Friday, August 22, 2014

These companies are growing and hiring like crazy


This post is in partnership with The Muse. The article below was originally published on The Muse.


Business is a tricky game, and there’s no telling how long it can take to grow any small company. But when companies are able to strike their market when it’s incredibly hot, rapid growth in a short amount of time is inevitable.


These 10 companies have done just that, and the results are going to be incredible. Bonus: If you get in on the ground floor, you can say you helped make it all happen. Check them out, and land your next job at one of them.

1. Handybook



Where: New York
If you live in New York, you’ve likely seen this company’s ads all over the subway. This is just one way that Handybook, an online service that connects its users to top-notch professionals who help get household chores done, is making waves across over 26 cities in the U.S. With more and more professionals wanting to spend time at work and with family, this company is providing a resource that everyone is benefiting from. Get ready to see major growth.

See the Jobs

2. iCracked



Where: Redwood Shores, CA
Admit it: You’re as hooked to your phone as we are, and when something goes wrong, it’s the only thing on your mind until its fixed. iCracked makes repairing iPhones, iPads, and iPods super easy and convenient. With on-demand iTechs, customers around the world can get the help they are desperate for with the click of a button.

See the Jobs

3. Thinkful



Where: New York
Founded in 2012, Thinkful uses mentorship to teach students one of the most useful and necessary tools: coding. With easy to access web and mobile apps, users are provided with one-on-one training and a curated curriculum. The world is moving toward tech, and Thinkful is going to be part of it because of its awesome tools.

See the Jobs

4. Recombine



Where: New York
Recombine’s goal is to improve health outcomes based on actionable and responsible genetic testing. Using genetics as its platform, this company is able to help its patients make the best decisions for their families. Founded by experts in fertility, clinical genetics, bioinformatics, and computer science, Recombine knows exactly what it’s doing when it comes to the intersection of technology and science.

See the Jobs

5. OwnLocal



Where: Austin, TX
Print media is facing unprecedented challenges to its model, and OwnLocal has an ambitious goal: to be the digital ad agency for local media and help bring the whole industry into the digital age. And with more than 400 media companies using the platform, it’s clear the company is on the right track.

See the Jobs

6. Findr Group



Where: New York and Los Angeles
Named one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. in 2013, there’s no question that Findr Group is going places. This full-service marketing agency helps clients effectively communicate with their audiences; clients including the likes of DISH Network, Prudential, and Caesars Entertainment. Get ready to see the company’s name—and potentially yours—on campaigns all over the world.

See the Jobs

7. TicketLeap



Where: Philadelphia
With events of all kinds taking place every day in every city, TicketLeap is making experiences way easier to enjoy and take part in. With apps for both Andoid and iOS, clients are able to control their ticketing experience with do-it-yourself technology. This company view culture as the world’s biggest asset, and its products reflect that.

See the Jobs

8. Virool



Where: San Francisco
Virool is a powerful video service that allows over 100 million viewers to connect to a global network of content. Plus, with affordable low-price campaigns, users can distribute their own YouTube video content to a series of online publishers. With multimedia leading the way for everything web-related, there’s no doubt that this company is going to seriously take off.

See the Jobs

9. Voxy



Where: New York
In a continually more globalized world and economy, Voxy is helping people learn different languages in an easy, realistic way. Forget about textbooks and weekly classes—this company provides an innovative context-based approach to language acquisition. You know that this company is going to be big whenBusiness Insider names it as one of the “10 Best U.S. Tech Companies to Work For.”

See the Jobs

10. Contently

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Keeping up with your skills


Our work world is in full swing, yet there are rumblings of job insecurity everywhere.

Labor statistics are showing increasing volatility and rising unemployment rates. Concerned that this issue will lead to decreased economic growth, leaders of these dynamic economies are starting to focus much more attention on job-creation initiatives. They are feverishly looking at a variety of policy options to prevent a national job crisis. Indeed, our leaders continue to have a difficult role ahead of them.

However, in spite of the fact that pockets of the U.S. economy such as the North East have shown job growth and reduced unemployment, no individual working person should take this news as a signal of job security. That's because in today's world, the only job security you have are your own skills and expertise.

So the question arises, if you are in control of your career, and skills equal job security, what steps can you take to ensure you remain employable? Whether your employer is experiencing challenging times and/or whether a merger or acquisition is facing you, the following tips will provide some guidelines to assist during most volatile times.

Know yourself well -- I've written about this issue many times and may sound like a broken record, but I continue to be amazed at the number of people who really don't know themselves very well. They graduate from school, go to work and blindly follow along, even when they don't like their job. My advice then is to take time to analyze your skills, what motivates you and what environment best suits your personality and communication style. Then, examine your workplace and where you fit. Ask yourself if you will continue to fit.

Plan for continuous improvement -- Understand your industry sector and the jobs being created and upgraded. Learn what additional new skills you need to develop to stay current. Arrange either personally or through work to take courses for continuous improvement.

Learn teamwork skills -- People frequently experience weak skills in the area of teamwork. Teamwork means working for the collective good and this requires different roles. Understand which team role you are best suited for and improve your skills in this area. Do you like to initiate projects, plan them and then delegate the work to others? Or are you best suited to working on the implementation stage?
 
Seek out a professional certification -- Our workplace is becoming professionalized; by that, I mean official credentials and certifications are becoming the norm. Seek out the industry sector groups related to your job and research the various certifications and professional designations that can set you apart. Join these organizations and get that designation.

Develop a reputation -- Every worker, whether you like it or not, develops a reputation. Be sure yours is one that's recognized for taking responsibility, engaging in hard work, being flexible, sharing and helping one another, teamwork and quality work.

Become a known entity -- Many workers do not make much of an effort to become known within their organization; instead, they stick closely to their own work or their own department. Get out of your corner and get known. Volunteer to organize events. Volunteer for projects. Network with other people from your organization.

Be a good problem solver -- Individuals who can think through problems independently in light of the whole organization rather than from a narrow perspective provide good value as an employee. Think like a leader, act like a leader and new opportunities will come your way.

Be a good listener -- People who are good listeners attract people to them, especially if they instill confidence and help others solve problems. Listen to others, but don't get caught up in their negativity. Steer them toward positive solutions.

Live with a positive attitude -- People with a positive attitude typically have longer career paths than those that do not. Positive people see opportunities within challenging situations. They can make things happen because they take responsibility.

Wrestle down conflict -- Workplace conflicts, be it interpersonal challenges or working with a difficult boss, are all issues workers confront. Deal with conflict before it escalates and avoid making workplace enemies. Career longevity depends on your ability to effectively deal with conflict. Finally, don't hold a grudge.

Achieve top player status -- While organizational concerns may sometimes consume your thoughts, be sure you stay focused on doing quality work every hour of the day. Be on time and on budget. Bosses want to count on someone who is sincere, hard working and dedicated. Longevity comes for employees who can be counted on to get things done. However, be sure your job and your projects are focused on core business initiatives.

Develop a big picture view -- Employees who can see the big picture offer good value to their workplace. Watch your industry trends and identify the strengths and vulnerabilities of your organization. Know how your work contributes to the whole and determine how you can continue to fit into the organization.

Be creative and speak up -- Take your concrete and creative suggestions for making work-related improvements and speak up. Believe me, organizations value individuals who make suggestions and recommendations, especially those that save time and money and improve quality. Go for it!

Flexibility is key -- Employees who are more flexible and can more easily adapt to changes in projects and people are highly valuable to an organization. Take on more responsibility when needed, try new tasks. Do more than you were asked as flexibility, quality work and personal initiative gain trust and respect.

Keep the resume up to date -- Most people take themselves for granted and fail to give themselves credit for their skills. Not only that, they also neglect documenting the many great accomplishments experienced in the workplace. Get that resume up to date and keep it current. You may never have to use it but when the time comes, you are ready and don't have to struggle to recall the details of your many achievements.

Our work environment is constantly changing and this makes life somewhat uncertain. However, instead of living in a state of fear about losing your job, take positive steps to increase your value, build and refresh your skills. Keep in mind, that the only job security is you.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Can Positive Thinking Get you Hired?


Believe it or not, consistent positive thinking will help you develop inner peace, success, improved relationships, better health, happiness, personal satisfaction, and yes, get you hired. Applying for job after job creates a drain in your well being. Positive thinking will help you deal with daily challenges of life more smoothly, and will lead the future to be brighter and more promising. Positive thinking CAN be your key to success! Positive thinking is contagious. People around you do detect your mental moods and are affected accordingly.

Think about happiness, good health and success, and people will more likely appreciate you and want to be around you, because they enjoy the atmosphere that a positive attitude produces.

In order for positive thinking to produce results, you need to develop a positive attitude toward life, expect a successful outcome of whatever you do, and take action to do what is necessary to ensure your success.

Effective positive thinking that brings results is much more than just repeating a few positive words, or telling yourself that everything is going to be all right. It has to be your primary mental attitude. It is not enough to think positively for a few moments, and then letting fears and lack of belief enter your mind. Some effort and inner work are necessary.

Are you really willing to change the way you think; to make a real inner change? Are you willing to develop a mental power that can positively affect you, your environment and the people around you? Here are a few actions and tips to help you develop the power of positive thinking:

· First, STOP with the negative attitude and speaking negative words about everything you talk about!

· Use positive words while thinking and while talking. Use words like, "I can," "I am able," "It is possible," "It can be done," etc.

· Actively focus on thoughts of success, strength and happiness.

· Try to disregard and ignore negative thoughts. Refuse to think such thoughts, and substitute them with constructive good ideas.

· In your conversation use words that suggest feelings and mental images of strength, happiness and success.

· Before starting with any plan or action, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome.

· Read at least one page of inspiring book every day.

· Surround yourself with people who think positively.

· Watch movies that make you happy.

· Always sit and walk with your back straight. This will strengthen your confidence and inner strength.

· Walk, swim or engage in some other physical activity. This helps to develop a more positive attitude.

· Minimize the time you listen to the news and read the newspapers.

. Keep sending out resumes!

Think positive and expect favorable results and situations, even if your current situation is not what you wish. In time, your mental attitude will help you to position your life and circumstances and change them accordingly.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Focus on the Now


There is a saying that goes - "The past is already gone. The future is not yet born. Therefore, only the present is in our hand".

The present is our wealth. If we become aware of it, there is a choice for us to enrich it, enhance it, invest it and increase it manifold. Living in the present ensures exploring the possibility of advantages, looking at the brighter side of situations and future advantages. In practical life, some situations are to be left alone so that time can heal such situations. One must focus on what is happening at the moment. Appreciate what is right about the situation and build on it. Pay attention to what is important right now. Somewhere it becomes necessary to forgive and forget. Compassion is a powerful tool to release us from the clutches of botherations of the past and some situations in the present too.

Whenever we become unhappy in the present or are unsuccessful, it is time to learn from the past. When we understand that something is interfering with our enjoying the present, it is time to look at the past and learn from it. When we learn from past, we can improve the present better than the past. Past is past. By conducting a postmortem of the past, we cannot make better the past. But the lessons we learn out of the past events can be applied in the present by doing things differently to enjoy the present. By fully living in the present, we are able to appreciate the world around and we become more effective and make progress.

Monday, August 4, 2014

I hate my boss, what can I do?


If I had a penny for every time I have heard this, I would be writing this blog from my permanent residence in Costa Rica. Yes, some bosses are definitely extremely difficult to deal with but being angry about it is not going to help you or your career.  You may ask yourself, why play games and change the negative into a positive? Why do I have to pretend that I don't hate my boss?

Well... you don't have to pretend anything but you need to realize that a little change on your part, could go a long way with your relationship to your boss. If you feel like killing someone, will you be honest and kill him? I don't suppose so. When you are upset, be honest and say yes, I am upset. Then, will staying upset help you? I don't think it will, and for this reason I would encourage you to change. You'd be surprised how a small change in your attitude towards your boss can change your perception of him/her and make your job a lot easier.

I recently read this story and I think it is appropriate for this blog.

A lady approached a Taoist monk and told him, 'My mother-in-law is creating hell in my life, can you give me some medicine to be given to her that would make her die?'

The monk gave her some medicine and asked her to mix it in tea before giving it to her mother-in-law. The only condition, he said, 'Be very kind and loving to her, only then would the medicine work. Also when she dies no one will suspect you. She will die after two months.'

After one month she returned to the monk and pleaded, 'I do not want my mother-in-law to die, she has changed. She is very kind to me nowadays.' The monk said, 'More than the medicine, it is your love that worked.'

Enough said!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Thinking Outside the Box


An important exercise we can do is to think without the use of memory. Our thinking is clouded by memory. That is why we really never think but just remember. Most of our thinking is just fixed opinions and attitudes. For example, something we have read somewhere, an article that appealed to us, or some form of advertisement.

Deep down within us is the wish that everything should be explained to us so that we do not have to think for ourselves; only recall instructions, freeing us from the effort to find our own solutions. Whenever I give a presentation at work, I have always felt an urge to refer to  my notes. At times I put this aside, try and cut off my memory, and allow the words to flow spontaneously. In these short periods I have always felt uplifted, new meanings seem to descend from a higher level and the whole audience is transported to a different level of understanding. Memory is like old food from the refrigerator, whereas spontaneity is eating freshly picked fruit.

Can we learn to think in a new way where impulses open new pathways and passages in the brain? Our thinking center is full of borrowed opinions and ideas. We have nothing that we have thought for ourselves. We follow slogans, prejudices, catch phrases, even the last thing we read.

A technique we can use is to take one idea and open up as many shades of meaning possible. Say, I have a flat tire and am late for a meeting. Take this as opportunity to learn something from it. I could say this is a lesson in patience, or irritation. The meeting was important so I am teaching my nerves to hold tension in a relaxed manner. Experts call this the power to hold. This simple exercise would open up new roads in our brains, blood would start flowing through unused pathways, and our thinking and understanding would be lifted to a totally new dimension.

In our thinking we follow our inner hatreds, jealousies and obstinacies, along with our education and upbringing. If we worked to think in a new way, the world would be a different place.