CM Russell just made my life easier (yours too)

CM Russell just made my life easier (yours too) On his SecretsOfTheJobHunt blog (he has various blogs and is turning out to be something of a watchdog for various aspects of the employment niches) CM announces that he is starting a new blog: Blogs for Jobs, a showcase for those who blog to get jobs. I think its great to have all of these in one place, and even see that hes featured DaveClick, who was my first ever You Get It award winner! Thats pretty cool. So I wonder why he didnt feature Kent Blumberg who has one of the smartest blogs Ive seen (and was my second award winner) the big question is, how does this compare or complement JibberJobbers monthly You Get It awards? Well, Im pretty happy hes put it up because Im finding it hard to find people who I think to an excellent job in using these technologies for career management. That isnt to say that I dont have a dozen or so blogs and sites that Im watching for the award, but its slow finding new ones. So for me this is great because hes going to accumulate them in one place, and I can just periodically go through the sites he has listed as Im looking for someone that should win the virtual high-five (and other things). I think its great for you because then you arent limited to just my monthly pick for a great example everyone will have different styles and needs and this will allow you to pick ideas from many great thinkers. But I have this nagging question about my You Get It award and his list of blogs by people who blog to get jobs. And for now, without knowing where its headed, Ill say that there is a HUGE difference (at least by our own descriptions which is enough to prompt this post :)) in purpose. If he is indeed going to list people who blog to get jobs then hell continue to include blogs such as Carolynn Duncans limited-use blog which was called Why Provo Labs Is Hiring Carolynn Duncann, which got lots of blog press, but once she got the job um, there was no reason to continue the blog! I personally know Carolynn (I think she owes me a lunch ;)), she has moved on to really cool things, but Im not sure that she has one central blog to build her personal brand. Id imagine that a professional brand expert would say that this absolutely contributes to Carolynns personal brand the question would be if this was a positive or negative contribution. (Id say positive because she has been able to get use out of it, in a positive way, since she accepted the position at Provo Labs) I had a guy in the UK on my blogroll that was journaling his job search, and as he got closer to settling into a position the blog went dead. Well, it was interesting to see his though process and experiences, but it really didnt do anything for his personal brand. The purpose of the You Get It award is different than what CM is logging (which is great) in fact, many of the people that Im watching right now dont even look like job seekers. In fact, they might not be (last months winner, Heather Henricks, already has a nice job (and no blog!)!) but they are all quantifying the breadth and depth of their personal brand through the technology. I strongly encourage you to consider using some free tools (like blog software that takes 3 minutes to set up!) to begin to quantify your breadth and depth. This is not for a one-time job search. This is not just for 2007! This is to further substantiate your personal brand. This is so that, in the next 3 5 years you find yourself in a job search, you are much more than a resume, or a couple of interviews. Show your future hiring managers/companies what you are made of, and youll stand out from that pack (er, stack of resumes). Scared? Thats ok its certainly a committment but once you get started, and find your groove, its not that hard. Shoot, I dont even spelcheck my posts anymoore ?? CM Russell just made my life easier (yours too) On his SecretsOfTheJobHunt blog (he has various blogs and is turning out to be something of a watchdog for various aspects of the employment niches) CM announces that he is starting a new blog: Blogs for Jobs, a showcase for those who blog to get jobs. I think its great to have all of these in one place, and even see that hes featured DaveClick, who was my first ever You Get It award winner! Thats pretty cool. So I wonder why he didnt feature Kent Blumberg who has one of the smartest blogs Ive seen (and was my second award winner) the big question is, how does this compare or complement JibberJobbers monthly You Get It awards? Well, Im pretty happy hes put it up because Im finding it hard to find people who I think to an excellent job in using these technologies for career management. That isnt to say that I dont have a dozen or so blogs and sites that Im watching for the award, but its slow finding new ones. So for me this is great because hes going to accumulate them in one place, and I can just periodically go through the sites he has listed as Im looking for someone that should win the virtual high-five (and other things). I think its great for you because then you arent limited to just my monthly pick for a great example everyone will have different styles and needs and this will allow you to pick ideas from many great thinkers. But I have this nagging question about my You Get It award and his list of blogs by people who blog to get jobs. And for now, without knowing where its headed, Ill say that there is a HUGE difference (at least by our own descriptions which is enough to prompt this post :)) in purpose. If he is indeed going to list people who blog to get jobs then hell continue to include blogs such as Carolynn Duncans limited-use blog which was called Why Provo Labs Is Hiring Carolynn Duncann, which got lots of blog press, but once she got the job um, there was no reason to continue the blog! I personally know Carolynn (I think she owes me a lunch ;)), she has moved on to really cool things, but Im not sure that she has one central blog to build her personal brand. Id imagine that a professional brand expert would say that this absolutely contributes to Carolynns personal brand the question would be if this was a positive or negative contribution. (Id say positive because she has been able to get use out of it, in a positive way, since she accepted the position at Provo Labs) I had a guy in the UK on my blogroll that was journaling his job search, and as he got closer to settling into a position the blog went dead. Well, it was interesting to see his though process and experiences, but it really didnt do anything for his personal brand. The purpose of the You Get It award is different than what CM is logging (which is great) in fact, many of the people that Im watching right now dont even look like job seekers. In fact, they might not be (last months winner, Heather Henricks, already has a nice job (and no blog!)!) but they are all quantifying the breadth and depth of their personal brand through the technology. I strongly encourage you to consider using some free tools (like blog software that takes 3 minutes to set up!) to begin to quantify your breadth and depth. This is not for a one-time job search. This is not just for 2007! This is to further substantiate your personal brand. This is so that, in the next 3 5 years you find yourself in a job search, you are much more than a resume, or a couple of interviews. Show your future hiring managers/companies what you are made of, and youll stand out from that pack (er, stack of resumes). Scared? Thats ok its certainly a committment but once you get started, and find your groove, its not that hard. Shoot, I dont even spelcheck my posts anymoore ??

How to Win in Todays Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Win in Today’s Job Market - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It is well-known that in today’s economy, job seekers face unprecedented challenges. One of them is the large numbers of applicants chasing just a few openings, but another is their lack of understanding of the rules of the competition. Many discount the fact that employers use different methods of selecting final candidates by applying certain technology, and those job applicants simply keep doing what they did years ago, when they almost always had success finding a job. Data supporting the facts about job application are available online via such sources as wsj.com, CareerBuilder, TheLadders, staffing.org, Adecco, and BeHiring. Here are a few of those facts: On average, 200 to 300 résumés are received for every single corporate job opening. Half of those will be screened out by recruiters or applicant-tracking-system (ATS) software. About 20 to 30 résumés will be reviewed by the decision maker. Only 4 to 6 will be invited for interviews. One to 3 might be invited back for a final interview, and ultimately, of course, one will be offered the job. And then, 20 percent of applicants given an offer will reject it. Surprised? Data shows that recruiters spend on average six seconds reviewing a résumé. Their eyes follow a certain pattern by seeking out (1) job titles, (2) companies you worked at, (3) start and end dates, and (4) your education. Recruiters are known to deselect résumés with even one tiny typo, résumés of applicants not currently employed, and, often, if your name or certain other information reveals something the recruiter has a bias against. Applicants should realize that many ATSs are simply not able to scan and read résumés that are in .pdf or other formats. A very high numberâ€"sometimes up to 90 percentâ€"of résumés are rejected because they have not been customized to the specific job opening. Before initiating contact with an applicant, recruiters typically search on the Internet for additional information about the person. Mostly they look at LinkedIn, and if the applicant has no photo, that’s another reason to move on to the next prospect. If there is indeed a photo, it should be professional looking and complimentary. Sometimes people even apply for positions that do not exist. Or a posted job description got changed in the meantime. Recruiters don’t have an easy job because if they submit candidates to be interviewed who in the eyes of the hiring managers don’t have the perfect qualifications those hiring managers are looking for, the recruiters will hear about it in a derogatory way. So, what’s the answer to increasing your chances of being chosen for an interview? Here are a few suggestions. Your résumé should be customized for application to each and every specific position. You should ensure that it contains many of the keywords included in the job description. It should have no typos or misspellings or grammatical errors. It should be in the standard résumé format starting with the job title you’re applying for, followed by your past employers and including your titles, and ending with your education. After you customize your résumé for the position, you should save it in plain-text format with everything flush left and submit that. A nicely formatted version can be sent at a later point. Your best chances for being invited to an interview lie in finding someone inside the company who would sponsor your candidacy.

Has Social Media Become Our Higher Education

Has Social Media Become Our Higher Education Editors Note: Todays guest post comes from Mark Babbitt from YouTern.   We are thrilled to have Mark and his team as regular contributors for Balanced WorkLife. I started my career as a Silicon Valley engineer. As such, my on-the-job learning was full of “ah-ha” moments. We all have them â€" the second when someone communicates the point of the lesson in a way that makes something click in your head â€" and you suddenly “get it”. Not to disparage higher education at all. But to be honest, for me these moments have rarely happened in the classroom or have come from formal training. In fact, I can’t remember a time when I’ve had so many of these moments as I have over the past year. So what brought me to these moments of great learning? They came to me through social media. It may seem strange that I’ve learned more from social media in any one 12-month period than any other time in my life. But I’ve traced that perception to two important factors: learning from my mistakes and daily motivation. Mistakes have always been a great teacher for me â€" either my mistakes or those of others. Social media is full of lessons â€" some autobiographical, while others come from cruel reality. I can’t tell you how many mistakes I’ve avoided by reading blogs or tweets about people at other start-ups who were kind enough to share (or unfortunate enough to be exposed). Also through social media, I’ve found numerous mentors and experts who can walk through a challenge with me â€" and apply perspective or help mitigate potentially large issues â€" in a short Skype chat or IM exchange. Motivation is important to all of us. Not those silly quotes without context that you read on Twitter. I’m talking about real motivation â€" usually through well-articulated common sense or success stories. Courtesy of Seth Godin, here’s a sample of the motivation received in one click of the mouse: What are you working on? If someone asks you that, are you excited to tell them the answer? I hope so. If not, you’re wasting away. No matter what your job is, no matter where you work, there’s a way to create a project (on your own, on weekends if necessary), where the excitement is palpable, where something that might make a difference is right around the corner. Hurry, go do that. Those 72 words did more for me in a few minutes on a Saturday morning than an entire semester in Marketing 101 â€" because I love what I’m doing, and I was reminded of how important that concept is when I read that blog. There’s another aspect of this “self-education” via social media that makes the process work so well for me: instant access. Whether Googling a subject I need to know about at that very moment, or learning through a Twitter chat, social media is instant in nature â€" I can learn now, anytime. No more waiting for the daily paper, a monthly subscription, or the newest book by Steven Covey or Tom Peters. I can gain working knowledge and absorb passionate sources or inspiration at 50 Mbps. “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune” (Jim Rohn) I’m not saying don’t go to school. And I’m sure not saying that social media has replaced formal learning and the experiences that come from the college environment. But for me, social media has become my “higher education”. And I learn more every day. About the Author: A passionate supporter of Gen Y talent, CEO and Founder of YouTern Mark Babbitt is a serial entrepreneur and mentor. Mark has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Mashable, Forbes and Under30CEO regarding internships, higher education’s role in preparing emerging talent for the workforce and career development. Recently, Mark was honored to be named to GenJuice’s list of “Top 100 Most Desirable Mentors”. You can contact Mark via email or on Twitter: @YouTernMark. image courtesy of Schlusselbein2007 and deiby

Types Of Bias To Watch For In Product UX Research - Algrim.co

Types Of Bias To Watch For In Product UX Research - Algrim.co Any product research requires an extensive amount of resources. There are numerous stages of product research process starting from the brainstorming and ideation phase to final decision making and final product. Cognitive bias is one such component, but an unwelcome one. The fact is that cognitive bias does more harm than good to the process of product research. Let’s shed some light on the topic. Cognitive bias or reasoning bias, is the inclination, disagreement, approval towards a specific idea or proposition based on one’s principles and situation that is unreasoned. They can exist at all levels - participant, moderator, and researcher, and alter the design persona. Here are some of the types of research bias: Knowledge Bias One of the common biases, knowledge bias, is the easiest of intruders in the product research process. The bias comes into play when the respondent in question has prior knowledge about the product and knows a bit about its pros and cons. This prior information about or owning the product makes their judgment subjective. The association with the old product is a hindrance. This association acts as a blinder against the new product. So no matter how good the product is, even if equipped with better features, respondents will not be open to the idea of feedback for a new product. They have an associative response based on the product which hinders objective reasoning. To mitigate this bias, one needs to focus on motivational factors for the respondent to provide an unbiased account. Confirmation Bias People love to deliver account for their beliefs and confirmation does just that. It is the inclination nature of humans to stand firm with their beliefs and hypothesis, and evade confrontation to those beliefs as much as possible. However, this evolution characteristic of humans also leads to deliberation. Deliberation to favoring results and disregarding the rest of the plot. Thus, it can hamper a test as personal beliefs might influence the outcome instead of the rational cognition. Also, add to the fact that it is common and can affect both quantitative and qualitative research, the task of refining becomes much more challenging. However, for that to happen, there’s need of large sample space which somewhat guarantees for different feedback because of different mentalities. Framing Bias Unlike confirmation bias, framing bias is about the way of presentation rather than beliefs. Framing, as the name suggests, molds responses to a specific frame, i.e., presentation. This type of bias comes in the form of answers that are heavily dependent on the presentation style. Hence, the outcomes differ according to the frame of queries. Framing bias depends more on the moderator or researcher than the responder. Queries and methods used, influence the outcome which solely relies on the researchers. To counter this, one needs to be very careful while framing the questions. There should be any reflection of ideas from the researcher’s or moderator’s perspective. One should avoid leading questions. Instead of asking ‘What you like about the product?’, The question should be ‘What’s your opinion about the product?’. Even ego affects being objective. So putting ego aside is a priority to have a clear vision of presented information. One needs to accept feedbacks, sugges tions with an open mind and act accordingly on the information acquired. Social Desirability Bias Social Desirability is an evolution consequence. The tendency to be liked and accepted by society is the same thing that hinders research. We are hard-wired to be acknowledged by society. So, no wonder we deviate from our actual necessities just to be accepted in the community. This bias kicks in when questions begin pricking our personal spaces. As one would expect, it all leads to inaccurate reports generated due to inexact responses. From the responder’s perspective, it is the matter of craving something and asking for something else. Unconditional positive regard can be used to control [social bias](https://www.survata.com/market-research/resources/social-desirability-bias/). That is, there is no wrong answer and participant is allowed to express their opinions. Even the questions could evoke third person response. This aids for better gauging of the participant’s feelings because of indirect questioning. Attentional Bias Attentional bias is the affinity to pay attention to some things while ignoring others. Attention bias impacts both perception and decision making and becomes worse when there’s a time constraint. We as humans evolved in a certain way to avert danger. Hence, we tend to focus on stimuli that pose a risk to our existence more than anything else. This intense concentration on the danger even affects our memory. Also, add to the fact that attentional bias can be affected by emotional state, it makes our bad choices and decisions. Hence, the feedback that one receives could be a deception. Cluster Illusion Cluster illusion is finding patterns in data where there isn’t any present. When working with a small pool of sample, there is a high chance that a set of information project a pattern. This event is generally a rare coincidence which is mistaken for a pattern. Patterns do make it easier to process information. However, one's needs to understand that any pattern is a random event, not the whole result. It is clear that the use of a small sample size does not account for the larger picture. The lack of diversity in sample affects the results/outcomes and might hint towards a different idea. So, not distinguishing pattern and relying solely on results helps to mitigate the bias. Illusion of Transparency When there’s an unknown involved, our mind starts assuming things. The illusion of transparency is something that falls into that category. This bias is the case of assuming things that have not been said and overestimating the extent of people's thinking or conveyance. Apart from being verbal, communication occurs through body language, and other non-verbal ways too. When taken into account as a whole, the verbal and non-verbal signs create an illusion of communication. There is an ambiguity of message delivered. The message conveyed, and the understood message could be two different things. Affirmative feedback from the responder about the response helps to make sure the moderator or researcher gets the point. Bandwagon Effect Following a trend could sometimes be risky. Just because majority follows something does not make it right. What’s more dubious about a bandwagon is the uncertainty of its existence. It might be a wild act of pouring resources into something that might wither away in the next two or three years. This decision will only result in the outlay of additional resources for adaptation when it dies down. So, instead of focusing on the competition, one needs to focus on its customers for better criticism and insight. Culture Bias Where we come from also leads how we make decisions and respond. Making assumptions, be it making decisions or responding to questions, should not be influenced by culture. There are two aspects, ethnocentrism, and cultural relativism. While ethnocentrism talks about judging other cultures using one's culture as a source of reference; cultural relativism makes the expectation of understanding one's culture based on their beliefs and ideas. Culture should not define the design persona. In the case of researchers, they could offset this by unconditional positive regard. In addition to this, one should be well aware of his/her cultural assumptions and make sure it does not intervene in decision making. Sunk Cost Fallacy The strong association with things at an emotional level leads to cognitive biasing towards it even though it might cost much damage. In the case of researchers, stretched association with data subtlety influences them. At some point, it might develop into obsession over findings. This higher degree of affection acts when dealing with large sample sizes or data. One can fight this by analyzing data in smaller volumes which helps to concentrate and avert the risk of misdirected outcomes. Decoy Effect In some cases, there is subjective participants’ response. Other existing options influence the chosen option, i.e., some options might hold superiority over others. Anything more than two options and decoy effect starts influencing. In the case of two options, they have their superiorities and are independent of each other. Upon introduction of another option, there’s scope of comparison. An option can have a positive effect on some options and an adverse effect on some options. The superiority of options affects in some or other aspect in decision making as a simple task of choosing options becomes a task of weighing relevance with each other. The Halo Effect Sometimes there’s the [risk of participants making assumptions based on a single positive attribute. This single factor guides them through the whole testing process which does not help to get a definite opinion. This act is apparent when there is a lack of information or if the respondent is not mentally stable. Tired minds will work the most straightforward way out and, i.e., by assumption. Any little information the respondent gets about the product; they use it as a baton to navigate through any questions that come their way. To get proper feedback, the respondent needs to have full information about the product and not provide answers based on any single attribute. They need to weigh down all the aspects before answering. Hindsight Bias It is reliant on the assumption of the respondent. A person’s lack of knowledge paired with their assumption associates reasons for past occurrences without any factual evidence. As discussed earlier, our mind loathes vagueness and hence, assumes things. Although the things might not be right, the person hardly gets to know unless the face a challenge to their reasoning. Hindsight bias is something the respondent might not be aware of, but the researcher needs to be. A researcher needs to be careful about this cognitive bias and assess it with evidence to support it. Here’s the summary of some of the product research biases that one needs to account for: Knowledge Bias: The subjective judgment based on prior knowledge of product Confirmation Bias: Accounting for own beliefs and evading confrontation Framing Bias: Dependency of responses on the way of presentation Social Desirability Bias: Response based on the tendency to be liked and accepted by the society Attentional Bias: Response based on a strong focus on stimuli posing a risk Cluster Illusion: Finding patterns in data where there isn't any present The Illusion of Transparency: Difference between the message conveyed and the understood message Bandwagon Effect: Following a trend because of others doing it Culture Bias: Responses influenced by cultural perspective Sunk Cost Fallacy: Biasing due to emotional attachment Decoy Effect: Superiority or domination of an option over other options The Halo Effect: Responses based on one positive attribute Hindsight Bias: Reasoning past events without any factual evidence Product research is a complex process. The involvement of various components, although helps in the development, but also carry the risk of decision biasing from these factors. The above few biases are some of the common ones that one might encounter when involved in product research and development. That said, any study cannot be entirely unbiased. There will be some amount of bias induced. The key to product development is to recognize and mitigate these biases.

Sierra Vista AZ Relocation Job Search - Helping People Secures the Best Jobs

Sierra Vista AZ Relocation Job Search - Helping People Secures the Best JobsHiring resume writing services to help you with your Sierra Vista Arizona relocation job search will be helpful. People are coming to realize that they can find many companies in this area that have years of experience when it comes to landing quality jobs and recruiting the best candidates possible. Hiring a company that is established and trustworthy is ideal for moving to Sierra Vista AZ, as these employees are familiar with the area and know exactly what to do to help you.Many individuals in Sierra Vista AZ have questions about what they should do to secure the best job possible. Moving to an area that is thriving means that the employment opportunities available will be plentiful. The same is true of new employees looking for jobs in this exciting and growing community. These people will likely need resume writing services to help them land the most satisfying employment.Providing great opportunities for employment for individuals moving to this city will be essential for everyone involved. They will want to be sure that the new employees they recruit will be happy and will provide great work. It is not just the new employees who are interested in working for a company that has an excellent reputation. Employees who are working for someone who knows the area well will give them a feel for what the place is like and the way people live there.Old employees may be looking for jobs in the area because they are looking for a change. For some of these employees, relocating to a place that has a variety of different jobs available will be perfect. A business that is willing to provide current employees with career opportunities will provide them with an opportunity to work in a different field.Sierra Vista AZ is a wonderful city for a lot of different reasons. Hiring resume writing services to help make the transition easier will be a great way to ensure that your employer will be happy w ith the process. There are plenty of places in the area that offer new and experienced employees with several options for finding work.Employees are looking for employment that is going to be right for them. Job seekers in the area are also looking for work that will provide them with the ability to travel around the city. When looking for a job, these people will probably need resume writing services to assist them with their job search.Staff members that are familiar with the community and where employment opportunities are abundant will be better able to help applicants navigate the city. Many individuals are going to be pleasantly surprised by the amount of job opportunities in the area. Hiring resume writing services to help secure employment will help people make the most of the opportunity and help ensure that they will be happy with the city.Hiring resume writing services to help provide the best transition for employees moving to Sierra Vista AZ will help keep employees sat isfied. People are going to appreciate knowing that hiring resume writing services can work with them to make the most of their transition and allow them to get to know the area better. The help these people need can also help make the transition easier for all involved.

Career Management Resolutions for 2008

Career Management Resolutions for 2008 In the spirit of the New Year, here are some easy to implement resolutions to get your career management strategy on track for 2008.Go to lunch. I meet a lot of people who never take a lunch hour because they are too busy working. Dont make this mistake. The lunch hour is a great time to solidify relationships with colleagues, mentors, friends, and family. More lunch buddies means more networking and potentially more job opportunities down the road. Try to eat with different people over the course of a month and get in the habit of introducing people over lunch. Be a connector so people will want to connect you to others in the future.Get a hobby. Everyone has something outside of work that they are interested in. But many people find excuses for not pursuing hobbies and interests. Having a hobby helps build affinity with others. Running clubs, knitting clubs, book clubs, etc. help people bond and develop trust. Friendship grows out of trusting relationships. The more friends you ha ve, the greater the likelihood that they will share information about professional opportunities that may interest you.Join a professional association. Professional associations offer many great opportunities to connect with colleagues. Find an appropriate association in your field and do more than just show up. Offer to work the registration table at an event, contribute content to the associations newsletter, or be part of a panel for an upcoming event. Involvement leads to familiarity, and familiarity leads to opportunities sourced through other members of the association.Reconnect with old friends. Friends are usually flattered when you take the time to find them and learn about what they are doing. Try to find old schoolmates through Classmates.com or your colleges alumni directory. CorporateAlumni.com is helpful for trying to find previous work colleagues. Facebook is also a great tool for finding friends and its not just for college kids anymore.Get organized. As you build yo ur list of new contacts, organizing their information can be a bit overwhelming. Use an electronic career management tool such as JibberJobber to keep your information current and at your fingertips.Update your resume. Dont wait until you find the perfect posting on line or meet the right decision maker at a networking event. Always have an updated resume ready to send to your contacts. Get a free assessment of your current resume here.Get online. If a recruiter or hiring manager wanted to know more about you, would they be able to find you on line? Put your full name in quotes on Google or another search engine and find out what information is available about you. If there is nothing there or you dont like what you see, start creating a web presence using tools such as Linked In, ZoomInfo, and Ziggs.Go on an informational interview. One of the best ways to learn more about opportunities in your field or another field you are considering transitioning into is to talk to people who a re currently doing the type of work you think you would like to be doing. In an informational interview, any question is fair game, and you can receive authentic answers to what its really like to be in a particular professional role. These types of interviews help you validate your perceptions about a certain profession and adjust your career aspirations based on the information you receive.Try to implement at least one of these suggestions in early 2008 and find ways to incorporate other strategies into your career management plan throughout the rest of the year. Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

9 Ways Fashion Blogging Ruined My Finances - Cubicle Chic

9 Ways Fashion Blogging Ruined My Finances - Cubicle Chic 9 Ways Fashion Blogging Ruined My FinancesCareer, Debt-free Life, Life as a blogger, Personal Development June 5, 2017 18 CommentsI started blogging in 2015. I’d never positioned my blog as a straight up fashion blog because it’s so much more than that. But I knew fresh and consistent fashion-related content was how I could most rapidly get people’s attention. In the beginning, I told myself I would go through my closet and style things that I already had, and only buy things from resale websites like Poshmark, i.e. things heavily discounted and sometimes pre-owned. Over time, I started going overboard with the shopping especially when the holiday seasons came around. You know how it goes… every corner you turn you see a cute “corporate holiday party dress. Slowly but surely, I progressed to buying things whenever there was a topic that could use a brand-new outfit. Over the first year of creating Cubicle Chic, I blazed through what I had in the bank and started piling up c redit card debt. And it just kept going.What was worse was my existing shopping condition. As many metropolitan professional women earning a decent income could relate (and as Cubicle Chic’s top banner may suggest), I have a weakness for luxury goods. There’s always been a tender spot in my heart for name brand stuff in that I can’t explain. Now, I can’t say that tendency is a thing of the past. What I can say though, is that I no longer impulse-buy “nice stuff” â€" designer bags/shoes/things that I don’t have a planned budget/saved up cash for. Currently, I do live somewhat of a reformed life, financially speaking.How is this life reformed, you ask? Well, I have no debt (other than our mortgage)  and I live with a budget that I share with my husband now, and every month I know exactly how much I’m supposed to spend in each category. I still go over in some categories occasionally but it’s done with control and comfort. This current financial stability is the resul t of a slow, arduous, and long transformation that took place from early 2015 to the present. During this time, I had moved in with my boyfriend (husband now), got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, and bought a house. This transformation was guided by my husband’s help in shaping my financial foundation and the teachings of a real personal finance guru, Dave Ramsey. As painful as it was, it was the only reason we managed to cash-flow the wedding and secure a good down payment for the purchase of a new house.So, in my financially uneducated and uninformed days, starting a fashion blog really took a toll. A year into it, I had no savings to show for the hard work at my full-time job or my blog. My credit card debt fluctuated between a monthly balance of $2000-$5000. The worse part was that I didn’t even know I was on the verge of being broke.All of this isn’t to say that having a fashion blog WILL ruin you financially. But blogging is  not for the ignorant and the uninfor med, which I totally was 2 years ago.Here are 9 things about starting and having a fashion blog that pushed me further down the financial drain: Career, Debt-free Life, Life as a blogger, Personal Development June 5, 2017 18 CommentsI started blogging in 2015. I’d never positioned my blog as a straight up fashion blog because it’s so much more than that. But I knew fresh and consistent fashion-related content was how I could most rapidly get people’s attention. In the beginning, I told myself I would go through my closet and style things that I already had, and only buy things from resale websites like Poshmark, i.e. things heavily discounted and sometimes pre-owned. Over time, I started going overboard with the shopping especially when the holiday seasons came around. You know how it goes… every corner you turn you see a cute “corporate holiday party dress. Slowly but surely, I progressed to buying things whenever there was a topic that could use a brand-new outfit. Over the first year of creating Cubicle Chic, I blazed through what I had in the bank and started piling up credit card debt. And it just kept going.Wh at was worse was my existing shopping condition. As many metropolitan professional women earning a decent income could relate (and as Cubicle Chic’s top banner may suggest), I have a weakness for luxury goods. There’s always been a tender spot in my heart for name brand stuff in that I can’t explain. Now, I can’t say that tendency is a thing of the past. What I can say though, is that I no longer impulse-buy “nice stuff” â€" designer bags/shoes/things that I don’t have a planned budget/saved up cash for. Currently, I do live somewhat of a reformed life, financially speaking.How is this life reformed, you ask? Well, I have no debt (other than our mortgage)  and I live with a budget that I share with my husband now, and every month I know exactly how much I’m supposed to spend in each category. I still go over in some categories occasionally but it’s done with control and comfort. This current financial stability is the result of a slow, arduous, and long transformat ion that took place from early 2015 to the present. During this time, I had moved in with my boyfriend (husband now), got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, and bought a house. This transformation was guided by my husband’s help in shaping my financial foundation and the teachings of a real personal finance guru, Dave Ramsey. As painful as it was, it was the only reason we managed to cash-flow the wedding and secure a good down payment for the purchase of a new house.So, in my financially uneducated and uninformed days, starting a fashion blog really took a toll. A year into it, I had no savings to show for the hard work at my full-time job or my blog. My credit card debt fluctuated between a monthly balance of $2000-$5000. The worse part was that I didn’t even know I was on the verge of being broke.All of this isn’t to say that having a fashion blog WILL ruin you financially. But blogging is  not for the ignorant and the uninformed, which I totally was 2 years ago.Here are 9 things about starting and having a fashion blog that pushed me further down the financial drain:1. Keeping up with new trendsKeeping up with the Jones’ is real when every other person on Instagram is the Jones’. That new pair of Adidas sneakers, the new Celine bag, a new one-piece swimsuit, or a beach straw-bag.  Instagram fuels our shopping addiction, which is why companies paid $31 billion in the on Instagram ads  in 2016 and continue to do so.  To avoid buying things I don’t need/won’t use for my blog, I now stick to a master editorial calendar. Because of it, I already know what I’m writing this month, next month, and the following month. If I catch myself wanting to buy something for blog content, I try to see how it’s going to fit into my editorial calendar. If it doesn’t fit, I don’t buy.2. Paying for expensive photographyThis is another topic that I can probably write a book on: how to find the right photographer for your blog. Creating visually pleas ing aesthetics for a blog is so, so, so critical. Some people have photographer inclinations/skills/boyfriends/husbands which make this easier. For others, finding someone who understands your vision, is flexible with your schedule, and offers the right price is HARD TO FIND. I started out paying between $200-$400 for one photography session which consisted of about 90-120 minutes and 2-3 different outfits. That was definitely more than the industry standard for fashion blog photography. I was very happy with the result, but the cost was unsustainable and I quickly realized that. Over time, I met and worked with many other photographers and became more educated about pricing. At the same time, I learned to model better and learned what looked good for photos. To date, I’ve worked with almost 10 photographers. I have finally found my one and only photographer who I work with regularly now. She charges me a very reasonable price, is flexible with our shooting schedule and provides m e just the right creative input to help me improve my overall aesthetics. I wish someone had taught me this before I started so I would’ve been more judicious about my blogging expense.3. Creating an archive of outfitsI feel that as a blogger I need to showcase a suite of outfits that tailor to different events and functions. Like right now, I still feel like I need that power suit to round out my working professional wardrobe collection. I probably will get a power suit at some point when it makes sense for a post I’m writing or an event I’m attending, but not right now. The heart of this problem lies in the lack of organization and visibility of the stuff I already have. This Spring, I gave my closet an overhaul, i.e. throwing out stuff I didn’t wear anymore and getting re-acquainted with stuff I had but wasn’t wearing enough. That exercise allowed me to physically see that I already have an archive of good outfits.4. Getting brands to notice meSomeone once told me the b est way to approach a brand to collaborate is to show that you are already their user/fan. What brands are you already a fan of? So, I’ve internalized this philosophy and started telling myself “It’s okay to buy because I am trying out for myself before I can work with the brand.” This is a very dangerous path because I can literally justify anything I want to buy this way. Again, I’ve learned now to default to my editorial calendar to see if there’s even a reason to try the product. If it’s not aligned with my editorial calendar, I don’t buy.5.  Attending eventsAlmost two years into my blogging career, I’ve signed up for an event 5 times (PoshFest twice, The Collective once, Simply Stylish twice). The tickets on average cost about $90-$300 for each event. Going to events quickly turns into a money suck because I’d have to get my outfit ready, and for the first few events I was also trying to sort out my business card situation which cost money too. This year, I am only attending one event (Simply Stylist in July). I plan on being very responsible in how much I invest in the outfit for the event. The only other event that I will try to attend in the future is Create and Cultivate. It’s even more expensive (think $350+) but I know I will save up and pay cash for it.6.  Paying for online classes If you’re reading online about how to improve your finances, chances are, you are a regular for online courses. I’ve taken online classes for business writing, blogging techniques, photography tips and tricks, SEO know-how, and the list goes on. It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like taking classes will be the answer to everything. Nowadays I try to find classes that are under $20. I also try to finish a class before I sign up for new ones. Psychologically speaking, paying for a class feels like progress. But I know that true progress doesn’t happen until I’ve implemented what I learn and see the impact.7. The blogger discounts If I had a dime every time a brand/company, instead of agreeing to collaborate with me, wants to give me a discount… Don’t get me wrong, I still appreciate their generosity. And given point #4 above, I used to give in more often than I should’ve. The truth is, if I have no need for the sponsor’s products and it doesn’t make sense for my editorial calendar, I shouldn’t buy it no matter how steep the discount is.8. Paying for advertisement or loop giveawaysAside from being desperate for more traffic as a new blogger, as a digital marketing professional, I told myself I needed to experiment with Google Adwords and Facebook ads, just to be able to say that I know how they work. In Christmas of 2015, I started a small Google Adwords campaign to promote the three outfits I created for Holiday Parties. Because of lack of experience at the time, the campaign cost me $250 before I found out about it. It got me maybe about 1000 clicks in total, but no one became a recurring reader. I quickly learned my lesson and never did it again.There is also loop giveaways that Instagram influencers like to do. If you haven’t heard of it, this is what an Instagram Loop Giveaway. To date, I’ve joined 2 loop giveaways as an influencer. They were each about $30 for me to participate, and they earned me about 200-300 followers each time. This is really just a more glamorous and legitimate way of “buying followers”. I have not done one since then because the followers you get from loop giveaways drop you like it’s hot. It’s hard not to take the crazy amount of unfollowing that occurs at the end of the giveaway. I’ve learned to stay away.9. Thinking fresh new purchase = fresh contentThis is a real struggle for any content creator. When you are in a creative rut and can’t think of anything to talk about, it’s easy to believe that buying something new will provide inspiration for new content. Again, my counter mechanism is always to default to my editorial calend ar. I also plan about 2-3 months ahead for content, so I have time to reach out to brands and pitch my topics to them.ConclusionFashion blogging has increasingly become a legitimate profession. But behind the pretty pictures and written content is a lot of hard work and investment. I’m grateful for the learning experiences running my own blog has given me. But I also want to caution those of you out there that are considering starting a blog… Be prepared and ready for the expenses and don’t make the mistakes I made!