Time to Organize

I bet you are already feeling quite busy with your resolutions for the new year.  Eating wisely, making more time for the family, establishing life goals...all of these are filling your time plate.  Of the many resolutions each of us make, staying organized should be the first resolution.  Maintaining organization will be key to successfully accomplishing your resolutions and goals.

Focusing on three items will help establish organization in 2013:

1. Keep Track and Review Your New Schedule
2. List, List, List
3. Organize

I, personally, use the following technology to keep me on task and on schedule:

• Iphone: Downloading a free task manager helps a great deal.  The "2do" application is great.
• http://www.2doapp.com/
• 
• Microsoft Outlook Calendar and Task Bar
• Each morning, upon opening outlook, the day's tasks and due dates appear, reminding me of the important items and meetings that will fill my day.
• BoogieBoard by Brookstone
• Because I am always having to take notes, I keep the BoogieBoard with me at all times. 
• 

Advertise Yourself

As we approach the new year, for many, it is a time of renewal and rejuvenation.  The focus of such revival can be a driven sense of advancing professionally.  While many are out of work and while many are hoping to move up and reach the professional goals set, it is important to understand that achieving work or further success is built on the foundation of advertising one's self.  Building networks and branding your own name is key in advancing and sustaining professional growth.  My experience with branding one's self started with my LinkedIn profile.  My network has grown to be very, very strong, and many of my professional relationships have grown through my connections.

One piece of advice I can offer for the new year is to always recognize that a conversation is an open door to a relationship.  Whether you are speaking to a colleague, a manager, an acquaintance or a cold-caller, the conversation can always grow to something more.  It is my opinion that every conversation can be a stepping stone to the next move in a career.  That said, engage in conversation.  Let the other person know that you are involved and interested, because that interest will be remembered.

Focus on these three items to better advertise and market yourself in the new year:

• Build your LinkedIn profile.
• Focus on professionalism in all aspects of life.  Actions matter most when no one is looking.
• Distribute your resume.  Not just to recruiting firms and website.  Send your resume to people in your network.  Remember, your best friend may be the ticket to your next job.

SelfSource Changing!!

It has been quite some time since a post has been seen from SelfSource.  That is sure to change.  Let's put a focus on success as a whole moving forward.

We will be writing, first, about what makes a business successful.  Yes it is the people that make the business successful. However, there is a blueprint for the foundation of success.

Next, the focus will shift toward the successful individual.  This will be detailed and get down to the finest details, like dress, for example.

I look forward to interacting with you all and hope you offer insight and discussion in each of the posts.

Please Help The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

http://www.cff.org/LWC/AdamVanGrinsven

I will soon be honored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at a special event recognizing outstanding young professionals in my community. In accepting this distinction, I have committed to raise money to help the Foundation realize its mission of controlling and curing cystic fibrosis (CF).

Please help me meet my fundraising goal by making a donation. Your generous gift will be used efficiently and effectively -- nearly 90 cents of every dollar of Foundation revenue goes to support vital CF research, medical and education programs.

Making a donation is easy and secure! Just click the "Click to Donate" button on this page to make a donation that will be credited to my fundraising efforts. Any amount you can donate will be greatly appreciated!

Cystic fibrosis is a devastating genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. More than ten million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene. Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed now -- more than ever -- to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research.

When the Foundation began in 1955, most children with CF did not live to see their first day of elementary school. Today, the median predicted age of survival for a person with CF is in the mid-30s. This is remarkable progress, but not good enough. We continue to lose precious lives to CF every day. To learn more about CF and the CF Foundation, visit www.cff.org.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with cystic fibrosis. Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation!

To donate please use the link listed at the top of this post.  Thank you to all for your generous support.

Understanding the Job Hunt

What a frustrating year for the job hunt!! This current job market is not for the weak. While many positions are available, the competition for any position is grand. Recent graduates, seasoned veterans, and solid professionals are all competing for the same titles and position. While it may be frustrating, keep confident in the fact a plan is in place. This plan may not be finished in six months, or even a year. Stay confident, stay driven, and stay positive. What is most difficult for the young professionals reading this blog is simple: Individuals with more experience are accepting lower wages for employment.

For all of the job-seekers: Prove yourself. Do not let the "other guy" obtain the position you so desire. Prove yourself, whether it's the interview, application, or cover letter, show the entity that you are the ideal candidate.

Over the next week, let's take a look at what individuals can do to better market themselves. 

Preparing for Professionalism

A true, true professional is not only a professional in the workplace, he is a professional in all places.  How one interacts in the most non-business settings should be equivalent to the actions and stature set in any business situations.  To most, life and work are balanced by separating the two.  However, a struggle can arise within the inner-self to separate the two, ultimately making more work in both arenas.