How to talk your employer into letting you work remotely

How to talk your employer into letting you work remotelyHow to talk your employer into letting you work remotelyAs millennials continue to redefine success and performance metrics, the idea of an office doesnt just feel outdated, but unnecessary, as nearly every meeting, brainstorm and deliverable can be completed online. This mentality motivates younger generations of professionals to challenge the cubicle environment, arguing that since their jobs dont require a physical space, why cant they complete their assignments and pull reports from say, Bali? Or Japan. Or Prague. Or anywzu sichbeie.And hey, if you arent on a mission to rack up passport stamps or join the digital nomad community, negotiating to work from home a few days a week can help clear your mind and free space for creativity and save on expenses - like childcare or dog walking. While it might seem like a win for an employee, as they country hop while still earning a paycheck, career and executive coach Maggie Mistal e xplains its also a bonus for employers. Especially since they not only save on office space and electricity, but they get the bonus of happy, satisfied workers who achieve a stronger - and mora inspired - work and life balance.Therbeie are many benefits to remote work, including fewer distractions and the ability to get through thought-requiring work quickly and easily. Remote workers also have greater productivity because they spend less time and energy commuting, she explains. This creates a stronger feeling of engagement in their job and a commitment to their employer, thanks to an improved quality of life because they can get the work done on a schedule that works for them.To get your boss to adopt this trending lifestyle, take it from remote employees who managed to free themselves from that 9-5 tango, to dance on laptop keyboards across the continentsConsider having a few years of experience firstWhile strategic account director for Stylus Media Group, Emily Mitnick was pres ented with the opportunity to travel the world for a year while maintaining her career - it was a dream come true. She knew convincing her boss to adopt her proposal would be a tall order - but one that she felt ready for since she had paid her dues. Thats why she stresses the importance of working for a company or in your industry for a few years will give you tangible proof of your abilities, talents and skill sets. I worked really hard over my years at Stylus and am really passionate about what we do. I positioned working remotely as a way to develop and grow my role in the organization and also help grow the business, she shared. Because Mitnick had developed trust and repertoire with her employer, they knew she could deliver the same - and even better - results than she did while logging hours stateside.Pitch the idea to the person youre the most comfortable withIts inevitable youll develop close relationships and friendships with people you burn the midnight oil with, espe cially when you wade through tough quarters, moody clients and deliverables together. When preparing to ask to work remotely, it can be helpful to gauge the temperature of your company by first going to those youre most comfortable with, according to brand and marketing strategy consultant, Jordan Rosenbaum. Currently traveling the world while working with a myriad of clients, Rosenbaum first approached the idea of remote work with his former company. To jumpstart the process, he had candid conversations beginning from the bottom up, all of which helped him prep his case. Definitely start with those youre closest to in your office so they can help provide feedback and advice that help you better prove your ability to work out of the office, he explained. While ultimately Rosenbaums employer didnt sign-off on a full-time gig, they did grant him the opportunity to work part-time. The experiencing of bargaining for remote work proved to be invaluable for Rosenbaum, as it prepared him f or a freelance career where hes his greatest proponent.Come prepared with factsIt pays to be a perfectionist if you want to file reports from a coffee shop in Copenhagen or meet a last-minute deadline in Hanoi, mora than 12 hours ahead of your employer. As both Mitnick and Rosenbaum explained, coming armed with a strong argument, facts, statistics and outlines were essential to their propositions. This is your reference guide for detailing the why, the when, the where and most importantly, the how of remote work. Prior to the meeting, I spent many hours preparing a very detailed business case. I got creative and even built my business case using our own internal Stylus collateral that we use for sales pitches. I work in new business development, so I thought this would be a strategic approach. Throughout the slide deck, I addressed topics about the program I wanted to join, why it mattered to my company, why it mattered to me, why it was a solution to our company and my personal lif e and more, Mitnick explained. I used our own internal Stylus analytics and trend research around The Future of Work to support my business case. I essentially positioned the program as a platform to bring our research and trends to life.Even if you dont work in the trend forecasting space like Mitnick, Rosenbaum explains the idea of appealing to millennials is a persuasive stance, too. Because nearly all industries want to entice this tech-focused generation, remote work can help modernize their offerings, making them more attractive to not only potential customers but to prospective employees, too.Stress your ability to self-motivateThough sure, the view of a sunset over the islands of Thailand or the cityscape of Kuala Lumpur are more interesting backdrops than a white wall in your office, Mitnick warns sometimes the view can be distracting - and at times - detrimental to work. Employers are aware of this too, and not physically seeing you daily by the coffee pot could make the m hyper-conscious of your ability to self-motivate. Thats why Mitnick stresses the importance of demonstrating your dedication. You need to be a certain type of person to manage it all. When youre traveling the world - moving every month, learning a new language and adjusting to time zones - its a lot to adapt to and work at the same time.she says. While Instagram may paint a beautiful picture, the digital remote life is tough I think if you are convincing your boss to let you go on this adventure, you need to have a valid purpose and have gained the respect and trust within your organization to do so.Even with the difficult days though, Mitnick says the experience has proven to be beneficial for her, tenfold. Not only is she happier and more fulfilled, but she says her quality of work has improved. Working remotely while traveling the globe takes an incredible amount of discipline and motivation. Even so, Ive never felt more creative or rejuvenated at work and I am doing my absol ute best to apply this new energy and perspective to grow our business globally.Detail your plan and anticipate questionsIf youre piqued the interest of your manager and theyre considering your proposal, now is the time to get specific. Sitori Holbrook, an audit senior associate at Tanner LLC explains a smart, specific outline was instrumental in convincing her company to let her work remotely. By presenting a detail plan and thinking though possible contingencies and scenarios they could build their own plan off mine, they didnt have to figure out for themselves how it would work and it proved I was committed to my goals, she says. On a calendar, I detailed my current workload and which clients I thought I would be able to continue to work with remotely, which clients I thought could better transition to staff who would be on site, how that transition would work, and which clients I proposed to fill in the open time on my schedule with.Having this outline helped answer lingering qu estions her company had about her role abroad, and Holbrook added it reassure them that her quality of work wouldnt change. Even if she takes a day off to visit an elephant sanctuary, she makes up the time on another day, giving her the flexibility to explore and her employer the trust she can always meet deadline, no matter where she is or what comes up. Before I worked remotely, work was the main focus of my life and I lived my life around my work schedule, Holbrook added. Now as much as possible I work round my life schedule. Sure, working on a Saturday can suck, but its small price to pay for taking part in once-in-a-lifetime invitations that come up when youre a nomad. Its worth it.

Phone Sales

Phone SalesPhone Sales

Nine signs that youre a highly sensitive person

Nine signs that youre a highly sensitive personNine signs that youre a highly sensitive personSensitive people get a bad rap. Research suggests that genes are responsible for the 15-20% of people who qualify as highly sensitive.Psychologist Elain Aron has studied this phenomenon extensively and using MRI scans of highly sensitive peoples brains, shes found that they experience sounds, feelings, and even the presence of other people much mora intensely than the average person.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreEmotional intelligence (EQ) is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. The good news is that highly sensitive people arent more or less emotionally intelligent than others.Highly sensitive people experience things more intensely. Their strong emotions are easier t o identify (and potentially use to their benefit) than the average person. This also helps them to communicate effectively because they dont just hear the words coming out of other peoples mouths, but they also catch on to subtleties in gesture and tone.There are trade-offs, however, as strong emotions that are left unchecked can have disastrous consequences. Highly sensitive people can use EQ to their benefit only once they understand that they are highly sensitive. This awareness ensures they reap the benefits of their heightened emotional awareness while spotting and defeating their negative tendencies.Youre likely wondering if you or someone you know are highly sensitive. The following are the most common qualities that highly sensitive people possess. See how many apply.1. You think deeplyWhen life throws you a curveball, you retreat deep into your shell, thinking through every aspect of what transpired before taking any action. Small things (in your own life and other peoples lives) can have a big impact on you.2. Youre detail-orientedYoure as sensitive to details as you are to feelings. You see details that others miss, and you arent content until youve dotted all the is and crossed the ts. This is a strength that is highly valuable in the right profession.3. You take longer to reach decisionsSince youre prone to dig deep beneath the surface, you tend to drag out decisions. You cant help but try to run every possible outcome through your head, and this is often at the expense of the ticking clock.4. Youre crushed by bad decisionsWhen you finally make a decision, and it turns out to be a poor choice, you take it much harder than most. This can create a vicious cycle that slows down your decision-making process even more, as fear of making a bad decision is part of what slows you down in the first place.5. Youre emotionally reactiveWhen left to your own devices, you have a knee-jerk reaction to your feelings. You also have strong reactions to what other p eople are going through. When your emotions come on strong, its easy to let them hijack your behavior. The hard part is channeling your feelings into producing the behavior that you want.6. You take criticism harshlyYour strong feelings and intense emotional reactions can make criticism hard to take. Though you may overreact to criticism initially, you also have the tendency to think hard about things and explore them deeply. This exploration of criticism can play out well for you in the long run, as your inability to shrug it off helps you make the appropriate changes.7. You work well in teamsYour unique ability to take other peoples feelings into account, weigh different aspects of multifaceted decisions, and pay attention to the smaller details makes you extremely valuable in a team environment.Of course, this can backfire if youre the one that is tasked with making final decisions, as youre better suited to offering input and analysis than you are to deciding whether or not to p ush the red button.8. You have great mannersYour heightened awareness of the emotions of other people makes you highly conscientious. You pay close attention to how your behavior affects other people and have the good manners to show for it. You also get particularly irked when other people are rude.9. Open offices drive you crazyYour sensitivity to other people, loud noises, and other stimuli makes it practically impossible for you to work effectively in an open-office environment. Youre better off in a cube or working from home.Bringing it all togetherLike many things in life, being a highly sensitive person is both a blessing and a curse. It all comes down to what you make of it.Travis Bradberry is the coauthor ofEmotional Intelligence 2.0and the cofounder ofTalentSmart.This article originally appeared onLinkedIn.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons f rom Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How Tony Hsieh Built a Great Company (Cult)ure

How Tony Hsieh Built a Great Company (Cult)ureHow Tony Hsieh Built a Great Company (Cult)ureHow Tony Hsieh Built a Great Company (Cult)ure Lev-RamOne night, while having drinks at a bar near the office, Tony Hsiehand about 10 Zappos colleagues discussed how they could keep hiring people who fit in well at the company.Hsieh asked each person to say a sentence or two about what they thought of the Zappos company culture, and someone suggested typing up the comments and passing them around to all the companys employees.Hsieh went one step further in August 2004 he sent an e-mail to employees with the subject line Zappos Culture Book. In his e-mail, Hsieh asked each employee to write 100 to 500 words on what he liked about the companys culture and what made it different from other workplaces.Since then, the Zappos Culture Book has been given to prospective employees, customers, and vendors. A new edition of the book is produced each year, including new feedback to show how the culture h as evolved.Discovering Company ValuesAfter the debut of the Zappos Culture Book, someone in the companys legal staff suggested that Hsieh and his management team come up with a list of core company values, to be used as a guide for managers to make hiring decisions. Hsieh started jotting down a list, and then decided it would be best to get everyones eingabe just as theyd done with the Culture Book.Over the course of a year, he sent multiple e-mails to the entire employee base, canvassing for opinions. The list started with 37 core values and was eventually whittled down to 101. Deliver wow through service.2. Embrace and drive change.3. Create fun and a little weirdness.4. Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded.5. Pursue growth and learning.6. Build open and honest relationships with communication.7. Build a positive team and family spirit. 8. Do more with less.9. Be passionate and determined.10. Be humble.Hsieh sent another e-mail to his employee base, this time outlining the f inal 10 core values, and describing each in detail (delivering wow through service, for example, means doing something unconventional and innovative that has an emotional impact on the receiver).Hsieh also asked his recruiting department to come up with interview questionsfor each of the core values. Since then, the list of values has served as a guide for Zappos recruiters and hiring managers.Job applicants often face wacky questions about their favorite theme songs or what two people theyd most like to invite for dinner.Its about making sure that when we interview or hire people, were able to be specific about what were looking for, says Hsieh, who adds that he regrets not establishing the companys set of core values earlier. We waited several years at Zappos, but if I had to do it all over again, I would do it on day one, he says.An Emphasis on Employee TrainingIn plus-rechnen to its Ten Commandments, Zappos has established an employee trainingprogram in which the companys philos ophy and emphasis on culture, among other things, is taught over the course of several weeks.All new hiresmust answer customer calls for two weeks, regardless of what position theyre going to fill. During the training period, recruits are offered $2,000 to quit the companys way of making sure employees are there for more than just a paycheck.As Hsieh wrote in a company blog post (Your Culture Is Your Brand) in 2009 Weve actually said no to a lot of very talented people that we know can make an immediate impact on our top or bottom line. But because we felt they werent cultural fits, we were willing to sacrifice the short-term benefits in order to protect our culture (and therefore our brand) for the long term.Excerpted with permission from Zoom Surprising Ways to Supercharge Your Career by Daniel Roberts and Fortune Contributors, Time Home Entertainment, 2013.

How to Make Your Job Meaningful Work

How to Make Your Job Meaningful WorkHow to Make Your Job Meaningful WorkWhen you think about meaningful work, you think about Mother Theresa or Princess Diana or maybe Peace Corp workers or school teachers and nurses. All of these are great jobs that are meaningful. But, not everyone can raise money and attention to help get landmines cleared, nor can (or should) everyone try to teach second grade. And if blood makes you faint, nursing isnt a great idea for you either. So, how can you make your job meaningful work, even when its not directly making anyones life better? Here are five suggestions for changing your job from tedious work to meaningful work. Look at the Big Picture Why does your job exist? You could be an HR manager, a grocery store cashier, or a CEO of a tech company. Each of these jobs is necessary to make the world a better place. Because this is no longer an agrarian society, you need the grocery store cashier to get food. CEOs of well-managed companies provide no t only goods and services to the community but jobs with paychecks for many people. And HR managers can make peoples lives much better by helping them progredienz in their careers, finding and providing the best benefits, and hiring great people. If you just look at the tasks in front of you, youll forget how you contribute to the community as a whole. Treat Each Other With Kindness A kind person can change everyones day from drudgery to fun. Yes, work is still working, and sometimes its hard, but working with the right people can make you look forward to going to work even if the job is hard work. One man who worked for a brewery as a delivery man could have seen his job as hard work and drudgery. After all, his job duty was to drive from restaurant to restaurant, carrying huge kegs of beer and taking out the old, empty ones. But, the people in many restaurants cheered when the beer guy came in with the beer kegs. Their act of kindness changed his job from drudgery to one that he loved. If you stop and inquire about someones day, or follow up on how their new kitten or the new baby is doing, youll make them feel loved and appreciated. Thats meaningful right there. And the advantage of this for you is, as you are kind to others, the kindness spreads and people will be helpful to you. Work Hard How does working hard make a job meaningful? Well, hard work often equals success. When you succeed in your job, you help others in your department succeed in their jobs. When your whole department succeeds, the company succeeds. That is pretty meaningful. Additionally, hard work is easier than avoiding work. Think about it when you have to worry if your boss knows how much time youre spending wellenreiten the internet, that adds another layer of complexity to your job. When youre working hard all of the time, and your boss drops by, its not a big deal. When you keep on top of your work, you have lowered stress levels. Now, of course, some people are over-burdene d and cannot accomplish everything. You might start feeling like I cant get everything done, so why bother? These feelings of stress and failure can pose a huge temptation, but dont give in. First of all, youll start to feel like your job just isnt meaningful- its just work. Second, that adds additional stress ontop of your head. What you do instead is go to your boss and say directly, I have five tasks on my plate right now. I can do four effectively, or I can do a lousy job on all five. Which would you prefer? or I have five tasks on my plate right now. I only have time to get three of them done. Which two should I skip? Look Outside of Your Job Does your meaningful work have to be your day job? Of course not. Sometimes your day job can fund your meaningful work. Work-life balance means having a life. Whether its through your family, your church, your charity, your art, or whatever is important to you, you need a paycheck to support that. You may consider your job as one that doesnt contribute to the community and doesnt make peoples lives better, but if it provides for your family, then it is meaningful. If it allows you to donate to the poor and support meaningful causes, your job is meaningful work. You dont have to fulfill all of your needs through your paid job. You dont even need to feel guilty that youre working for a large corporation rather than a small non-profit. Its not bad to earn money. You find your meaning in how you can spend that money. Consider Changing Jobs If you just cant see how your current job is meaningful, and you cant figure out a way to make your job meaningful work, then perhaps its time for you to move on. If your job doesnt bring you joy, doesnt allow you to support your family or essential charitable causes, and doesnt help the community, then maybe its not the right job for you. No one has a skill set that is so tiny and so unique that there is only one job in the world that would suit them. And if you have no market able skills, get training in new skills. You dont have to invest in a college degree if thats not your goal. You can take online courses. Many MOOCs are free or low cost. You can enroll in a technical or vocational training class. There is no job more meaningful than a plumber, for instance. Think how the world has changed for the better due to running water and functioning sewer systems. No matter your age, youre not stuck, even if you think you are. You may have limitations based on your current situation, but youre never truly stuck. If you want to find meaningin your job and work, figure out what you would need to have for it to become meaningful to you and then go find it. Meaningful work doesnt have to be synonymous with charity work. Every single person can find meaning in your work and your lives. Hopefully, your work and purpose can overlap, but if not, you can still manage both. Dont limit yourself to your current situation. Change only happens when you want something bett er. If you want something better, a job that is more meaningful to you, do what it takes to find more meaningful work. - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance writer who spent 10 years in corporate human resources, where she hired, fired, managed the numbers, and double-checked with the lawyers.

Details of Plumber Resume

Details of Plumber Resume What Is So Fascinating About Plumber Resume? Your supervisor is precisely the same. Experience is among the most essential details on your plumber resume. Furthermore, you can look for HVAC technician jobs on Monster. To do the Certificate III you will want to discover an apprenticeship. Tailoring your work application to coincide with a potential company isnt different. If youre asking for work, you will go the additional mile to stick out among the other qualified applicants. Updated October 2016 If youre interested in locating a job for a plumber, you may want to have the best resume possible. If youre going to earn a great resume objective for a plumbing job, you want to understand what the recruiter is on the lookout for. The Plumber Resume Cover Up Lastly, the education section is very clear and avoids extraneous detail. As you hit the job market seeking a position, you will should create a resume that shows a crystal clear alignment between what you need to offer and what your employers need. Irrespective of the level of job useful understanding, your resume format is important to making your program stick out. Picking out the appropriate format for employment resume is among the most important facets of building an exact effective continue. Ok, I Think I Understand Plumber Resume, Now Tell Me About Plumber Resume Highlights of Experience is an excellent place to genuinely show off work which you have done. Observation skill is essential have for any researcher. Writing resumes might be very tiresome and time-consuming. No matter the sort of job which youre attempting to land, make certain its concise and clean. Should know your job Find somebody which is able to testify to the way you do the job and exactly what youre capable of. Therefore, if youre one of the folks trying to find a plumbing job, you will want to effectively showcase all plumbing skills to impress a possible employer. Of course you might even be searching for an alternate job because of personal information. The Dirty Truth About Plumber Resume Additionally, the following hints will let you get prepared for your interview and show you that there isnt anything to fear as long as you have ready for the part. When you sense that youre nearing the conclusion of the interview, politely ask the interviewer if you might be provided an opportunity to ask your own set of questions. Also make aya to tailor the record to the job that youre attempting to get. Youre asking for some job. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Plumber Resume Is Wrong Be certain that your resume is simple to read with the appropriate font and font size. Without the crystal clear comprehension of the structure, contents, and style your resume format is going to be a blunder. Resume Constructor The resume builder is extremely simple to use. A resume builder can be very helpful for anybody who is feeling overcome by the continue method. Whatever They Told You About Plumber Resume Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why Resume builders are a really fantastic techniques will allow you to organize your resume. Make sure you present their present contact particulars. Its fast and simple to use. Provide an extensive overview of skills at the very top section of your resume, so that its going to be the very first thing noticed by the employer. At length, go through all the listed items on this work description so you can capture any qualification or requirement that is likely to make the business prefer you over your competition. Theres no need to study the entire diverse area of resume format. Never feel that your prior work history isnt pertinent to the position youre applying for. The Truth About Plumber Resume The Profile area may give an overall background of your most important accomplishment or the range of years that youve been a plumber. Being a real leasehand youre going to be accountable for most of the ge neral labour around the rig. Folks arent getting work in accordance with their requirements easily.

Infographic Details Occupations that Boost Well-Being

Infographic Details Occupations that Boost Well-Being Nowadays, alfruchtwein every worker desires work-life balance. Having a balanced work and home life helps employees be more engaged, which increases productivity. But what does it really mean to have work-life balance and how do you achieve this? Citytowninfo.com has created an infographic, Happy, Healthy Jobs Occupations the Boost Well-Being, to help answer these questions and more.According to the infographic, Gallups 2012 Work and Education Poll revealed that 47 percent of Americans are completely satisfied with their jobs 42 percent are somewhat satisfied and another 11 percent are completely/somewhat dissatisfied.The respondents shared which aspects of their job gave them the most satisfactionSafety conditions of the workplace (73%)Relations with Co-workers (69%)Salary (30%)And, the infographic explains, a 2012 Employee Job Satisfaction an d Engagement report from SHRM detailed the top five factors for job satisfactionOpportunities to use skills and abilities (63%)Job security (61%)Compensation (60%)Employee/senior management communication (57 %)Relationship with immediate supervisor (54%)The data goes on to list some of the careers that offer the greatest satisfaction, based off well-being, emotional health and work environment. Those careers range from physician and nurse to teacher and farming, fishing or forestry.And according to the infographic, job satisfaction is crucial not only for employees, but companies as well. Job satisfaction helps workers win by providingLess burnout (125%)Greater job satisfaction (46%)More commitment to the organization (32%)Better overall performance (16%)And companies win because job satisfaction results inMore productivity (43%)Higher retention (37%)Higher sales (37%)

Customize this Outstanding Youth Worker Resume Sample

Customize this Outstanding Youth Worker Resume SampleCustomize this Outstanding Youth Worker Resume SampleCreate Resume Claire Jones100 Broadway LaneNew Parkland, CA, 91010Cell (555) 987-1234example-emailexample.comProfessional SummaryLicensed Youth Worker with a history of working with children and youths ranging from early childhood through teenagers. Provided kids with help speaking out about emotional and other types of abuse, working with children convicted of certain crimes and finding homes for some clients. Spent long hours traveling to clients homes and other locations.Core QualificationsLicensed Social WorkerWorked with All AgesIndependent WorkerAbuse IdentificationProbation Officer WorkCapable of TravelingExperienceYouth Worker, March 2013 February 2015City of Los Angeles Childrens Services Los Angeles, CAMet with clients in their homes following reports to determine if abuse occurredWorked with the citys foster care system to find temporary homes for abuse victimsCreat ed a citywide campaign to inform locals of where to turn if they needed helpMaintained case files for more than 100 children each yearAppeared in front of judges to discuss more serious cases that impacted youthsYouth Worker, July 2012 February 2013Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Center Los Angeles, CACompleted home inspections to ensure youths were safe after leaving the facilityMet with clients on probation to validate that they attended therapy sessions and other court ordered treatmentsLed therapy sessions on-site to give children and teens the chance to talk about their thoughts and feelingsWorked with the families and loved ones of convicted youths in therapy sessionsEducation2012 Bachelor of Social WorkUniversity of California New Cityland, CACustomize Resume

Disqualifying Military Medical Conditions (Skin, CNS)

Disqualifying Military Medical Conditions (Skin, CNS)Disqualifying Military Medical Conditions (Skin, CNS)There are many ailments that will disqualify a person from military tafelgeschirr. Very common issues involve the Central Nervous System, Head Injuries / Malformations, and Skin Conditions. The following information contains many of the more common disqualifications for recruits seeking military service. Central Nervous System Disqualification Factors A history of, or current neurological conditions, history of cerebrovascular conditions, including but elend limited to subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage, vascular insufficiency, aneurysm, or arteriovenous malformation, are disqualifying. Current or history of disorders of meningocele or meninges, including, but not limited to cysts, degenerative and heredodegenerative disorders, including, but not limited to those disorders affecting the cerebrum, basal ganglia, cerebellum, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves, migraines an d tension headaches that interfere with normal function in the past 3 years, or of such severity to require prescription medications, are disqualifying. Head Injury Disqualification Factors History of head injury will be disqualifying if associated with any of the following (a) Post-traumatic seizure(s) occurring more than 30 minutes after injury.(b) Persistent motor or sensory deficits.(c) Impairment of intellectual function.(d) Alteration of personality.(e) Unconsciousness, amnesia, or disorientation of person, place, or time of 24-hours duration or longer post-injury.(f) Multiple fractures involving ruder or face.(g) Cerebral laceration or contusion.(h) History of epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, or intercerebral hematoma.(i) Associated abscess or meningitis.(j) Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea or otorrhea persisting more than 7 days. (k) Focal neurologic signs. (l) Radiographic evidence of retained foreign body or bone fragments secondary to the trauma and/or operative proced ure in the brain.(m) Leptomeningeal cysts or Arteriovenous Fistula. History of moderate head injury is disqualifying. After 2 years post-injury, applicants may be qualified if neurological consultation shows no residual dysfunction or complications. Moderate head injuries are defined as unconsciousness, amnesia, or disorientation of person, place, or time alone or in combination, of more than 1 and less than 24-hours duration post-injury, or linear skull fracture. History of mild head injury is disqualifying. After 1 month post-injury, applicants may be qualified if aneurological evaluation shows no residual dysfunction or complications. Mild head injuries are defined as a period of unconsciousness, amnesia, or disorientation of person, place, or time, alone or in combination of 1 hour or less postinjury. History of persistent post-traumatic symptoms that interfere with normal activities or have a duration of greater than 1 month is disqualifying. Such symptoms include, but are not limited to headache, vomiting, disorientation, spatial disequilibrium, impaired memory, poor mental concentration, shortened attention span, dizziness, or altered sleep patterns. Infectious Diseases of the Central Nervous System Current or history of acute infectious processes of the central nervous system, including, but not limited to meningitis, encephalitis, or brain abscess, are disqualifying if occurring within 1 year before ?anexamination, or if there are residual neurological defects. History of neurosyphilis of any form, including but not limited to general paresis, tabes dorsalis or meningovascular syphilis, is disqualifying. Current or history or narcolepsy, cataplexy, paralysis, weakness, lack of coordination, chronic pain, sensory disturbance or other specified paralytic syndromes is disqualifying. Epilepsy occurring beyond the 6th birthday, unless the applicant has been free of seizures for a period of 5 years while taking no medication for seizure control, and has a normal electroencephalogram (EEG) is disqualifying. All such applicants will have a current neurology consultation with current EEG results. Chronic nervous system disorders, including but not limited to myasthenia gravis multiple sclerosis, and tic disorders (for example, Tourettes), and retained central nervous system shunts are disqualifying. Skin Skin is considered biggest organ of the body, however, not surprisingly, there are many ailments that occur on the skin that can be disqualifying for military service. From tattoos on certain body parts, major burns, fusohlenseitig warts, to dermatitis and psoriasis, skin conditions have been preventing people from serving throughout history.Typically, any ailment on the skin or otherwise, if it prevents the use and proper wearing of safety equipment (HAZMAT, Helmet, Body Armor, etc), disqualification from service is imminent. Not Physically Qualified (NPQ) is the acronym given to those who do not medically qualify for certain profe ssions in the military (like Pilot - vision) or for entering the service at all. Severe Acne Current diseases of sebaceous glands to include severe acne, if the extensive involvement of the neck, shoulders, chest, or back is present or would be aggravated by or interfere with the proper wearing of military equipment, are disqualifying . Applicants under treatment with system retinoids, including, Accutane are disqualified until 8 (eight) weeks after completion of therapy. Dermatitis Dermatitis, also known as eczema, is an inflammation of the skin that results in a visible rash and itchiness.Current or history of atopic dermatitis or eczema after the 9th birthday is disqualifying. Current or history of contact dermatitis,especially involving materials used in any type of required protective equipment, is disqualifying. Cysts Current cysts, (other than pilonidal cysts) of such a size or location as to interfere with the proper wearing of military equipment is disqualifying .Current pilonidal cysts, if evidenced by the presence of a tumor mass or a discharging sinus is disqualifying. Surgically resected pilonidal cyst that is symptomatic, unhealed, or less than 6 months post-operative is disqualifying. Current or history of bullous dermatoses, including, but not limited to dermatitis herpetiformis, pemphigus, and epidermolysis bullosa, is disqualifying. Current chronic lymphedema, localized types of fungus infections, interfering with the proper wearing of military equipment or the wertzuwachs of military duties, are disqualifying. Current or history of furunculosis or carbuncle, if extensive, recurrent, or history of severe hyperhidrosis of hands or feetis disqualifying. Current or history of congenital or acquiredanomalies of the skin such as nevi or vascular tumors that interfere with function, or are exposed to constant irritation are disqualifying. History of Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome is disqualifying. Current or history of keloid formation,if the tendency is marked or interferes with the proper wearing of military equipment, is disqualifying. l. Current lichen planus is disqualifying.Current or history of neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausens disease) is disqualifying. History of photosensitivity, including, but not limited to any primary sun-sensitive condition, such as polymorphous light eruption or solar urticaria any dermatosis aggravated by sunlight such as lupus erythematosus is disqualifying. Current or history of psoriasis or radiodermatitis is disqualifying. Scars and Burns Current scars, or any other chronic skin disorder of a degree or nature that requires frequent outpatient treatment or hospitalization, which in the opinion of the certifying authority affects thermoregulatory function, or will interfere with the wearing of military clothing or equipment, or which exhibits a tendency to ulcerate, or interferes with the satisfactory performance of duty, are disqualifying. Includes scars at skin graft donor o r recipient sites. Scars at skin graft donor or recipient sites will include an evaluation of not only the relative total size of the burn woundbut also the measurable effects of the wound, the location of the wound and the risk of subsequent injury related to the wound itself.but also the measurable effects of the wound, the location of the wound and the risk of subsequent injury related to the wound itself. Prior burn injury (to include donor sites) involving a total body surface area of 40 percent or more is disqualifying. Prior burn injury involving less than 40 percent total body surface area, which results in a loss or degradation of thermoregulatory function is disqualifying. An examination will focus on the depth of the burn, anatomic location (extensive burns on the torso will most significantly impair heat dissipation), and destruction of sweat glands. Prior burn injury susceptible to trauma or resulting in functional impairment to such a degree as to interfere with the sa tisfactory performance of military duty, due to decreased range of motion, strength, or agility due to burn wound/ scarring is disqualifying. Current or history of extensive sclerodermais disqualifying. Some tattoo placement and thosethat are otherwise prohibited under applicable military regulations are disqualifying. Current history of chronic or recurrent urticaria is disqualifying. Current symptomatic plantar wart(s) is disqualifying.

Rice to Riches--The Feed Yourself Challenge

Rice to Riches--The Feed Yourself ChallengeRice to RichesThe Feed Yourself ChallengeMy lessons about eating on the cheap began when I was 11. My single mother was dating and before she went out, she would leave a five-dollar bill on the kitchen counter for me to feed myself. I had two options one block uptown to Zabar?s, where I could blow my bank on a container of prepared tortellini with pesto ? or three blocks south to Fairway, the fresh produce emporium, with the Korean market and fish store on the way.Since cash dollars were a novelty at that age, I aimed to keep as many as I could. So I took the downtown route and learned to cook for myself, pocketing a couple of bucks each night. I bought myself a camera and a bit of pre-teen freedom.The key to stretching my dollars was a one-pound sack of Japanese rice that would last weeks. At the fish store I?d ask for a small piece of ?what?s good?? and then ?how do I cook it?? At some point I discovered lentils. And spices. And cookbooks. And, ultimately, cooking.Eating on the cheap as a challenge to myself, but it turned into easy practice, and cooking became my career. I never thought of the cash issue again. Until now.It?s been years since the five-dollar budget, and so has its practice. I like lingering over a long meal with friends. Sometimes, I get super lazy and pick up something prepared and eat it out of the plastic compartment. And even as finances have grown tight, I?ve been more likely to treat myself to evenings out to lift my low spirits and pick up cheap indulgences as if stuffing myself with a rich dinner would magically fill my bank account.It hasn?t.I?ve gained weight. I feel worse. And my ?Eat Your Way to Wealth? plan is bedrngnis gonna sell. I?m going back to where I started Feeding myself.Let?s call it the ?Feed Yourself Challenge,? and let?s do it together. Give yourself a set number of dollars and see how much you can not-spend. It doesn?t have to be every day, or every meal in a day. We?ll save money, eat healthier, and learn how to take care of ourselves.Here?s how it goes1) Focus on savings not spending. According to the USDA, even the most liberal spenders only need to fork out about $300 for a month?s worth of at-home meals. Figure out how much you normally spend and look for places to cut back or replace with lower-cost options Can you make yourself a week?s worth of breakfasts instead of Starbucks? It doesn?t really matter how much you start with, as long as each time you begin the day or meal with the same amount. Soon enough, you?ll get a really good handle on what you spend and where you can save. Keep the saved cash separate from the rest in your wallet.2) Buy what you need. Use what you buy. Cooking at home gets costly if you shop on inspiration alone and fill your fridge with ingredients for which you have no specific plan to eat them. Buy perishable fresh food?vegetables and meats?only for the day you plan to use it. Then go to the cabinets and get the g rains and nuts and beans. The bag of rice will already be there for you. Kinda like it?s free.3) Cook. Making meals at home won?t just save you money, they give you control over what you eat. While the rest of the world is free-falling, having your say over little things like how much salt or spice you use can feel mighty comforting. Use recipes that are reliable, you?ll do well with highly-rated ones online from responsible offline sources such as Gourmet and Good Housekeeping. Their recipes are usually triple-tested so you won?t waste your money and dinner on a disaster experiment. Or get these solid go-to cookbooks Mark Bittman?s How to Cook Everything and Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins classic The New Basics.Begin there, and come back here for tips on how to make feeding yourself in the new economy easier, better and healthier.Posted by Tamara Holt, RecessionWire.comRedux Barter is BackScrewed 5,500 at LonminRecession Briefing 2.25