Maternity Leave and the Small Business Owner

By law, all businesses are required to provide a certain amount of maternity leave to employees. The time allowed for maternity leave depends on a number of factors, including state and federal regulations, eligibility, type of maternity leave, etc. For the small business owner, maternity leave has a much greater impact than it does on a larger corporation. If a small business only has a few employees, losing one for a few months is going to have a huge impact, not to mention the fact that setting up a maternity leave policy is a confusing proposition at best. Here are some of the things you need to know about before creating a maternity leave policy for your small business.

Federal and State Laws

The first thing you need to look into are the federal and state laws, which can get pretty confusing, especially for the small business owner. For instance, if you have 50 or more employees, you are required by federal law to provide at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave, both for childbirth and for the adoption of a child. If you have fewer than 50 employees, the Federal government doesn’t require you to provide this maternity leave. But, you may still be required to provide this benefit, under certain circumstances.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act requires employers to treat all pregnant employees as they would treat employees who have temporary disabilities if a woman is unable to perform all of her duties due to her pregnancy. There are also state laws, which are completely separate from federal regulations. For instance, under the California Family Rights Act, employers must provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and in some cases they are required to also provide six weeks of paid leave.
You can learn more about your state requirements by visiting the US Department of Labor website. States that do have maternity policy requirements are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Eligibility

“The next consideration is eligibility, as it is not only pregnant women who are eligible for maternity or parental leave. Your maternity/paternity leave policy will need to be explicit about who is eligible for this leave,” says an expert from Forest Hills Medical Services. FMLA regulations require that employees must work a minimum of 12 months or 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months to qualify for 12 weeks of unpaid leave. But, if you have 50 employees or less, the amount of unpaid leave is at your own discretion (or applicable state laws) for your company policy.

Types of Maternity Leave

Once you have figured out the amount of time that employees are going to be able to have for maternity leave, you need to consider the various types of maternity leave in order to create your company policy. There are three types of maternity leave:
  • Intermittent Leave – This is short-term leave, to cover medical appointments, emergencies, etc.
  • Reduced Schedule Leave – This is when the employee still works, but reduces their hours to fit in with their physical needs.
  • Block of Time Leave – This is when the employee needs an extended period of time away from work, usually granted after childbirth or if there are complications during the pregnancy.

Paid Leave

Finally, you need to decide whether or not you are going to offer paid leave. While this is not a federal or state requirement, many companies do offer this to their employees. If you have valued employees who you want to see return to your company, paid maternity leave is definitely a good incentive to offer.
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Five Tips for Job References

The praise or criticism of your references can influence whether you are offered a position.  It is therefore important to consider these tips:
*Think about who you ask: You may want to ask a friend or family member that you have known personally.  However, it is important to ask those that KNOW YOUR WORK. For example: a former supervisor, a professor that was your advisor or that you took a class from, a colleague would all be people to consider.
*How to Ask: Do not assume that someone will want to be your reference. Be courteous and professional by meeting, sending an email or calling. Also, ask if they prefer to be contacted by phone or email. Provide your reference with your resume and let them know the types of positions you are targeting.
*When to Ask: If you are looking for a job, you should ask as soon as possible. Do not wait until you have a deadline to meet.
*Update References: When a potential employer informs you that they are going to check your references, contact your reference and send them a link to the job description. This will help them provide feedback that is focused on the position, not just random comments.
*Follow-Up: Let your references know how your job search is going and thank them for providing a reference regardless of whether you were offered the position or not. If you get the job, provide them with your new contact information and stay in touch.
Following these tips will help you to manage this aspect of the job search successfully!
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How To Earn Respect in the Workplace

 For those of us who may not know how to act in business, it can be somewhat intimidating. But it can be pretty easy to make sure that you handle yourself well in the world of business.
Here are a few simple rules to follow.
  • Always listen: This may simple enough, but when you demonstrate that you are a good listener, it shows that you respect your bosses and coworkers, and are genuinely interested in what they have to say. This can also give you a chance to gain some helpful knowledge. Perhaps you meet someone you can trust and feel comfortable asking for advice about workplace etiquette. Remember, asking questions doesn’t show ignorance, it’s a sign of intelligence.
  • Go the Extra mile with a smile: Obviously, it shows a great deal of care if you take on a few extra assignments or willingly work longer hours. But when you do it without complaining, it shows to your bosses what a good worker you are and how much you care about the job. Many people you work with may not be so interested in taking on those few extra tasks and going the extra mile, but if you can do it gladly, you can show the bosses just what a valuable asset you can be to their company.
  • Never Assume: This piece of advice works in tandem with the last piece. You want to be willing to take on any extra work that is available, but you also do not want to get in over your head or come off as presumptuous. If you are new to the job and show up acting like you run the place, no one is going to appreciate your help or enjoy working with you. Understand, that you are the new person and that you do not know everything. If anything, your boss will appreciate this quality, as long as you also demonstrate a willingness to learn.
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How To Build Your Learning Skills The Right Way

It’s never too late to learn. We learn things our whole life, but we don’t think about how we do that. Not surprisingly, only a small amount of everyday skills is turned into long-time habits. Is there a way to become a more efficient person? How to develop necessary learning skills and make them root?
Answers to those questions you can find in this article.
  1. Narrow your goal
Plans like “read more,” “get up early” or “learn something new” are too vague and uncertain. Specify what you want to achieve. Give your goal a form of concrete, measurable and controlled action. For example: “every month to attend a conference in an interesting to me field,” “read 50 books related to my occupation for a year” or “spend two hours every Thursday, reading articles that were kept in bookmarks during the week.” A defined goal will stimulate you to act.
  1. Take time to think big
In the constant chaos of everyday life, there is frequently no time to think about global life goals. Where do you see yourself in five years? How could you develop your skills to make your work more productive, and yourself – a valuable specialist? We are all different, someone is enough half an hour for such reflections, and someone prefers to think about problems of a global scale, having gone on a long bike trip. If you enjoy being alone, take this time to review your skills and aspirations. You may also go a completely different way and discuss everything with colleagues or with old friends, you trust.
  1. Ask yourself: Whom do you envy?
Envy is a negative emotion, but it can serve as an excellent stimulus for self-development. If you envy someone, then this person has something that you really want to have. To whom do you envy: your friend, who is constantly traveling, your dad who doesn’t miss any of the mornings runs or your colleague, who successfully passed the MBA program. You don’t envy people; you envy their achievements. Envy helps to choose the direction of personal growth if you treat this emotion wisely.
  1. Control your habits
Control has a strange power over us. Studies show that by simply controlling our behavior, we begin to perform tasks much faster. It does not matter what exactly it will be: counting the steps from the apartment to the nearest store or the number of phone calls made per day. The same can be applied to how frequently we look at teaching materials or devote time to practice a new skill. Watch how the new habit begins to develop, and it will help you to keep growing.
  1. Set up a learning schedule
The goal, formulated as “to study something of this sort,” will always be somewhere at the end of your to-do list. Of course, this task is essential, but there is no definite deadline for it, and we always can postpone it for another day. That’s why it’s helpful to create a plan for building new skills.
And, don’t forget that you have to form skills, which will bring you benefits: strengthen your temper, broaden the mind horizon, and train professional features. When we do something for our good, the chances of successfully forming a new skill are doubled.
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How to Protect your Startup from Crime

Protecting your business from crime is essential for all enterprises, no matter how long they have been operating or at what scale. With the rise of cyber crime alongside regular criminal activity, as well as white-collar crime, there is a lot to consider when setting up preventative measures for your new startup.
In addition to protecting your business interests – including stock, premises and business assets – staff welfare and safety must also be considered. Creating a successful strategy, therefore, requires planning, as well as execution, and this guide is designed to help protect your startup from the beginning.
Begin with a risk assessment
Risk assessments are common in business, and while they are usually completed most frequently in the field of health and safety, adopting this strategy when beginning your security setup is a useful and effective starting point.
Using the five steps to risk assessment within a security context is an extremely helpful way to first consider the potential risks your startup may be susceptible to. To some extent, risk assessment requires a little creative thinking – try to consider broadly the various forms of crime that are out there. Communicating with other businesses may be a good way to think outside the box, and get a clear idea of the various potential risks.
Protect your premises and assets
Having completed your risk assessment you can then start considering your security setup. An effective security strategy requires installing the right security systems for your specific requirements. While fanciful face recognition tech and Chamber of Secrets-style vaults might be preferable, they’re probably unaffordable (and maybe a little unrealistic) for a startup!
The security systems you do opt for need to be realistic and practical, as well as affordable. They should act as both a deterrent to potential criminals, and as a protective measure should crime occur. Selecting the right systems from the get-go is essential.
Effective staff policies
Having the most effective security equipment in the world is one thing, but not backing it up with a well-measured and carried out policy makes the investment somewhat redundant. A successful company policy should ensure consistent regulations and standards across the board.
Make sure that employees understand what is expected of them through a code of conduct, and what can happen should they commit white-collar crime against your startup. Consistency is the key!
Setting up for cyber crime
Cyber crime is an increasing concern for businesses – both more established, and startups – due to the convenience and anonymity afforded by the internet. When setting up a new business venture, particularly a digital company, it is increasingly important to be aware of the types of cyber crime that exist, in order to take effective preventative measures.
It is essential to be both aware of cyber crime yourself, and to educate your staff on how to prevent it occurring. This should begin through your staff policies and regulations – you need to include a social media policy, both to prevent poor conduct, as well as potential cyber crime.
As well as staff policies, you need to protect your startup from external threats. Police your internal networks thoroughly, conduct regular audits, and make sure portable devices (as well as desktop computers) are scanned. Checking out who you are working with, such as external partners and suppliers is also important in safeguarding your business from cyber crime.
Monitor your security measures as your business grows
As well as ensuring your security measures are effective from the beginning, it is essential to consistently assess and update your procedures as your business grows, in order to stay well protected from crime.
This can be done through regular risk assessments, external surveys and audits, and consistent reviews of your policies and systems. As your business grows, new crime threats can emerge, so regular reviews are an important part of ensuring ongoing protection for your startup against crime.
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Skill Series #3: Written Communication

Why is it important to write well? What does ‘writing well’ mean, anyway? Every day I read resumes, cover letters, personal statements, essays and email and text messages. So do you.
Have you ever gotten a text that made no sense? Was the verb or subject missing? Maybe you thought that you knew what the person meant to say, but you had to guess.
Let’s start with some examples….
  • My courses in History and Philosophy taught me strong critical thinking skills.
Your courses taught you? YOU had nothing to do with amassing these skills? Don’t you think that YOU learned or developed critical thinking skills by taking courses in History and Philosophy?
  • Other responsibilities include progress toward degree meetings every semester.
What does this mean? Who made progress? And, what did this person do to advance the progress of these meetings?
  • I have developed a valuable database of employer relationships that get results.
Have you known databases that get results? I have not. I thought that people used databases and the information in databases to get results.
  • My educational experiences and my work experience have allowed me to develop exceptional interpersonal, clerical, analytical and leadership skills.
Your educational and work experiences gave you the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills – how did that work? Would it be accurate to say that while you pursued your education and gained work experience, YOU strengthened your interpersonal…..skills?
  • I am the daily liaison between coaches and instructor’s.
Your turn….what is the issue?
  • Young Democrats of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah May, – June 2006
               Volunteer Champagne Manager
 Have you spotted the typos?
  • I am interested in applying for the position of with you organization.
Did this person read the sentence out loud? How many problems do you see?
  • One who will make a positive contribution to your college.
Is this a sentence? Does it include a complete thought OR do you feel something is missing?
  • All of these experiences have shown that children and animals are forever bonded and the stories arising from that relationship inform us how to approach and respect
Be clear about what and who you are referencing. WHAT RELATIONSHIP is this person talking about? And WHO exactly are we approaching?
Whether you are writing a resume, an email or an academic essay, writing skills are critical.
Here are some tips for writing as clearly as possible to convey what you mean to say:
  • Use active tense: Experiences do not teach you. YOU learn skills by engaging in experiences and completing projects.
  • Be specific and include details: As a senior majoring in Anthropology, with a minor in History, I have traveled to WWI battlefields in Belgium and worked with forensic anthropologists to uncover the remains of soldiers who died in the trenches.
  • Use a font that is large enough to see. No one will read your work, no matter how excellent it is, if the person can’t see the text!
  • ALWAYS read what you have written out loud to yourself. That is the only way you will notice if you have left out a word or used the wrong phrase.
Resources in the Career Center Library:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The zero tolerance approach to puncuation, by  Lynne Truss
On writing well: an informal guide to writing nonfiction, by William Zinsser
Get to the Point!  by Elizabeth Danziger
Writing That Works, by Kenneth Roman and Joel Raphaelson
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Grammar-Translation Method

Grammar – Translation Method
Grammar Translation Method or Classical Method is the oldest method of teaching English in India. “Under the translation method, the meaning of English words, phrases, and sentences is taught by means of word – to –word translation into the mother tongue” says H. Champion. This method is known as Grammar Translation Method because the grammar of the new language is taught with the help of the grammar of the mother tongue. The major characteristics of this method are;
Ñ The unit of teaching is word
Ñ Mother tongue dominates
Ñ It lays emphasis on written language
Ñ It advocates the formal teaching of grammar
Principles
According to Thompson and Wyatt, this method is based on three sound principles.
X Translation interprets foreign methodology best
X In the process of interpretation the foreign phraseology is best assimilated
X The structure of a foreign language is best learnt when compared and contrasted with that of the mother tongue.
Arguments in favour of Translation Method
J   Easy Method:  This method is based on the maxim of learning from know to unknown. It is accordance with Apperceptive Theory which states, “Learning is to connect old and new ideas”. This method tries to establish a strong bond between foreign phraseology (new ideas) and mother tongue (old ideas).
J   Saves teacher’s labour:  It is economical as it saves time. Foreign phraseology can be quickly explained. Abstract words and phrases can be easily explained through mother tongue.
J   Grammar is easily taught:   The pupils can have a perfect mastery of written English, the spellings of English words and the formal grammar. It supports the notion of Faculty Psychologists who think that grammar disciplines the mind.
J   Easy testing of Comprehension:   Students can be asked to narrate what they learnt in mother – tongue. Thus it helps in testing comprehension. The pupils acquires the art of translation.
J   Average level students and teachers:   This method is highly useful for the students of average and below average level. Teachers with reasonable language proficiency can cope up with this method.
J   Helps in Building Vocabulary:   this method helps in the rapid expansion of vocabulary as it avoids difficult definitions and lengthy explanations. The vocabulary is economically and effectively acquired.
Criticisms
L  Unnatural Method:  The order of language skills is not properly followed as listening, speaking, reading and writing.
L  Neglects Speech and Pattern practice:  Since mother tongue is enormously used, it never leads to practice in English. Unless an English atmosphere is created, the student is tempted to speak in first language.
L  Lack of Pronunciation skill:  This method fails to teach correct articulation, intonation and pronunciation since there is no emphasis on listening, speaking and reading.
L  Strong Emphasis on Writing:   The strong emphasis on writing is without foundation. Because spoken language is the living, dynamic and evolving language. Written language cannot be the sole basis of language study.
L  Exact Translation is Impossible:  The words, idioms and phrases in English, which reflects the culture, tradition and customs of English people. They cannot be translated without losing their correct effect. Sometimes literal translation becomes ridiculous. As Champion points out, “The fundamental weakness of translation is that it prevents or retards the pupil from thinking in English”.
L  Strong Emphasis on Formal Grammar:   This method tries to teach English by rules and not by use. Dr. Bullard says, “To speak any language entirely by rule is quite impossible”.
Suggestions for Improvement:
Ø While speaking English, teachers should speak it with correct pronunciation and use grammatically correct sentences.
Ø Teachers should put more emphasis on those points in which Indian vernaculars differ from English.
Ø Reading practice should be made compulsory for all students. That should be properly monitored properly by the teacher.

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8 Employee Benefits for Working Parents

We would all love to be able to stay home and take care of the kids without having to worry about going to work. But, for most of us, this just isn’t financially feasible. Raising kids is expensive, and even for those who have full-time employment, it can still be a struggle. Child care is a huge expense, and it involves a lot more than paying a sitter or a daycare center. Thank goodness for employee benefits, and there are many that are ideal for working parents. Let’s take a look at eight of the best employee benefits for working parents.

1. Flexible Schedules

If you have school-age kids, you may want to find out if your company offers flexible schedules that allow you to be home in the mornings before school, as well as after school. This is going to save you a lot of money, because chances are that the cost of child care for these hours is going to be more than you would earn, unless you have a really high paying job.

2. Backup Child Care

Many companies offer access to backup child care assistance. If your company offers this, you won’t have to worry if something happens that your regular caregiver isn’t available. You will be able to find a qualified caregiver, and not have to miss any time from work because you had to be home with the kids.

3. Onsite Child Care

More and more companies are opting to have on-site child care for their employees. This is great for parents of kids who are not old enough to attend school. They don’t have to worry about finding a sitter or paying for child care, because they can simply drop their kids off at the on-site center, and pick them up when they are ready to leave.

4. Family Care Time

Here is a great benefit that allows parents to stay at home with a sick kid without having to worry about using up their vacation time or regular sick days. Many companies will offer a few paid days off per year for parents, and you don’t even have to worry about getting a doctor’s note.

5. Paid Parental Leave

Employers are recognizing that their employees need more than the usual 6-12 weeks of paid parental leave when they have babies. The great thing about parental leave is that it is not just for mothers. Fathers can also take advantage of this benefit, and some companies offer up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave.

6. Family Medical Plan

According to KidsBestDentistNYC many companies offer a full health care package for families, and not just for the employees themselves. This can come in pretty handy when you need to take the kids for checkups, to get medications for them, etc. Ask if your company provides bonus health assistance for children.

7. Unlimited Vacation Time

A newer benefit that is becoming increasingly popular is unlimited vacation time. Of course, this is not paid vacation, but it does give you the flexibility to be able to take days off when you need to. This is a benefit that is on top of your regular paid vacation, and it will not interfere with your paid sick days.

8. Flexible Spending Accounts

This benefit lets employees save pre-tax money to pay for both health care expenses and day care expenses that are related to their jobs. This can include, but is not limited to, before and after school care programs for kids, as well as summer day camp and even preschool. This can help you save as much as $2,000 per year.

A Marketing Career Can Show You the World

Few careers can claim the opportunity for world travel that marketing contains. If you have a passion and desire to see the world, travel as much as you’d like, and experience the wonderful magic of unparalleled experiences, a marketing career would be a great choice for you. We’ll explore some of the top reasons why marketing can be your magic carpet.
  • A truly international role: Few jobs are as needed in every corner in the world as much as marketing. Since marketing is relevant to any and every type of business, you can find employment in any country. With a marketing degree and some professional experience (build that portfolio!), you can hop countries every few years or more, depending on your chosen career trajectory. Show us a profession that is in this much demand worldwide and we’ll show you a magic lantern containing what that profession is. Spoiler alert: it’s marketing.
  • Learning about all the cultures of the world: As many businesses as there are, there are multiple times over of customer segments that these businesses would like to reach with marketing. When learning marketing, you will learn topics such as demographic research, which provides insight on specific populations of people and how to best market to them based upon data points such as cell phone use and cultural beliefs, norms, and traditions. This knowledge will not only make you more worldly overall, but can be a “foot in the door” to relocation or at least an even more awesome future travel experience. You may even get paid to learn a language, only furthering your endless opportunities.
  • International networking: As if the possibilities for international communication and travel by premise of performing your daily job duties weren’t enough, yet another way marketing can show you the world is through networking. Marketing has one of the most highly-active professional networking communities of all industries, with frequent conferences all over the world. Sharing cocktails with professionals within marketing that originate from all continents is not an uncommon scene within the marketing profession.
  • Content creation: Marketing has seemingly endless methodologies and content channels. You may be asked to manage an Instagram social media channel; and what better way to provide relevant content than to be collocated with the pertinent content? If that content is on a cruise ship, you’ve got pretty good justification to be on that cruise ship. You may conveniently select marketing assignments that take you where you want to be, and we promise not to tell anyone your secret to all expenses paid travel.
  • Freelancing: More and more marketing professionals are going independent, either by launching their own business or freelancing. As opposed to a traditional marketing employee, enslaved to the depressing corporate office, a freelancer can work both whenever and wherever they desire. While it is certainly a requirement to have a high level of personal responsibility and accountability to work with this level of independence, your office can be your bedroom, the local coffee shop, or the Caribbean. Nothing like pina coladas and search engine optimization!

What in the World Can I Do With a Major in Environmental Science?

We see many students in Environmental Science who are interested in exploring career options in sustainability, field research, educating others on protecting our world, urban planning and transit…the list goes on. Students who gravitate toward Geography & the Environment in particular have a deep love for giving back, and are often interested in so many different areas that it can be tough to land on just one or two.
The long process of career exploration can be tough, but it has the potential to provide great results. Imagine being able to identify what it is you’re good at, go deeper to get a sense of what speaks to your soul, and share it with the world? With Environmental Science, it’s even more rewarding to see the connection students make between their why (what gets you out of bed in the morning) and their career paths.
Here are a few practical tips, and questions you might want to ask yourself, as you begin to explore your options in Environmental Science.
Start with why
We often will begin career exploration sessions with students by asking them, “What brought you to Environmental Science? Why did you choose to study this field?”
We encourage you to begin asking yourself that question.
What about Environmental Science spoke to you that a major in Biology or Sociology could not?
To go a little bit further, we often suggest that students take some time to look at their full degree audit. Ask yourself:
  • Which courses have I enjoyed most?
  • What is it about those courses (the learning community, the concepts, the programs) that resonated with me?
  • Which courses do I find myself procrastinating for? What am I replacing that time with? Does (some of) it relate back to my major and/or potential interests?
  • What skills am I learning? Which skills do I like learning and practicing?
Research your options
Once you have a decent sense of what drives you in the classroom, you will want to begin identifying career paths that speak to those skills, concepts, and interest areas.
Some resources you may want to explore include:
  • O*NET: A comprehensive database of many occupations. Start with the “Green Economy Sector,” perhaps?
  • Pioneer Careers: Check out the “Research Tools” > “Outcomes Index” tab to look at what DU graduates in recent years have gone on to do, and where they are working
You may also want to look at databases such as GuideStar to identify causes that mean a lot to you, and see where your interest in geography and the environment might intersect with those specific areas. How can you plug in? Talk to someone? Start to volunteer? Apply for an internship with those organizations?
Learning about specific career paths of DU alumni can be another useful strategy in career exploration. Job titles of Environmental Science graduates include:
  • Abandoned Mine Restoration Project Manager
  • Environmental Specialist
  • Hydroponic Intern
  • Recycling Program Administrator
  • Stormwater Manager
  • Sustainability Coordinator/Manager
  • Water Resources Analyst
Get connected!
While the Internet is an excellent way to begin exploring your options, there’s nothing like sitting down for coffee with a sustainability professional to learn more about how they got to where they are today, or to meet a Wilderness Ranger in the backcountry for job shadowing.
There are a ton of ways to get connected with the larger DU community. We recommend starting with Pioneer Connect, a tool specific to DU where alumni sign up and volunteer specific career development resources to current students. But, leverage your network! Chat with professors, peers, upperclassmen, current graduate students about their experiences and why they made the career decisions they did. It’s a great place to begin figuring out where you want to go after life at DU ends.

Right Foot Forward- Bringing Mentoring to Student Veterans

This blog is co-authored by Damon Vine and Patty Hickman.
Veterans face many challenges as they transition from active duty or reserve status back into civilian life. The University of Denver is doing its part to help veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Nationally, the average age of a student veteran is 28; this includes graduate and undergraduate students.
Most veterans departing from the military are unfamiliar with the career skills they need to begin their civilian career. DU’s Veterans Services has partnered with Career & Professional Development to bring our student veterans the Right Foot Forward (RFF) program. RFF matches current student veterans with a mentor in the field in which they wish to pursue a career.
The participants must also attend two career fairs as well as schedule three meetings with Career & Professional Development to review their resume/cover letter, LinkedIn profile and practice interview skills. After these objectives have been completed they are matched with their mentor, a senior executive with at least five years separation from the military, and/ or five years professional experience in their field.
After completing the five meetings with their mentor Veterans Services accompanies the participating veteran to Brooks Brothers for a custom suit fitting at no charge to the veteran.
RFF has experienced great success and has been asked to speak in front of the State of Colorado’s Senate Committee on Education (see picture) along with CU-Boulder and CU-Denver’s programs which have programs similar to DU’s Right Foot Forward.
For more information about the Right Foot Forward program please contact Damon Vine at damon.vine@du.edu or  303-871-2074.
 Submitted by Damon Vine/Veterans Service Coordinator and Patty Hickman/Director Graduate Career & Professional Development

10 Ways to Stay Healthy When You Work in an Office

Many people think that the safest jobs are those that involve being in an office all day. Sure, you likely aren’t going to have any heavy objects falling, or have to deal with injuries involving heavy equipment, but working in an office comes with its own particular set of health hazards. In fact, a lot of people who work in offices are less healthy than those who work at jobs that are much more physically demanding. Today we are going to take a look at 10 things you can do to help you to stay healthy if you work in an office.
  • Walk to Work – If you don’t live far away from the workplace, keep your car parked at home and start walking to work. You may not always be able to do this (lack of time, bad weather, etc.), but the more often you walk, the healthier you are going to be.
  • Use a Standing Desk – We are learning more and more about the dangers of sitting all day long. In fact, they say that sitting is the new smoking. It is important to be able to stand and sit, so if you have an adjustable desk, you can sit for periods, and then stand up for periods as well.
  • Use a Fitness Ball – Instead of using a regular chair, get yourself a fitness ball. Sure, it may look a bit kooky, but it is a great way to work the muscles in your back and legs, because you have to be able to balance yourself on the ball as you work.
  • Don’t Eat Out – One of the biggest problems facing office workers is eating out. It is so easy to grab something quick from a take-out or the cafeteria, but it isn’t always the healthiest option. Stop eating out, and bring your own healthy lunches and snacks to work instead.
  • Bring Exercise Gear – You can exercise both while you are working and while you are on breaks if you have some fitness gear in your office. Bring some dumbbells or elastics to work, and do exercises while you are reading notes, making phone calls, etc.
  • Exercise in the Office – There are loads of things you can do right in the office that are going to help you to stay in good shape. For instance, you can start taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Do various exercises right in your chair, such as leg raises and isometrics. Move around as much as possible. 
  • Ask for a Fitness Corner – Many companies don’t have the space for an in-house fitness center, but you can suggest that they offer a fitness corner with one or two fitness apparatuses, such as a mini trampoline. This can easily be set up in the lunch room, or any other corner in the building and as this article by Groom+Style suggests can be completed on a small budget.
  • Exercise on Breaks – Instead of sitting down for lunch and other breaks, use this time to get some exercise. If it is nice outside, go for a walk. Find a work buddy to walk with you so it is more enjoyable. You may even find a group of coworkers who want to start walking regularly.
  • Hold Walking Meetings – Another way to exercise while at work is to walk while you talk. Instead of holding meetings in the boardroom, get everyone to go for a walk in the park, around the block, etc. You can talk about everything you would in the boardroom, and get some exercise too.
  • Set Up Fitness Classes – Get together with your fellow employees and hold fitness classes in the workplace. These can take place during lunch hours, and they are not only a great way to stay in shape, but also a great way to get to know your colleagues better in a non-work setting.

How to Future-Proof Your Career Against AI

In a just a decade or too, artificial intelligence has gone from science fiction fantasy to an everyday reality for many of us. Do you have a smartphone with Siri or Google Assistant baked in? Perhaps an Amazon Echo standing on a bookcase back home? Those disembodied voices, linked over the internet to a vast network of servers and self-propelled neural networks, are AI – and they are moving ever closer to passing the legendary Turing Test.
Of course, none of these products are genuinely self-aware, in the broadest sense of the term ‘intelligent’. But that is coming (probably). Popular futurologist Ray Kurzweil, who now works for Google, believes we will achieve the so-called ‘singularity’, the point at which artificial intelligence overtakes the human variety, in just a few decades’ time. That’s either an exciting or scary prospect, depending on how you look at it.
But what does the gradual spread of AI mean for us today? Physical factory robots have existed for decades, freeing people from the most repetitive and wearisome tasks but at the same time causing job losses. Since then they become ever sophisticated, and their development has run alongside the growth of AI. Now we find ourselves at a point when a notable number of non-factory positions are also under threat from machines – more than at third of administrative and support service positions for example, and just under a third of financial and insurance positions. Finance, in particular, has taken with enthusiasm to AI: many loan and insurance assessments are made by machines, and stockbroking is now hugely automated, with computers buying and selling shares between themselves at tremendous speeds and with little human intervention.
This will only continue, so is there anything we can do? Is it possible to future-proof your job and keep the robots from the door? The first thing to realize is that AI, at least in its current form, can only do certain things, and all that must be rigidly programmed in. AI cannot be creative, think spontaneously, or tackle the multiple intricacies of social interaction: although scientists and engineers are doing their very best to teach them all those things. But it’s a tough task: these are all tremendously difficult things for machines to grasp. No matter how polished a user experience they produce, AI is, fundamentally, a product of computing, and that in turn boils down at the deepest level to binary ones and zeros. Not very human.
So the more human your job is, the safer it will be is from AI: for now, anyway! But what if you work in a field that is vulnerable to the rise of the robots – for example, transportation, wholesale distribution or manufacturing? The best approach is perhaps to accept that the robots will be always better at repetition and heavy lifting, and AI will always be better at crunching numbers. Instead, move sideways and adapt to the new opportunities that will present themselves. Learn to repair the robots or programme the AI. Become a manager or supervisor – a position no robot can take. Or move into a customer facing role and specialize in all that tricky social interaction.
For all its continuous evolution and intricacy, AI is still characterized as much by what it can’t do as what it can. As HAL famously put it, “I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that…” We humans aren’t redundant just yet!

Smart Writing as a New Start for Your Career

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If you search “smart writing” on Google, you’ll come across Moleskine’s smart writing system, but you won’t find much more information on the term. What’s smart writing, anyway? It’s not a term reserved for Moleskine. It’s something much broader; something that affects all of us.
In its simplest definition, smart writing is a writing practice that serves a purpose. It helps you achieve a precise goal. You plan how you’ll achieve that goal, and you organize the process of writing in a way that helps you get there.
When it comes to launching your future as a professional in any field, smart writing can really help. You can start the practice before you even graduate, and you can take it further when you’re ready to hit the job market. We’ll tell you how.
  1. Start With Your School Projects
When you’re at college or graduate school, a big part of your responsibilities are based on writing. This is your chance to practice smart writing. These are not mere assignments without any purpose. Oh; they serve a big purpose: they teach you how to conduct research and develop arguments based on facts. You’ll benefit from those skills no matter what career you choose. Whether you’re a doctor, economist, marketing expert, or social sciences, research and writing will be a big part of your professional progress.
So pay attention to these projects! If you’re not a good writer, the best paper writing service can help you develop these skills. You will work with a professional writer, who will guide you through all steps of the planning, research, writing, and editing.
If you’ve already graduated, then you can learn by going through the papers you’ve written. You surely stored several of them on your hard drive, right? Well, it’s time to improve them. Do some smart writing! What can you do to make them more convincing?
  1. Start Blogging
Let’s get back to those school projects. Are you confident enough to share your research with a wider audience? This will boost your smart writing practice. When you connect with like-minded people through your blog, you’ll learn from their comments. Some of them will ask questions that will require more research. With time, you’ll learn how to develop stronger arguments and convey them through content that people love reading.
Your blog doesn’t have to be reserved for research projects. Regular blogging can be smart writing, too. Just pick a niche that corresponds to the career path you want to follow. Then, start working on different topics and write awesome content!
A great blog requires an investment. You’ll make it successful not only through high-quality content published on a regular basis, but through a SEO and social media marketing strategy, too. It will take a lot of work, but you’ll yield great results in return.
The blog can literally start your career! When you submit a CV or resume for a job and you include a link to your blog, the potential employer will be curious to see what you’ve got. If they see an influential blogger who knows tons about the industry, you’ll definitely get an interview.
  1. Improve Your Vocabulary
No; we’re not saying you should become one of those people who write endless sentences with “big” words. That’s not smart writing. It’s silly writing!
However, smart writing still has a lot to do with vocabulary. The language used in research projects, professional blogging, and business communication is different from the language you use for speaking or personal writing. This means you’ll have to explore some new, more influential ways to express yourself.
For starters, you should learn more about the industry of your choice. Understand the slang! You won’t want to use it so much when you write for a general audience, but you still have to understand it. You should know how to define and use all terms related to your profession. Strong vocabulary will make your writing more convincing.
  1. Learn from Constructive Criticism
This is the biggest favor you could do to yourself: hire an editor for the important content that you’re going to publish. Yes; it’s an investment. However, it will greatly improve the quality of your writing. It’s not easy to see your “baby” taken apart. The editor will remove all unnecessary parts of your sentences. They will make the content more readable. They will contact you with advice to add information where the logical flow fails.
This will test your ability to learn from constructive criticism. You don’t have to hire an editor every single time. Do it only for the most important smart writing projects. You will not allow the editor to change your voice, tone, and message. However, you should certainly accept their detached involvement.
The same thing goes for the comments you get on your blog. Sure, you’ll be getting some of the “keep up the good work” stuff, but that won’t be all. Some of your readers will be critical. They will argue your point. You should listen to their criticism, too! It actually helps you to write better content next time. Progress – that’s what smart writing is all about.
Are you ready to start this journey? Smart writing can make you a better professional in any career. It makes you a more attractive candidate for employment or promotion, too!

About the Author

 Mark Delarika is a professional content writer, teacher, and a blogger. He taught in more than 10 countries for students all over the world. He is major in educational innovations. Mark is a business writer at best paper writing service. He helps students to improve writing skills, shares his personal experience and gives practical tips for educators. 

Is It Feasible to Turn a Passion for Blogging into a Career?

A few people have turned blogging into a very successful career. But as you probably already know, there are countless blogs out there, and their owners are not necessarily making a living out of their efforts.
So, if you are thinking of getting into blogging, not just as a hobby, but as a way to earn a living, then there are some points you need to understand first.
First of all, you should know that starting a blog is pretty inexpensive. Setting up a blog site is one of the easiest things to do, and also the cheapest ways to have a site of your own. That said, you will need to have a few other skills to make your blogging career a success.
Learn about Digital Marketing
As a professional blogger, should have a decent grasp of what digital content marketing entails. At the end of the day, if you are getting into blogging for the money, you are running a business. And any good business needs good marketing to be a success.
Without going into details, you should know a few marketing techniques you can use to promote your site and get it the online attention it needs to offer monetization opportunities.
Some of the marketing channels you can try include social media, being a guest poster on similar blogs, and getting endorsements from influential individuals in the niche you are blogging about.
Basically, you should go with the marketing modes that will give you the greatest benefits. So, do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone as you explore ways to market your blog.
Keep your Audience Interested
Blogging as a career will also require that you keep your audience interested through fresh content. That means you should be ready to write regularly or at least pay someone to write or create great content for you. While at it, make sure you give your audience value for their time. 
Write about What You Know
It helps to write about a subject you are (or are willing to become) an expert at. Do not struggle to try to blog about topics you are unfamiliar with, especially if you intend to create the content yourself. Writing about things you love and know about in depth will give you greater authority, in addition to, ensuring you always have something of worth to give your audience whenever you sit down to create new content.
Matt from Greece, who has always enjoyed trying new products and writing reviews, started his a blog in 2014 and he has focused it on product reviews that educate and inspire. He advises new bloggers to choose a topic they are passionate about.
Steven from New York, who was working as a journalist for a cybersecurity magazine, started blogging about Internet security, giving tips, endorsing products, and offering deals and coupons for award-winning antivirus and security software that can protect his blog readers from the ever-increasing threats in the cyberspace.
Alex from Ireland, who struggled as a student to make ends meet, and became an expert at saving money using coupons throughout his college years, created a voucher site that today helps people save hundreds of dollars annually.
You can Get Paid to Blog
Your career can still be a success when you decide to blog for others. Obviously, there is a level of satisfaction that comes with creating your own blog, but being a blogger at an established site is also a good way to make a living in this field.
The benefit of this option is that you will start getting paid immediately. You will also have the assurance that your blogging will actually make money. Creating your own blog is fraught with many risks. For one, it could take months before the blog starts making any money for you, if you are lucky.
You don’t even have to be loyal to a single blog. Many professional bloggers work with many companies or sites, making significant amounts of money from their blogging careers. So, finding a blogging job is something worth considering. And who says you cannot have your own blog even as you work as a professional blogger for sites you don’t own?
Take your Blog Seriously
Also, while trying to launch a career as a blogger, you need to get rid of “I’m doing this as a hobby” mentality. Creating web content about things you like can certainly be fun, especially if you have people who follow your work closely as fans. However, you should take blogging seriously if you consider it a career. That means you have to actively seek out opportunities to make money off your blogging.
Such options include getting companies like Google to advertise on your site so that you earn when people visit your site. You can also post sponsored content, but without ruining the content quality your audience has come to expect from your blog.
Be a Learner
A blogger also needs to be open to learning. Many bloggers out there had no clue their successful money-minting sites would turn out the way they did when they started out. But with patience and a willingness to learn, they set up blogs that turned into raging monetary successes.
Similarly, you should be open to learning if you are to succeed as a blogger. For instance, your blog will need things like a good ranking on Google. That means you will have to learn more about how these rankings are made to ensure your site is better-positioned in search engine results.
In Conclusion
So, you can definitely have a successful career as a blogger. All you need is to put in the appropriate effort. If you can learn more about content marketing, offer your bloggers value for their time, and be open to learning new things about the field, then you can certainly succeed as a blogger.