How To Pay For Surgery Without Health Insurance

How To Pay For Surgery Without Health Insurance Three months ago we had a baby and paid for it without health insurance or government aid. Last week my wife had a surgery and well have it paid for as soon as we get the final invoice, again without any health insurance or government aid. You should note that I have NOTHING against private health insurance (well, I think its grossly overpriced and doesnt offer what it should) nor am I against getting government aid when appropriate (more on that tomorrow).  This isnt a political post, or a bashing post I just wanted to share a couple of ideas that might help you save money (or, be able to afford the health care you need). When asked what our insurance is we simply respond that we are self-pay.   This means it doesnt go through insurance, rather that we pay for it ourselves.   As self-pay you can finance the service(s) through the service provider (hospital, doctor., etc.).   Or you can pay in full.   Why would you pay in full? Read on. When we had our baby we told them we were self-pay and asked them if they offered a discount.   Guess what the discount was? OVER 50%!   Instead of paying more than $8,000, our total hospital bill was around $3,400.   That is a huge, significant savings.   I like getting things on sale, and I like saving almost $4,000. Note: We had to pay this in full before my wife got out of the hospital. Fast forward three month (yeah, surgery three months later sucks).   My wife goes in for a surgery, fairly standard, and the doctor said he would do surgery wherever we wanted, so we could shop around.   We didnt know you could or should shop around, asking hospitals what the cost would be.   We found there were pretty significant differences and chose to stay with this same hospital, which offered 50% off of this procedure. (we also learned that if you are insured and pay the copay up front you save 25%) The doctor also offered 50% off we took advantage of this for both the birth and the surgery. Did you know you could save so much?   We had no idea.   But for us its a necessity. We also learned we could get a prescription for any oral medicine the doctor would prescribe that was to be administered in the hospital and get that filled at our local pharmacy and then just bring that in for another significant savings.   I have no idea how much we saved but it was cool to know we could do that. My point with this post is that health insurance isnt the only way to get stuff paid for if you dont have it simply ask your doctor or the staff (the medicine thing was a suggestion from his front desk staff), and the hospital finance people there are plenty of people who are self-pay and it isnt as bad, scary or undoable as we thought it would be. The scary part of this is that it exposes how expensive health insurance is.   If a doctor and a hospital are willing to discount 50% of their invoice just to (a) get paid in full upfront, and (b) not go through the insurance system, can you imagine what healthcare would be without health insurance in our system? Do you have any other suggestions on finding affordable healthcare. How To Pay For Surgery Without Health Insurance Three months ago we had a baby and paid for it without health insurance or government aid. Last week my wife had a surgery and well have it paid for as soon as we get the final invoice, again without any health insurance or government aid. You should note that I have NOTHING against private health insurance (well, I think its grossly overpriced and doesnt offer what it should) nor am I against getting government aid when appropriate (more on that tomorrow).  This isnt a political post, or a bashing post I just wanted to share a couple of ideas that might help you save money (or, be able to afford the health care you need). When asked what our insurance is we simply respond that we are self-pay.   This means it doesnt go through insurance, rather that we pay for it ourselves.   As self-pay you can finance the service(s) through the service provider (hospital, doctor., etc.).   Or you can pay in full.   Why would you pay in full? Read on. When we had our baby we told them we were self-pay and asked them if they offered a discount.   Guess what the discount was? OVER 50%!   Instead of paying more than $8,000, our total hospital bill was around $3,400.   That is a huge, significant savings.   I like getting things on sale, and I like saving almost $4,000. Note: We had to pay this in full before my wife got out of the hospital. Fast forward three month (yeah, surgery three months later sucks).   My wife goes in for a surgery, fairly standard, and the doctor said he would do surgery wherever we wanted, so we could shop around.   We didnt know you could or should shop around, asking hospitals what the cost would be.   We found there were pretty significant differences and chose to stay with this same hospital, which offered 50% off of this procedure. (we also learned that if you are insured and pay the copay up front you save 25%) The doctor also offered 50% off we took advantage of this for both the birth and the surgery. Did you know you could save so much?   We had no idea.   But for us its a necessity. We also learned we could get a prescription for any oral medicine the doctor would prescribe that was to be administered in the hospital and get that filled at our local pharmacy and then just bring that in for another significant savings.   I have no idea how much we saved but it was cool to know we could do that. My point with this post is that health insurance isnt the only way to get stuff paid for if you dont have it simply ask your doctor or the staff (the medicine thing was a suggestion from his front desk staff), and the hospital finance people there are plenty of people who are self-pay and it isnt as bad, scary or undoable as we thought it would be. The scary part of this is that it exposes how expensive health insurance is.   If a doctor and a hospital are willing to discount 50% of their invoice just to (a) get paid in full upfront, and (b) not go through the insurance system, can you imagine what healthcare would be without health insurance in our system? Do you have any other suggestions on finding affordable healthcare. How To Pay For Surgery Without Health Insurance Three months ago we had a baby and paid for it without health insurance or government aid. Last week my wife had a surgery and well have it paid for as soon as we get the final invoice, again without any health insurance or government aid. You should note that I have NOTHING against private health insurance (well, I think its grossly overpriced and doesnt offer what it should) nor am I against getting government aid when appropriate (more on that tomorrow).  This isnt a political post, or a bashing post I just wanted to share a couple of ideas that might help you save money (or, be able to afford the health care you need). When asked what our insurance is we simply respond that we are self-pay.   This means it doesnt go through insurance, rather that we pay for it ourselves.   As self-pay you can finance the service(s) through the service provider (hospital, doctor., etc.).   Or you can pay in full.   Why would you pay in full? Read on. When we had our baby we told them we were self-pay and asked them if they offered a discount.   Guess what the discount was? OVER 50%!   Instead of paying more than $8,000, our total hospital bill was around $3,400.   That is a huge, significant savings.   I like getting things on sale, and I like saving almost $4,000. Note: We had to pay this in full before my wife got out of the hospital. Fast forward three month (yeah, surgery three months later sucks).   My wife goes in for a surgery, fairly standard, and the doctor said he would do surgery wherever we wanted, so we could shop around.   We didnt know you could or should shop around, asking hospitals what the cost would be.   We found there were pretty significant differences and chose to stay with this same hospital, which offered 50% off of this procedure. (we also learned that if you are insured and pay the copay up front you save 25%) The doctor also offered 50% off we took advantage of this for both the birth and the surgery. Did you know you could save so much?   We had no idea.   But for us its a necessity. We also learned we could get a prescription for any oral medicine the doctor would prescribe that was to be administered in the hospital and get that filled at our local pharmacy and then just bring that in for another significant savings.   I have no idea how much we saved but it was cool to know we could do that. My point with this post is that health insurance isnt the only way to get stuff paid for if you dont have it simply ask your doctor or the staff (the medicine thing was a suggestion from his front desk staff), and the hospital finance people there are plenty of people who are self-pay and it isnt as bad, scary or undoable as we thought it would be. The scary part of this is that it exposes how expensive health insurance is.   If a doctor and a hospital are willing to discount 50% of their invoice just to (a) get paid in full upfront, and (b) not go through the insurance system, can you imagine what healthcare would be without health insurance in our system? Do you have any other suggestions on finding affordable healthcare.

Resume Writing Tips For a Pittsburgh Business Analyst

Resume Writing Tips For a Pittsburgh Business AnalystIf you're looking for career growth, job search advice and internship tips, take a look at the resume writing tips in Pittsburgh for business analysts. Some of these ideas can help you improve your chances of getting a job as a Pittsburgh business analyst.In case you didn't know, a Pittsburgh business analyst is actually an accountant who works with accounting services for corporations. This job can also be called a CPA or certified public accountant. Most people think of this type of position as being only for accountants but that isn't the case.In order to become a CPA, you have to get a bachelor's degree, including accounting, and a few years of experience as a certified public accountant. Although this type of position requires more experience than many others, this is one field where you can still get jobs even if you don't have experience. Since there is more competition for these positions, this is one that you will need to apply for more often.If you're a new graduate who has always wanted to work in Pittsburgh, the sooner you start the better. You should begin by getting a resume as soon as possible. But if you want to get it out there for those who would like to interview you, consider adding a cover letter and your resume to the CV you already have.Most job openings will have a statement on their position and the one for a Pittsburgh business analyst will likely be no different. Your resume will include contact information so employers can reach you with more information, including how to contact you.You can easily submit your resume and cover letter via email or by mailing them by certified mail with a return receipt requested, unless you prefer to use the internet to fill out applications. When submitting your resume, you should write clearly, properly spell check and include details on education and experience you gained while working as a certified public accountant.The Pittsburgh business anal yst job description will include the duties and responsibilities of the position, including filing, accounting, working directly with clients and managers, preparing and keeping records, keeping books, and so on. Your resume should include information on all of these duties, including your professional experience and education.In a nutshell, the role of a Pittsburgh business analyst is very similar to that of a CPA. And, because it is a professional position, you'll be expected to be knowledgeable about the business and financial aspects of it, as well as have excellent communication skills and computer abilities.

New Year, New Projects

New Year, New Projects As the New Year comes in, consider taking on new challenges in the form of actual projects. As the New Year comes in, consider taking on new challenges in the form of actual projects. Creating new side projects for 2015 helps give you a year-round sense of purpose. Instead of writing down a list of resolutions, think of three new projects that you will need to take on and accomplish throughout the year. The problem with resolutions is that it entails having to change something about yourself, which is a much harder feat than creating something new. If you commit to accomplishing a project, it is a much more positive way of looking at making things better, and you end up changing some bad things about yourself along the way without noticing. Here are some projects that I am personally taking on this year, let me know if you want to join me in any of them! Make My Home More Eco-Friendly A really fulfilling project that I decided to take on is to make my home more eco-friendly. I want to implement eco-friendly systems and also have simple home renovations that can help make my environment both healthier to live in but also better for the environment. I’ve heard about companies that provide eco-friendly materials. A company called Futurewood offers stylish, low-maintenance composite decking solutions that allows you to make great home renovations with sustainable materials. Find a New Hobby A really good project that I feel would make good use of my down time is to go on a quest to find a new hobby. I’ve signed myself up for a few classes that I have to try when the year starts, then it’s all a matter of finding the one that I like the most and to attend it consistently throughout the year.   Think about it, it is just an hour of a day in your week, and it can get you into something new that can really help take you out of your daily routine and help you meet new friends. Start a Side Hustle Every Career Girl needs a side hustle. Whether it is a few writing jobs or a small cupcake business, something that helps you earn a bit of money while doing something you love can really give you big returns at the end of the year. You not only get some money, you also get a sense of fulfillment over growing a business that you own. Whatever project you take on, what truly matters is that you commit to it and you look on with a purposeful optimism for the future. What projects are you starting this year? Let us know at @mscareergirl now!

How to know if youre an entrepreneur

How to know if youre an entrepreneur Heres an interview of me in Inc. magazine. John Warrilow did the interview. The topic was how to know if youre an entrepreneur. I basically said that you know youre an entrepreneur if you are crazy, in a manic way, and you are willing to risk the health of your family and have no chance of a stable income, ever. Then John sent his book to me. Its called Built to Sell. It turns out that John did a startup and he sold it, and his book is, basically, how to be so smart about doing a startup that you are aiming for a reasonable, not-pie-in-the-sky exit from day one. I spend a lot of time talking about how startup life is completely crazy, and the founders are crazy for choosing it. But in fact, the lower-stakes, lower-risk entrepreneurship, where, instead of having investors, you use your own time and energy to make money on the side while you are doing other things thats a great way to structure a life. Ramit Sethi has great advice on how to do this. Its called Earn $1K On the Side. And now I bet a ton of you are going to sign up for his program, and I should have negotiated beforehand to get a cut of whatever he earns from this post. But I am stuck thinking about insanely risky businesses with high reward and so I forget to do things like earn $300 when its just sitting there. Okay. So, anyway, Ive been thinking that everyone can be the type of person who tries stuff on the side, because the process is really learning about yourself and what you have that the world values (like Craig did here). The Farmer found me because he was researching about entrepreneurship; farming is an incredibly low-margin business, so farmers have to be great entrepreneurs in order to stay solvent. The Farmer showed my eight-year-old how to feed a baby calf for a year so that he could sell the calf at market. My son earned $400 for that calf at a cattle auction, and I swear, we watched my sons self-confidence grow right there, in front of our eyes as he collected his check from the auctioneer. My five-year-old asked why he doesnt have a calf. The Farmer suggested that since the five-year-olds job is to collect eggs every evening, he could start and egg-selling business. Besides, my youngest sons talents are probably less on the animal husbandry side and more on the sales side. He caught people in the school parking lot and asked if they wanted to buy eggs. People asked questions: How much, how are the chickens raised, what color are the eggs. My son loved knowing the answers. Someone asked him what hes going to do with the money he earns. My son thought about it. Then he said, I guess Ill build a hot tub. Sold. He organized each carton so there were many different colored eggs. I told him to be very careful during the egg delivery because he wont be able to make as many sales if he breaks a lot of eggs. He took the advice very seriously: He got so good at selling eggs, that one day, he had a friend over and an egg order came in. My son told his friend that if he helps collect the eggs and deliver them, theyll earn $4 and the friend can have half the money. The friend said yes, they put on their superhero capes, and they were off to the chicken barn. So, after only a few weeks in the egg business, my son discovered what I think are the best parts of entrepreneurship: Building friendships, having fun, and taking joy in each small success. Watching my son makes me really believe that everyone can be an entrepreneur if the expectations for huge payout are small and the expectations of the joys of self-discovery are huge.

How to Write a Resume For the National Park Service

How to Write a Resume For the National Park ServiceA National Park Service resumes is not only a great opportunity to showcase your accomplishments; it can also be a very intimidating task. If you are thinking about writing a resume for this type of position, you will want to do some researching first to make sure that you are completely prepared.The National Park Service is one of the most widely-recognized government agencies. From Yellowstone, to Big Bend, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon to Crater Lake, there are many opportunities available in which to display your skills and achievements. All you need to do is create a resume for them that showcases what you have accomplished in your career. That can easily be done with some careful planning and writing.Since the National Park Service is one of the most respected and most important government departments, many people assume that they will hire someone who has a lot of experience with them. However, that is rarely the case. Since they are an independent organization, they rely on a lot of different types of people, from managers and officers down to park rangers and researchers. Those who have spent time on their staffs have shown an ability to use their knowledge to help the organization, while those who simply sit in an office may not be as effective.Before beginning your resume, you will want to determine what your agency's standards are. You will want to take some time to think about what your qualifications are, including education, experience, and any special training or certifications that you have. This will help you write a resume that does not seem as impersonal as possible.If you are applying for a Park Service job in Washington D.C., you will want to consider all of the available positions. There are many people in the National Park Service, and each one will require a different skill set. For example, park rangers will need a number of different abilities, including the ability to interact with a variety of people, which includes people from all walks of life. When you consider your career goals, you will want to include everything you have ever done in order to show what you can do.After determining your potential, you will then want to begin your resume for the National Park Service. You will want to take note of any recent experience you have had as well as any awards or recognition you may have received. You will also want to provide details about any professional organizations you belong to. This information will prove that you have accomplished a lot throughout your life, and it is not usually expected for someone who is applying for this type of position.With this information in hand, you will then want to consider how you will write a resume for the National Park Service. You will want to outline each area and show why it is an area you are proud to work in. Include accomplishments that can be quantified as well as details about your leadership roles within the org anization and your dedication to meeting the needs of the public.It is possible to meet all of the requirements necessary to write a Park Service resume. It takes a bit of planning, but with a little help and research, you will be able to achieve it. With the many options available to you, you should not have any trouble showing that you are dedicated to the National Park Service and your ability to write a resume can show it!

Musings of an Expats Return to the United States - Career Pivot

Musings of an Expat's Return to the United States - Career Pivot Musings of an Expat’s Return My wife and I have returned to the United States for a month for a variety of reasons: My wife needs to get several prescriptions refilled that are not available outside of the United States I am speaking at a variety of venues to support the release of Repurpose Your Career 3rd Edition I’m attending my 45th High School reunion in New Jersey My wife and I will visit with our son and his wife We will finish clearing out our storage room in Austin Check out our condo that is being rented Visit with friends After having lived much of the 16 months outside of the United States I am much more aware of things that I have taken for granted in the past. Let me just muse about what I am discovering. Mexico is Dangerous … NOT I have been asked both in-person and online in the last month multiple times if I fear for my safety in Mexico. My response is always that I feel safer where I live in Ajijic Mexico than in Austin Texas where I have lived for the last 40+ years. I almost always get a …what? response. I tell them that I had a SWAT team set up near my TX condo twice in recent years and I missed the Package Bomber who was terrorizing Austin in 2018. The typical response is, “Mexico is so dangerous!” I respond that the South Side of Chicago is also dangerous, but people still come to the US because not all of the US is like the Southside of Chicago. I live in one of the safest sections of Mexico. Additionally, I am not alone as well over 1 million Americans live in Mexico. Some estimate this number is much larger; a significant number live in Mexico illegally because they do not financially qualify for resident visas. These are also economic refugees who have left the US because they no longer afford to live there. The Drive to the Border Central Mexico is stunningly beautiful as it is a high desert with beautiful vistas. The drive this time was interrupted by multiple impromptu security checkpoints set up by the Policia Federal or Federal Police. Each time we were quickly waved on, but I suspect this has to do with Central American migrants traveling towards the United States. Security checkpoints are common on the toll roads that we drive on from Ajijic to Laredo. They are there to screen the huge number of trucks that are on the roads. The drive is about 700 miles and almost entirely on toll roads; we typically make it in 2 days. One thing we’ve learned upon coming to Mexico is that we should not drive at night. Most people will ask if it is because of banditos. No, in fact, it is a) because livestock roam onto the roads at night and b) Mexico loves her “topes” or speed bumps. Hence a two-day drive. Listen to the most recent episode We arrived in Nuevo Laredo on the border and headed straight for the “banjercito” so that we could turn in our temporary import permit (TIP) for our automobile and have the $400+ deposit refunded. Unfortunately, this time they did not refund the deposit on a technicality. I immediately called my lawyer, who is an American living in Mexico, and he explained what was going on and instructed us to stop by when we get back. Lawyers in Mexico are VERY affordable. Sensory Sensations on Returning What I immediately notice when we return to the US is the constant white noise. This background noise comes mostly from machines like AC compressors, automobile tires, and leaf blowers. We have very little of that where my wife and I live in Mexico as no one has AC, we live far from a highway, and people use these contraptions called brooms and rakes to clean up things. This is not to say that it isn’t noisy in Mexico â€" in fact, it can be very noisy â€" but it is not the mechanical sounds that I have grown accustomed to over the years living in the US. Now that I have lived without that background noise for the last 16 months, I find it downright irritating at times. Why Do I Need a Car to Do Almost Anything? We have a car in Mexico but we hardly use it. We did drive into Guadalajara last month to go to Home Depot and Costco for items we could not get locally. It is about an hour drive to get to central Guadalajara. Other than those few special trips which are mostly to get large items, we either walk or take the bus. When I returned to Austin I had to get into the car to get or do just about anything. When I needed to print out of some documents I headed over to the local FedEx office; it is only a mile away, but there is a highway in between where we are staying and the FedEx office. I can and did walk it, but boy it was difficult as there are no sidewalks in a number of places. It is very obvious to me that we designed the city around the use of the car and not around people. Where I live now I have small grocery stores, “tiendas”, within a short distance of our casita. They are often no bigger than your walk-in closet in your bedroom but they are filled with fresh fruit and vegetables. I really do not need a car in Mexico and in many ways, I am healthier because I walk everywhere. Factory Food is Killing Us We drove to Lufkin, Texas before we came to Austin. I walked into the local Walmart and saw its wall-to-wall packaged food. I also looked around and saw an enormous number of people who were oversized. They had huge baskets filled with largely junk food that would last them a week or more. We have seen the cause of our US health problems and it is us. There was recently a great podcast produced by our friends at Freakinomics called How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War. We have a Walmart in Ajijic but my wife and I do not buy much there. We tend to shop every few days for food and buy from the local merchants. I will tell you the food grown locally is so much more flavorful as it is true farm to table. Most of the fresh food we eat was grown locally which means not everything is available all of the time. In the US, we expect to have everything available all of the time. Next Few Weeks When this publishes I will be headed to New Jersey for the next phase of my book launch. I will also be attending my 45th high school reunion and I have a certain amount to trepidation about this trip. My wife and I went to a wedding in New Jersey and it felt strange. I felt like I was in a foreign country in many ways and did not belong or fit in. After the reunion, my wife flies up and we head for Washington DC for a meet-up with members of the Career Pivot community and others. We will also be visiting with our son and his wife whom we have not seen in a couple of years. They are prohibited from traveling to Mexico as they both have high-level security clearances and work for the US government.We are very much looking forward to seeing them! We will then fly back to Austin, tie up some loose ends and start the drive back to Ajijic Mexico. That concludes my musings for now. Comment below and let me know your thoughts! Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Essential Writing Tips - Top 10 Strategies - How 2 Become

Essential Writing Tips - Top 10 Strategies - How 2 Become No matter why you are writing, whether for academic purposes or for pleasure, doing so to a high standard is extremely important. It is the mode by which you transmit your ideas, findings, opinions, critiques, and knowledge, so it’s vital that you are always looking to improve. If you are a student, clear written communication is as important as anything else. Students with better ideas often do not get more marks than students with superior writing skills; you cannot get high marks in an essay off the back of good ideas alone. So, let’s go through 10 essential writing tips you can use to boost your writing straight away.Essential Writing Tips #1 â€" PunctuationPunctuation is a good place to start when looking to improve writing, as it allows us to give meaning and form to our words and sentences. Without punctuation, comprehending writing of any length would be nigh on impossible. This is the point of punctuation â€" to aid understanding. It is NOT used to show where the reader should pause or ‘breathe’.Another reason to begin by looking at punctuation is because its rules are mostly set in stone. For academic writing, personal style should not affect how you use punctuation â€" at least not too much. Each punctuation mark has its own specific use, which helps to convey a specific meaning within a sentence.Having said this, if you are writing creatively, you may wish to break some of these rules in order to curate a deeper sense of style. While good punctuation should always provide the framework of your writing, don’t let over-strictness inhibit you from certain decisions about things like the voices of characters or lucid descriptions.Essential Writing Tips #2 â€" ConsistencyNow for one of the most important tips for improving your writing: maintaining consistency. What is meant by this, is that you have to make a timetable and commit hours in the week to your writing. This is especially true if you’re working on a long-term creative project. If you don’t put in the time, you simply won’t fulfil your writing ambitions.Similarly, don’t be disheartened if you don’t feel like you’re making fast enough progress on your project. Stumbling blocks are part of the overall writing process that every writer experiences. If you still believe in your original idea, then you will eventually pass through such slow periods using enough graft and perseverance.Essential Writing Tips #3 â€" PerseveranceTo expand on this idea, let’s now discuss perseverance in a slightly different way. While you should obviously persevere with projects themselves, it’s also important to do so in-between projects. For example, let’s say that you have been working on a writing project for months, but after having tried everything, you decide that it’s time to cut your losses and move on.These difficult decisions to ‘give up’ unfortunately make up a necessary part of any writer’s career. So, it is very important that you respond to these situations in the right way. Of course, this is where perseverance becomes involved again. So, after such a setback, take some time out to assess what went awry and for what reasons, but then don’t be afraid to get back to your desk and get going on your next idea.Essential Writing Tips #4 â€" ComfortOn a slightly lighter note, another important thing for a writer to consider is the physical space in which they work. Make sure your writing area is as comfortable as possible, and set up in a way which compliments how you best work. For most writers, it’s important to have a specified writing area where they do nothing but write.This might mean they have a space at home or work, or it could mean they prefer a more public space such as a library or coffee shop. Perhaps they also leave phones at the door and work in silence, or maybe they’d rather listen to music as they write. In any case, find out what makes you comfortable and adjust accordingly. Don’t underestimate what a fe w changes in this area could do for productivity!Essential Writing Tips #5 â€" ConfidenceBeing confident in your own abilities is incredibly important when writing. This is because maintaining self-belief will reap numerous rewards. Firstly, having confidence will allow you to make clear-cut decisions during your writing process â€" you won’t sit on the fence when deciding the fate of a character or how to bring your plot to a close. This will allow you to make demonstrable progress.Confidence will also allow you to take your writing where you want it to go. It will allow you to create and start posting to a blog, or send out drafts to potential clients or publishers. Of course, confidence will come once you’ve written something you’re truly proud of, but you’ll also need some at the start of your process before you’ve written a word.Essential Writing Tips #6 â€" OpennessRelated to this, being open about your work will help immeasurably. In other words, don’t be afraid t o share your work with others! No matter what type of project you’re working on, getting the opinions of those around you should represent an important stage. This is because it’s easy to get too close to a piece of writing and potentially lose sight of its strengths and weaknesses.So, even if you don’t agree with every bit of feedback you get, amassing the opinions of several people you trust will undoubtedly allow you to build a more accurate view of your work. This will also allow you to take a step back and discuss your work â€" something that will shed light on different perspectives and spark ideas.Essential Writing Tips #7 â€" ReadOne thing that should undoubtedly be a part of your daily routine while writing is reading; it is impossible to overstate how important this is. Immersing yourself in other works will allow you to pick up grammar rules, increase your vocabulary, and get accustomed to different registers and styles.Luckily, there’s no correct answer to the qu estion, ‘What should I be reading?’ Of course, depending on what you’re working on, some forms of writing may be more relevant than others. However, if you’re reading, you’re working to improve your writing. What’s more, dipping into a variety of genres, fiction and non-fiction titles, and a mixture of formats can only serve to make your findings broader and more rounded.Essential Writing Tips #8 â€" ResearchWhatever you may be writing, in-depth and relevant research has to be part of your thinking. Of course, if it’s an academic essay you’re tackling then this is obvious â€" you will need to cite sources and build upon established criticism or data. However, should it be creative writing that you’re working on, it could be equally important.Say you are writing a novel which is set in Exeter. You should thoroughly research the area in order to create vivid descriptions, as well as for general accuracy. In a perfect world, you should even visit the city and draw fro m some first-hand experience. Better still, set your piece of writing an area you know well. The authenticity of your descriptions and impressions will improve the quality of your work immeasurably.Essential Writing Tips #9 â€" EditingOne thing that is said to be underestimated by writers is the amount of editing and proofreading that should go into their work. No one expects you to be able to produce a perfectly polished masterpiece at the first time of asking â€" that’s what second, third, fourth, fifth (and beyond!) drafts are for. At the end of a writing session, you should go through your work in forensic detail, aiming to cut out all unnecessary words and mistakes.Having said this, it is possible to go overboard with edits and reedits. Make sure you don’t spend too long chopping and changing in one sitting â€" don’t be afraid of taking breaks and returning to your work with a clear mind.Essential Writing Tips #10 â€" Purpose and AudienceEven before you set about doing an y writing, it’s important to gain a clear understanding of what’s motivating you to do so. Are you writing to learn more about yourself or others? Are you critiquing anything in particular? Do you just have a really good idea for a story? There is no ‘right’ answer to the question of ‘Why are you writing?’ but make sure that you have one. Clear aims and objectives will serve to focus all of your future travails, and keep you motivated throughout the process.As well as the question above, you should ascertain who it is you’re writing for â€" who do you expect to get the most from your writing? Again, the answer to this could be you, which is fine. However, if you plan on sharing your work (which you should!) you need to consider some demographics. Are you writing for children or young adults? Are you aiming to resonate with certain genders? Or even: are you aiming to fulfill the conventions of a particular genre? Of course, not knowing this from the outset could mean th at your work may end up without direction, or even a point. Planning in this way will also make writing a lot easier â€" you’ll be able to maintain a clear focus.For more writing resources, such as how to write a CV, follow the link.Like How2Become on Facebook. This entry was posted in Resources. Bookmark the permalink. Henry Hunter Civil Service Fast Stream Assessment Centre (FSAC)Introduction to the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)

Network with strangers -

Network with strangers - Image by luc legay via Flickr I coach my clients to cultivate loose networking ties. (Effectively, connect with people outside of your immediate circle.) Many wonder how useful it is to reach out, especially   online, to people they only expect to know via the Internet. My colleague, JT ODonnell, recently wrote a great piece for Mashable asking, Would you refer a stranger to a job? Her response to her own question: I guess that all depends on what your definition of stranger is these daysLast week, I sent an email to an HR Director introducing a candidate. Seems normal, right? Well, the catch is that Ive never met the person I referred, or the HR Director in person, that is. I met them on LinkedIn. JT explains her thought process in referring a virtual stranger for an opportunity: 1. In my mind, shes not a stranger. While it is true that 93% of effective communication between two people is done face-to-face (i.e. voice tone and pace, eye contact, body language, facial expressions, etc.), the reality is that she only got to use 7% of her communication skills (the words and style of her writing) by e-mail to connect with me. I had multiple dialogs with her online and all of them were consistently professional and enjoyable. 2. Networking online is easy an efficient. These days, it is estimated that over 80% of jobs are gotten by referral. FACT: The Six Degrees of Separation Theory truly applies when it comes to job search. Just look at the evidence: it took me all of three minutes to learn that I was only two contacts away from the HR Director she wanted to meet, and just another five minutes of my time to send the e-mail recommending her. 3. Being helpful is good for your business-of-one. Leveraging our contacts online to help someone find a job in this economy is thoughtful and much needed. Not to mention, it boosts your own credibility as a professional. Besides, you just never know when you might need the favor returned. The reality is that anyone you refer still has to get the job, the assignment, or the sale on their own. So, its not a big investment on your part. I actually think the returns are greater for the person who does the referring. I think that JTs story is a wonderful reminder to job seekers do NOT underestimate the value of loose connections and the opportunity to build relationships using technology and social media. The majority of the 80% of jobs found via networking are not likely to be a result of close connections What I like to call the brother-in-law phenomenon, where you have to hope your family member can connect you to an opportunity. Things are much more in the job seekers hands than that! This contact JT   described in this story did everything right by building a relationship first. She did not cut to the chase to ask for a favor. JT was willing to refer the job seeker because she had a good feeling about her skills and a sense that she would behave in a similarly professional way when connecting with another contact. Job seekers who learn how to form relationships with people instead of looking at networking as a chore will be the success stories we career coaches point out for everyone else! Use LinkedIn, Twitter and FaceBook to propel your search! I would be happy to help teach you how to leverage your job search network for success. Contact me!