How to Open an eBay Store

1. Sign up for an eBay sellers' account if you don't already have one. This will require you to choose an ID name, register with your contact information and put a credit card on file.

2. Look at the left side of the screen once you are signed in. Go all the way to the bottom of the page and look at the "Related Links" button. This box has an "eBay stores" link. Click on that link to bring up the eBay Stores gateway area. This will have a lot of information for you about how an eBay store works, what the different types of eBay stores are and how much each type costs.

3. Look through the eBay Stores information on this page and see if opening an eBay Store is right for you. There is a monthly fee of $15.95 for the cheapest store and higher prices for more complicated stores that are featured by the site. If you aren't sure whether the store will be right for you, start with a simpler eBay store that won't cost a lot each month. If you choose to open one, give it a name that captures the flavor of what you sell.

4. Stock your store with items to sell on eBay. Once you open an eBay Store, you can list items as you normally would, but choose the "Store Listing" tab for them instead of the "Auction" or "Fixed Price" tab. Make sure to include a picture and write a detailed description of each item.

How to Add or Edit Your Google Local Business Listing

Check if your business is already listed. Go to maps.google.com and do a search for your business name and location. For example, I would type into the search bar: "pet store, chicago il 60623" if I was looking for a local pet store. Unless your business is fairly new, you should already have some sort of listing, but it might need to be updated. Note that you must be logged into your Google Account to add or edit information!

Claim Your Business. If your business is not anywhere to be found among the listings that come up, then sign your business up with the Google Maps Local Business Center at http://www.google.com/local/add. If your business is already listed, click on it and a pop-up will show up on the map to the right. Select "Edit" and another pop-up will appear. Click on "Claim Your Business".

Edit your business information. You will be taken to a screen that gives you the option to add, edit or suspend a listing. If this is your listing, choose "Edit my business information" and then "Continue".

Submit your business information. Fill in all the information you wish to share about your business. Google allows you to share your website, a description of your business, hours, photos, and more! You can even fix the marker location that points to your business on the map if it's positioned incorrectly. Hit the "Submit" button at the bottom once you're done.

Validate your listing. You can choose to do this either by phone or postcard. Validating by postcard will take 2 to 3 weeks, which might be a good option depending on where your business is located. If you choose by phone, you will receive a call from Google at your business phone line, so make sure you are available to answer! You can choose for Google to "Call Me Now" or "Call Me in 5 minutes". Take note of your 4-digit pin number - Google will ask you to enter this followed by the # key. After completing the call, you will see a message that your listing has been verified. Your listing should be active within the next month.

How to Increase Traffic with META-Indexes

META-Indexes are Internet directories that provide links pertaining to a specific topic or interest. These specialized directories allow users to find exactly what they're looking for without having to sift through hundreds, even thousands, of irrelevant search results.

There are META-Indexes for every imaginable topic, and are invaluable for reaching out to your target audience. As a site owner, you should be listing your site in as many relevant META-Indexes as possible and using them to their full potential. Follow these simple steps to get started.

1. First, you have to find appropriate META-Indexes on which to list your site. The easiest method is to go to Google or Yahoo and do a search. Type in the most relevant keyword or phrase describing your site (e.g. florida vacations ) and add the keyword "directory" after it (alternatively, you can use keywords such as "index","list" or "resource" if applicable).

2. Next, add a 'plus' sign (e.g. +florida+vacations+directory) before each keyword. This simply tells the search engine to find sites that contain ALL these words. It's just a shortcut to using 'advanced search' in order to return more relevant results.

3. Click search and start visiting the list of links returned. Once you find an appropriate META-Index to list your site, look for a "Submit" or "Add URL" link. Some directories may require that you send your listing request via email. In any case, simply follow their instructions to submit your site's information.

4. Most META-Indexes are free, although some charge a fee or offer upgrades for premium listings. Stick with the free listings at first, then monitor your traffic. If you're receiving a fair amount of traffic from your free listings, then a small investment or upgrade might be worth your while.

Tips:

• While searching and browsing META-Indexes, you're going to find many other lists of related web sites and directories. Rather than get sidetracked, bookmark the links and save them for future reference.

• Consider banner advertising on relevant META-Indexes. This can be extremely effective since these directories are highly specialized, and your ad is only being exposed to your target audience.

• Adding your link to META-Indexes will improve your search engine rankings by providing relevant, high-quality back-links to your site.

How to Increase Traffic with Long-Tail Keywords

As keyword competition increases, many are seeing their traffic and search engine positioning dwindle, not to mention the high cost of PPC keywords. However, there's a virtually "untapped" backdoor to getting better search positioning and paying less for PPC keywords, while at the same time driving more qualified traffic to your site — The use of Long-Tail Keywords.

Popularized by Wired Magazine's editor Chris Anderson, Long-Tail Keywords are simply extended or natural phrases that people type into search boxes to more accurately find what they want. For example, instead of just typing "gardening", their search may look more like "growing a vegetable garden", or "landscape and gardening ideas". The more specific and detailed the search phrase, the more relevant the search results will be — And as a site owner, you should be taking advantage of this.

Long-Tail Keywords will benefit your site in several ways. Because users are typing in very specific phrases and finding exactly what they're looking for, visitors become more "qualified" and conversion rates will tend to be much higher. Search positioning will also improve dramatically since competition for these keyword-phrases is much lower than with single-keywords. Lower competition also means lower PPC costs.

The following steps will explain how to choose and implement Long-Tail Keywords:

1. Free tracking programs such as Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools will provide you with the "exact phrases" that your visitors typed into a search box to find your site, as well as your ranking position within the search results. I highly recommend both of these programs for site tracking, SEO and to begin developing your Long-Tail Keyword strategies.

2. HitTail, an advanced commercial keyword tool for Long-Tail Keywords, works by finding and suggesting the most promising keywords hidden in the Long-Tail of your site's search results. For a better understanding of how this software works (and also a great way to learn more about Long-Tail thinking), click on the HitTail Demo Video link in the resources below.

3. Aside from software, there are other options for discovering and developing keywords and phrases. Try removing yourself as "site owner" and become "site visitor". Then, in a "natural speaking" phrase, try to think of what YOU would type in to find the product or information you promote on your site. You should also closely examine your competition to see what keywords and phrases they're using. Especially those competitors that are getting top positions in search results.

4. Once you've chosen a few good Long-Tail Keywords, implementing them into your site is a fairly simple task. These specialized keywords and phrases should be worked into your Page Titles, META Keywords, META Descriptions and throughout your page copy. They should flow naturally within the text that they're placed, and be relevant to the content on those pages. These keywords and phrases should also be used in H1, H2, H3, STRONG, B, I, and EM tags wherever possible.

How To Know If The Site Is A Scam

In our country today, most need other ways other than an actual nine to five job to make money. So we turn to the internet since there are many websites out there that say you can do the certain task they ask you to do (such as click ads, or read e-mails) and earn money.

Most of us think that the websites seem genuine and that they will work. However these sites are not really for those, “get rich quick” schemers. Probably three-fourths of the sites will only bring in a few dollars a month, if that.

Other ‘earn money websites’ are actually scams. Those of which, I will try to help make more clear.



So want to know what to look out for when joining money earning websites? Here are some tips:

1. Research the website to make sure it is not a scam, the best thing is to start of by reading the fact (faq) page. Typically most websites should have this page. Not always do they however prove whether or not it is a scam.

2. Learn about how you have to join the site. Do you have to pay money up front just for joining? How much do you have to pay?

3. Find out about the sites payout schedule. When do they pay you? How much do they pay you? Also, how they pay. Do they use PayPal, or only use checks?

4. Realize that most sites that say, “Make lots of money fast,” are just get rich schemes, and are on the scam list.

5. Some websites seem like they are your honest-to-goodness sites, when they actually are far from that. You pay a small amount to join, and then processing fees and such and it all seem to go good. Then, you find out you have done something wrong and have to try again before you can start earning money. – For example, I tried to do this ‘at home’ job which ended up being a scam, for me at least. http://angelpin.net/income.html . They said I could earn up to $500 a week, but before you can earn the $500, you have to pay that much. This price is for all the supplies to make 200 of the pins. Another thing, honestly- can anyone make that many pins in a week?

6. If there is a certain deadline, such as, “Join in the next 30 minutes for half off!” then the site is frequently considered a scam. They will have other ‘offers’ and you will end up paying the regular amount, or even more.

How to Start your own Article Directory

Are you tired of reading how to write and submit articles to a directory? Would you like to have your own article directory? Well this
article is for you.

There's a few things to consider before putting an article directory together. Do you want to make a niche directory catering to only certain subjects or do you want to cover every topic under the moon? This is where our first requirement comes into play.

Deciding on a domain name. If you’re going for the niche directory you're going to want to possibly include the niche in the name of the directory.

Let's say you're into cars, then you would want your domain to be something like articlesaboutcarsthatgoreallyfast.*** or cartopicsthatiknowabout.*** or something like that. These are just examples I'm using to illustrate he use of names. You probably would not want a domain name that long. If your going for the catch all you can use something with article in it, like articlesabouteverythingimaginable.*** Again just illistration purposes. The domain name you choose doesn't have to have the word article in it, mine doesn't. There are resources on the Internet which allow you to plug in keywords and it will spit out possible domain names from your keywords.

Now it's time to look into getting a web host. I know there are literally thousands of web hosts out there and the decision can be daunting. Here
are a few things you want to look for in a web host.

* Able to host multiple domains under one account

* Plenty of storage space

* Plenty of monthly transfer

* Able to have multiple email addresses

* Able to have multiple MySql databases

* Customer service available through web, email, or phone


Search the Internet for web host reviews for more information. There are plenty of resources with ranking systems for web hosts. You could also email some web site owners to see who they use and if they are happy with them.

Next the software to run our directory. I use Article Dashboard. Article Dashboard is free software to run your own directory. I'm not saying this is the only software out there, I'm just saying that it's great and free, you can't beat that!

After following the directions for installing the directory it's time to get some articles. Lots of article directories allow use of their articles as long as you keep all links the same and give credit where it's due. Just check each site's policy for exact rules relating to the use of their content. Another way is to read articles and contact the original author and invite them to write and send articles to your site. You can also sign up for sites that "push out articles" to you. This is a great way to get lots of articles quickly but it is also a good idea to get some original content.

Well this is about all for now, please visit my site for more information, free articles and Cajun Info. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Blogger: How do I delete a blog?

To delete your entire blog, just go to Settings | Basic:

At this point, make absolutely sure that you are on the right blog and that you want to permanently remove it from your account. Then click Delete This Blog: and confirm by clicking OK

How Bloggers Make Money from Blogs

_______________

My Personal Income Streams

As an update to this post I’ve more recently written one on How I make Money Blogging which highlights the most profitable ways that I use blogs to generate income. I’ve also written extensively on how bloggers make money in ProBlogger the Book.
How do bloggers make money from blogs?

How-Bloggers-Make-MoneyI’ve been reflecting this week about the amazing diversity of opportunities that are opening up for bloggers to make money from blogging.

I’ve long advised that bloggers seeking to make money from blogging spread their interests across multiple revenue streams so as not to put all their eggs in one basket.

The wonderful thing is that this is becoming easier and easier to do 2005 has seen many options opening up. I thought I’d take a look at some of the methods that bloggers are currently using to make money through blogs.

Income Streams for Bloggers - How to Make Money Blogging

Advertising Programs - Perhaps the most obvious changes in the past few months have been with the addition of a variety of viable advertising options for bloggers looking to make money from their blogs. The most common way bloggers seem to earn money online is via the contextual ad program from Google - Adsense. A more recent addition that many are using successfully are Chitika’s eMiniMalls and WidgetBucks, Text Link Ads.

Azoogle Ads, Intelli Txt, DoubleClick, Tribal Fusion, Adbrite, Clicksor, AdHearUs, Kanoodle, Pheedo, TextAds, Bidvertiser, Fastclick and Value Click (to name just some of the options) and there is a smorgasbord of options. Of course there is more to come with MSN Adcenter and YPN both in beta testing and with a variety of other advertising system currently in development (YPN is only available to US publishers).

Lastly there’s BlogAds - one of the first blog specific ad networks.

RSS Advertising - The past 12 months have seen some advances in RSS Advertising also. I’m yet to hear of any bloggers making big money blogging through it to this point - but as improvements are made to the ad programs exploring this I’m sure we’ll start to see examples of it being profitable.

Sponsorship - In addition to the array of advertising programs that are available to join there is a growing awareness in the business of the value and opportunity that exists for them to advertise directly on blogs. I’m hearing more and more examples of this and have been fortunately to have a couple of ad campaigns of my own in the past month - one with Adobe a couple of weeks ago and another just completed with Ricoh for a new digicam over at my Digital Camera Blog. These are not isolated cases - as I say I know of many blogs exploring sponsorship with advertisers at present and suspect we’ll see more of it in the year ahead. Sponsorship is also happening on a post by post basis with some bloggers being paid to write on certain topics by companies - either in one off or a regular fashion - and they are able to make big money from their blogs doing so.

Affiliate Programs - There are larger affiliate programs like Amazon, Linkshare, Clickbank and Commission Junction but also literally thousands of others from the large to the very small.

Digital Assets - Increasing numbers of bloggers have been developing other digital assets to support and add revenue streams to their blogs. By this I mean that I’m increasingly seeing e-books, courses and tele-seminars being run by bloggers. My recent foray into this with the first series of the six figure blogging course that Andy and I ran a few weeks ago and have just released the study version of. This type of activity will only increase in future - in fact this week I’ve seen numerous examples of bloggers running courses.

Blog Network Opportunities - with the rise in popularity of Blog Networks - bloggers are also being presented with more places to earn an income from their blogging - by writing for and with others. While it might be difficult to get a writing gig with one of the bigger networks - there are plenty who are always asking for new bloggers to join and who are willing to pay bloggers using a variety of payment models. While there are distinct advantages of blogging for yourself - blogging for an established network who will handle a lot of the set up/promotion/admin/SEO etc has it’s advantages also. More and more bloggers are combining writing for themselves on their own blogs with taking on blog network blogs as additional income streams.

Business Blog Writing Opportunities - as blogging has risen in it’s profile as a medium more and more businesses are starting blogs. Many of these companies have internal staff take on blogging duties - but an increasing number of them are hiring specialist bloggers to come on and run their blogs. I know of a number of bloggers who in the past month or two have been approached for such paid work. Check out Bloggers for Hire if you’re looking for this type of work.

Non Blogging Writing Opportunities - Also becoming more common are bloggers being hired to write in non blogging mediums. Manolo’s recent coup of a column in the Washington Post is just one example of this as bloggers are increasingly being approached to write for newspapers, magazines and other non blog websites. Along side this is the rise of bloggers as published book authors - this is to the extent that one blogger I spoke with this week complained to me that they were one of the few bloggers than they knew who didn’t have a book deal!

Donations - Tip Jars and donation buttons have been a part of blogging for years now but this last year saw a number of bloggers go full time after fund raising drives. Perhaps the most high profile of these was Jason Kottke of kottke.org who through the generosity of his readership was able to quit his job and become a full time blogger.

Flipping Blogs - Also more common in 2005 was the practice of ‘Blog Flipping’ - or selling of blogs. This has happened both on an individual blog level (I can think of about 20 blogs that sold this year) but also on a network level (the most obvious of these being the 8 figure sale of Weblogs Inc to AOL).

Merchandising - My recent attempt to sell ProBlogger.net T-shirts wasn’t a raging success, but it is an example of how an increasing number of bloggers are attempting to make a few extra dollars from their blogs by selling branded products through programs like Cafepress. While I didn’t have a lot of success with merchandising - quite a few larger blogs are seeing significant sales - especially blogs with a cult following. I’m not at liberty to discuss details - but I know of one largish blog which will see sales over $20,000 in merchandise for the calendar year of 2005.

Consulting and Speaking - While it has been popular for established consultants to add blogs to their businesses we’re also starting to see bloggers with no consulting background able to make money by charging readers for their time in consulting scenarios BECAUSE of the profile that their blogs have built them. Blogging has the ability to establish people as experts on niche topics and we all know the value of being perceived as an expert. I spoke to one blogger last month who charges himself out at over $200 an hour for speaking and consulting work - his area of expertise was something that he knew little about 18 months ago - but through his blog he’s become a leader in his field and a minor celebrity in his industry.

As time rolls on there are more and more ways that bloggers make money from their blogs opening up. Feel free to suggest your own ideas and experiences in comments below.

Update: Looking for more information on how to make money blogging? Here’s a post I wrote talking about my own experience - particularly looking at the top ways that I make money from blogs.

How to install blogger blogspot template code

_______________

1. Log into your blogspot account.
2. Click on the “Template” link.
3. Open the template code file that you downloaded from our site in Notepad.
4. Now Select & Copy everything from this code file and Replace your current blogger template code with this.
5. Then, save the template changes and congrats!

How to install a xml blogger template

_______________

Step 1.

Sign in to your Blogger dashboard then click on the layout link in the Manage section, next to your blog name

Step 2.

Select the “Edit HTML” tab at the top

Step 3.

Before installing the template, remember to backup your old template ! It is always the good practice, really!
First, download the current template using the “Download Full Template” option

Step 4.

Next, upload the downloaded template using the Browse button

Step 5.

Save the changes and you are DONE.

If you are asked “Please confirm that the following widgets should be deleted. All the widgets’ configuration data will be lost“, just Click on CONFIRM & SAVE button (as shown in the screenshot below)

That’s it! Now you have sucessfully installed the xml blogger template in your blog. Start blogging

How to Install a Blogger XML Template

_______________

This article was written to provide a step-by-step guide on how to correctly apply a new xml Blogger template to your blog. This process can be tricky depending on several factors (quality of the code in the new template, your existing widgets, etc) so you need to be careful when changing your template. Don’t worry though, just follow our step-by-step instructions below and we’ll hopefully get you through it without much pain.

Many people make the same mistake when installing a new blogger template. Most problems when installing a new template are caused by the blogger widgets (Page Elements) that you’ve spent time setting up in your previous template. Almost all Blogger templates available for download on this site are in the new Blogger xml template format so if you’ve downloaded the template from us, it’s going to be much easier to follow our instructions.

Step #1 - Backup Your Current Template

Backup your current Template just in case you make a mistake. This is very important so you can always go back (click on the screenshot to the left to see exactly how this is done). You’ll want to navigate to the “Template” => “Edit HTML” section of Blogger and then look for the “Before editing your template, you may want to save a copy of it. Download Full Template“. Click on the “Download Full Template” and save it somewhere easy to find later on your computer. We are not responsible for any mistakes you make in applying your new Blogger template. Once you have saved this .xml file onto your computer, move on to step #2.

Step #2 - Take a Screenshot of Your Page Elements

This next step isn’t necessary but I like to do it anyhow. Take a screenshot of your “Page Elements” page just so you know exactly what widgets (Page Elements) you had before applying the new template (an example of the exact page you should take a screenshot of is in the image to the left). If you blow away all your widgets and you don’t remember which ones you had, this screenshot will at least help you remember. If you’re unsure as to how to take a screenshot, then check out this quick tutorial (MS Windows).

Step #3 - Upload Your New Blogger Template

Now it’s time to upload the new Blogger template from your computer. You’ll want to navigate to the “Template” => “Edit HTML” section of Blogger and then look for the “Upload a template from a file on your hard drive:” text. To the right of that you’ll see two buttons. First, you’ll click on “Browse” and navigate to the new .xml Blogger template on your computer and click “Open”. Then you click on the “Upload” button and cross your fingers.

At this point Blogger is attempting to apply the new .xml Blogger template to your blog. After it’s done, you’ll get a message stating that the upload and new template was applied successfully (in that case you’re done!) or more likely in my case, you’ll get a red error message that states something like:

Widgets are about to be deleted

Please confirm that the following widgets should be deleted. All the widgets’ configuration data will be lost.

• Text1
• BloggerButton1
• Poll1
• Profile1

Now if you’re like me, you don’t want to lose all those widgets (Page Elements) you spent lots of time configuring and arranging on your blog. If you don’t care and really don’t have anything you’ll be upset losing, then go ahead and click on the “Confirm and Save” button that looks like this:

Just remember, that you’ll need to re-add any page elements that you had previously setup in your old template. If they were simple or just recently added then I’d recommend just re-adding them instead of having to follow the next steps. If you decide you want to keep your widgets (Page Elements) then write down (or take another screenshot) the list mentioned above that are going to be deleted. You’ll use this list later when we migrate over your widgets.

Step #4 - Transfer Widgets to New Blogger Template

This process is going to take some careful cut and pasting within the template code so if you’re not comfortable doing this, then I’d recommend just ending on the previous step. First things first, click on the blue cancel button (you should still be on the previous step) that looks like this:

This will cancel out of the new Blogger template you were just trying to upload. Next, we’re going to essentially make a temporary placeholder for your widgets (Page Elements) within your current template. You should still be in the “Template” => “Edit HTML” section of Blogger so if you’re not, go back to that section.

You’re going to actually edit this template code now so pay close attention. Look for the following piece of code which is all the way at the bottom.

Now you’re going to replace that code with the following bit of code:

Save your template and you’ll see this message (which is a good sign):

What did we just do? We created a brand new widget (Page Element) in your current Blogger template so we can move all your widgets over to keep them safe! Next navigate over to the “Template” => “Page Elements” section of Blogger and you’ll see a blank new footer section.

Drag all your widgets (Page Elements) that were going to be deleted (we wrote them down or took a screenshot in step #3). The order doesn’t really matter as long as you’ve moved them all down into the widget (top image on left). After you’re done, it should look something like this (bottom image on left):

Now click on the “Save” button and the temporary placeholder for our widgets will be saved. We’re not done quite yet but if you’ve gotten this far already you’ve done great! The hardest part is over. Now we’re going to copy the widgets we just protected over to your new template. Hold off on that bathroom break and let’s keep going.

Next, go back to the “Template” => “Edit HTML” section of Blogger and scroll down in the template code and look for the line of code you added before:

There should now be a bunch more code in between it which will look something like this:

This is a list of all your widgets (Page Elements) that we just moved into the footer. You want to select all this code and copy it. We’re going to paste it into our new Blogger template code which will complete the transfer safely.

Now open your new Blogger template xml file in a text editor (you can use Notepad, just right click -> Open With -> Choose Notepad). Once you have it open, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the code and look for the following code:

You’re going to replace this code with the new code you just copied above. Make sure you only replace that one bit of code otherwise you might run into some problems. Save your new Blogger template and you’ve finished transferring your widgets (Page Elements) into the new Blogger template!

Now after all that work just to save your precious widgets, let’s hope the new template works ok in Blogger. Go back to step #3 above and upload your new template like you attempted to do before. If all goes well, your new template will properly save and your blog will be updated!

Step #5 - Move Your Widgets Back To Their Original Spots

I’m assuming your new template installed without and problems and you’re ready to move your widgets (Page Elements) back to their original spots. This is just the reverse process of what we did before by going to the “Template” => “Page Elements” section of Blogger and moving them out of the footer and back into the sidebar (or wherever you originally had them in your old template).

After you arrange them to your liking, make sure to save and view your blog. If all went well then your blog should be looking the way it did before the new template was applied (well, except for the new beautiful design which is the main reason for this hassle in the first place right?).

Summary

Congratulations on adding a new custom Blogger xml template to your blog! The whole process should have taken anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on your experience and comfort with blog template code, the code quality of the new template, and the number of widgets your blog currently has. Blog designs shouldn’t have to change very often so hopefully this is a one-time process for you. If not, I recommend you bookmark or add this page to your favorites so it’s easy to find the next time you decide to change Blogger templates.

How Does a CEO Spend a Workday?

_______________

CEO as a Coach and Leader

CEOs spend their days managing and training sales, financial professionals and technical staff. The position of a CEO requires an individual of multifaceted experience. The CEO will engage with new clients, establish strategic partnering relationships with other corporations and create new production processes or product initiatives with other vendors, manufacturers and firms. For these reasons, a CEO is the most prestigious attendee at conferences, stockholders meetings and training or promotional seminars. Additionally, the CEO is in charge of upholding the company's ethics and overseeing the morale of employees. CEOs must be able to make good judgement calls, especially when it comes to terminating an employee. The CEO is beyond the power of the human resources department and may dictate the requirements for hiring, promoting and firing within the company.

CEO as an Investment Strategist

A CEO is like the mast of a ship, or the center of everything in the company. Likewise, the CEO is the visionary of the company, seeing everything from the top of the company to the bottom and projecting the company's potential for growth and success. The CEO must be a wise strategist when it comes to investing for the company. The CEO will direct, at his discretion, the company's decisions to merge with another company for profit. This individual is the forecaster of the company. The CEO projects where a given path will take the company and ultimately makes the decision whether to proceed or abandon a course of action for the good of the company.

CEO as a Reporter

The CEO of a company will be responsible for informing shareholders of the company's status. This means that the CEO will report to board members and shareholders on the corporation's overall progress. These reports will include the production of the company, sales generated and whether or not shares will be reinvested in the company or distributed to shareholders at each meeting. In this regard, the CEO has a great deal of control over the investments and finances of the company. A CEO that does a poor job of reporting or directing the company may be fired, which would require a shareholder's meeting.

How To Be A Criminal Profiler

_______________

If you have seen shows like CSI or Criminal Minds, you have seen a little about how a criminal profiler works. A criminal profiler analyzes information from a crime scene and comes up with a behavioral and investigative profile of the criminal or perpetrator. A criminal profiler usually works for the FBI.

The FBI does not assign the title of actual criminal profilers, but rather has Special Agents at the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) at Quantico, Virginia. These agents are criminal investigative analysts and work on federal and state investigations.

A criminal investigative analysts or profiler investigates all types of crimes including homicides, kidnappings, bombings, terrorism, serial rapes, child abductions and extortion to name a few. They perform tasks such as threat assessment, witness and suspect interviews, case strategy, trial preparation, research and training. Analysts use background information of the victim and the suspect, their intuition and reasoning along with knowledge of criminal behavior, and come up with a psychological and behavioral profile. They also assist in coordinating cases with local law enforcement agencies.

One of the basic requirements for working as a criminal investigative analyst with the FBI is completion of three years as an FBI special agent but they generally prefer agents with at least ten years experience in the FBI. Agents have a variety of backgrounds and education but must have previous experience investigating violent crimes.

If you are interested in this field, you must have a four-year degree. Candidates should have a degree in the field in the FBI that interests them. Some recommended degrees for a criminal analysts or profiler would be an advanced degree in criminal justice, Psychology, Behavioral Science or Forensic Science.

How to Enjoy A Monday Morning

_______________

Many people dread Monday morning because of undesired/unfulfilled jobs and the lack of desire or uncertainty to make a significant change. It can be scary to make a change but it is important for both personal and professional growth. Take a few minutes and review the following tips:

1. Attend a library or small business administration lecture/workshop. Small Business mentors may be available to help you review possible business options
2. Borrow book from the library about different businesses. Most libraries allow you borrow for up to 1 month so you have time to write down notes in a notepad. Also, you can purchase books/magazines and make notes in the margins.
3. Consider taking vacation and adding a day to explore business/career ideas. For instance, if you visit Mexico you can explore working as a tour guide, hotel manager, or retail store owner. By investing in good technology (computer/internet/phone/printer/fax), you can choose a non-traditional job such as creative writer, career coach, or online tutor.
4. Discover your talents by volunteering. Many non-profit organizations are understaffed and will welcome cross training you. For example, a good magazine writer earning $200.00 per article may gain the skills to become a press release writer who charges up to $300.00 per release.
5. Watch for business/workforce trends to detemrine areas of future growth. Some areas of constant need are business, children, education, environment, and medical. A current schoolteacher may switch to a private tutoring and purchase a franchise or a medical biller can become a management consultant while managing 4-6 offices billing up to $100,000 a year.

How to Write a proper resume and cover letter

_______________

The first step in writing a proper resume is the cover letter. Write each cover letter specifically for the company and/or position you are seeking. Next, write Your name, The address where you can be reached, Phone number, Fax number (if applicable), and E-mail address. Skip a line and write the full date (month, day, year). Name of the specific person, title of that person (if available), and the Address of the company.

Here is an example of what it should look like: Robert Smith 5560 Park drive New york, New york 22230 (810)-555-5555 email @anywhere.com May 2, 2008 Ken Williams, Human Resource Director Northern Electric, Inc. 3525 Long Lane Atlanta, Georgia 30052

Now comes your resume. A resume is not about what you want; It's about what you offer an employer." The resume will determine who gets a job interview. Your resume is a mini-statement about yourself. First, start with Your "summary of skills", this should highlight experiences and qualifications that the employer is seeking. Focus on work experience, and list professional experience in order from most to least recent. Your computer skills will be particularly attractive and should be highlighted. Also, consider your volunteer and extracurricular experience.

Use strong action verbs and leave out the word "I. Your resume should be one page only. Don't misrepresent your past -- it will come back to haunt you. There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it. Emphasize your talents and show how you used them at the job. Don't mention personal characteristics such as age, height, and marital status on your resume. Avoid unusual or exotic font styles; use simple fonts with a professional look. Check your resume for proper grammar and correct spelling. Finally, Close with a strong reminder of why you are a good match for the job positioin and the organization. Thank them! Sign your name and print it underneath.

How to handle bad Boss?

_______________

Do a reality check on yourself
The first solution in handling a bad boss is an honest analysis of your actions and behavior. Are you a good subordinate? Have you been handling yourself and your job well? If you aren’t’ then perhaps it is not your boss who is the problem but you. Please also remember that all bosses have their own ways to do work and like it or not, it is the subordinates who will have to adapt to their ways. They will be quite reluctant to adapt to yours.

Formal Communication
Regardless of what type of boss you have, an important option you have is to communicate formally with them. Sometimes they may not be aware of their behavior and the aim of the communication process is to let him see your side of the work equation. In the formal meeting, make sure that you talk of the specific behavior in question and tell him how it makes you feel. Leave your emotions at the door, but be prepared for your boss to have an emotional reaction.

Do not make generalized statements like, “you are always nasty” or “everyone in the office does not like the way you manage”. Soften your comments and avoid defensiveness by allowing your boss to save face. Praise him if needed initially (obviously he must have his strengths too), so that his defenses may be lowered. When talking about the problem, use statements like "You may not be aware . . ." or "You may not realize . . .". It’s possible that your boss is unaware of his/her actions, and this meeting could be very positive for all involved. At the same time, you may realize that you might have made many assumptions about his style of management which may not necessarily be right.

Formal communication may not necessarily solve the problem, but at least you will be sure your boss has been informed of your views, feelings and frustrations. There is no guarantee of success, however, and you need to be aware that your Malaysian boss from a cultural perspective might misinterpret your ‘confrontation’ as pushy or aggressive behavior. This might lead to an escalation of your conflict with him.

Informal Communication
Most of the time, the recommended action with a bad boss is to take him or her to lunch or a drink after work to discuss the problem in a non-confrontational way. This type of informal encounter will serve to overcome the problem better as the non-work environment may lessen the tension and thus make it more amicable for a more fruitful discussion. Always thank him for taking the time to have the discussion and impress upon him that your only interest in this discussion is to have a more healthy working relationship.

Ganging Up
This might seem to be an unorthodox solution, but it has its strengths. If several people from the same department voice similar views or frustrations, then there is a chance that the head of department might take heed. This voicing of opinions can take place individually or else at a meeting where everyone is present. If it is the latter, then it has to be handled sensitively, as you do not want to create the impression that there is a mutiny in the department. At the same time, be aware of the fact that there may be some people in the department who might try to gain political mileage out of this situation by being the odd one out of the ‘gang’ to gain favor. The good thing about ‘ganging up’ is that it is very difficult for a boss to take the situation lightly as the number of messengers is high, and all carry the same message. Do not however expect the boss to change immediately.

Ask for a Transfer or Resign
If none of these strategies work, then you have two choices. If you really love your job because you are learning a lot and you like the people you're working with, then you will just have to ‘bite the bullet’ and accept your boss as best you can. Or, if all else fails, ask to be transferred to another department or finally simply hand in your resignation letter. Only you know your own worth, and if you don't feel respected and motivated then just move on. This is a difficult course of action, but one that you must always have as an option. Remember however that the other side may not necessarily be ‘greener’.

Conclusion
Managing ‘bad’ bosses is a very difficult and sensitive exercise. Always remember that finding a perfect boss/employee match is almost impossible. There will always be grounds for conflict in any working relationship. You have to try to work on each other's flaws and strong points to complement your work methods. The onus is on you as the subordinate to adapt to your boss’s style of management.

A final piece of advice and that is, when dealing with bad bosses the worst thing you can do is simply to do nothing, hoping the problems will get resolved. No job, boss, or company is worth losing your health, sanity, or self-esteem. If you can’t find a way to resolve these issues and your boss simply will never change his behavior, then you should immediately start looking for a new job, within or outside the organization. But before you do this, please do carry out an objective performance appraisal on yourself. It might change your mind.

How to become an Encouraging member or Leader in a Team at work place?

_______________

It is becoming harder and harder to maintain positive attitude in the current working environment when people are facing such an uncertain future because of current unprecedented economic crisis in our nation. Yet, there are simple ways we can adopt to change conditions at work.

First, start a day with a cheerful greeting with colleagues. When asked of How are you doing, say 'I am doing great or wonderful' with great energy. This attitude enlightens the sprit of not only yourself but others as well.

When you have a chance to describe a person or co-worker before many people, please always say positive aspects of that person. People have different strengths in many different areas with a lot of potentials. Words will eventually go around and they will find out any negative words.

Please try to encourage a person or give praises for the work. Simply focusing on weak point of person will not help at all in a team environment. Be open to giving praise and recognition. You yourself will eventually see the benefit by praising the person's work.

As a team, if your group or member is assigned to a new project which may be challenging, please always response with positive attitude by saying that we have a great opportunity instead of saying that we got another mundane task as usual.

Be very generous to others and be extremely thorough in everything you are doing. You will be trusted and set up role model among people. Make yourself available when your colleague needs help or assistance.

Print out these tips and put it down on dashboard in your car, so that you can see them every morning. People tend to not remember things, and need to see it to remember.

We all are working with people. The interpersonal and relational skills are so critical for the success of business. Right now most companies are facing such a difficult and challenging economic situation. The above tips definitely help all employees. Furthermore, you can adopt these tips even to your spouse, and to your children. Work and family are inseparable, and we will see a huge improvement when both work place and home are maintained with such a positive sprit.

We will be winners again!

How to de-stress at office

_______________

The hum of the systems, clicking of the keys, shuffling of feet coupled with the idle banter can have you lost, waiting to stick your head out for a breath of fresh air. Office, a place where we spend half our lives at some point does get to us.

When that happens you have to unwind, it's easy! You have the controls and the choice is yours to switch channels. The first step is to want to tune out. Once your mind is open to variables at work, possibilities start to pop out of the walls. And this does not include converting cubicles into a little feng shui showroom or involve chimes, bells and nodding dolls that every office already has.

Sound therapy
Tune into a personal space that is devoid of the office sounds. Queue music, as it is the easiest way to tune out and headphones are as private as you can get. Speakers are like a concert in office with everyone on for the gig especially the lip syncers and sing-along-aloud-out-of-tune ones. So turn on the music and have your office tapping to a new groove.

Green therapy
You can't take a pet to office unless you work at the zoo, with plants as the next best living thing to introduce to the office environment. Studies have shown that plants around the office help. But don’t go around watering every plant in the office and put the janitor out of a job. Simple, plant a seed, watch it grow, this will give you time to take a break, water the plant and just maybe a conversation with the little tree may help.

Metaphysical therapy
The head honchos know it, the world talks about it and yet we spend five minutes on wondering how to change the future rather than doing the now. Take five minutes out of office time, get to a quiet place -- the terrace, a balcony, the fire escape, the bylane -- wherever, but it should be quiet. Take time to meditate, breathe easy, breathe out the stress.

Now this won't give you nirvana but it sure as hell will help you recharge your batteries. Your mind can take you places, it's a magic carpet ride and if you haven't tried it, you should.

How to Find a Career That Makes You Happy

_______________

Over 70,000 hours of the average person's life is spent working. Does that statistic encourage or depress you? In this article, I will give tips on finding and pursuing a career that does not feel like "work" to you.

1) First, you need to figure out what you really want.

Take some time on this. For most people, the time around high school and college goes by so quickly--and with so many snap decisions--that they really have not thought their career goals through.

Just as you wouldn't plan a vacation without knowing where you're going, this needs to be approached with a similar process. You need to do some research and write down your skills, hobbies, personality needs, and your interests. From this, you should begin to see a pattern of ideas. Use these to brainstorm careers that match your traits and that you would enjoy.

2) For most career changes, you don't have to immediately stop what you're already doing.

Just take some of your free time and begin to take steps towards job searching. You may be able to find something part-time that can eventually turn into full-time, but you'll have your current job to still pay living expenses. If what you want to do is going to require you quit your current job, take a few months to prepare financially and do as much as you can to get experience before taking the leap. Even volunteer work can help you get a better feel for certain positions.

Part-time businesses are another option for certain fields. You will likely make more money over time this way, but keep in mind you'll have to be more patient and wait for your income to build up before transitioning to full-time business ownership/self-employment.

3) Try to get around people who are in the field you'd like to explore. They may be able to give you insight that you wouldn't normally get otherwise, and it will help you know what to expect.

Also, don't let it bother you if your first idea does not work out as expected. Sometimes it take trying different things before you find what's right for you. It's okay to make mistakes, especially when trying to avoid the biggest mistake of staying in a position where you're miserable.

Additional Tips:

• There are several online sites with free personality tests. If you've never taken one, it may help give you a starting point if you're having a hard time figuring out careers that will fit your personality.
• Don't let fear or money keep you in a position you hate. Fear can be overcome, and money will come when you do what you love better than the people doing it only for money.
• Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you have to like it. You want to keep your skills in mind, but they should not be the only factor you consider.

How to Act Busy at Work

_______________

During these times of economic uncertainty, many companies are looking for opportunities to tighten their corporate belts and eliminate any personnel they perceive to be under performing. Don't be one of those unfortunate employees! Armed with the right information, you can still be an unproductive idler and maintain your employment. Here are some tried and true tips to help you appear productive while remaining a sluggard.

1 - Keep your work area untidy. Whatever you do, don't be a neatnik. Everybody knows that an employee who has time to clean his or her work area doesn't have enough work to do and may be expendable. Keep a few printed graphs and spreadsheets strewn about your desk. One sheet (slightly crumpled) should be sitting at your feet - you were too busy to notice it fell. Scatter a few pens about and keep a notebook filled with illegible and meaningless notes nearby at all times. Having one or two empty coffee-stained styrofoam cups around will really finish the look.

2 - Stare at your monitor intently. Maintaining the appearance of intense concentration is key whether you're playing an online game, writing an eHow article or checking the value of your stock portfolio. Don't look up when co-workers pass by your cubicle. You're far too busy to be cordial. If the passerby is your boss, kick the act up a notch by furrowing your brow and letting out a subtle, yet audible sigh. If a co-worker stops by to talk shop, be sure that you act slightly startled to show that you've been jarred out of some deep cost savings analysis.

3 - If you have a telephone headset, wear it. You're obviously swamped handling customer calls if you can't even bother to remove that uncomfortable headset. How could someone question your diligence if you don't even care how silly you look with that thing on your head? This tip is also good for preventing the pop-in visit from co-workers you don't want like to speak to. When they walk in, just point to the headset and silently mouth the words, "Sorry, on a call." Shrug and look disappointed. They fall for it every time.

4 - If you must step away from your desk, always have work-related paperwork in your hands. As you're meandering the halls of your office to shoot the breeze, a report or invoice in your fist will give the appearance that you're investigating a troubling business truth. To the untrained eye, you're on a mission to the save the company money. Who is going to question that?

5 - Eat at your desk. Even if you just came back from a 2 hour lunch at Chili's, make sure you eat (or at least have) some food at your desk. An apple is great for this. Take one bite from it and leave it on your desk with the bitemark in plain view. Once it starts to brown, your cube mates will realize that you didn't pull yourself away from your work long enough to satisfy your most crucial of physical needs. You're obviously a key player and a keeper.