Personal Branding Interview 800-CEO-Read Founders - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview 800-CEO-Read Founders - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke with both Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten, who both operate a very popular website called 800-CEO-Read.   They just published The 100 Best Business Books of All Time and are here to talk about the importance of starting a blog if youre interested in writing a book, as well as their favorite business books and favorite classic business books. How many business books are produced in a given year and what makes some more important than others? 11,000 business books were published in the U.S. in 2007. That is a nine-story tall stack of paper. Three things separate the great books from the merely good books: accessibility, applicability, and the quality of the idea. Put another way: how readable is the material? Can I use this today to my work? And (the most subjective) would I use this in my work? Why is writing a book typically something a lot of bloggers, such as yourselves, try to aim for? Is it for everyone and what is the extra value someone would get from a book that they wouldnt receive in a blog? Books continue to be an important part of building personal brands. Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, and Gary Vaynerchuk all published books in the last year. Each is well-established in the blogosphere, but each also understands that books allow their ideas to reach a different audience and allow their work to be read more easily as a whole. 800-CEO-READ is a little different in that we specialize in selling business books. We have primary experience in this industry. We know publishers. We know distributors. We know our customers. So for us, the format was a natural. Writing a book is not necessarily about providing extra value. What books do is establish authority. There is a primary message. Books have a beginning, middle, and end. They are still a superior format for efficient consumption of the material itself. Blogs are effective in reaching a certain audience and we have been actively blogging since April 2004, but lets remember their still-limited reach and the quick expiration date of the material. The bottom line is that you need to blog and you need to write books. Both are good for brands. What are your top three favorite business books of the past two years and why? Made to Stick by Dan Heath and Chip Heath: The Heath brothers deliver a flawless volume on how to make your ideas last longer by encouraging such techniques as telling stories and delivering the unexpected. We are all in the idea business. We are all trying to convince someone of something whether it is our boss, our fellow PTA members, or our kids. But in a world teeming with ideas, how do you get yours to be remembered? The Heaths advice is pricelessâ€"and they use their own advice which means youll remember this book long after you put it down. Our Business Book of the Year in 2007. Tribes by Seth Godin: This is Seths most important book since Purple Cow. For Seth, leadership is about change, risk, hope, fear and faith. The subtitle says it all: We Need You To Lead Us. When is the last time a book demanded that of its reader? He delivers this idea about tribes ready to unite as soon as a leader steps up in his riff-based, stream of conscious approach. Our Business Book of the Year in 2008. Back of The Napkin by Dan Roam: Visual thinking was an en vogue concept for 2008. A number of books described different ways to communicate complex ideas using pictures, drawings and charts. Dan Roam uniquely delivers on the how. The decoder ring on page 141 reveals answers to the six basic questions of who/what, how much, where, when, how and why. That alone is worth the price of the book. What are your top three favorite classic business books that you believe wont be fading away anytime soon? Positioning by Al Reis and Jack Trout: This is a must read for your audience. The authors say being number one in the mind of the customer offers enormous market advantage. Being top of mind can also mean owning a word, whether it is “Volvo = safety” or “800-CEO-READ = business books.” The theory of positioning was originally proposed by the authors in 1972 in a series of articles and is as important as ever in our information-flooded world. Influence by Robert Cialdini: Recipority, making commitments, social proof, affection, authority and scarcity. These are the tools you must use to get people to do what you want. Cialdinis book is eye-opening, bringing awareness to your every interaction, and its inviting, narrative style matches that of The Tipping Point and Made to Stick. Getting Things Done by David Allen: Getting Things Done is quickly becoming a classic with an expansive following. If Coveys 7 Habits is the western take on personal productivity, then Allens GTD method is the Eastern Zen, mind like water view. Forget about managing time, information, or priorities, and concentrate on actions. Its time to return to the to-do list. Do you think more people will purchase the books in this book from 800ceoread.com, or will it just help the books sell more overall? We wrote every review as an argument for why the reader should pick up the book. And we certainly encourage people to return to these books for advice. Where they buy them from doesnt matter to us. We just hope that The 100 Best helps people sort through the thousands of business books on the market. Jack Covert is the founder of and chief mentor for 800-CEO-READ, a subsidiary of the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops. Hired twenty-five years ago by the late David Schwartz to promote business and computer books to the Milwaukee business community, Jack used his considerable sales skills and innate business acumen to grow that 3-shelf business section into a 7 million dollar specialty business book retailer. Todd Sattersten is 800-CEO-READ’s president, joining the company in 2004. Previously, he spent six years at GE and three years working with his father in the family sheet metal fabrication business. Todd received his BS in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University and his MBA from Marquette University. But Todd also has a love of The Big Idea and he saw endless potential in the future of 800-CEO-READ. Since joining the company, Todd has initiated such changes as a daily weblog, a semi-weekly podcast, and the monthly publication of essays on ChangeThis.

10 Ideas to Build a Business Out of a College Project CareerMetis.com

10 Ideas to Build a Business Out of a College Project The world is seeing an increase in freelancers and start-ups. Not every student wants to grab a 9-5 job, sit in the office, work and wait for the salary at the end of the month. Though people find it more comfortable as they are getting paid for what they are capable of, but there are people who don’t want to stick to it and come out of their comfort zone.Starting a business after college is not really easy, but it isn’t impossible if you are dedicated enough and have an amazing idea. Every student gets college projects and assignments. Some of them can be directly or indirectly related to start-ups and ideas that can be later used to start something of their own. evalThere are various ideas for different field of studies to start a business just after college. Here we have some of them which can help you to become a famous entrepreneur:1) Clothing Company/ Fashion studioevalAre you studying fashion and would love to see people wearing clothes from your brand?Well, starting a fas hion business at an early stage is very important. If you have the knowledge of clothes and know how to design them you can get into the world of fashion entrepreneurs.Fashion studio business is really fascinating for many people and they just keep thinking about how to start one.Start your research for fashion businessand know as much as you can about the business and begin your journey to be a fashion star.2) Content CreationThere are many people in the world who love to write and want to do it for a living. But due to many reasons they drop the plan. Thanks to the new age social media platforms, the value of online content has increased. Be it writing content or a graphic designer a person interested in telling stories through online media can start their own business.You can freelance at the initial stage or even talk to companies if they can give an impressive project and you can hire more people and start a writing website. This is one of the businesses in demand and is going to show a rapid growth.3) Electronic repair shopevalThe world is full of smartphones and gadgets that are loved by people. And if there is technology then it has technical issues as well.To solve such issues you can start your own business. This will show you a definite growth if you are from a science or engineering background. The world is going to see more gadgets and technology in the future. Therefore, this is a very promising business to invest in and work hard for.4) Organizing eventsCollege is where people attend a lot of events and even volunteer in them. If you really love to meet new people and feel like providing them with good service then organizing events is your cup of tea.You can even perform in those events like dancing or if you were a favourite DJ at your college. Start involving yourself more on social media and learn how to invite people and entertain them.eval5) Fitness instructorevalFitness is an important subject for many people. As the consumption of junk f ood increases people feel that they are not being able to stick to a healthy regime. If you were a gym freak in your college time and love to stay connected to fitness and teach people about it, you have the best opportunity of a lifetime. You can invest in buying some gym machines and start your own gym and fitness centre. It will be work that you will love to do and even feel better when you see progress in your clients. Fitness is something which is recommended by doctors as well, it is something which is a crucial part of everyone’s life. So, it is surely going to help you go a long way.6) HandicraftIf you love to show your creativity to people, handmade things are surely going to be the best kind of start-up for you. There are people who love to buy unique stuff and you can be the one providing them with these products. With online sites in demand, you can easily sell your products online on various e-commerce sites.The only point you have to take care of is being different, research and observe the likes and dislikes of people and make your products according to the current trends and demands.7) Social media promotionWe all know how essential social media platforms are for business purpose. But not everyone is able to achieve great success through social media platforms. So they hire social media experts or ask social media promotion start-ups to help them out with the important marketing tool in today’s world.Do you have a degree in marketing or you are you a social media star in your college days? Well, those skills can definitely help you earn good amount of money. Your social media consultation business can achieve great height as you very well know the importance of marketing and promotion for any growing entity.8) TeachingHave you ever taught during your college days?Maybe to help out your friend or to add some more income to your pocket money. Well, if teaching is what you love to do, you can definitely start this. It is one of the initiatives that takes very less investment as the main asset in this business is your knowledge and ability to teach. You can start this at your home or by taking a small area so that you teach students and help them. With everything going online, you can also start your teaching business by taking classes online.evalYou just need a laptop and an internet connection for this and you can bring a change in your life along with that of the others. Teaching is known as a noble cause and the teachers are highly respected, therefore you would definitely love to do this business.9) Photo or video studioWith your good camera skills you can surely start a photography and videography studio. People around the world need a good camera personto capture the most amazing and memorable moments of their life. The need for such professionals is high in demand, especially when people have to post them on social media profiles.There can be various forms of events to capture photographs, like a wedding, birthday , short films, blogging, travel etc. This business can provide you with a happening life as people are going to appreciate your skills and meeting them would help you have an impressive social life.10) Online food businessFood is an essential part of everyone’s life. And if you are a foodie and love to be around food, well it’s a perfect startup for you. If you studied hotel management in college now it is the best time to get into the food business. With so many online food delivery services, you can also have a tie-up with them and take online orders and serve people with delicious food.The job market is challenging and getting a job and surviving with it may be difficult. So why not do something you are made for. Know your skills and utilize them in the best possible way.evalYour college projects are not there to make you work and score in them. They can be an idea which can change your life.

Grappling With the Idea of Going Back To School Heres What To Consider - Kathy Caprino

Grappling With the Idea of Going Back To School Heres What To Consider At least once a week, I hear from a professional woman who is in a job or career she dislikes intensely (or is failing at), and wonders if going back to school for a new career is the right step. Today, many mid- to high-level professionals feel ill-suited to their work, and others have launched small businesses that are struggling to stay afloat. When they reach out for help, they share some version of this question: “Kathy, I’m in a career (or I recently launched a small business) I just can’t stand anymore. My husband says I’m not cut out for this, and should go back to school. What do you think?” Having coached thousands of women through every career decision you can imagine, I’ve observed 6 common reasons behind people’s contemplation of going back to school. These reasons may be legitimate for some, but for many (perhaps most), the path to another degree is not the right choice. How do you know if it’s right for you? The top 6 reasons mid-career professionals give for contemplating going back to school are: The job I’m in feels like a complete dead end. I think I have to start over. I’m just not cutting it in this field. More education will give me more credibility, clout and authority. I really don’t know what else to do. I hate my work. I’m not earning enough in my current profession/business. I’ll make more money and be more secure if I have more education. My colleague went back to school and it made a great difference for him. I want to do what he’s doing. I’m failing in my new business, and I think getting a new degree is the only way out. To know if going back to school is the right move for you, you need to become very clear on what you want in your life and work. You also have to understand yourself intimately (what you’re passionate about, and what motivates you to succeed, for instance) and evaluate your life and situation with eyes wide open. This is not the time to be in denial or to pretend you’re someone else. This is the time to figure yourself out with honesty, awareness and insight. (Take my 6-day Amazing Career Challenge to learn more about what you really want.) Once you become clearer on what’s important to you and your most burning life goals, ask yourself these five questions: 1. What do you believe another degree will give you? Often, we project all sorts of misguided notions about what a shiny, new degree will give us, but we don’t really know anything about it. Do exhaustive research about the educational path you’re considering. Interview department heads and faculty at the institutions you’re considering. Shadow professionals who’ve earned this degree and are applying it in ways that interest you. Learn more about the careers this degree can lead to, and how people land exciting work after their degree. Examine the curriculum and course of study â€" do you find it compelling, something you feel really jazzed to learn? What are the common trajectories of people who’ve earned this degree, and do these career paths seem to be a good fit for what you really want? Finally, ask, “Is it realistic for me to take this path at this time in my life?” 2. What will it cost you â€" emotionally, financially, and professionally and personally? Higher education today is expensive, to say the least, but there are other significant costs as well.   You’ll need to commit a great deal of time, money, energy, resources, and focus to succeeding on this educational path.   Do you have access to the necessary resources, and can you tap into them in a way that won’t turn your life upside down?     Can your current employer help pay for your degree? When I earned my Master’s degree in marriage and family therapy over a three-year period, it exacted a much higher price than I ever imagined.   I’m so grateful I did it, but don’t do what I did and pursue a degree without understanding concretely what it will demand of you. And evaluate what the return on investment must be, specifically and measurably, in order for you to feel it is worthwhile. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE In the end, if you’re considering going back to school, understand what it will give, and demand, of you. Do the necessary legwork to explore it thoroughly, and don’t jump until you can say with 100% surety that this is the right move at the right time. Be clear about where the road will take you, and if this path will give you, in reality, what you’re truly longing for. (To move toward building a happier, more rewarding career, take my 6-day Amazing Career Challenge).

Challenge Mono-uni-task! Defeating Distractions - When I Grow Up

Challenge Mono-uni-task! Defeating Distractions - When I Grow Up Comic by http://www.ashersarlin.com Today, Zen Habits was able to wrap up tightly everything Ive learned in my Challenge: Mono-uni-task! He wrote a post entitled 20 Strategies To Defeat the Urge To Do Useless Tasks. He writes: Procrastination is in all of us, and one of the best ways to procrastinate is to do all the busy-work that makes us feel like we’re doing stuff â€" while not doing the stuff we know we should be doing. Yes! Hello! That is exactly what I felt my issue was while trying to mono-uni-task, as I was always so tempted to click over to my Gmail, or see if something new was posted on my favorite blog, or check and see my friends Facebook status. My favorite suggestions from Leo include: 1. Know what’s important. If your task list is just a list of everything you need to do, you haven’t distinguished between the high-impact tasks and the busy-work. Mark down your top three priorities for the day. Everything else should be secondary. Ive done this by using one tab in my Travel Moleskine as my Daily Dos. In it, I write my 3 To Dos for every day of that week. Those MUST get done (and in an ideal world, they get done before everything else). I review them on the subway to work every day so they stay with me when I have some downtime. 3. Single-task. I wrote recently about the power of single-tasking, and that’s important here, because if you multi-task, you tend to switch between what you should be doing and what you shouldn’t â€" the important vs. the useless tasks. Leo must have been reading my Challenge: Mono-uni-task! 4. Identify your time-wasters. What are the things that you do most often? For some, it’s email, for others, it’s the phone, for others, it’s a certain website or three. If you aren’t sure, track it for a couple days. Know your time-wasters and you can beat them. When I stop and think, I know that blog reading is a big time waster for me. So instead of looking at every blog Ive bookmarked every morning, I should put some time aside 3 times a week to read it. Or, I can read Design Blogs one day, Wedding Blogs another day, etc. Id have so much more time! Leo also suggested to log your time, but that seems more of an extra distraction to me (although it might be more eye opening to some). 11. Know your key times. When do you have the most energy and get the most work done? Identify those times of the day and make them your “distraction-free” times. Only allow yourself to do the important tasks in those times. This is something I want to target for myself, but its harder than it looks. I know I almost always get a second wind around 8p, and mid-afternoons Im pretty good too. Its those damn mornings.. 16. Schedule them. Designate certain times of day to do your batch processing of email, phone calls, meetings, whatever. Then, when you’re not at the scheduled time for those things, you know you’re not supposed to be doing them. This is a great suggestion, especially when youre trying to get your time management under control. Then, even if you dont do something, you can give it another time block instead of letting it disappear. 20. Celebrate! If you were able to complete your goal for the day, be sure to bask in the glory of your victory. That good feeling of accomplishment will help motivate you to keep doing that â€" it’s a satisfaction that is rewarding in itself, but you need to put special focus on it at the end of each day. Do that, and you won’t want to fail at your goal the next day. You know how I feel about Celebrating! Moving forward, Im going to commit to removing the distractions (not keeping my email open all day, only looking at my blogs at lunch, etc) as well as doing my Top 3 To Dos first thing in the morning. Everything done after that is a bonus!

Writing a Resume For a History Graduate

Writing a Resume For a History GraduateWriting a resume for a history graduate can be quite tricky. There are a few basics that must be addressed when you are writing your resume for a history graduate. Firstly, you need to decide whether you are going to specialize in this field. If you specialize, you will have to write different sections of your resume.Also, consider what are the skills that you will bring to the table if you choose to write a resume for one area of specialization or another. Some examples are that a history graduate specializing in modern or contemporary history would likely make a more specialized resume than one specializing in history as a whole. Also, it is worth remembering that there are two approaches to choosing a history job; one is to be a specialist in history and the other being a generalist.When choosing a specialization, it may also pay to remember that you do not want to choose the best paid job available, because in many cases, the best jobs are t hose with a generalist with some specialization. Therefore, it may pay to decide on a generalist job in this case and specialize in something that requires a lot of specialization such as being an assistant professor, associate professor, etc.Some other questions to ask yourself when you are writing a resume for a history graduate include how much time and energy you will put into the writing process, what is the format of your resume, and what type of information are you going to provide? When writing a resume for a history graduate, it is not enough to just know the basics of your specialization, but you also need to write about yourself and what you would bring to the company.When it comes to formatting your resume, be sure to make your resume as eye-catching as possible and keep it as simple as possible. The length of your resume is directly related to the amount of information you have provided. If you think you need more information, go ahead and write an additional page, but keep in mind that you do not want your resume to take up too much of your time, which is why a simple outline is ideal.Finally, when it comes to the information you are going to provide, remember that the resume is not the place to tell your life story. Instead, it is a place to present the skills and accomplishments that you have achieved throughout your career. Keep in mind that your resume is a reflection of who you are, and you are not the only person who looks at your resume. The fact that you are writing a resume for a history graduate also means that you are competing for a job with others who may not be using your resume very much.Professional resume writers make it their first priority to research the company that you are applying for. This is done to determine how well the history graduate does in their interview and whether or not they will be a good fit for the company.

My Boss Wont Let Me Quit My Job

My Boss Won't Let Me Quit My Job Q: How can I get my boss to accept my resignation? I am working in an educational company, and this is my first job. I am working in a position as an education consultant. However, the responsibility is actually as much as selling the program while my true interest is in English teaching. Unfortunately, the more days I spend on the job, the more I want to quit as soon as possible (I have been working for 3 months now and my status is still an intern). But the fact that what I do is pretty different than what I thought I’d be doing kills me every day I go to work. My supervisor is very nice and supportive and she keeps saying that she loves me and has considered me as her little sister. However, I began to get upset with her since I thought that all she is trying to do is to keep me in the job. I realize that I have helped her a lot and it will be pretty much difficult for her to let me go. The thing is, my decision to resign is final. I have told her several times about resigning and she has declined my oral resignation. She finally said that she would probably let me go by the end of this December. But to be honest, I cannot actually wait that long. I really want to quit the job as immediate as possible, but her top weapon to make me stay is the word “responsibility,” and she even said that my family is toxic because they support me resigning just after few months working. Should I wait until the end of the year or should I stick to my own decision to quit immediately? Also, I am planning to apply for graduate degree in TESOL after quitting the job. Do you think I should apply first, then use that to buy my ticket out of the office gracefully without hurting anyone? A: You don’t need permission to quit. Your manager doesn’t need to “accept” your resignation. You get to quit whenever you want, whether she accepts it or not! And you don’t need to use grad school as an excuse for quitting. You can simply say that the job turned out not to be the right fit for you, and you are resigning. Period. These are the words to use: “I’ve decided that I need to move on, and my last day will be in two weeks, October 26. I know you’ve urged me not to quit in the past, but my decision is final.” If she pushes back, tells you your family is toxic, or whatever, say this: “My decision is final. Shall we talk about what you’d like me to complete during these two weeks?” And then you stick to it. She can’t make you change your mind. Keep saying, “It’s not up for discussion.” And if it gets uncomfortable enough, you’d have reason to say, “I’d like to work out my final two weeks, but I need you to accept my decision. If you can’t do that, it would be best for both of us if today is my last day.” Also: It’s super weird that your manager is telling you she loves you â€" ever, but especially after three months. She sounds manipulative, immature, and sort of horrid. Get out of there. Read next: How to Influence Coworkers When You’re Not Their Boss Q: What are the signs of a successful phone interview? I completed a phone interview with a hiring manager 10 days ago. I thought it went pretty well â€" it felt more like a conversation, and the interviewer went into great detail explaining the job tasks to me, as well as other information such as vacation days and working hours. I was able to answer all of her questions, some with okay answers and some with great answers. She kept saying things like “fair enough” and “makes sense.” At the end of the interview, I made sure to ask her several questions about the role and the company, which she again answered in detail. She then told me that they were still interviewing a pool of candidates and that they try to get back to all candidates within two weeks, and that if I were successful, I’d have one more interview. Before closing, she mentioned that I should email her with any questions that I had, and that I should follow up with her if I don’t hear back in two weeks’ time. I’ve been worried mostly because they were quick in every previous step of the process. So what are the signs of a successful phone interview? A: The sign of a successful phone interview is that you get offered another interview. Seriously, that’s it. People have phone interviews that seem to go great and then never hear back again. And people have phone interviews that they’re sure they flubbed and they get invited for another interview. Instead of trying to figure out if they want to keep talking to you (which you’ll know eventually, as this plays out), focus on figuring out if you want to keep talking to them, whether the role and company sound like the right fit for you, and what additional questions you have for them. Read next: How to Get Ahead When You Have a Bad Boss These questions are adapted from ones that originally appeared on Ask a Manager. Some have been edited for length. More From Ask a Manager: Is it rude to resign over the phone? My company keeps pushing me to extend my notice period Should You Return a Missed Call From an Interviewer Who Didn’t Leave a Message? Close Modal DialogThis is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

How To Quickly Bounce Back From Being Unprepared At Work - Work It Daily

How To Quickly Bounce Back From Being Unprepared At Work - Work It Daily In this week's edition of Well,This Happened, the series that lets you become a career coach, we addressed James' tough situation.James was caught off guard during a department heads meeting when he was asked to present. He wasn't prepared but did so anyway and bombed the presentation because of this. James is now wondering what he should do to address this situation.This is a situation that many can probably relate to. Work can be full of surprises sometimes and you can't always be prepared for everything.So, how should James address this? Earlier this week we gave four possible options for resolving this problem.Did you guess right? Find out by watching this video below. And The Correct Answer Is... Have an uncomfortable situation at work or in your job search that you aren't sure how to deal with? Let us know by emailing support@workitdaily.com.Also, be sure to check back regularly as we will be posting a new awkward experience weekly. If you guess right by posting a comment on our YouTube Channel, you might WIN A FREE YEAR inside our program. From Your Site Articles How To Engage Your Team During Meetings - Work It Daily Promotion Killers: Poor Presentation Skills - Work It Daily HELP! I Was Unprepared For A Work Presentation Totally FAILED ... Related Articles Around the Web How to Make a Good Presentation When Theres No Time to Prepare What To Do 15 Minutes Before A Presentation - Business Insider Unprepared for a Meeting? Heres How to Respond to Any Question ... Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!