5 Ways to Botch a Phone Interview

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/r1/ar5m0gf659vn3tj6s5r1.gif?time=9/22/2010%204:28:27%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/r1/ar5m0gf659vn3tj6s5r1.gif?time=9/22/2010%204:28:27%20pm" /></a></div>Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing <br /><br />Phone interviews are a fairly fundamental part of the job search process. Yet many candidates fail to progress beyond this stage in their pursuit of a particular job.<br /><br />"Often, a candidate's failure occurs because he didn't treat the phone interview as seriously he would have a face-to-face meeting with a recruiter or potential employer," says Vicki Salemi, author of "Big Career in the Big City."<br /><br />In her book, Salemi pinpoints several phone interview faux pas, which include the following:<br /><br />Conducting the interview in your pajamas<br /><br />Even though you're not meeting with someone face-to-face, you should still wear clothes that make you feel confident and put together, Salemi says. In addition, she recommends candidates wake up at least 30 minutes before the interview, comb their hair and brush their teeth. "I can't tell you how many times I've conducted phone interviews with people who literally just woke up. This created the visions in my head about their unbrushed teeth, uncombed hair and overall inability to focus," she explains.<br /><br />Picking the wrong spot to talk<br /><br />Whenever you're talking with a recruiter or potential employer on the phone, it's best to do so in a place that's peaceful and quiet. Outside noise and too many distractions around you can make it difficult to concentrate on what you're being asked during the interview. Salemi suggests staying at home for the phone interview and talking on a land line instead of a cell phone. "This way, it's likely you'll have clearer reception and you reduce any risk that you'll lose the call in the middle of a sentence."<br /><br />Failing to take advantage of access to helpful resources right at your fingertips<br /><br />According to Salemi, the main advantage to a phone interview is that you can refer to a handful of helpful resources during your interview. For example, you can glance at a list of talking points or you can pull up the company's website on your computer so that it's in front of you while you're interviewing.<br /><br />Forgetting to let your smile shine<br /><br />It may feel silly to smile when no one's around to see it, but odds are strong that the person interviewing you will notice how much more pleasant your voice sounds when you're doing so. Salemi also suggests standing up during the interview. "You'll be able to project your voice more and sound more confident if you're standing as opposed to sitting down. Celebrities do this all of the time during radio interviews, so why not channel your inner rock star?"<br /><br />Neglecting to close on a strong note<br /><br />It's very important to close the phone interview just as you would an office interview, Salemi says. "Ask the interviewer about the next steps in the interview process, when you should follow up, and where they are in the process. Then say your cordial good-byes, hang up and immediately send a thank-you note."<br />Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

5 Ways to Botch a Phone Interview

Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing Phone interviews are a fairly fundamental part of the job search process. Yet many candidates fail to progress...

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Blue Monday

I'm not in a happy place this morning. There are many reasons:<br /><br />1. Still no sign of Hank (see yesterday's post below). Each time I check the live animal traps for him (three times in the last 12 hours, I feel my heart sink. I just can't believe this dog has gone through so much, was lucky enough to get adopted by a loving family in Taiwan, then loses everyone in a house fire. Then lucky enough to get shipped to the United States so he doesn't wind up on someones dinner table in Taiwan, and gets adopted immediately here in the States. Then this happens. He's lost ten minutes after being in his new home. It just breaks my heart.<br /><br />2. I had an emergency call at midnight for a work problem. After fixing it I tossed and turned for what seem like forever. I was hungry (of course). I finally got up and ate strawberries with real whip cream (in a can but it's the real stuff, not light, and I ate a lot of it). I think I finally fell asleep around 2am with the alarm going off at 4:30am. I had to check Hank's traps at 5am then go to the gym. Of course the traps were empty.<br /><br />3. My gym workout was lackluster to say the least. Probably because I'm so tired. I used the five-minute rule six times while I was on the Crossramp. Seriously, every five minutes I'd tell myself just five more minutes then I can leave. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life. Afterwards I did upper body weights which normally I love. I didn't seem to have any strength. It's like someone pulled the plug on my energy. After only four exercises (3 sets each), I gave up. Normally I do a minimum of six different exercises, three sets each. I just didn't have it in me this morning.<br /><br />4. I have my performance review today at work It's not something I'm looking forward to. Especially because I'm so tired, and I never take constructive criticism well even under the best of circumstances. Given how I feel right now I'll probably wind up in tears.<br /><br />5. It's snowing giant snowflakes right now. Thirty-five degrees with gray skies. Normally I love snow, but it makes me sad to think of poor Hank out there, alone, cold, hungry and scared. <br /><br />I know all this will pass and everything will be okay. No one is going to give up on Hank. I probably won't get fired from my job. So I had a bad workout this morning, it happens. <br /><br />I'm sure tomorrow will be a better day (heck, can't get much worse than how I feel right now).

Blue Monday

I'm not in a happy place this morning. There are many reasons: 1. Still no sign of Hank (see yesterday's post below). Each time I ch...

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Platinum Blonde and Beyond

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiertslXgbvSKgk33eJ8Y_2iIiCoNTRLjJxznsDuQrvILuRgWqS6nmJH7hbjyC3t_BVRnlNlTykufu8tSo9twHwVg2vzrsqHO6PI9Je8JtUfzSlUHV-TiZFo6LE4CA7Tl9O2bPdBJYWKiHx/s1600/Jean+Harlow%255B1%255D+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="305" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiertslXgbvSKgk33eJ8Y_2iIiCoNTRLjJxznsDuQrvILuRgWqS6nmJH7hbjyC3t_BVRnlNlTykufu8tSo9twHwVg2vzrsqHO6PI9Je8JtUfzSlUHV-TiZFo6LE4CA7Tl9O2bPdBJYWKiHx/s320/Jean+Harlow%255B1%255D+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was her trademark, her calling card and, in 1931, the name of a film for which she received third billing. <i>Platinum Blonde</i> had originally been intended as a vehicle for top-billed star Loretta Young but, by the time it was released, the film's title had changed and changed again until it was an outright reference to pale-haired co-star Jean Harlow. It was not Harlow's breakout picture, that had come with <i>Hell's Angels</i><b> </b>(1930), nor is it generally cited as one of her great classics, but <i>Platinum Blonde</i><b> </b>was pivotal - it proclaimed her stardom.</span><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjZYEoJ-iK1sBE9rap6JPAPMzvhilDjaEvYqdjBj8wXBk_Fp1fHN9kLc5nC86Vx799P-ihSGtfdXSMmNPuTJupvT4Y1bRFsfbSq-zXNYVfKllXFtkRxhHM3E84bEfTz__ESJMue1_WDKx/s1600/6943_1%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjZYEoJ-iK1sBE9rap6JPAPMzvhilDjaEvYqdjBj8wXBk_Fp1fHN9kLc5nC86Vx799P-ihSGtfdXSMmNPuTJupvT4Y1bRFsfbSq-zXNYVfKllXFtkRxhHM3E84bEfTz__ESJMue1_WDKx/s200/6943_1%255B1%255D.jpg" width="143" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Public Enemy (1931)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In 1931, the 20-year-old starlet was still under an oppressive five-year contract with Howard Hughes, producer/director of <i>Hell's Angels</i>. She had proven her appeal in the film, but Hughes had no projects in the works for her and most Hollywood insiders believed he was mismanaging her career. Harlow's then-friend/future husband Paul Bern arranged for her loan to MGM for <i>The Secret Six</i> (1931) an underworld drama with Wallace Beery and not-yet-famous Clark Gable. Immediately after, she was loaned out to Universal for an unsympathetic role in <i>The Iron Man</i><b> </b>(1931), a boxing drama with Lew Ayres. While still on that project, she went back to MGM for retakes on <i>The Secret Six </i>and began work on her next film, this time on loan to Warner Brothers for the gangster classic <i>The Public Enemy</i> (1931), with James Cagney. Her fourth film in five months was for Fox, <i>Goldie</i><b> </b>(1931), a comedy with Spencer Tracy. Of these films only <i>The Public Enemy</i> was an unqualified hit, and it was a blockbuster, but it was Cagney who became the overnight star...Harlow's allure was noted, but her performance was widely panned.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With an assist from New Jersey mobster Abner Zwillman who was involved with Harlow, a two-picture deal with Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures was secured. Zwillman made sure the actress earned quite a bit more than what she eked out from Howard Hughes. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Harlow's first film for Columbia was to be called "Gallagher" and was one of several films of the emerging "newspaper" genre. It was a romantic comedy about an everyman reporter who falls for a high living socialite and is blind to the love of his best friend and fellow reporter, a gal pal named Gallagher.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8PP1LNbwXSkjRwgYsmIQYE7qQGgA1F4hH3_48AU1sNw-xWPWeSYlbRy2XOBcbJ3DufD_tFOupmnaCRRMMEiA2q5xXNZmCDAZpYfRNo1-tobd2u-vjXFvKglsGuL-wD5pCmRNuLJ5DXgV/s1600/Loretta+Young%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8PP1LNbwXSkjRwgYsmIQYE7qQGgA1F4hH3_48AU1sNw-xWPWeSYlbRy2XOBcbJ3DufD_tFOupmnaCRRMMEiA2q5xXNZmCDAZpYfRNo1-tobd2u-vjXFvKglsGuL-wD5pCmRNuLJ5DXgV/s200/Loretta+Young%255B1%255D.jpg" width="151" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Loretta Young</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Contracted to star as Gallagher was luminous Loretta Young, already a movie veteran at only 18. She'd started in pictures at age four with an uncredited bit part as a "Fairy" in <i>The Primrose Ring </i>(1917) starring Mae Murray. At eight she'd appeared as an "Arab Child" in Valentino's <i>The Shiek</i><b> </b>(1921) and at 15 co-starred with silent screen legend Lon Chaney in <i>Laugh, Clown, Laugh</i> (1928). In 1929 she, along with her sister Sally Blane, Jean Arthur and others, was named one of Hollywood's "WAMPAS Baby Stars." By the time she came to "Gallagher" Young had already appeared in more than 30 films.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Gallagher" had begun as an assignment for director Edward Buzzell (<i>At the Circus, Go West, Song of the Thin Man, Neptune's Daughter</i>) and development of the project was nearly complete by the time Frank Capra, then a promising director at Columbia, took over.</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e2-SS1j6iVDtpHwdkQF1woSLhtAXsKNJjjepNtvKYYihLwJIHursd5l3FqlYln9vJNO-_HE8R06xAuuGo8EsT7z0WRLWNTUuBpLlb6xvGnuADLRHearDvLLRJhwEDZ4slw2_eZJT1M6O/s1600/cohn+and+capra+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="148" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6e2-SS1j6iVDtpHwdkQF1woSLhtAXsKNJjjepNtvKYYihLwJIHursd5l3FqlYln9vJNO-_HE8R06xAuuGo8EsT7z0WRLWNTUuBpLlb6xvGnuADLRHearDvLLRJhwEDZ4slw2_eZJT1M6O/s200/cohn+and+capra+2.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Harry Cohn and Frank Capra</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Capra was on his way up in 1931, but still a few years away from the Oscar nominations and wins that would characterize his career. He had been scheduled to make <i>Forbidden</i> with Barbara Stanwyck but that project was shelved for the time being and he moved on to "Gallagher." Comparing the filmographies of Buzzell and Capra, this was fortuitous.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On loan to Columbia from RKO-Pathé to co-star in <i>Forbidden </i>was recent Broadway-to-Hollywood transplant Robert Williams. With that film on the shelf, Williams was cast as the male lead, a down to earth newspaperman and charmer named Stew Smith, in "Gallagher."</span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfl26_yEAOM9qaHqGq836o9CiOLlovfqMzduyW_86TSgNjujZkH-geQzpKQ7SP0bfO7qe3nCCun4lMl9QL-JQQ2B31gROs6-dVlkz9Ehl4eVKwj_u586IkYiy1QY8jRFMNGnU5FhZJblC/s1600/platinum+blonde+dvd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfl26_yEAOM9qaHqGq836o9CiOLlovfqMzduyW_86TSgNjujZkH-geQzpKQ7SP0bfO7qe3nCCun4lMl9QL-JQQ2B31gROs6-dVlkz9Ehl4eVKwj_u586IkYiy1QY8jRFMNGnU5FhZJblC/s200/platinum+blonde+dvd.jpg" width="159" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harlow and Williams</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Williams had been on the New York stage for nearly ten years when Hollywood beckoned. He'd starred in a great hit of the era, "Abie's Irish Rose," the longest running play in Broadway history up to that time. In 1930 he was cast in Donald Ogden Stewart's "Rebound," which was just a moderate success. But sound had  permanently arrived, and Hollywood was desperate for stage plays, actors and writers. When RKO-Pathé bought the film rights to the play, Williams repeated his role in <i>Rebound</i><b> </b>(1931) opposite Ina Claire. He was quickly cast in two more productions, <i>The Common Law</i> (1931) with Constance Bennett and Joel McCrea and <i>Devotion</i> (1931) with Ann Harding and Leslie Howard, and was considered "a new comedy sensation" when tapped for "Gallagher."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">  </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Another noteworthy contributor on the film was screenwriter Robert Riskin (<i>It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can't Take it With You, Lost Horizon</i>) who, though credited only with the dialogue, reportedly penned the script that had captured Capra's attention early on. The combination of an appealing cast, an up-and-coming director along with well honed writing, delivered a box office hit - and a film that has been called Capra's most underrated.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">By the time the picture was screened for its final preview audience, it had been retitled "The Gilded Cage," referring to protagonist Stew Smith's predicament and shifting focus from the Gallagher character. At the same time, a PR-fueled craze for peroxide-blonde hair swept the country and further heightened interest in bombshell Jean Harlow, recently tagged "the platinum blonde." Within a week of the last preview, the film had a new and lasting title, <i>Platinum Blonde</i>, though the plot had nothing to do with haircolor...</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN7mm3z2okENpQxmVIwIOXl2aVaL9vnrYEoAdOcEpdx_Ab66fKwVTocssufLZLBhdt18a3TWCNx-spXg-eJY8SVv3-Ih0z-iLUYwOICfLcTc-SxQfFefbzwa9K5ZcWXX7_0CjiPZeESW9/s1600/red+headed+woman+book+jacket.jpg+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYN7mm3z2okENpQxmVIwIOXl2aVaL9vnrYEoAdOcEpdx_Ab66fKwVTocssufLZLBhdt18a3TWCNx-spXg-eJY8SVv3-Ih0z-iLUYwOICfLcTc-SxQfFefbzwa9K5ZcWXX7_0CjiPZeESW9/s200/red+headed+woman+book+jacket.jpg+2.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With <i>Platinum Blonde</i> Harlow became a star. A few months later <i>The Beast of the City</i> (1932) brought her first consistently good reviews and in April 1932, aided by the maneuvering of Paul Bern and Irving Thalberg, she signed a seven-year contract with MGM. Her first film for the preeminent studio was <i>Red-Headed Woman</i> (1932), and it was tailored to her style and personality with added emphasis on humor to soften the perception of overt sexuality. Jean Harlow made 13 more films for MGM, all of them popular, several of them classics, and was a top Hollywood star for the rest of her short life.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Loretta Young's acting career covered more than 75 years, but her ascent to stardom only began in earnest when she signed with 20th Century Fox in the mid-'30's. She won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in <i>The Farmer's Daughter</i> (1947) and later won three Best Actress Emmys for her 1950s TV anthology series.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Capra and Riskin went on to make a string of classic films together. It's significant that the primary characters and themes of <i>Platinum Blonde</i><b> </b>would be revisited and refined in their later collaborations. The two men next worked on <i>American Madness</i> (1932) and then came <i>Lady for a Day</i><b> </b>(1933) bringing Oscar nods to each of them. It was the following year, with <i>It Happened One Night</i><b> </b>(1934), that Capra's and Riskin's reputations were made. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Writing/Adaptation. In his career, Riskin was nominated for a total of five Oscars, all were for Capra films. Capra was nominated for six Oscars and won three; all winning films were those on which he'd collaborated with Riskin. Their first success working together had been <i>Platinum Blonde</i>...</span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8-kMRfL5KOWQKD4dZLErBodUYpI5C7Q9qeJ8_R7DQUrabEFCKtmfHXnPjSFRGOq_EtaX3LDWDp6TeFmzX2-_wOa-WP56iQmKIltG0a-zBQ3k5X-kZ_zfHjuuvvSRjhGhP-60JWlZJnS7/s1600/Robert+Williams+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8-kMRfL5KOWQKD4dZLErBodUYpI5C7Q9qeJ8_R7DQUrabEFCKtmfHXnPjSFRGOq_EtaX3LDWDp6TeFmzX2-_wOa-WP56iQmKIltG0a-zBQ3k5X-kZ_zfHjuuvvSRjhGhP-60JWlZJnS7/s200/Robert+Williams+2.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Williams</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I realized on first viewing <i>Platinum Blonde</i> that the standout performance and the heart of the film was the male lead. I wondered who Robert Williams was and why I hadn't seen his name before. He was enormously talented, facile, charismatic...and attractive enough to make the grade - yet I'd never heard of him. There was a very good reason.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When <i>Platinum Blonde</i><b> </b>opened Williams received glowing reviews. He must have realized that he was about to break out, but he had little time to enjoy his new caché. Just as the film was opening, Williams took a trip to Catalina Island, a popular getaway for Hollywood folk in those days. While he was there his appendix ruptured and by the time he managed to return to the mainland and go into a hospital he'd developed peritonitis. He underwent surgery but died on November 3, four days after <i>Platinum Blonde</i>'s release and on the same day <i>Variety</i> singled out his performance and predicted a promising future.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There isn't much available on YouTube from </span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Platinum Blonde</span><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, but the scene below provides a moment of pre-Code mischief (if some of the dialogue seems politically incorrect remember, this film is 80 years old)...</span></i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><i>TCM will air <b>Platinum Blonde</b> on Tuesday, March 29, 11:30pm Eastern/8:30pm Pacific</i></span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsdq9Yih4oVXSqWy-HnE17DZSZ9jt38whexejCqdG6uLtV1PiFO68rR7LkNIzBnlHGef9kWv4EUtmixSejUFm0X_m1phXM96EBKMxRKRTCRuVK7Bvsw28IjbRtr1ccyncmRFTKfF4Xeg/s1600/platinum+blonde.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsdq9Yih4oVXSqWy-HnE17DZSZ9jt38whexejCqdG6uLtV1PiFO68rR7LkNIzBnlHGef9kWv4EUtmixSejUFm0X_m1phXM96EBKMxRKRTCRuVK7Bvsw28IjbRtr1ccyncmRFTKfF4Xeg/s400/platinum+blonde.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loretta Young, Robert Williams, Jean Harlow</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Darrell Rooney and Mark Vieira's new book <i>Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital, 1928 - 1937</i> (</span><a href="http://www.tcm.com/movienews/index/?cid=375118"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-small;">click here</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> to learn more) is scheduled for release in  March from Angel City Press.</span></span>

Frank Capra Harry Cohn Howard Hughes Irving Thalberg Jean Harlow Loretta Young Paul Bern Platinum Blonde Robert Riskin Robert Williams The Lady Eve (author) Platinum Blonde and Beyond

It was her trademark, her calling card and, in 1931, the name of a film for which she received third billing. Platinum Blonde had originall...

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Chasing Hank

Meet Hank, a two-year old, 35-pound Formosan Mountain Dog:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp9YyQG2_r582M6qlUG-apsTDAQIi1AVswMQQc9_fTjdHXljLmMqvnNC3mkGLfqC5eQiGwXj7_GsusuvLTX5KQKjTD2cmEp5hWBOe3voLFJ1OMVdVdEy9XAodMXp91ZY5tD4UGLBjBh5x/s1600/Hank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp9YyQG2_r582M6qlUG-apsTDAQIi1AVswMQQc9_fTjdHXljLmMqvnNC3mkGLfqC5eQiGwXj7_GsusuvLTX5KQKjTD2cmEp5hWBOe3voLFJ1OMVdVdEy9XAodMXp91ZY5tD4UGLBjBh5x/s400/Hank.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><br />I spent most of my weekend volunteering with a dog rescue group, Saving Great Animals, trying to track down Hank in my neighborhood. <br /><br />This poor dog has the saddest story, but I'm praying for a happy ending. He's from Taiwan and has only been in the United States for five days. He is one of forty dogs rescued from Taiwan. Hank's breed, the Formosan Mountain dog, and the fact that he's solid black, put him at high risk to become dog meat in Taiwan. In 2004 the Taiwanese government made selling dog meat illegal, but of course, people still do it. The Formosan is a favorite, and an all black dog is considered a delicacy.<br /><br />Hank was a beloved family pet in Taiwan until a recent tragedy. His family's house burned down, and all of his family died in the fire. Somehow Hank got out of the house, and was sent to the Saving Great Animals sister shelter in Taipei. They wanted to get him out of Taiwan since he's solid black. The risk of someone eating him was too high. I don't know about you, but this just horrifies me.<br /><br />Hank was picked up at the airport five days ago by his new foster mom. He'd just flown in on a flight from Taiwan. She said he has the sweetest personality and played with her dog (a rescue from Mexico that I fell in love with). Hank even let her two-year old pet him. <br /><br />Two days after Hank's arrival, he was adopted by friends of his foster mom. This is where we should have a happy ending. Unfortunately, more tragedy struck. Within ten minutes of having Hank in their house, the new owners accidentally let him in the garage with the garage door open. Hank has been on the run for three days, in the coldest weather on record in Seattle (in the teens at night).<br /><br />Last night there was a sighting about a mile from my house, so we searched from 9pm until 2:30am. We finally gave up and went home. This morning there was another sighting a half block from my house. I ran over to where Hank was spotted, and met the guy that had seen him. There's a huge reward for this dog so the guy was really trying to help us find him. No luck.<br /><br />About two hours later a lady called and said he was in her yard. It was a fenced yard about a half mile from my house. There were eight of us, including a woman from Pet Partnerhip, a searh and rescue for lost pets group. She had a snare pole and was using her own dog as a "magnet" dog, to be used to lure Hank over to her so she can collar him. Unfortunately Hank freaked out. We ran after him, but we couldn't catch him. I was in tears. I couldn't believe we were so close to catching him, and he got away from us. <br /><br />The rescue folks finally decided to set live animal traps for him, with food inside. One is a block from my house and the other one about 1/2 mile. They have to be checked every two to five hours. I hope we catch him. <br /><br />The new owners that let Hank escape aren't going to be able to adopt him. They're not fit to be dog parents. I know they must feel awful, but they haven't helped us at all to try and find Hank, and their mistake was pretty big.<br /><br />Send a little prayer out for Hank. :)<br /><br /><strong>Back to my regularly scheduled program, weight loss</strong><br />I attended my Weight Watchers meeting Saturday, and I weighed in at 182.6. Not fantastic. Heck, not good at all, but what I failed to mention is about ten days ago I saw 187.0 on my home scales. That was the first thing in the morning, naked. At Weight Watchers I had clothes on (I'm pretty sure you already knew that). I'm going in the right direction, but I still have a really long way to go.<br /><br />Saturday night after walking around in the freezing cold until the wee hours of the morning, I came home starving to death. I had purchased a box of two-Point Lemon Mousse Pie bars at my meeting (never again). I ate the entire box when I got home. I think there were ten, at 70 calories each. <br /><br />I was furious with myself afterwards. I'd spent an hour at the gym earlier in the day, 30 minutes StairMaster and 30 minutes crossramp. One hour of high intensity cardio. Then I'd traipsed through the woods for five hours looking for Hank. I burned a lot of calories but not enough to compensate for a 700- calorie binge. <br /><br />What can I say? Not much. I started over today, again. So far, so good but it's only 9pm. I have to go check Hank's traps before I can go to bed. I'm totally exhausted from this weekend. It ws physically and emotionally challenging.

Chasing Hank

Meet Hank, a two-year old, 35-pound Formosan Mountain Dog: I spent most of my weekend volunteering with a dog rescue group, Saving Great Ani...

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Can Facebook really help you land a job?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/70/ar5l5r373y8z0cwdry70.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/70/ar5l5r373y8z0cwdry70.gif" /></a></div>By Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder <br /><br />While Facebook can sometimes seem like a way to simply post a few photos or let your friends know about your birthday -- there are ways it can come in handy in your professional career. Facebook lets job seekers tap an informal network of friends or friends of friends who can be instrumental in creating success. "The collection of friends you have through Facebook are the ones most likely to have your back," says Jenny Foss, a job search expert who blogs at JobJenny.com. With so many different options, Facebook is a good place to start if you're job hunting or just seeking to network.<br /><br />Here's what to do to get started:<br /><br />Customize your avatar<br /><br />In an online search, your avatar is typically the first thing a potential employer sees on Facebook. So if you're in job search mode, it's important to have a professional avatar that can help you get hired. "You can create a custom avatar that includes your contact information and that you are in the job market," says Jessica Miller-Merrell, chief executive of Xceptional HR. Additionally, while your profile should be kept private, include an e-mail address and job history in the visible information so recruiters can reach out to you directly.<br /><br />Use your status<br /><br />Find a good way to let your Facebook friends you're looking. For example, refer them to your own site, which showcases samples of your work and a résumé, or ask them to drop you an e-mail if they know of a lead. Being specific about what type of job or company you're looking for can make it easier for people to help, Foss says. Throughout your job search use your status to update your friends on how it's going. Don't inundate friends with every little detail and make each status conversational and optimistic. "Keep it genuine, make it real," Foss says. "But don't come across as the saddest, most desperate person alive."<br /><br />Take out a Facebook ad<br /><br />When Marian Schembari graduated from college and wanted to land a publishing job, she took out an ad on Facebook to target publishing houses. The ad showed up for Facebook users who listed companies like Random House and HarperCollins as their employer. Once they clicked on the ad, users were referred to her personal website that contained her résumé. A person from each of the publishers e-mailed that he or she passed on her résumé to HR or wanted to meet, she recalls.<br /><br />After placing her ad, others in the industry wrote about Schembari's pursuits and she was able to get her foot into the publishing world. "Facebook was the easiest and fastest way to network with a huge number of publishing people at once," she says. "It was like a networking event on steroids with an added bonus of never needing to leave my house or get out of my pajamas."<br /><br />"Like" companies where you'd want to work<br /><br />Since most companies have a Facebook presence these days, clicking the "like" button on that company's fan page will signal that you're interested in a job there, Foss says. Additionally, it's a simple way to learn the latest company news, which can help during an interview. Additionally, "some companies list their open jobs right on their [Facebook] pages," she says.<br /><br />Keep it real<br /><br />Since Facebook is a less formal network, people expect to see a more casual part of your personality so there's no need for a professional tone, points out Craig Fischer, vice president of sales at Ajax Social Media. "I have hired many people through Facebook," he says. "Many of my customers and job candidates are people who I network with [on] there." <br /><br />Alina Dizik researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

Can Facebook really help you land a job?

By Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder While Facebook can sometimes seem like a way to simply post a few photos or let your friends know a...

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23 weeks

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiz1iAlzVTIU-6gzztjpHZQyur0L90nbyC1moRWITx9dSMcXxaf3Rjz66d_ho7HUJ2i-DjdN4mWHoodsQ8v4xbu1UvKghzedLXYqdBjxuvW-TKQVbDQ08aJrFZ_MhFbq1fFk3sx-TrUhs/s1600/DSC09803.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577664474068291154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiz1iAlzVTIU-6gzztjpHZQyur0L90nbyC1moRWITx9dSMcXxaf3Rjz66d_ho7HUJ2i-DjdN4mWHoodsQ8v4xbu1UvKghzedLXYqdBjxuvW-TKQVbDQ08aJrFZ_MhFbq1fFk3sx-TrUhs/s400/DSC09803.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br /><strong>How Far Along:</strong> 23 Weeks <br /><br /><strong>Size of baby:</strong> Baby Bangert is the size of a papaya<br /><br /><strong>Total Weight Gain/Loss:</strong> didn’t weigh this week<br /><br /><strong>Maternity Clothes:</strong> I wear maternity jeans and pants but everything else is regular. Things are getting tighter though! <br /><br /><strong>Gender:</strong> It’s a girl!!! <br /><br /><strong>Movement:</strong> She’s a busy bee in the evenings and I've been starting to feel her more & more throughout the day!<br /><br /><strong>Sleep:</strong> Not too bad, I get up a few times throughout the night to go to the bathroom. I guess it’s preparing me for a newborn! <br /><br /><strong>What I miss:</strong> Sleeping on my stomach and a bigger selection of clothes! <br /><br /><strong>Cravings:</strong> I don't have specific cravings. I just like to eat! ;) I don’t think ice cream counts, I love that anytime! <br /><br /><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Really can’t complain! Feeling pretty well! <br /><br /><strong>Best Moment this week:</strong> Picking out the glider for our nursery! Hayden was a good help! ;)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90WXb-CtqfdL1MlUcyDGl4qzeEX4Jr7V6ILX5unGAiscVC5WdkY9ZAIGSg2Qil4-TCSvqJXBicsrveRE28i2i2spknq-F-OVJho5Z3twu7qPG7UrTrv7hQFHFI0pXldcTZ_aJ1KzrCoE/s1600/DSC09789.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577664477179890866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90WXb-CtqfdL1MlUcyDGl4qzeEX4Jr7V6ILX5unGAiscVC5WdkY9ZAIGSg2Qil4-TCSvqJXBicsrveRE28i2i2spknq-F-OVJho5Z3twu7qPG7UrTrv7hQFHFI0pXldcTZ_aJ1KzrCoE/s400/DSC09789.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br /><br />Once again I'm behind getting this up. Today is day 2 in my 24th week, but hey better late than never right?!?! I'm so excited for this weekend, we have friends staying with us and a wedding, should be a good time!<br /><br />Happy Friday everyone!

23 weeks

How Far Along: 23 Weeks Size of baby: Baby Bangert is the size of a papaya Total Weight Gain/Loss: didn’t weigh this week Maternity Cloth...

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My head has been buried in the sand

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrVHy1twmOe5oywDUjI2TVgllyGqVVnJnBnmd8hv0X2lPz8iRktPPVezUxdeCbXZWWKQ9l7co8FTniyreD4aBeg2jBmKVp1QyJY9AUdCZrwmoxQ36aXkLRScas5cSKNv0xFZ59r9rvcGX/s1600/sand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrVHy1twmOe5oywDUjI2TVgllyGqVVnJnBnmd8hv0X2lPz8iRktPPVezUxdeCbXZWWKQ9l7co8FTniyreD4aBeg2jBmKVp1QyJY9AUdCZrwmoxQ36aXkLRScas5cSKNv0xFZ59r9rvcGX/s320/sand.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />I've been really good lately about ignoring the the one thing I don't want to talk about. Recently, another blogger mentioned that you can tell when someone is doing poorly on their weight loss plan. It's when they talk about everything except their weight loss plan.<br /><br />I know that blogger was talking about me (actually, I don't think they even know I exist...but still, that's me). I talk about my cat, about being sick with a cold, my toothache, and recently I've even been chatting about the weather. Really, the weather? <br /><br />Sorry dear readers. To the few of you that still remain faithful, I haven't exactly been open and honest about my weight loss, or rather, my lack of weight loss.Or in reality, my weight gain. It's very apparent I've been avoiding the obvious. Even if I should happen to even mention trying to lose weight or talk about getting healthy, I quickly gloss over it  hoping you don't notice that I really haven't been into it lately.<br /><br />About that blogger I mentioned above, they were right in their analysis. The weight loss hasn't been going well for me. I have a lot of reasons, or rather excuses. They really aren't even worth mentioning, but here they are: I've been sick, I'm tired all the time, it's cold outside, I've lost desire, I don't care anymore, my work is stressful (some things never change), or, and you've got to love this one because it's my favorite...I just don't feel like it. <br /><br /><strong>It's time</strong><br />Time for what? It's time that I do something about this very unfortunate situation I've put myself in. I have to lose weight. I have to stop talking about it and do it. <br /><br />I just counted the days until the Seattle Big Climb. My heart sank when I realized I only have 24 DAYS before I have to climb 69 floors. There are 20 people on my Big Climb team. I am the team captain. One of the people on my team is the president of my company. I've heard he's a very nice person. Although we've met a few times, he doesn't know me, but he knows the person we're honoring with our climb. The president went to high school with one of the guys on my team (on my work team and my Big Climb team). They're good friends. <br /><br />So it's not like I can say I'm not doing this thing. That's not even within the realm of possibilities. I have to go, put on my cheerleader hat and literally, take one for the team. Or in this case, take 1,311 stair steps for the team. Really though, this isn't about me. It's about raising money for research for leukemia and other blood cancers. Reading this guy's <a href="http://www.poundsoffplayoff.com/2011/02/in-home-stretch.html">blog</a> reminded me once again of why I'm doing this (it's not for me or about me, it's for a greater good). <br /><br /><strong>About my weight gain</strong><br />I weighed two days ago at home, no clothes, in the morning before breakfast. I was HORRIFIED to see 183.4 on the scales. I practically ran screaming from the room. How on earth did I let this happen? And now, of all times, with a very difficult, physical challenge facing me on March 20. I don't know. I just know it happened. Excuses are acceptable, and none would help at this point anyway.<br /><br /><strong>Setting a goal with fierce resolve</strong><br />I have exactly 24 DAYS until B.C. DAY (Big Climb Day = March 20). I can either throw in the towel and say there's nothing I can accomplish in that short amount of time, or I can give it 110% of my effort. I'm choosing the last one. I'm going for it. I know I can at least make a dent in the damage I've done. <br /><br />My goal is pretty aggressive, but here it is:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Ten pounds in 24 days</div><br />Fierce resolve is a desirable quality in an employee. It's referring to intense professional will. It's something that's encourage where I work. Why can't I apply this concept to weight loss? What if I have fierce resolve to lose this weight? An intense will to lose weight. Imagine what I could do with this. I had it at one time, then I quietly and conveniently let it slip away from me.<br /><br />It's really easier to not have fierce resolve about weight loss. Fierce resolve is hard work, especially for someone like myself, that has struggled with my weight my entire adult entire life.<br /><br />I was reading about fierce resolve on the internet, and came across an interesting <a href="http://www.poitiveimpactliving.blogspot.com/2007/07/attiude-of-fierce-resolve.html">article</a>. I borrowed this paragraph from the article:<br /><br /><strong>Reality can and does bend at our will. This is where the phrase fierce resolve clarifies itself. When you are firmly decided upon a goal, you cultivate the resolution to achieve. You don't do this half-hearted. </strong><br /><br />My head is out of the sand.

My head has been buried in the sand

I've been really good lately about ignoring the the one thing I don't want to talk about. Recently, another blogger mentioned that y...

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Want to get hired? Think like a publicist

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/ms/ar5l0zs696792b5jfcms.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/ms/ar5l0zs696792b5jfcms.gif" /></a></div>Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder <br /><br />Being a publicist is hard work, but public relations pros may have all the right answers when it comes to landing a job or advancing up the corporate ladder. In "Be Your Own Best Publicist: How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed, Hired and Rewarded," publicists Jessica Kleiman and Meryl Weinsaft Cooper share their advice on how to use classic, well-tested PR techniques to get ahead.<br /><br />Want to get a job or build your brand with the media savvy of a publicist? Here's what to do:<br /><br />When online, keep it professional<br /><br />You don't need to keep up with all the social networks, but make sure to set your best foot forward when it comes to Facebook friends, Twitter followers and LinkedIn connections. "You may think that tweeting 'My job sucks' or 'I'm so hung over today' is innocent, but if your boss or a potential employer reads that, it could reflect poorly on you," says Jessica Kleiman, co-author and vice president of public relations at Hearst Magazines. "In PR, we like to consider everything 'on the record' because you never know who's sitting next to you when you're complaining on the train or who's reading your online profile."<br /><br />Craft a message<br /><br />With little time to pitch a service or product to reporters, it's important for publicists to be concise with what they want to say. "The first thing we do when we get a new client or project is to map out our key messages," says co-author Meryl Weinsaft Cooper and managing director at DeVries Public Relations. "Think about the three things you want people to know about you and then consider how you plan to communicate that in your resume and, ultimately, in a job interview." With so many job applicants, being able to weave a concise message to capture a recruiter's or hiring manager's attention is key.<br /><br />Do your research<br /><br />"Never go into a job interview without having researched the company," Kleiman says. "We would never pitch a reporter without having looked up [the reporter's] last few stories or knowing what kinds of topics the outlet covers." To prep for the interview, talk to current employees at the company, read industry blogs and make sure you understand what this company and position is really about. The more you know about a particular company and job opening the easier it will be to tailor your experience and explain why you're really a fit.<br /><br />Don't be afraid of rejection<br /><br />Even when approaching a dream company, don't be paralyzed by the thought of rejection, say the book's authors. Knowing how to deal with frequent rejection is part of the process as a publicist and is an especially relevant skill in times of high unemployment. At times, publicists send out a 100 inquiries to get just one or two responses, the authors point out.<br /><br />Forget instant gratification<br /><br />One of the skills most publicists learn right off the bat is that nothing pays off instantly. Instead take time to really craft and slowly build relationships. Many publicists need to constantly call their connections to get a positive response and following-up is often a large part of the job. Use the same tactics to get ahead in your job search. Instead of sending a cover letter and forgetting about that specific hiring manager or recruiter, be persistent and continue to follow-up without outright nagging. Building long-term relationships means they'll think of you when an opportunity arises.<br /><br />Make it constant<br /><br />Being a publicist is a 24-7 job, and like a job search, requires constant upkeep. Just like publicists need to keep tabs on how their specific product, person or service is doing -- job seekers should keep up with new opportunities, add to their experience and understand the changes in their industry. "While many celebrities and politicians have teams of PR experts working with them to build and manage their images, anyone can use the same skills to promote their talents and accomplishments in the workplace," Kleiman says.<br /><br />Alina Dizik researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

Want to get hired? Think like a publicist

Alina Dizik, Special to CareerBuilder Being a publicist is hard work, but public relations pros may have all the right answers when it comes...

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The gym and a snow day

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This will be a short post because I have a cat in my lap, with his head draped across my left arm. It's my cat Mickey (a.k.a. Mickey Mouse), a white and orangeTurkish Van. He's a cat that thinks he's a dog that's named after a rodent. Anyway, it's hard to type and keep my arm still so as not to disturb him. He looks annoyed here because I woke him up to take his picture.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98PgilO0HnSL6SZbXLKJazZqIIQ4UzCSRmlvOJ_6nKIPz0-ONO8_X8qhVZ0zFvdoU6Vm8r2y7X7eLN6fpCQg7uS9yajd5MmeSLkWj6alGik7Zg21ned3Bk-TqvBIq1xl9oLHXYS-mhSFw/s1600/mm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98PgilO0HnSL6SZbXLKJazZqIIQ4UzCSRmlvOJ_6nKIPz0-ONO8_X8qhVZ0zFvdoU6Vm8r2y7X7eLN6fpCQg7uS9yajd5MmeSLkWj6alGik7Zg21ned3Bk-TqvBIq1xl9oLHXYS-mhSFw/s320/mm.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />My toothache finally subsided last night until 2:30 a.m. when the Vicodin wore off (it's only good for four hours). I woke up in agony. I took two more Vicodin and went back to sleep. <br /><br />Since my toothache didn't come back, I made it to the gym by 6 a.m. and worked out for an hour and 45 minutes. My lungs burned so bad while I was on the StairMaster that I thought they were going to catch on fire. After my strength training I went home and was so nauseous that I threw up, and I hadn't eaten anything since the night before at about 9 p.m.. Maybe too much too soon. <br /><br />Pictures through my office window today at 12:30 p.m., and then twenty minutes later. The sun came out and about an hour later it was all melted, but it was beautiful while it lasted.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd2PfukiqG_-Dk5_-zu9YJGMzOI9fUnJFWiPXQmn5NV39AXxC5IDTCV4-ZmgSKyBMf7frZp1ofmBFiKqlj_oCPbNBzhm3aWuLddElPLMdOnI3gq8LkJPgPvKD9AaG9T1AQWtJYaeK2jQn/s1600/P1020594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd2PfukiqG_-Dk5_-zu9YJGMzOI9fUnJFWiPXQmn5NV39AXxC5IDTCV4-ZmgSKyBMf7frZp1ofmBFiKqlj_oCPbNBzhm3aWuLddElPLMdOnI3gq8LkJPgPvKD9AaG9T1AQWtJYaeK2jQn/s400/P1020594.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGv5ADcmkwGF7REzvbXujyBeGUld1u2XUPyxuCuNEMPQbMiDS81hCOV0YiJMv6XrZLlauhWdRLbI8haukhzW2Yi6zIr0_OpOl2hjkDJ9sx2HwPQaBdvCChAZTlXC3v-St3wMTNhaOwfpyw/s1600/P1020600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGv5ADcmkwGF7REzvbXujyBeGUld1u2XUPyxuCuNEMPQbMiDS81hCOV0YiJMv6XrZLlauhWdRLbI8haukhzW2Yi6zIr0_OpOl2hjkDJ9sx2HwPQaBdvCChAZTlXC3v-St3wMTNhaOwfpyw/s400/P1020600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tomorrow's goal...to set some goals. :)</div>

The gym and a snow day

This will be a short post because I have a cat in my lap, with his head draped across my left arm. It's my cat Mickey (a.k.a. Mickey Mou...

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Toothache from hell and pictures from my day

I woke up this morning thinking I either have bronchitis or maybe pneumonia. Every time I cough, my lungs burn and hurt, and my throat is raw from all the coughing. I even thought about canceling my delivery aircraft flight but since it was very last minute, and it's considered a great opportunity and an honor, I took a shot of DayQuil and headed off to the office. I skipped the gym because just showering and getting dressed pretty much sapped all my strength.<br /><br />The day was sort of fun. We took a bus from Sea-Tac up to Boeing Field. We were able to take pictures of our brand new aircraft, and we took off for an hour and a half sightseeing flight around Puget Sound landing back at Sea-Tac. It was cloudy but there were patches of open sky.<br /><br />The best part of the day was when we got to 15,000 feet they let each of us take a turn sitting in the Captain's seat with our hands on the "steering wheel" (I think it's called a "yoke" but I'm not sure). Then the Captain took our picture. That was really cool. Unfortunately, we were warned to NOT post the pictures on the internet. I'm not sure why exactly, but we were told it wasn't allowed.<br /><br />The only pictures from my day where you can't see the name of my company (!):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Me holding up the aircraft</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1UZAFORf6ZQZBSnCwXWVeCEU6tPxMFJDgta0CcpmVkhE7UYpDS2eloqYAHm-VvixtnUld9McDzUZZVn5hhyphenhyphenynbyHQVl46KEgtPN4kX9SRZHq212tasV9YVHHavuQWF39DjoijlvKSqF-/s1600/P1020565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG1UZAFORf6ZQZBSnCwXWVeCEU6tPxMFJDgta0CcpmVkhE7UYpDS2eloqYAHm-VvixtnUld9McDzUZZVn5hhyphenhyphenynbyHQVl46KEgtPN4kX9SRZHq212tasV9YVHHavuQWF39DjoijlvKSqF-/s400/P1020565.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">A view from the window. Notice the sunshine on the engine, where it was </div><div style="text-align: center;">sparkling clean and shiny. The entire aircraft had a new car smell, or I guess, </div><div style="text-align: center;">a new airplane smell. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQWy96VCRdrJXumvOEYcDjRGNT-aI78syy7N9k_v5Cq_k2Blp_s1PC2E_1hMlqNwZPPwhePFmKW6y-usFVGcY4jD-RPMlQy1Jk1ZhkTyOEUc2ljXsZKN7gin6nYt-XLUB5NUNHUpHK_mM/s1600/P1020575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQWy96VCRdrJXumvOEYcDjRGNT-aI78syy7N9k_v5Cq_k2Blp_s1PC2E_1hMlqNwZPPwhePFmKW6y-usFVGcY4jD-RPMlQy1Jk1ZhkTyOEUc2ljXsZKN7gin6nYt-XLUB5NUNHUpHK_mM/s400/P1020575.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />The toothache from hell<br />Tonight I have major, excruciating pain in a lower molar. I had my first crown about a year ago, and it's hurt from the beginning. Tonight it started throbbing and the pain kept getting worse. On a scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is when you would rather just die than to keep feeling the pain, about an hour ago it was at least an 8. I'm a wuss when it comes to pain, but boy does this ever hurt! I've taken two aspirin and two Vicodin and the pain is now down to about a 7. I hope I make it to the morning when I can get in to see the dentist. <br /><br />The only positive here is that I have no desire to eat. None. The thought of trying to chew anything makes me cringe. I can't remember the last time I had a toothache. Probably when I was a kid. I never had tooth pain, until this crown, which was probably the biggest mistake I've ever made. The darn tooth didn't even hurt until the crown. I forgot what tooth pain felt like, and let me tell you, it is miserable.<br /><br />At least the Vicodin fixed my sore throat and cough. Its weird it's not doing much for the toothache.<br /><br />Weight this morning...183.4. Not good. Working on it the best I can, but with the cold and now a toothache, I haven't been in the gym in four days, nor have I been tracking my food. Hopefully I'll be well soon and get back on track. I haven't given up and the Big Climb in in 29 days!

Toothache from hell and pictures from my day

I woke up this morning thinking I either have bronchitis or maybe pneumonia. Every time I cough, my lungs burn and hurt, and my throat is ra...

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What to do when job searching takes longer than expected

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/lj/ar5m02y5wcpw398n50lj.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/lj/ar5m02y5wcpw398n50lj.gif" /></a></div>By Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing <br /><br />Even the most talented, educated and experienced job seekers may have a difficult time finding a job in today's economy. Although people may hope their transition between jobs will last only a few weeks, the reality is that many job seekers spend months, or even a year, trying to secure work. This delay can wreak havoc on a job seeker's confidence, motivation and sense of pride -- all which are characteristics critical to achieving success in the job market.<br /><br />Jean Baur, author of "Eliminated! Now What: Finding Your Way from Job-Loss Crisis to Career Resilience," says one of the best things people can do when they begin to feel stuck in their search is evaluate what methods are working and which aren't productive and then adjust their strategy. They also need to take care of themselves. "You can better cope with the feelings associated with a long-term career transition if you're not worn out and take care of yourself through therapy, physical exercise and even volunteering. A new project or hobby can be another way to go," she suggests.<br /><br />"The real issue here is self-care -- something most of us aren't very good at. Job searching is hard work, so it must be sustained with good self-care. The obstacle that many people have to get over to do this is a false sense that this is wrong -- that they're selfish if they take care of themselves. Job seekers need to realize that balancing the demands of finding a new job with smart ways of caring for themselves will make them more successful."<br /><br />In "Eliminated! Now What?" Baur offers these additional do's and don'ts for persevering through a long transition:<br /><br />Do: <br /><br />Create contingency plans so that if your search goes on longer than expected, you know what you'll do.<br /><br />Take care of yourself during this demanding process. Find the things that restore you so that this doesn't become drudgery.<br /><br />Work hard on your search but don't let it eclipse your whole life. Positive results come from short breaks and rewards.<br /><br />Research opportunities for training, whether in your existing area of expertise or something new. Adding new skills will broaden your market and give you an area where you can see immediate results.<br /><br />Use volunteering as a way to expand your network. This effort keeps you connected to others and ensures you're doing something productive besides looking for work.<br /><br />Don't:<br /><br />Become a job search machine. You'll wear yourself out and won't be presenting your best self to others.<br /><br />Assume you know how and when you'll discover your next opportunity.<br /><br />Get stuck. If one method isn't working, try another.<br /><br />Tell your network that there are no jobs out there. This is a depressing message.<br /><br />Be unwilling to compromise. Sometimes you might have to take a small step back to move forward.<br /><br /><br />Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

What to do when job searching takes longer than expected

By Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing Even the most talented, educated and experienced job seekers may have a difficult time finding a job in tod...

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Rising from the ashes

<strong>Where have I been?</strong><br />I've been right here, even though I've been away from my blog for over a week. It wasn't a planned or intentional time away. It just sort of happened. <br /><br />It started out with thoughts that maybe I was becoming a little too obsessive about my food and exercise. I was tired of constantly worrying about it, thinking about it, and condemning myself for my bad choices. I was even more tired of writing about it. Surely this couldn't be of any value to anyone who might read  this blog. Failure after failure. It was disheartening to say the least.<br /><br />I decided to "relax" a little on the food front. That didn't mean I would go crazy, eating whatever and whenever I wanted. Instead I thought I could take a step back and try to figure out exactly what was wrong with me. Why do I have the compulsion to overeat? <br /><br />I stuck with the exercise all last week, but Thursday and Friday were difficult days. I had to really push myself at the gym. When I was on the StairMaster Friday morning I felt like my legs were stuck in mud. Every step was torture. My lungs felt like they were on fire and going to explode. It felt about ten times worse than ever before. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. Late Friday I knew what was causing the problem. I had a cold. <br /><br />It's not the flu, and I don't even have a fever. It's just a simple cold. Sneezing, painful sinuses, and coughing, and I feel like hell. Today is day three so I'm started to feel a little bit better. It's the first day I actually got up, showered, and put on real clothes.<br /><br />I felt a little better after the shower, but now I'm exhausted and just want to crawl back into bed. I'm going to try to stay awake for most of the day because I had a terrible night of trying to sleep last night. Apparently my body had enough bed rest. At 1 a.m. I was tossing and turning, going in and out of various nightmares. It was a very bad night.<br /><br /><strong>Zicam doesn't work for everyone</strong><br />I tried Zicam for the first time because my girlfriend said it wonders worked for her. Every three hours for the last three days I've put one of those icky mint Zicam melt-away lozenges on my tongue, let it melt, then waited fifteen minutes before I could have a drink of water. Each time I was practically gagging at the chalky, icky, sickly sweet mint taste. I can't tell that I felt any better. In fact, I almost think waking up every three hours to take the lozenge may have made me feel worse. I expected a miracle. I didn't get one. I was still just as sick as the last time I had a cold.<br /><br /><strong>A&E Heavy and rising from the ashes</strong><br />This morning I watched two old episodes of "Heavy" On Demand. These were episodes I had missed. There was one line that has stayed in my head. One of the guests on the show, Sharon, said she realized she'd "have to be stringent about what she put in her body for the rest of her life".<br /><br />I realized that's me. I'm not being obsessive when I track my food and worry about what I'm eating. I'm just trying to be healthy. There's nothing wrong with being "stringent". Because of my past and my compulsive tendencies with food, I have to try to be in control all the time.<br /><br />It's really not such a bad thing to be vigilant about what I'm eating. Not everyone has to live like this, but just like the crack addict or the alcoholic, I have to be careful of what I'm putting in my body.<br /><br />Stringent: rigorous: demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.<br /><br />That pretty much defines what works for me. Following the rules, paying strict attention to what I eat. As far as what's driving me to overeat, I know what it is but it's not something I want to share here, at least not yet. It's deeply personal, and a little sad to admit. For now, I prefer to keep this part of myself private. <br /><br />Even though I know why I overeat, it's still a challenge to stop it. It's something I've been doing for a very long time, and changing an old behavior is difficult, but not impossible. <br /><br />My plan for my week is to gently ease back in to exercising tomorrow. It's been three days, and I'm itching to get back to the gym. Tomorrow morning will be a light workout. <br /><br />On the food front, "stringent" will be my keyword. Weighing, measuring, tracking every bite. It's really not that hard. I've been doing it for over three years now. What's another twenty or thirty years? :)<br /><br /><strong>Fun day tomorrow</strong><br />Tomorrow I get to do something fun at work. Most of you know I work for an airline. Tomorrow I get to ride on a brand new Boeing 737-800 as it's flown from Boeing Field to Sea-Tac airport, and the airline takes delivery of the new aircraft.<br /><br />We usually get a few new aircraft each year. This year there will be three new 737-800's added to the fleet. It's a very big deal when we get a new aircraft. The price is somewhere in the range of $80 million, and there's a lot hoopla surrounding the delivery. It means the company is doing good and growing. <br /><br />As a special treat for working on a difficult project, myself and 107 of my closest coworkers (kidding, I only know a few of them), will get to ride around for a couple hours, sightseeing Mt. Rainier and the Cascades. Of course, after two gorgeous sunny days here in the Northwest, the forecast is rain for tomorrow (darn it!). <br /><br />It will still be fun to fly on a brand new aircraft and be part of the festivities. After 28 years with my company, I'm still very excited about a new aircraft.

Rising from the ashes

Where have I been? I've been right here, even though I've been away from my blog for over a week. It wasn't a planned or intenti...

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For the Love of Film (Noir): About Ida Lupino

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBojafVehwFYfGARreLyK0uAxJ06VELNg61wZ2haf26Sg-AsMnmOoM5kfmIYKQNEK9-TSCdsmA6Z3rrinJwf1hNrH7ukckqgAajSxZ3kt_Zv_l6x8Xk5WvkHQer4Qv8945ljhgmO21KLd9/s1600/Ida+expressed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBojafVehwFYfGARreLyK0uAxJ06VELNg61wZ2haf26Sg-AsMnmOoM5kfmIYKQNEK9-TSCdsmA6Z3rrinJwf1hNrH7ukckqgAajSxZ3kt_Zv_l6x8Xk5WvkHQer4Qv8945ljhgmO21KLd9/s320/Ida+expressed.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /><i>This review was part of the For the Love of Film: The Film Preservation Blogathon to benefit the Film Noir Foundation.</i><br /><br />One of the great dames of film noir, and quite a bit more, Ida Lupino was born in London in 1918. Her father was Stanley Lupino, a star of the West End stage who wrote many of the productions in which he appeared. Lupino Lane, an important British music hall star, was a cousin. And Ida's mother, Connie, was an actress. Of her father Ida Lupino once said, "I knew it would break his heart if I didn't go into the business," and so she did, even though her first love was writing.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />Her first credited film was Allan Dwan's <b>Her First Affaire </b>(1933). It was an ingenue part and an inaccurate industry myth had it that her mother read for the part but lost it to young Ida [thanks to Jean Howard for clarifying this]. In any case, the role led to several screen appearances in quick succession. By year's end she was signed by Paramount Pictures and headed from London to Hollywood.<br />  <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae7YYFsLimv2stwGaFdixFovTgbUrHqFTuEsxYFSJlYS089Hj38K6maqxVzXh8VTFq-Xr6F_Y3moxE5ZRemFxGC7_wx2A0jPE0GvFJCmOn-hHJ8dmNwz58w7pw5KxthYSSYI7a0BjyU6m/s1600/sherlock+holmes+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae7YYFsLimv2stwGaFdixFovTgbUrHqFTuEsxYFSJlYS089Hj38K6maqxVzXh8VTFq-Xr6F_Y3moxE5ZRemFxGC7_wx2A0jPE0GvFJCmOn-hHJ8dmNwz58w7pw5KxthYSSYI7a0BjyU6m/s200/sherlock+holmes+3.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</b></td></tr></tbody></table>She was to star in <b>Alice in Wonderland, </b>but that didn't pan out. Only 15, Ida seemed mature beyond her years and lost the part. She made several mostly forgotten films, endured a battle with polio and resumed her career. With <b>The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</b> (1939) she was noticed in a role that provided an opportunity to demonstrate her range. William Wellman's <b>The Light That Failed</b> (1940) was her first real break. Though no one had wanted her in a part considered unsympathetic, Lupino pursued the role and in the end it brought her fame.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3Qu0fPsWAhBYSKEoIs4FSsi-VsJA_d8GCAFAy-pmMg_wqCQivv7CkjAytopBhoLWK_8QcdSp4VXWMJO6iTWpERUz8IfDfqk9HlK2lCPhKhnzx-RtdC3XtlzlJSTffmwwL3ZBsfSKmOtK/s1600/hard+way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3Qu0fPsWAhBYSKEoIs4FSsi-VsJA_d8GCAFAy-pmMg_wqCQivv7CkjAytopBhoLWK_8QcdSp4VXWMJO6iTWpERUz8IfDfqk9HlK2lCPhKhnzx-RtdC3XtlzlJSTffmwwL3ZBsfSKmOtK/s1600/hard+way.jpg" /></a></div>She soon moved on to Warner Bros. and it was here her reputation as a dame-of-noir began with her fiery performance as Lana Carlsen in <b>They Drive by Night </b>(1940). <b>High Sierra</b> (1941)<b> </b>and <b>The Sea Wolf</b> (1941)<b> </b>quickly followed and her value to Warners was established. However, with Bette Davis the reigning queen of the lot, Ida Lupino was frequently assigned films the great star had passed on. Referring to herself as "the poor man's Bette Davis," she spent a good amount of time on suspension from the studio for refusing roles she considered unworthy. Fortunately, she accepted the part of driven, manipulative Helen Chernen in <b>The Hard Way</b> (1943); for her performance she received the New York Drama Critics' Best Actress Award.<br /><br />During this time, Lupino was married to actor Louis Hayward (<b>Anthony Adverse</b>, <b>The Man in the Iron Mask</b>). Hayward enlisted in the Marines at the onset of World War II and commanded the photographic unit that filmed the battle of Tarawa (November 1943). The film won a Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar but the experience of the bloody four-day battle left Hayward badly shell-shocked and the couple split up.<br /><br />Although Lupino's acting career continued, it was during a lengthy studio suspension in the mid-'40s that she started thinking seriously about directing. She married producer Collier Young in 1948 and in 1949 they put together an independent production company called Emerald Productions, later rechristened The Filmakers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5M6j77ZJUvm7bnrsh-NK8_fIkuV0Tb-HwB_aUfwvJj8LRDUatCmJzt1PdPTmv4GNznIkk9JgqgGIHWQyqcrq4P_Id_oHd3tF8WLBlIDhtSHLI7CbRw3NxfpWzUwU48rYnjOhT1LdjfGe7/s1600/idalupino%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5M6j77ZJUvm7bnrsh-NK8_fIkuV0Tb-HwB_aUfwvJj8LRDUatCmJzt1PdPTmv4GNznIkk9JgqgGIHWQyqcrq4P_Id_oHd3tF8WLBlIDhtSHLI7CbRw3NxfpWzUwU48rYnjOhT1LdjfGe7/s200/idalupino%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ida Lupino, director</td></tr></tbody></table> The company's first effort, <b>Not Wanted </b>(1949), featured a screenplay by Ida Lupino and was to be directed by Elmer Clifton. A few days into shooting Clifton suffered a heart attack and the actress stepped in to finish the film (but gave the credit to Clifton). Co-starring with Sally Forrest, a young actress Lupino would tap again, was Leo Penn an actor/director now best known as the father of Sean Penn. The film, like most Lupino directed, broached a ticklish subject for the time - unwanted pregnancy.<br /><br />Three low-budget, Lupino-directed classics came out of The Filmakers: <b>Hard, Fast and Beautiful</b> (1951) with Claire Trevor and Sally Forrest, <b>The Hitch-Hiker</b> (1953) with Edmond O'Brien and William Talman and <b>The Bigamist </b>(1953) with Edmond O'Brien, Joan Fontaine and Lupino herself. In the meantime, Lupino also co-starred with Robert Ryan in Nicholas Ray's powerful <b>On Dangerous Ground</b> (1952) and reportedly directed some of the film while Ray was ill.<br /><br />By the time the last three Filmaker efforts were produced, Ida Lupino and Collier Young had divorced. Lupino married actor Howard Duff not long after. In 1954, The Filmakers dissolved but Lupino later found herself in demand to direct for TV. Over the next few decades she directed dozens of episodes for series television, including "Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "The Twilight Zone" and "The Untouchables." At the same time she continued to act in film and on television; she and Howard Duff starred in a very popular TV series, "Mr. Adams and Eve" from 1957 - 1958, and Lupino was nominated for Best Actress Emmys for both seasons of the show.<br /> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XBUsw1kyDfvctbwv5v8E51ApAJl9utS8TsYhqy4FeSEhEVlIa5VpnKY-ms2WPk9fjJMqjxfC4s2rg69ndZ2HIP4B92XVkyd4SNBmoIt7XvZqvMZa9XR6AzUEGKCKV-6SfmHHw08oywYb/s1600/ida+and+steve+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XBUsw1kyDfvctbwv5v8E51ApAJl9utS8TsYhqy4FeSEhEVlIa5VpnKY-ms2WPk9fjJMqjxfC4s2rg69ndZ2HIP4B92XVkyd4SNBmoIt7XvZqvMZa9XR6AzUEGKCKV-6SfmHHw08oywYb/s200/ida+and+steve+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ida and Steve in <b>Junior Bonner</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Busy with television, Lupino directed only one more theatrical film, <b>The Trouble with Angels </b>(1966), a comedy starring Rosalind Russell and Hayley Mills. She didn't appear in many films at this point, but her later film career included an exceptional turn as Steve McQueen's mother in <b>Junior Bonner</b> (1972).<br /><br />Onscreen, Ida Lupino was an edgy combination of tough and tender and is remembered as one of the legendary actresses of film noir.<br /><br />Behind the camera, she developed a hard-boiled, suspenseful style while working on tight schedules with small budgets. Today she is not only honored as a pioneering "woman director," but is also an acknowledged auteur of the early 1950s. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ </div><br />My own introduction to Ida Lupino came long ago by way of the flickering box in our family living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>High Sierra</b>,<b> The Sea Wolf</b> and <b>Road House</b> (1948) aired regularly on TV in those days and the bruised but determined characters that were her stock in trade got my attention. Of those three films, it was in <b>Road House</b> that she most stirred my imagination. Her character, Lily, is a been-around-the-block torch singer who attracts more than a crowd at the out-of-the-way road house where she performs. Though Lily has a hard luck past and more pain to come, this time Lupino’s character is the locus of a romantic triangle and she commands much of the film - which is saying something with a co-star like Richard Widmark. And there is the added attraction of her singing - in her own dusky voice - two torch classics, “Again” and “One for My Baby.”<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h1Q71t5D8ko" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>

Film Noir Hard Fast and Beautiful High Sierra Ida Lupino Junior Bonner Not Wanted On Dangerous Ground Road House The Bigamist The Hard Way The Hitch-Hiker The Lady Eve (author) They Drive By Night For the Love of Film (Noir): About Ida Lupino

This review was part of the For the Love of Film: The Film Preservation Blogathon to benefit the Film Noir Foundation. One of the great dame...

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What are transferable skills, really?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/x9/ar5m7186kzyl7hn3k1x9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/x9/ar5m7186kzyl7hn3k1x9.gif" /></a></div>Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder <br /><br />Q. How does a quantitative analyst for a hedge fund get hired as a strategist for a professional basketball team?<br /><br />A. He convinces those doing the hiring that he has the skills to do the job.<br /><br />The two positions may seem unrelated at first glance, but the New Jersey Nets wanted someone who could evaluate player stats and past performance to help determine the best combinations of team members to put on the court in various situations. With superior mathematical and analytical skills, the hedge fund analyst fit the bill.<br /><br />Transferable skills -- abilities that can be applied to different work environments -- can be among a job seeker's strongest assets. Here's a look at some of the most in-demand transferable skills and how to acquire them.<br /><br />What do employers want?<br /><br />Simply put, "They want skills that can increase or develop business," says David Couper, a career coach and author of "Outsiders on the Inside: How to Create a Winning Career ... Even When You Don't Fit In." "Organizations want anything that will make them more successful and more profitable."<br /><br />Some commonly sought-after talents include:<br /><br />Execution skills: "These are skills related to getting things done," says Duncan Mathison, a career consultant and co-author of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times are Tough." Think project management, adaptability and resourcefulness in the face of changing conditions, ability to stay within a budget and accountability.<br /><br />Managing people: "And not just supervision of subordinates," Mathison notes. "This can include project teams, contractors, volunteers, cross-cultural teams, virtual teams and turning around broken teams."<br /><br />Communication skills: "Writing, training/teaching others, speaking and listening are all important because being a good communicator can make a person more successful at his job -- whatever that job may be," says Brian Drum, founder and president of Drum Associates, a global executive search firm located in New York City.<br /><br />Customer service and sales: "Your ability to build lasting and profitable relationships is almost always transferable," Mathison says. "This idea actually can extend to nonprofits and public jobs. Think about donors, voters, constituents, students and even vendors."<br /><br />Negotiation skills: "If you can show a track record of saving your employer money by using your good negotiation skills, you become a more desirable employee," Drum states.<br /><br /><br />Developing transferable skills<br /><br />Some transferable skills are acquired through education and experience. For instance, demonstrated computer proficiency in a previous position may give a prospective employer confidence that you can quickly master a new company's specific system.<br /><br />Many transferable skills, however, are acquired by individuals through their own initiative. Look for corporate/professional training programs that focus on areas you'd like to improve, such as a seminar on how to be a more effective manager. Likewise, experts suggest reading books geared towards specific objectives, such as becoming a better negotiator.<br /><br />Couper notes that volunteering or taking on special projects offers the opportunity to work on skills valued in the workplace. For instance, one of his clients was involved with a not-for-profit group and became part of its selection committee responsible for hiring leaders. He later highlighted this experience to an employer to land a job with human resource duties.<br /><br />Presenting transferable skills<br /><br />So is the hedge fund analyst turned basketball advisor a rarity? No -- any job seeker who can pinpoint a legitimate match between her skills and an employer's needs has the potential to be hired.<br /><br />For example, Mathison recalls working with a former Navy SEAL who was having difficulty finding a job. While employers respected his elite training, they "just didn't know what to do with someone who knew how to land on sandy beaches and blow things up." But once he started making the connection for them as to how his background and training were applicable to their goals, employers took notice. He was hired by a high technology global company on the basis of his transferable skill of leading teams to get critical things done anywhere in the world with resourcefulness when unexpected events threatened to derail the project's timeline.<br /><br />Job seekers looking to present transferable skills as a major selling point may opt for a functional résumé in which skills are grouped together rather than a traditional list of work history. Putting similar skills together instead of dotting throughout can create a stronger impression and may prove especially useful to candidates trying to transition into a new field.<br /><br />Regardless of method used, candidates looking to cash in on transferable skills should remember the old adage "Show, don't tell." After all, anyone can profess to be a great communicator or an outstanding manager. People whose transferable skills lead to job offers are those with solid evidence of achievement.<br /><br />Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

What are transferable skills, really?

Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder Q. How does a quantitative analyst for a hedge fund get hired as a strategist for a profession...

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True stories: People who found jobs after lengthy unemployment

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/84/ar5m3dl6zsb3lwd1ky84.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/84/ar5m3dl6zsb3lwd1ky84.gif" /></a></div>By Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder <br /><br />Is there a light at the end of the job-seeking tunnel? You bet! Meet four people who persevered in their searches and can now put the word "formerly" before "unemployed."<br /><br />From the graduation stage to the unemployment line<br /><br />"It was difficult keeping my morale up because I felt like a failure," says Lauren Miller of San Diego, Calif., who was hired right out of college in 2009 -- only to be laid off months later due to budget cuts. "I'd spent five years getting two bachelor's degrees, and now I was supposed to work and take the world by storm. At least that is what everyone promised along the way, right?"<br /><br />Faced with student loans, car payments, rent and bills, Miller worked many temp and part-time jobs, often putting in 50-hour weeks to "just get by." She turned to "a million sources" -- from friends and old contacts to online career sites and job boards all over San Diego -- before landing full-time work in December 2010 as an account coordinator at a public relations firm.<br /><br />Recalling her time trying to make ends meet while searching for a steady position, Miller notes, "You have to always remember that there is no such thing as a job that is beneath you. No matter what, it's money, and if you have responsibilities, then you need to do whatever it takes to survive. And that's what I did."<br /><br />Doing everything you can -- and letting others help<br /><br />Jim Kuehm of Palatine, Ill., was unemployed for 18 months after recessionary conditions led his company to reorganize. "I applied for every position I felt could be at least a 50 percent match to my skill set and experience," he says, noting that some days he had up to 50 job-lead e-mails to sift through. In the end, though, he was contacted by a recruiter who had seen his résumé posted online. Kuehm returned to being a master planner, doing the same type of work he did before the layoff.<br /><br />Kuehm credits the support he received from the Saint Hubert Jobs and Networking Ministry with helping him through the trials of unemployment. "Get into an accountability group right away," Kuehm advises. "People are there, able and willing, to help you get through this tough time in your life. If I was being nonproductive in meeting my weekly goals, people would inquire about circumstances in my personal life that may have contributed to the slowdown of my job-search work, and they would reinforce using tools that I needed to get moving again and stay on track."<br /><br />Moving more than 200 miles for a job, then losing it<br /><br />While hearing that you're losing your job is always difficult, Tiffany Matthews faced an exceptional whammy. "I moved from Buffalo, N.Y., to Philadelphia, Pa., for a job that ended up lasting 84 days." Her solution: Really turning up the heat and pounding the pavement, including applying for things she felt were below her educational background.<br /><br />Despite her efforts, it was two years before she landed her current position as a social worker in a nursing home. During that time, Matthews says she tried different things and really learned a lot about herself, which helped keep her morale up. Her advice to others still hunting for a job is to stay on top of your unemployment claim. "You will call there three times and get three different answers to one question. Keep your claim right and it will give you the reassurance to do what you have to do when looking for a job."<br /><br />Part time can lead to full time<br /><br />Hoang Uyen X. Nguyen of Minnesota found herself with the opposite of the situation Matthews faced. She had a job, but her company went through a restructuring and planned to move her department out of state, meaning she had to move or lose her job. She chose the latter.<br /><br />Using past experiences and connections, Nguyen found a part-time job in the television industry. Seven months later, she became full time. She urges other job seekers to likewise use all of their resources to get a foot in the door. "Also, stay positive and keep hope alive," Nguyen says. "Even when it may seem like forever, you will get the job, and when you do, it'll be awesome!"<br /><br />Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

True stories: People who found jobs after lengthy unemployment

By Beth Braccio Hering, Special to CareerBuilder Is there a light at the end of the job-seeking tunnel? You bet! Meet four people who persev...

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22 weeks

<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aGRSIHd0pXoteEjYkP6wYtzppa2qqfBx5-FP_9JfFut8eZJbj5BKU2xZMAw7GwXHdxBfKs_mpoxn6cgO2nNxV-0SfaAHRC8RWyJT5isJCB-ZgOAP1tfS1n9EBlHUzOXN4OAd0dmLZ_aY/s1600-h/22%20weeks%20-%202.16.11%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="22 weeks - 2.16.11" border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbMNum9jzRkykccyYt-MQFv5oHT_2Z0Qa3MMFWA0XBOGjuCthvo4gaAwSEFpKk-5-7g_0EUF_lyWuRyryaHvmujmqDuJY108nsn-0hzcsyoWLKW_-qILPzRJlC67XoyTb9R3iO1u75w5Yi/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="22 weeks - 2.16.11" width="354"></a> </p> <p><strong>How Far Along:</strong> 22 Weeks </p> <p><strong>Size of baby:</strong> Baby Bangert is the size of a papaya <p><strong>Total Weight Gain/Loss:</strong> didn’t weigh this week <p><strong>Maternity Clothes:</strong> I wear maternity jeans and pants but everything else is regular.  Things are getting tighter though! <p><strong>Gender:</strong> It’s a girl!!! <p><strong>Movement:</strong> She’s a busy bee in the evenings, but overall I think she is a pretty mild little girl. <p><strong>Sleep:</strong> Not too bad, I get up a few times throughout the night to go to the bathroom. I guess it’s preparing me for a newborn! <p><strong>What I miss:</strong> Sleeping on my stomach and a bigger selection of clothes! <p><strong>Cravings:</strong> I don't have specific cravings. I just like to eat! ;) I don’t think ice cream counts, I love that anytime! <p><strong>Symptoms:</strong> Really can’t complain! Feeling pretty well! <p><strong>Best Moment this week:</strong> The warming weather & getting some exercise outside! <p>Today is actually the start of 23 weeks, but I wanted to get this up (even if it’s late!). It’s a rare day in Iowa in February today…the high is 72 degrees! Cannot wait till after work to take a walk outside. I have been pretty lazy in the exercise department and I can really tell! So my goal for my 23rd week is to exercise 3 times for at least 30 minutes. Hold me to it friends! <p>PS. A <strong><u>HUGE shout-out</u></strong> to 2 of my sisters, they joined WW and are doing awesome! Can’t wait to get back to the meetings after baby! I’m so curious about the new plan. </p>

22 weeks

How Far Along: 22 Weeks Size of baby: Baby Bangert is the size of a papaya Total Weight Gain/Loss: didn’t weigh this week Maternity Cl...

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The wow factor: Impressive job candidate qualities

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/l9/ar5m5jn731sp2rw6c0l9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/l9/ar5m5jn731sp2rw6c0l9.gif" /></a></div>By Rachel Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder.com <br /><br />The employment market is saturated with various resources for job seekers. While some of them offer consistent advice (always send a cover letter, tailor your résumé and wait for the employer to bring up salary), the truth is that conflicting information exists.<br /><br />Especially when it comes to what employers are looking for in a new hire.<br /><br />A recent survey from Express Employment Professionals, one of the nation's largest staffing firms, showed that the top three aspects that employers are looking for in a new hire are credible work history (97 percent), job experience (88 percent) and specific skills (87 percent). More than 15,000 current and former clients of Express were surveyed for the first quarter of 2011.<br /><br />To get the story straight, we asked hiring managers to tell us the most impressive qualities they see in potential job candidates. Here's what they said (in no specific order):<br /><br />1. Results<br /><br />"Something I always ask anyone I interview is, 'what is something you do better than anyone else in the world?' with the follow-up of, 'what is the evidence of this gift?' I think that truly driven, passionate people leave behind them a wake of results wherever they go. Talking about measurable outcomes separates the contenders from pretenders." -- C. Daniel Crosby, corporate psychologist and president, Crosby Performance Consulting<br /><br />"Candidates that can tell me an anecdote about how they got something done, against all odds, really impress me the most. Those who understand the rules and conduct of business but are not afraid to push the envelope a bit in the name of a job well done." -- Jennifer Prosek, author "Army of Entrepreneurs" and CEO, CJP Communications<br /><br />2. Good fit<br /><br />"There is no giant totem poll of qualities that makes one person more impressive or better than another. People who excel in one position are going to flounder in another if it doesn't fit their talents, interests and skills." -- Ann Latham, president of Uncommon Clarity, Inc.<br /><br />3. Preparation<br /><br />"Showing that they have done their research by knowing something about me, and my business." -- Kenneth Sean Polley, president, Global Asset Management Group<br /><br />"When a candidate asks really great questions it demonstrates not only their interest in our company and the issues we're facing, but also their research skills. Most impressive are those who think about what they discovered in their research and then ask really great questions." -- Anita S. Fisher, marketing communications manager, Briggs & Stratton Corporation<br /><br />4. Initiative<br /><br />"I look for the ability to take a project and run with it, to function independently and creatively with a minimum of oversight." -- Kathryn Minshew, co-founder and editor-in-chief, Pretty Young Professional<br /><br />"Proactivity -- the act of taking initiative, being able to operate independently and finding a way to get things done." -- Jordan Rayboy, recruiter, Rayboy Insider Search<br /><br />5. Sense of humor<br /><br />"Going over a recruitment cycle is long and very often annoying listening to the same pre-prepared answers. A candidate with faith and sense of humor de-dramatizes the atmosphere." -- Sarah Licha, owner, EspaceRH<br /><br />6. Passion<br /><br />"Typical candidates answer questions the way they believe they should. I want to see their passion for the company, the job opening and the industry. I want them to tell me why they are truly excited about the opportunity rather than every other opportunity out there. For me, passion is the ticket to a second round of interviews." -- Abby Kohut, staffing consultant, Staffing Symphony, LLC<br /><br />"Passion is energy, drive, motivation and commitment. Candidates who are infused with this quality demonstrate an enthusiasm and aliveness that is contagious to their colleagues and clients. It can be harnessed to learn the job to be done and then to do it without having to be constantly encouraged, prompted or micromanaged. Such people are willing to 'go the extra mile' to assure that everything is done and done well. They demonstrate initiative and creative problem-solving skills." -- Betty Gilmore, program director, Lift-The Bronx<br /><br />"Truly passionate candidates are not only likely to excel in their role, but, because they enjoy what they do, they will also remain engaged in their responsibilities and energize those around them. If an employee is not eager to learn, he or she will have difficulties accepting change and bringing innovative ideas to the table." -- Kathleen Dumlao, employment specialist, Rising Medical Solutions<br /><br />"Passion and resourcefulness. You can see right through robotic folks who 'say the right thing.' It's those who come specifically prepared to tell you exactly why the position is right for them that impress me the most. Very few folks lean across the desk and tell you 'I really want this job, and here is why.'" -- Jennifer Prosek, author "Army of Entrepreneurs" and CEO, CJP Communications<br /><br />7. Confidence<br /><br />"I coin the most impressive quality in a job candidate 'humble confidence.' Humble confidence shines as knowledge, humility, skilled verbal and written communication, friendliness and appreciation." -- Stacey Hawley, principal and owner, Credo<br /><br />8. Professionalism<br /><br />"At the interview, it is all about how the candidate presents him or herself. Are they projecting an image of professionalism? Are they showing enthusiasm and motivation for the position? Are they really listening to the questions and answering them accordingly? These are the qualities that are not shown on a résumé and are near impossible to teach." -- Darlene Johnson, director of career services, PEAR Core Solutions<br /><br />"Being a professional -- no matter what your industry or career -- demonstrates that you have the right blend of technical and soft skills, mixed with enthusiasm and dedication." -- Matthew Randall, director of the Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania<br /><br />"Presentation, presence, energy -- how they carry their personal power. They need to be engaging and personable." -- Emma K. Viglucci, founder, director and supervisor, Metropolitan Marriage and Family Therapy<br /><br />9. Body language<br /><br />"The hand shake: it has got to be strong and firm from the get-go. Candidates usually come prepared to an interview, but I'm looking for people come to the interview telling me what they can do for the job and what they can add to the job. These are usually the ones I recommend for second interviews." -- Muriel Alloune, recruitment and training specialist, Federation CJA<br /><br />"Body language, including a good handshake, confident shoulders, a smile [and] eye contact. I know it's cliché, but it really helps." -- Marissa Wright, hiring and training coordinator, Europe for International Studies Abroad<br /><br />10. Longevity<br /><br />"What will wow me about a candidate is a consistent job history. I like to see that people have been in a position for at least five years and that they have grown in the position. [A candidate with] lots of short stints [or who has] been in the same position for 10 years and their responsibilities have not changed is a big turn off." -- Carmel Napolitano, managing director and principal, CGN Associates<br /><br />"People move around so much, that longevity says a lot about the stability of a candidate when they have been in a position for a long period of time." -- Sarah Cullins, president, Finesse Staffing<br /><br />11. Communication<br /><br />"Qualifications in the form of experience and tangible skills aren't enough to grab a hiring manager's attention these days. You need to be a creative, proactive problem solver. Hiring managers want to know how you (and only you) can solve the needs of their organization. Read between the job description lines. What are you bringing to the table that the next person with a similar background is not? If you educate yourself and build awareness around what keeps your next potential boss up at night, and you clearly communicate how you can help to solve that, chances are you've got their attention." -- Dana Leavy, career coach and founder of Aspyre Solutions<br /><br />12. Attitude<br /><br />"The most impressive quality is to be a 'high performer,' a package of the right attitude, a passion for doing the work and the skill. 'Attitude' may mean different things to different people, but it boils down to having an 'I can' attitude. Everyone thinks his or her attitude is fine, however, some of these same people think it's OK to blame, make excuses and declare something cannot be done. That's the attitude employers are looking to expose during the interview and avoid extending a job offer to." -- Carol Quinn, CEO and author, "Expert of Hiring High Performers"<br /><br />"Someone who is enthusiastic about the company and has thoroughly done their research about the position. Open-mindedness, perseverance and a can-do attitude (someone who takes true ownership in the company) will get you the job." -- Heather Minsky Nottingham, owner, Nottingham Consulting Group<br /><br />Rachel Farrell researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter.

The wow factor: Impressive job candidate qualities

By Rachel Farrell, Special to CareerBuilder.com The employment market is saturated with various resources for job seekers. While some of the...

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6 tips to help you better leverage LinkedIn

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/f2/ar5m1nq6vwv0n7bht5f2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/f2/ar5m1nq6vwv0n7bht5f2.gif" /></a></div>By Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing <br /><br />When job hunting, savvy seekers know their work isn't over after they've posted their résumé on the Web or submitted an application for employment. If they want to meet their goals, they must continue to manage their job search with consistent, proactive efforts that put them in direct contact with hiring managers, human resources personnel and recruiters.<br /><br />Your strategy for using LinkedIn, the leading site for professional networking, should mirror this concept. Simply creating a profile isn't enough to help you meet or reconnect with people, find jobs or stand out to potential employers. You have to participate in the community and take steps to market your presence on the site to achieve results.<br /><br />Diane Crompton and Ellen Sautter, co-authors of "Find a Job Through Social Networking," say it's easier to understand this concept if you liken social networking to advertising.<br /><br />They explain that "if you know anything about advertising, you know that placing an advertisement once is usually not sufficient. Media campaigns involve repeated placements of ads over time and often in multiple media sources, such as newspapers, magazines, websites and maybe even television or radio. If you are marketing yourself for a job, career advancement or business development, you need to have a multipronged approach to getting out the word about you and what you have to offer."<br /><br />To help you implement this strategy, Crompton and Sautter offer guidance on how to use LinkedIn more effectively, which will in turn help you do a better job of marketing yourself online. Here are some of their tips:<br /><br />Infuse keywords relevant to your expertise into your profile<br /><br />According to Crompton and Sautter, keyword searches are a popular way recruiters and employers uncover potential job candidates on LinkedIn. To ensure your profile turns up in searches related to your expertise, industry or occupation, they suggest that you "enter relevant keywords in your professional headline, in the specialties section and throughout your profile to drive traffic your way. Be sure to use all variations of keywords -- full names, abbreviations, acronyms and alternate words -- to increase the chance that you will be found in searches."<br /><br />Share your LinkedIn URL with others<br /><br />"Consider adding your LinkedIn URL to your résumé, e-signature, business cards and other marketing materials," Crompton and Sautter suggest. Not only will this strategy point people to a place where they can quickly learn more about you, it also helps you establish yourself as a professional who is savvy about online networking.<br /><br />Customize your invitations to connect<br /><br />When you reach out to potential connections, the default message that accompanies your invitation simply says, "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn."<br /><br />According to Crompton and Sautter, "Sending this canned note is a sure sign that you didn't take the time or care enough to personalize the invitation to remind the invitees who you are and how they know you. Such a message may even be viewed as spam by some LinkedIn members."<br /><br />For a more meaningful invitation, Crompton and Sautter say it's best to politely and briefly explain how you know the invitee and why you'd like to connect with him or her.<br /><br />Write recommendations<br /><br />LinkedIn recommendations are endorsements you can post on the profiles of your colleagues, supervisors, vendors, customers or others you've interacted with in a work environment.<br /><br />According to Crompton and Sautter, "Writing a recommendation often yields a reciprocal recommendation. In fact, when you write recommendations, the people you recommend are prompted by a message asking if they would like to reciprocate and write a recommendation for you. So if you are timid and reluctant to ask someone for a recommendation, this can be a more subtle approach," they explain.<br /><br />List your Twitter handle<br /><br />LinkedIn allows users to connect their Twitter accounts with their LinkedIn profile. This function is ideal if you're hoping to open a dialogue with your LinkedIn connections or if you want connections who are non-Twitter users to be aware of what you're posting beyond LinkedIn.<br /><br />On the other hand, if you're tweeting off-brand, personal matters, you may not want every one of your tweets to be streamed on LinkedIn. In that case, don't sync your Twitter handle with your profile and consider Crompton and Sautter's following tip:<br /><br />"On Twitter, you can select specific tweets you'd like to share with LinkedIn connections by manually adding either #in or #li to tag your tweets to 'go live.'" <br /><br />Join groups<br /><br />"Groups are one of the best tools and best-kept secrets on LinkedIn. There are groups for every conceivable shared interest. You'll find alumni associations, professional associations, networking groups and many other special-interest groups," say Crompton and Sautter.<br /><br />"One of the biggest reasons to join them is to have an easier way to connect with other like-minded LinkedIn members," they explain. "Depending on the protocols of each group, you'll most likely be able to communicate with your fellow group members through direct messages to individual members or the entire group by posting questions or comments for group discussion and response. So it becomes a way not only to expand your network but also to bypass the need to request an introduction or send an InMail to reach others."<br /><br />Selena Dehne is a career writer for JIST Publishing who shares the latest occupational, career and job search information available with job seekers and career changers. She is also the author of JIST's Job Search and Career Blog (http://jistjobsearchandcareer.blogspot.com/). Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SelenaDehne.

6 tips to help you better leverage LinkedIn

By Selena Dehne, JIST Publishing When job hunting, savvy seekers know their work isn't over after they've posted their résumé on the...

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