Sunday, December 20, 2015

Media Roundup | Travis & Company

Looking for a job? Mike Travis was rated top headhunter in the WSJ.
Media Roundup | Travis & Company


Is the hiring process like dating?  Maybe we should spend 50% of our time working on dating instead.  The article says overselling yourself can seem desperate, and not selling at all makes you seem arrogant and disrespectful.  So strike a balance, establish a presence and see what each moment brings you.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Initial Steps toward becoming Debt Free and . . . gaining Financial Freedom

started this program by getting a handle on where I stood today, which required I switch focus from getting top grades, to improving my credit score.  Part of the problem was my lack of confidence and once I admitted that all my time was spent on becoming a top technologist, I understood what I had to change.  It takes more effort to produce the financial wealth I expected from life despite the years of training.  I assumed an advanced education, and years of knowledge and learning would be sufficient to get a job in today's economy.  I naturally expected my values would produce financial success. Today we are globalized. Business competition is worldwide, and I expected and wanted much more from life.

Starting from the basics, I went to the Schenectady library to read about improving my credit score.  I landed on the dummies guide on how to improve your credit score which simplified the process.  I learned the basic rules about managing my money, in order to increase my credit score.  It is essential to know the basics and reading the dummies guide helped me learn what I needed in order to get a good rating.

Credit Counseling Really Helps with Learning The Basics
I found free services by searching online. I made an appointment to get help from a counselor who worked to evaluate my budget and provided advise on where to go next to make the necessary improvements in my finances. We went over my credit score and suggested how to work with my current financial situation.   I did go search online and found Clearpoint Credit Counseling in Albany NY.   The counselor was able to work with budgeting and evaluating where I stand today.  

I did prepare before speaking to the credit counselor, and spent time working on the tips I read about in the dummies guide.  It is not difficult to improve your credit score.  But building a credit line may mean taking out secured loans and paying them back on time.

Learn More about Your Credit Score

Having a good credit score is a start and it is essential to know that not making payments, and late payments are recorded.  They effect your credit score, paying on time is important.  Keeping records and checking the balances of your accounts including debt.

Lease Negotiations: What a great tenant you are!

I am in the process of negotiating a lease and need to learn the basics.  The real issue is making decisions of when and how to talk to your landlord about the rent.

Reading articles online is a great way to learn, but what happens if you can not afford the increase?


8 tips on how to negotiate a lease agreement.


In US we honor our business contracts and consider them important to uphold.

In Chinese Culture our business contracts change as we work together

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Cooperative Business Models

If your are interested in reading the current issue of Yes Magazine .  .  .  THE POWER OF DEBT
You can purchase it at the Honest Weight Food Co-operative in Albany New York.  The honest weight food cooperative is a member owned natural food grocery store.

They use a cooperative business model to create a responsible business that puts local first. Interested in learning more about the cooperative business model here is an excerpt from the article Understanding the Cooperative Business Model .

"Still, when people hear the word “cooperative,” most have difficulty envisioning anything beyond a crunchy granola health food store. That's perhaps not surprising, considering the closest thing to employee-ownership most corporate workers experience is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, where they can purchase (or are granted) stock in their company. These programs are designed to incentivize workers to be more productive, as they now benefit directly from the business's success. They are built around the assumption that monetary reward is the best motivation for workers.

Cooperative businesses take this idea of employee ownership and engagement one step further: employees actually own and operate the business. Besides the profit motive, cooperative models assume that workers value a more humanized workplace, where the input of ground-level employees can improve the business. Most cooperative businesses are founded on the democratic principle of “one worker, one vote,” and no two are alike.  . .  "


Get Out of Debt, Manage your Credit, and find Financial Freedom


The group I am working to form includes anyone that is interested in getting out of debt.  I have met many talented women who have college education and are really broke financially. I was surprised less, I suspect it is more common to find educated people without work.

My solution was to by a book and audio CD set that outlines 47 fundamental principles that teach the people how to get out of debt.  The book is published by the founders of life leadership company.  The financial fitness program seems to be a guide that helps teach how to build your income, get out of debt and prosper in any economy.  The group states you will be out of debt within 2 years, after learning to follow the principles outlined in the Financial Fitness program.

I read about the Corinthians 15, a group of people who had graduated from college and needed to pay off student loans but did not have adequate income to meet their financial obligation.  I wanted to learn more about their story of how they unified together to work out this problem.

The movement started August 28, 2015 around the movie The War Room did not seem to materialize in Schenectady NY.  Or if it did, I did not find the group announced anywhere.

Anyone Interested in Learning more about Getting Out of Debt?

Getting A Ride, Renting a Room, & Selling Your Clothes ....

Today I ride the bus and it often takes more time to get to the destination than I want to give.  One good thing about riding on the bus is that I have time to do other things.  I can make phone calls and finish my day's work by writing in my journal.  I can read a book, knit or I can read a professional journal.  I can do things that I don't have time to do at home.  Otherwise I can spend time organizing my thoughts or just meeting other bus riders.

But all joking aside I rather be riding in a brand new car.  I did see a sign for Car Angels, it advertised a chance to get a car and posted a phone number.  I came up with Free Charity Car website which is a website designed as a social networking website.  Many activities are required before you can complete all the requirements.  Learn flickr and set up a youtube account, connect to three social media sites, and work on writing blogs.  And promoting the website by inviting other people to join the group. 

I wanted to focus on how to earn money, and finally started blogging about the sharing economy, sharing cars, sharing living spaces, Airbnb, and working creative ways to increase my monthly income. 

Once I get my free charity car, I want to earn money by sharing ownership.  Maybe I will investigate UBER and become a cab driver when I have free time.
Here are some interesting car sharing, sharing economy websites to get introduced to.  Read about these websites, try them out and comment on your experience. 

P2P sharing sites are ZipCars RelayRides or JustShareIt.

Car Sharing Services

ZipCar (cars)
RelayRides (cars)
JustShareIt
Poshmark (sell your clothing)
CouchSurfing (rent a room)
Feastly (dine in someone else's home)
Mesh

Breather, Honest Buildings, Instructables (sold to Autodesk), Makani Power (sold to Google), OpenRov, OtherMill, RelayRides, Ridepal, Sidecar, Science Exchange, Scoot Networks, Solar Mosaic, Squidoo, TaskRabbit, Vayable and Yerdle.

Entrepreneurs are directing teams and funds to build platforms and services like Uber, Lyft, BlaBlaCar, SocialCar, RelayRides, Food Assembly, Solar Mosaic, Provenance, Honest Buildings, Just Park, Neighborly, OpenRov, La Zooz and City Mapper.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Peer to Peer Car Sharing Websites helps Build Trust in a Community


Sharing the ownership of cars is different than what we are used to today.  One car per family or a car in every garage is what the Ford's sold us back in the 1920's.  In the sharing economy, the car is shared in a community of users. People are not limited by the need to own their own car. They can pay for the use of a car which makes the rental more affordable. Car sharing is all about ordinary people renting their cars, so they relinquish sole ownership and let the cars work for them, so they can earn money when they are idle.
 
Technology provides the benefit of connecting us to resources by searching online, but the benefits of car sharing is not only economic, it helps people build trust in community.   What are the responsibilities of renting a car in a community of people who want to share the resource? Obviously trust comes into play, is about keeping commitment, driving safe and sticking to a time schedule. This credibility within a community is established over time and repeated use of the car.  
 
There may be a need for additional liability insurance to cover for accidents involving other cars and drivers not just themselves.

Learn to Share the Vision Women in Leadership

Do you share our vision?

Our Vision Shared:  IEEE WIE Summit USA East 2015 in Philadelphia, PA, focuses on developing and improving leadership skills for individuals at all stages of their careers. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear inspirational and empowering talks presented by successful leaders from IEEE USA North-East region. Emerging technologies will also be demonstrated, engaging attendees to facilitate discussion and potential advancement of STEM outreach class ideas.


Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel

November 6 - 8  2015

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA)

Sheraton_Photo

2015 IEEE WIE Summit USA East Hotel Information

Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel
3549 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
Phone:   (215) 387-8000
Fax: (215) 387-7920
URL: http://www.philadelphiasheraton.com/
Hotel Reservations URLhttps://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=1507083262&key=1F19B68D

Sunday, August 16, 2015

GoLoco: Carpooling Meets Social Networking

I was questioning if I could investigate ways to connect to car pooling instead of using public transportation.  When driving to other states to visit family and friends what is the best mode of transportation?

Robin Chase has built an online community that has provided the opportunity to carpool.  I have yet to meet Robin Chase or use this online platform, but plan to connect online to learn more about her life and her work.

Slowing climate change is a positive outcome of creating carpooling or ride shares communities.  The result is the reduction the use of fossil fuels.  The use of fossil fuels for transportation is the second largest emission of  CO2 .  Knowing that burning fossil fuels produces CO2 emissions how is it removed from the atmosphere?  The CO2 is removed from the atmosphere by natural processes that tend to keep it in balance.   The gas exchanges with the atmosphere, ocean and land surface through microorganisms, plants and animals.



Friday, August 14, 2015

REVIEW of the IEEE RESUME LAB - My first Website

Personal Website - Judy Kilday   Nothing is perfect, and this goes for the IEEE Resume Lab.  It is a fancy tool that set up a personal website.  Nice idea.

The problem is that the competition demands perfect resume and cover letter. If you open the resume and cover letter you will find it is not centered in the window.  Does this make a difference, well yes, and Ralph Converse has stated so in his live webinar on September 16, 2015.  The resume and cover letter have to be perfect to get noticed as a top pick by employers.

Why is the IEEE Resume Lab not included in the IEEE Virtual Career Fair for Region 6? Another waste of time for job seekers, or a great tool that will be included later.  Good question and who will give us the information before we spend umpteen hours crafting a professional profile and website that isn't regarded by human resource professionals and hiring managers as a worthwhile endeavor.

It appears from the onset that the IEEE Resume Lab is a great tool for organizing your professional information. Will it land you a job or is it overkill.

Uploading Resumes and cover letters is easy using this tool.  It provides the ability to create a personal website which can be sent to employers that looks semi - professional.  They may simplify the number of templates, just choose a smaller sample of the best.

The job search takes time and lots of energy to complete.  The IEEE Virtual Career Fair Region 6 has taken steps to simplify the job application process.  Setting up individual accounts on employers websites and sifting through the jobs is time consuming.  Targeting jobs that employers are willing to consider outside hires - experienced verses inside hires or even new hires (recent graduates) will save time.


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Getting There : A Book of Mentors

Why read a book on how others are 'getting there' unless you want to learn how to DIY.  The interesting thing about the book were a short list of pearls following each person's story.  The anecdotes are real and alive. But the pearls are what you want hold on to. 

The book Getting There may just be a way to keep you pointed towards the corner office.  Maybe these real life characters have sought after mentorship roles. They jump at the chance for others to learn from their experience.  Another way to develop personal credibility as a quality skill.


Don't expect success to be without challenges.  Struggling through the challenges, expect good mentors to look for teachable moments.  Times when teaching and learning just click.  


The fallacy of this struggle-free perception of success, like pearls often suggest we do things we have a passion for,  not to allow rejection to deter you, and  see failure as open door.   Be open to new ideas, and take action.





  

Developing Leadership Skills

To some degree or another everyone has  learned about being a leader.  The skills you need to develop leadership are taking initiative, being adaptable, intelligence, and being conscientious.

The dictionary lists synonyms and antonyms for conscientious

CONSCIENTIOUS

Friday, August 7, 2015

Getting Referrals Guarantees You An Interview

The story goes like this, getting an interview is not easy.  If you ask for an employment referral to a company the chances of getting an interview increase to 100%.

Asking for a referral is important.  The first step is to decide where you want to work. Then networking within the community to find other employees you know.

Ask them if they want to participate in the employee referral program.  Can they refer you for work.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

INCREASE INCOME: Explore ways using the Sharing Economy

Make Money
The “sharing economy,” built around the sharing of human and physical resources. The shift is away from ownership and gives people the ability to share access to products and services.  This is not a new idea, actually Craigslist is one of the first websites to adapt this concept.
If you own a car, develop a collective collabrative network of friends willing to share the car.  You leave the idea of ownership behind you and move into the idea of sharing.  Exploring ways to increase income, you can rent your car out if when you travel using airflight. The car sits in the airport parking lot.  It sits in the parking lot while you work, or in the park-in-ride if you commute, or in your driveway if you work at home. While you are sleeping it is can be rented as well.
FlightCar lets people parking at the airport rent out their vehicles while they’re traveling so plan ahead before you get on the plane. Someone can use your car while you are traveling.
Uber and Craigslist are part of the sharing economy. Uber-X competes with the cab companies, and if you have free time you can give someone a lift for cash.  
Baro’s platform gives you a way to easily exchange money for borrowing and lending things.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

MUSK Foundation - SolarCity's Residential Program


Believe in a Better Way

Upgrade to Solar energy at Solar City's Expense

Solar City’s Residential Program saves you money, helps contribute to a cleaner planet for future generations,  and provides more affordable energy.

Pay for power produced each month at lower predictable rates. 



Sign up for a free solar consultation here:  http://share.solarcity.com/judykilday


Alternative Transportation: and THE BIKE RESCUE

Without wheels it is hard to get to work.  An alternative to driving a car is riding a bike.  The Bike Rescue definitely rescued me by providing me with knowledge of DIY bike repair.  My involvement with the bike rescue started before Occupy Wall Street began September 17, 2011.   It is a long story but I did not find a job after finishing a graduate degree at RPI in December 2001.  So I tried sending out as many online applications.  After that did not work,  I listened to all the webinars on networking, job search and professional development. 

One solution was to re-educate so I signed on business school to learn more about business starting in 2008.  I did believe that getting university degrees guaranteed I would be wealthy and I would always have a job.  Never thought I would not be able to pay my debt.   So to make a long story short getting a bike and being able to fix it economically was very important to my life. 

Now after completing business school, I found that it was mandatory that I have a working car.  I was fortunate to find the organization:  Working Cars for Working Families.  This organization that the lack of a car does not stand in the way of families’ ability to become economically successful.  And that is about me!  A person like myself has to become economically successful -- and nothing can get in the way or the American dream has failed.

Finding People to Recommend you for Work can be a Challenge

Looking for a job?

Ideally, create a list of people inside the company that can influence the hiring decision. By building relationships within the network to help you with recommendations.  For most positions you need 3 letters from professional contact list and two from a personal contact list.

Along the way, most job seekers learn about the ins and outs of the hidden job market.  The goal is to land your resume on the hiring managers desk.  That is the first step, after which you need to recommendations that confirm you can do the work, and that you fit to work for the organization.

Is there really an etiquette for getting a letter of recommendation?  Rob Candler thinks so and has written an article on the subject;

The networking with a purpose is key to finding the right people and the right environment to connect with others who take an interest in your success.  This is a two way street, and interest goes both ways.

Mission: Learn to Innovate

People have been innovating for a zillion years.
Learning how to innovate is a topic I read about in IEEE Spectrum.
One key to being good at innovating is to reflect on the history and past technologies.
Talking and reading about the history of technology.
As well as trying it on for yourself.

How effectively you reflect, how opening you discuss, and how well you connect with experts for advice will lead you in the right direction.


THE CONFIDENCE CODE for a summer read

Summer Reading is SWE Book Club's Goal
Do I believe I can achieve my goals?
Do I believe I will find success?

Quote:  We’re so excited The Confidence Code was named in TIME Magazine’s Best Negotiation Books for 2015!

The Confidence Code is about building self-esteem.  The easiest way is to work towards your goals, and see them satisfied.  The simple idea of having confidence, knowing you are competent and showcasing work or having evidence of your ability.  Taking steps to become recognized for your work.

The definition of competence is the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.
A second definition of competence is having an income large enough to live on, typically unearned.

Both are up for discussion.





http://theconfidencecode.com/

Confidence in Acheiving Your Goals - Assess Your Learning - In the Classroom @SAGE

OUR REAL LIFE ANALOGY
The basic understanding of the importance of a self-assessment will answer the question,  how well do I understand the theory and practise of a working organization.   My success depends on my ability to work within an organizational framework "the classroom" given a multi-disciplined population and multi-cultural community.  The real life analogy becomes our experience in the classroom, our learning the culture of the college, and the successful completion of book work and assignments.  The ultimate measure requires building a collaborative network while we work towards the completion of  "The Project RUNWAY".

REQUIREMENTS:
I am required to understand the standards that define successful operation of the individual, the group and the organization. 
I am required to learn the history and the evolution of the organization. 
I am required to learn the structures and  strategies that made organizations work through the Industrial Age and up to the modern Information Age. 
I am required to understand that success is a life-long effort requiring planning, communication and commitment.

Our worldly education prepares for the proper running of daily operations of the organization.   Our efforts to ensure finanical strength and security through the generation of revenues act to sustain our community.  The future potential for earning satisfies our basic needs, ensuring our existance in society.  

PERFORMANCE
Self-assessment requires a realistic image of your performance compared to the standard set by the other members of the group.  In real life terms, rank is often dependent on finanical gains, plus the measure of potential earnings combined with a degree of human satisfaction.  In this case the future earnings are determined by the level of learning, performance and social interactions during projects. 
The individual performance is measured based on class attendance.
The individual performance requires understanding the theory and assignments.
The individual performance requires successful completion of tasks and assignments.
 
The group performance requires collaboration.
The group performance requires responsibly working to meet project deadlines.
The group performance requires the persistance to work under pressure.
The organizations performance is the overall class performance.
The organizations performance requires the coordination and completion of "The Project Runway".
 
THE BIG PICTURE
Each individual, group, organization, or set of organizations constitute parts of a whole system. 
When we consider our world from the viewpoint of  becoming an expert in field of  organizational behavior,

I understand that everything is a organization and nothing is an organization. 
I understand that the self-interests and need for self-preservation are primary motives that underline individual , group or an organizations behavior. 
I understand that the self is a universal term across the set of all potential forms of organizational perspective. 

The inital reaction of one not well versed in organizational behavior, is from a limited viewpoint.  The structures and stragegies we know have been shaped by our past training.  The reality is to assess why we are here, and what we need to experience to get our desires fulfilled.  Unconsciously we are continually assessing our situation, setting goals and adjusting behaviors in accordance with the fundamental desire succeed.   

THE REAL SELF IMAGE
The goal of this My values may determine how I approach the problem of self-evaluation, bias my decisions, and more importantly create my future.
essay is to
To produce an honest self assessment
To understand the individual as an organization began as self-examination of the personal values. 

To set the achievement standards or goals. 
Leader Values gives some information about self-assessment in relation to the 4Es, envision, enable, empower and energize. 

JOURNAL
The daily journal provides a roadmap and can be used to frame the performance assessment.   
It is meant to give direction, that helps focus the daily performance efforts on a set of GOALS. 
Contined use of a journal helps set realistic expections.
The  the schedules and deadlines for the learning assignments. 
Envisioning the future through setting realistic short and long term goals.
The focus of the self-assessment has to be based on the personal and professional values assigned. The questions range from:  Is your goal focused on leadership?  Is your goal to foster collaboration?  Is your goal to rank yourself in comparison to other members of a class or organization?  Are you working against university standards?   Are you a learner or are do you consider yourself to be an expert?
 
THE VALUES OF OUR CULTURE 
Business management requires we adapt the values of the organization.  In more general terms, leadership skills begin with learning about our potential to adapt to the values by framing to the 4Es.  The 4Es are envision, enable, empower, and energize.    The examination of the real self in relationship to the ideal self is an assessment that requires the comparison between the real goals and the ideal goals to achieve perform effectively. The motives and abilities are examined and in some instances we consider our sense of self-responsibility and desire to gain power and influence in a community. 
HELPS US MAP THE FUTURE
During a self- assessment, our methods must adjust the gap between our ideal vision and the real vision of the self.  The goal is to ENVISION the future, which implies we set strategies that lead us to meet the goals within a realistic time frame.  Small steps help us work through tough situations, enable change in personal style and bring us in harmony with the values.   Set the goal to ensure the gain of competitive advantage requires realistic evaluation of our immediate talents and abilities.  Goal setting will determine where we end up in the future.  Potential for gaining leadership depends on how we define ourselves today and in the future.
 
INCREASE THE LEVEL OF COMPETENCY
ENABLE the process by finding methods that bring the means to the end. 
The proper use of tools that accomplish tasks are designed to meet the goals.  Building skills that enhance our abilities and refine our motives help with defining clear goals that align with the ultimate objective.    Time management and lifestyle preferences structure our lives. The work-life balance improves productivity, and maximizes long-term satisfaction.  Taking time to form the network, and learning to listen is key to building influence.  Networking can make opportunities, gain mutual respect and foster collaboration.
 
COLLABORATION BUILDS INFLUENCE   
EMPOWER the community to influence by forming professional friends that work together to build success.  The group agrees to a common goal, since they share values.   Learn to rely on others; each person has special contributions to make to a project or team, since individual talents may vary considerably.  Freedom from excess control can spur innovation.  Releasing the desire to control situations requires good listening, and willingness to accept change.\
 
MOTIVATES US TO PERFORM
Breathing life into projects, ideas or an organization requires proper use of feedback.  Accepting feedback in all forms helps us evaluate situations and decision making processes.  Evaluation of feedback speeds up the process since studying how decision-making relates to behavior.  Stalling on decisions can cause missed opportunities and extend the inevitable.   ENERGIZE positive emotions and optimistic attitudes to stay motivated, and get protection from damage of doubt and adversity.  Game play and risk create a challenge.
 

To create an organized plan or strategy.  To begin to predict the
Finding the right framework to set goals, evaluate decisions, and study behaviors begins with honest self appraisal

Thursday, July 2, 2015

GETAROUND: Active owners earn $10,000 per year per car.

I need a car, so got on the website:  Free Charity Cars.  I started by sharing my profile and making friends.  I began blogging about cars, the future of the driverless cars, and the way the driver less cars work.

At the same time I am looking for ways to earn more money.  Is it possible to actual share your vehicle and make money at the same time?
Earn more money by embracing the culture of the sharing economy.
The Sharing Economy is a socio-economic ecosystem built around the sharing of human and physical resources. It includes the shared creation, production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services by different people and organisations.
See GETAROUND the online website that helps car owners make thousands per year sharing their car with a trusted community.