A resume is something everyone should have because it is a good way to keep track of your work experience and qualifications. A cover letter is your way to introduce to yourself to a potential employer and make a case for why you should be considered for a new position. These two items are much recommended when applying for a new position and can be considered a packaged deal. It is important when writing your resume and cover letter that you are clear and concise. Don’t sell yourself short or be afraid of detailing your skills. Identify your strengths but be sure not to embellish the truth. Tailor your resume and cover letter toward each individual position you are applying for. This will help you stand out from the generic letters, and making sure you have good grammar and spelling will make a very good impression. As with everything else, be sure to follow up with a phone call or letter to the search firm, employer or hiring manager.

How you dress plays a role in how others perceive you at work whether you are in a busy office or the other extreme a location in which contact with others is minimal. Dressing professionally in your place of work despite the urge to dress casually in tank top, flip flops, and shorts during these warmer months will help you project a motivated image to your boss and colleagues.

What can you do?

Stock your closet with the basics: black pants, collared shirts, a dark pant suit, and a classic pair of shoes and build your wardrobe from there. Be neat and clean, make sure your clothes are ironed, and in a clean stain free condition. Most importantly, look the part. Dress for your role, if you want to be successful dress successful.

At some point in our lives we are all faced with a problem, or a situation we are not necessarily sure how to handle. There is no shame or feelings of inadequacy in these types of situations. Don’t try to hide the problem, if you’ve tried to solve the problem but everything you do fails, let someone else know. Offer solutions and ask for additional recommendations. Chances are if you are running in to this problem others are or others have in the past.

Be bold, and identify your weaknesses or one thing that would help you do your job better. A weakness can be something that you need more experience or confidence in, and is not necessarily something you are doing wrong. Improvements will help you move from job to job and up the corporate ladder. By asking for your manager’s constructive criticism along with support you can see your weaknesses from someone else’s perspective and it will help you do your job better.

Women make great leaders…why?

1. Women are inclusive – collaborative by nature, which generally makes them great at managing a team.
2. Women are empathetic- women are competitive, but able to retain a compassionate side which gives them a distinct edge in the business world.
3. Women listen- women are able to listen with their ears, eyes and instincts.

All businesses have challenges, but women owned businesses may have more than others. The good thing is that women often have the life skills and natural abilities that are useful in overcoming those challenges. Most women have inherent negotiating skills, great networking skills, and can easily multi task and employ the skills of delegating and budgeting that they rely on to manage families. Successful women entrepreneurs use different strategies to succeed and you can too. They include but are not limited to:

- Build a strong network.
- Use the internet to your advantage.
- Have a good work/life balance.
- Talk and get inspiration as well as advice from other women succeeding in business.
- Stay current with present issues.
- Learn from others, their mistakes as well as their successes.

Arriving on time, staying positive and being a team player are all important. Knowing what your supervisor expects of you and meeting or better yet, exceeding those expectations whenever possible is all part of developing good work habits.

In these hot months of summer, do not leave your laptop or any other electronic devices in your car. Hotter temperatures means more electronics will have hard drives and/or batteries failing after being left in the car for extended periods of time- this includes cell phones and iPods etc. On the other hand, sometimes you just can’t take your electronics with you to some events. Your best option if you can’t avoid leaving them in the car is to bring a Styrofoam cooler. Putting your items in the cooler and closing the lid and keeping the cooler out of direct sunlight will keep them cooler than just being out in the open of your car. The cooler will also help to not advertise the your valuable equipment as much as a computer or camera bag would.

Buying refurbished is one of the easiest ways to own a new gadget and is also good for the environment! Something that is refurbished means that the item was returned and because the box was opened, the gadget has to be tested and fixed, if necessary. Then the item is sent away to be resold at a fraction of the original price

As long as you are knowledgeable about the subject this can be a more economical way than buying new. If you are ready to buy refurbished be knowledgeable about the pre-owned item you’re going to purchase and be sure to purchase the item with all the necessary plugs, cords, instructions and controls. Reading reviews online, comparing prices, and learning about the warranty details are always a good idea and definitely contact the seller to answer any questions and get all the details on the product.

Managers have different styles and approaching their roles as supervisors. Some use a “hands off” approach and mentor or coach rather than closely dealing or micromanaging situations. This hands-off approach is good because it allows you the freedom to do your work with minimal supervision, but one must be fully aware of the expectations and have the skills to work independently.

If you feel that you need more input from your boss and that working under closer supervision is necessary for you to do your best do not be afraid to speak up. See if your supervisor is open to adjusting the level of supervision you receive because if you don’t the mismatch between work ethics could leave you feeling very stressed.

Being positive is one of the best ways to be a supportive colleague. When things go wrong, or projects hit roadblocks being positive can really turn the situation around. A positive attitude means a lot to people who work with you, so communicating through questions or suggestions rather than complaints can really help. Volunteer suggestions on how to mitigate the problem and don’t be offended if they’re not always implemented but providing food for thought could lead to another solution.

An electrical surge is often the result of a lightning strike,or during a blackout when the return of electricity causes a strong spike in electrical voltages. Essentially an electrical surge is a sudden rise of high voltage that travels from the electric lines to your house and ultimately your computer which can fry your computer. You can safeguard against spikes by plugging your computer into a surge protector but you must also make sure that any accessories that are connected to your computer are plugged in to the surge protector.

Most people are harder on themselves than they are on others, but it’s always good to embrace your strengths. If someone tells you that you’re good at something or have done excellent work on a project take his/her praise to heart. Recognize your own talents as well as those of others and cherish them.

Losing information on a computer is a common occurrence and is often caused by a power surge, lightning and sometimes the system just fails on its own so it is important to regularly back up your files. If you back up your files and keep them in a separate place you can get some of your information back, if not all. Anything you cannot replace easily should be on the list of files to be backed up. Some ideas of things to that should be backed up are: financial records, photographs, any purchased software, music, personal projects, and any web bookmarks. External hard disk drives, CDs, and DVDs are the most common ways of backing up your files.

Do you need help disconnecting your job-thoughts and bringing balance to your daily life outside of work? It is not healthy, and definitely not a good habit to bring your work concerns home with you, in fact it is crucial to get creative to shake any thoughts of work while not there. Finding a new hobby such as working out, gardening, sewing, playing in an intramural league and so on can be the solution to helping you disconnect from your job thoughts and allow yourself a better balance in your life.

The Overall Picture

The 10.4 million U.S. firms owned by women employ 12.8 million workers and generate $19 trillion in annual sales. Also 83% of women business owners owners are the primary decision makers for technology purchases made by their firms.

~T.O.B.

Staring at a computer screen or repeatedly doing the same routine over and over again can really take a toll on your mind, body and spirit. A few deep breaths of fresh air can clear your mind and refresh your body. Try taking six seconds to inhale and six seconds to exhale five times in a row once an hour.

Why eating breakfast should be the first and easiest step to becoming a healthier individual. The benefits include:

- Getting your metabolism started early so that it burns the maximum number of calories to fuel your activities.

- Fewer intake of total calories consumed throughout the day

- An increase in leptin output which is the hormone that suppresses appetite.

The job hunt is on for many individuals and because of the weak economy people are going beyond their resume and interviewing communication skills to their clothing style to gain the a competitive edge, but it is not always easy. First impressions really do matter and dressing for success is a must, but another must is considering the type of industry you are interviewing. Try to mirror and match your attire for your prospective company to help provide more of an edge over other applicants. Just as some candidates may have to spice it up or clean it up, others have to tone it down to land the job they want.

Conflict Resolution

Conflict often occurs sooner or later in any work environment, but it is not a bad thing. Conflict is the result of different views on a certain situation, and how people perceive things. Conflict is often not resolved properly because of the emotional aspects that come along with it. The goal of conflict resolution is to reach a compromise that you can both live and be happy with. The key to managing conflict is to practice and know the following skills for disagreeing in a proper manner.

1. Reflect your understanding of the other person's position, BEFORE you state yours.
2. Let the other person know you value his/her position even though it is different from yours.
3. State your position with phrases such as “I feel.., I think…” which is an easy exchange of information that shows that although you don’t agree you still value the input.

We all want to make our lives a little more simple and easy. So what are the steps we need to take to accomplish that?

1. Say “no”. Not just to large inconveniences, but small ones too because those are the inconveniences that starts to add up.
2. Ask for help. No man is an island.
3. Plan ahead. Know the who, what, when and where and plan for the good and bad that come along with them.
4. Do one thing at once, so that nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
5. Let yourself off the hook. We all make mistakes, no one is perfect so do you’re best and you’ll never be disappointed with your efforts.

Advice for your work

Need some advice? Well, here it is! This is all around good advice on how you can give your company those small touch ups! Experts recommend that you:

1. use your website to increase your sales
2. develop a security and disaster recovery plan
3. consult with a variety of advisers to help you make technology decisions
   
4. leverage technology for profitability
   

Now get started!

~ T.O.B.

The amount of caffeine being consumed by Americans has skyrocketed in the past couple of years with new energy drinks coming to the market. RedBull and Rockstar are becoming a common household name, which means more and more people are becoming addicted to caffeine. The secret of caffeine is that it suppresses neurotransmitters in your brain to stop the nerve impulses that make you feel tired, which is one of the main reason caffeine is addictive. People depend on the energy it provides, but at what cost? Caffeine is known to trigger migraines, heartburn, and can also lead to dehydration, not to mention the impact it has on your heart. If you are looking to cut down on caffeine but still have enough energy to get through the day, try working on a better sleep schedule and develop a sleep routine to help you get a full nights rest.

Comic of the Week

Boss: Okay everyone, statistics say that business workers have a better day when they think positive thoughts. You know ... like positive thinking. So we are all going to start thinking positive.

Workers: ...

Boss: Repeat after me, WE WILL CRUSH OUR COMPETITION!

~T.O.B

With summer in full swing, many of you will be taking vacations, or more long weekends. Leaving work for a vacation can be easy for some and more difficult for others. For those who plan on checking in with your work while on vacation, here are some ideas to make your time off as enjoyable as possible.

1. Don’t keep your trip a secret; remind the appropriate people that you will be gone and give them a clear description of your day to day responsibilities so things will run smoothly while you are away.

2. Look at your calendar and plan your vacation for a time right after a specific project is completed, but be sure to leave from between your project deadline and your vacation to allow for any delays that push your deadline back.

3. Control. If you absolutely must work during your vacation or check in with your employer designate a short period of time for that. Keep work to the minimum.

5. Set an example. For those of you whom are bosses, be sure to be a role model for your team and take vacations of your own to separate work from your personal life.

Maintaining a clean working area is may be helpful in cutting down a little stress in your life. This will help you keep track of important tasks that could get buried, which could lead to confusion, procrastination and is ultimately a roadblock in your work. Set aside a specific time each week to clean up your desktop. Once you have recaptured your desk, develop a system to keep files, and other papers in order and make sure to screen out any unnecessary papers before they get to your desk top. It may also be helpful to never have anything directly in front of you but the project you are working on, this will help cut down procrastination and narrow your focus.

Networking

The economy is suffering, and many organizations are having a hard time attracting talent . This is cause for some companies to revamp their process for new hires. Companies are trying new approaches that will cut down on administrative procedures such as the amount of paperwork, long reviews and delays in response in an effort to streamline the process in a positive light.

What this means for job seekers, is that references with good referrals is a must and so is networking. Good networking could potentially put a candidate on an interview track, rather than just uncovering the job opportunity. This is not necessarily a new concept, but it is being updated and enhanced with new websites such as Linked In and Yahoo 360.

Independence Day

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

The 4th of July is a day of patriotic picnics, parades, fireworks and another reason to fly the American flag.

Wishing you all a happy and safe day from E-Richards Consulting!

Too far removed from the day-to-day operations to see developing, or even lingering problems? Waiting for bad news to come your way can be a major risk in any work environment. For managers and corporate leaders, it is essential to be able to see problems lying just out of sight and under the surface of your employees.

No one necessarily wants to be the boss’s informant of a problem, for fear of having the frustration taken out on them. The best way to get around those feelings of being the bearer of bad news is to think of different solutions to the problem, and requesting that time be set aside to discuss how the problem started and brainstorm ways to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Almost everyone knows of someone who has been affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and the threat of losing ones memory is spurring the growth of the “brain fitness market”. Nintendo has produced games and puzzles called “brain age” to ward of dementia, and the brain fitness boom is not going away. When technology is used to store numbers in cell phones, give directions through GPS systems, store passwords on website e-mail and contacts it is important to stay on the top of your game, and keep your brain sharp. Games like the ones produced by Nintendo, and others that can be found in the daily newspaper such as the numbers Sudoku game can help.

comic of the week

~t.o.b.

Advice from the Experts

Need some advice for your business? Here is what the experts have to say. Experts say you can use technology to:

• Make your business more efficient
  
• Solve business problems
• Enhance your sale and marketing strategies

and

• Develop innovative solutions and services
  

~T.O.B.