures that outdoor rental companies face. However, with constant use comes typical wear and tear, so be prepared to have backup inflatables for replacements while used inflatables are patched and repaired. Also, the cost of a large enough rental space will be rather high, as well as the cost of utilities and maintenance.

So, as you can see, there are four main options if you want to start an inflatables business. And what you choose will depend upon how much time you have, whether you want this to supplement your income or be your income, whether you have a useable indoor space, and how much money you want to put into this concept being a success. If you want to get involved in the inflatables business and see how it goes, I recommend starting small with a backyard rental company and working your way up. That way you can see how the inflatables will hold up and whether a company is truly a good investment for your family.

Also, it's a good idea to note that, the larger the company, the more stress you will be under and the more people you will need to assist you. A large indoor play area might seem like a wonderful plan, but if you don't have the help, the location, or the start-up capital, you should start a smaller company. Expansion is always an option down the road, but starting too big might be your company's downfall.

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The Choice of Programming Vs Networking Career

Two Different Fields

Networking and programming are two very different areas of the IT industry.

Programming involves writing software code for a new or existing application. Programmers typically spend most of their day at their desk, developing code for the application. They may be involved in design aspects, testing, and reviewing.

Networking is a broad field and can include many things, such as network administration, server administration, support, and others. It can involve visiting different locations in the same building, travelling to other sites, configuring equipment and also sitting at a desk.

It's hard to compare them - they require different skills and different kinds of people will find them appealing. They do, however, have different career paths, both when starting the career and the advancement of the career.

Career Path of Programming and Networking

Most programming jobs require a degree to be achieved, with the Computer Science (CS) degree the most common. These degrees usually take a few years to complete, but are usually a requirement for getting a job as a programmer (or software developer or related role).

Networking, however, can be started with the achievement of several certifications. A degree can help but is not required. Common certifications that are gained to start a career in networking are several from CompTIA (A+, Network+, Server+, Security+), Cisco (CCNA, CCNP) and even some from Microsoft (MCTS). These certifications will all help potential network analysts/support get a job.

Programmers usually begin their careers by doing strictly programming activities. Later in their career they may move into software testing, software design, or implementation. Some programmers can move into technical team leaders, where they lead a team of software developers, or project managers who work on software projects.

Networking graduates can often start their careers in help desk or technical support, where they perform a variety of duties. This makes them perceived as a "jack of all trades" employee in some cases. They can usually have more choices when it comes to specialisation. Network administration, network design, support, server administration are just some of the roles they can do. They can also move into a management or team leader role with the right skills.

It's widely mentioned that programming graduates start on a higher salary. Depending on the role and location, programmers can earn up to 30% more than networking graduates in entry-level positions. The salaries improve over time, so this shouldn't be a major factor in your decision.

Networking careers are also more influenced by certifications that programming careers. A large portion of the certifications are related to networking and administration - providers such as Cisco, Microsoft, Red Hat and CompTIA are quite network and administration focused. There are several programming certifications, but they are not used as widely.

Which One To Choose - Programming vs Networking

This is the big question - should you choose programming or networking as a career?

I think this actually comes down to which one you enjoy more. Do you have any practice doing either roles? Have you attended any classes or courses in programming or networking?

A career is a long time, so you want to make sure you enjoy what you're doing. Personally, I went the programming route when I started as I was passionate about developing software and found it interesting. Others that I knew felt the same passion for networking.

The salary shouldn't matter, either. It's better to work and get paid $70k for something you enjoy doing than get paid $150k for something you don't enjoy.

So, which one are you leaning towards? What has your experience been?

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Find a Job You Love, or Love the Job You Have: Embracing Engagement

Think you hate your job? People tend to believe the grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes it is. If you are being discriminated against, working in unsafe conditions, not paid as promised, or otherwise treated poorly, then you should look for a new job. Really, stop reading this article right now and start looking!

However, if you are like the vast majority of American workers, you're just checked out. Recent Gallup research shows that 70% of U.S. workers are actively disengaged from their jobs. They're not inspired, not proactive and they don't feel like their opinions matter.

This is a serious issue from the perspective of businesses who are not getting maximum performance from their employees, as well as the U.S. economy that is not benefitting from that productivity. But it is also a serious issue for the employees themselves.

When someone is disengaged at work, they are actually hurting themselves as much as the company, if not more. They can miss out on formal and informal education opportunities, be passed over for new projects and assignments, and get stuck in a skills and experience rut. People who are disengaged don't do their best work or provide the best possible service, which is often reflected in fewer raises or promotions. And they often don't participate in events, meetings or social situations that would help build strong connections within their company and industry.

One of the ironies here is that over time disengaged employees actually continue to get further and further behind their more engaged peers, which makes it even harder for them to move on to a new position. It's a vicious cycle. They're trapped in a role that they're not happy with, aren't building the skills and connections that would help them move on, and just become more and more sidelined as time goes on.

If you, your friend, or your coworker is one of these 70% actively disengaged workers, then there really are two choices. You can find another job that you love, or you can find ways to love the job you have. While there are likely to be aspects of your job that you have no power to change, you do have the power to change your perspective. Whether you decide to stay in your current job or seek a new one, there are steps you can take to get the most out of where you are right now.

Here are a few tips on how to get more out of your current role:

• Act happier and you will be. Smile at someone or say hi to a coworker, even if you have to force it the first few times. Pretend it's your uniform or you're playing a character if you have to, just put on a positive attitude when you go to work. Positive attracts positive. It sounds a little New Age, but people do generally reflect back what they see. If you act happier and more engaged, you're more likely to be offered the opportunities that you are seeking.

• Set goals and identify gaps. If you don't know where you want to be, it's impossible to get there. Take some time to identify where you want to go next, or in the next few years. Talk to peers, mentors, coaches, anyone who can help give you this kind of perspective. Once you know where you want to go, you can see what gaps you need to fill to get there. Next, identify ways to fill some of those gaps in your current job, or on your own outside of your job. For example, if your next ideal role requires additional education, investigate whether your current employer has a tuition reimbursement policy. Or, if the skills you need to gain can only be learned on the job, be the first to volunteer for the next relevant project.

• Decide what you want to get out of it. Every job has opportunities. The role you're in right now will be a stepping-stone to whatever you do next, that's how careers are built. While you may not be in your dream job right now, you'll have opportunities to learn new things, gain more experience, or meet influential people. Identify and take advantage of those opportunities whenever you can. Decide what you can and want to get out of the role you're in right now, and then purposefully focus on those areas.

The interesting thing about all of these actions is that, while they'll help you put things in place to move on to a new job, they'll also help you be more engaged right now. That's crucial because it's hard to gain what you need to move on to a new role without being engaged in your current one.

Most people spend the majority of their waking hours working. You might as well find ways to love the job you have, even if you're looking for one you'll love more.

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The Most Popular Types Of Body Part Modelling

Believe it or not some models are paid just because they have beautiful hands!

That's right, modelling is not just about your face and body, it can be broken down into individual body parts, and some of the most lucrative modelling contracts are for models with beautiful body parts.

The most popular body parts that a model may be hired for are hands, eyes and lips, with torso and legs coming a close second. In this beauty obsessed age makeup and beauty products have huge appeal and many beauty industries want to use models with beautiful eyes, lashes and lips to model their make up brands.

Clients often prefer models with full luscious lips that are natural; fillers and implants are not ideal and makeup brands will shy away from using these models. Jewellers will select a model with delicate hands and well-manicured nails for their advertising campaigns and fitness brands will choose a model with a well toned torso.

Body part models may go through their entire career without ever showing their entire face. They can remain anonymous for their entire career (this may be a good or bad thing depending on your point of view).

If you want to become a body part model you need to consider whether any of your body parts are particularly special. A model may have a beautiful and photogenic look as a whole but not necessarily any particular feature that would look good photographed on its own.

Do you have unusual eyes or extra long and thick lashes? Are your lips naturally full and symmetrical? How about your hands? Are they long, delicate, even toned and are your nails naturally strong and attractive? If you bite your nails then this is not for you! Do you have slender long legs? Many models have made their fortune and name by starting as leg models for makes like Pretty Polly; think Rachel Hunter, Penny Lancaster and Sarah Harding from Girls Alloud! What about your torso? Is it toned and lean and defined? If so then you could become a sports model as many sporting brands want photos of defined and fabulous torso for underwear boxes.

The next time you see a pair of beautiful full lips on a poster for the latest lip gloss, or an exquisite eye with long lashes on a TV ad, think about the model behind those features and how much they were paid just for modelling part of their body.

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