How to Tell Your Parents That You Want to Be a Musician

How to Tell Your Parents That You Want to Be a MusicianHow to Tell Your Parents That You Want to Be a MusicianI get a lot of emails from young people asking for advice on how to have the dreaded I want to become afull-time musician discussionwith their parents. Some parents are cool with it, but other parents, well, they may have in mind other plans for you- mora along the lines of college-grad school-job security. How to Prepare So, you may feel like your parents just dont get it if they give you a hard time about your musical aspirations. And lets be honest, in many cases, they may not get it, simply because they havent had much exposure to the music industry. But theyre not trying to be mean to you and destroy your dreams (at least, theyre probably not). Going to them prepared to have a productive conversation can help you avoid a big, dramatic scene. Here are some tips for telling your parents about your music business goals. Have Real Music Business Goals I want to be a musician is a little vague. There are lots of different types of musicians. Which one do you want to be? Do you want to lead a band and tour the world? Do you want to be a session musician? Do you want to make a living playing a rotating schedule of local bar gigs? You dont have to decide right now where your music career will eventually take you, but you need to be able to talk about your specific music business goals with your parents to show them that youve given this some serious thought. Consider a College Compromise Your parents probably want you to focus on your education and go to college. You want to focus on music without the distraction of classes. Whos right? No one can say that you must go to college to become a musicianbecause you dont. However, there are big benefits to attending college, even beyond having an education to causa back on (but listen to me now- that matters). Colleges are hotbeds of music activity. There are radio stations, shows, clubs, music class es, musicians and lots, lots more. College isnt wasted time it can be a chance to hone your skills and maybe even build up a local music following. Heres the compromise part If your parents are passionate about your college education, and youre equally passionate about your music, do both. Agree with your parents that youll go to school (and go to classes and do well) and that youll get to pursue your music career at the same time. If your big break conflicts with your psych final, you get to take the big break- assuming it is a big break. You agree to do well on that psych final if your big break is still yet to come in. Thats fair, right? Be Ready to Talk Finances Its not as easy to make money in the music industry as you may think. Honestly, your parents are right about that. You can make a living in the music industry, but the chances are that youre going to need a plan to support yourself while youre struggling to make a living from your music. What is that plan going to b e? Your parents dont want to think that that plan involves sleeping on their couch, paying you an adult allowance, or bailing you out of credit card debt. You probably dont know exactly how much money youll be making as you embark on your music career, or what all of your expenses will be, but do your best to make a plan that shows your parents that youve thought about it. Be ready to answer questions about your income, planned living situation, and more. Again, maybe its not the final solution you end up with, but the idea that youre approaching this reasonably reassures them that youre serious. For bonus points, do some research about the music industry and how musicians make money on their recordings and live performances. Theres a good chance your parents dont know how this works, and it wont inspire confidence if you dont know either. Show Them Your Passion Sometimes, its hard to show your parents how passionate you are about your music, especially if theyre not thrilled ab out your aspirations. Show them anyway. Let them know exactly how much this means to you. It may not make them stop worrying about you, but it may make them a little more supportive.

#1 Bored at Work Try These Awesome Online Games

1 Bored at Work Try These Awesome Online Games1 Bored at Work Try These Awesome Online GamesWe are not saying that you should waste your time in job. But lets face it. From time to time, there are days, when you can be hardly productive. Thats when you should try these awesome gamesDoomI want to playHave a little nostalgic moment? There is no way you wouldnt want to waste some time on playing this legendary game. But be careful. Its much more difficult than verfaulen games. We wish you good luckDojo of DeathI want to playThis tiny little time waster is a beast. Fight with your Ninja against your enemies. Its simply controlled and simply addicting.Pandemic 2I want to playEver dreamed of destroying the whole world population? Well, keep it cool and play this game. Try to spread a deadly virus across the planet, and kill some time at your job.Koalas to the MaxI want to playIf your are curious and if you like nice shapes, this game might be made exactly for you. Simply kill your time dis covering what will happen after you pop all the circles. This is uber-time-killing website.Text and DriveI want to playYou know you shouldnt text and drive. Not unless you are bored to death at work. Your task is to text with your friend while driving. It is not that easy as you think. Please, do not attempt in real life.QWOPI want to playThere is an athlete, who is not that talented in physical activities. You are trying to help him. Run as far as you can. But prepare, it wont be easy. (photo credits by Thomas Leuthard)Do you like this story? Share it with your friends.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

If you make $100K in San Francisco you are considered low income

If you make $100K in San Francisco you are considered low incomeIf you make $100K in San Francisco you are considered low incomeThough New York has the reputation for being super expensive (and it is), there is a city across the country that has it beat hands down. In the Bay Area having a salary of $117,400 qualifies you as low income in some counties, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. WHAT?How is a $100,000 salary considered low income in San Fran?Of course, this isnt surprising consideringthat income levels in the Bay Area are the highest in the U.S. and are just going up. And withthe median home price in theBay Area around $935,000, a record high, you better be making a lot mora than $100,000.The report also found that in San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo an income of $105,350 for a family of four is counted as low income.Clearly, incomes of below $100,000 put you in Fantine fromLes Miserablesterritory in where you have to resor t to cutting your hair and pulling your teeth for extra money when you arent working as the COO of a tech startup. It found that $65,800 is considered very low, and $39,500 is extremely low.Restaurants cant afford to hire workersThe atrocious costs of living in San Francisco are impacting many different industries.This week The New York Times reported that San Francisco restaurant owners are having trouble keeping up with rent payments so they cannot afford to hire a wait staff which means diners are now serving themselves more. The San Francisco-based restaurant Souvla has runners bring food to the tables but then you are on your own, according to The Times.San Francisco has been ranked high on several lists when it comes to most expensive and affordability. This is definitely contributing to a recent flux of people looking to leave the city.

How to Raise a Coder in Four Easy Steps

How to Raise a Coder in Four Easy Steps How to Raise a Coder in Four Easy Steps How to Raise a Coder in Four Easy StepsIn todays digital age, technology is a defining characteristic of nearly every industry. If anything, technological innovation will continue to accelerate in the coming years.That means that coding will soon join reading, writing, and arithmetic as a vital childhood skill needed for future success.Unfortunately, the U.S. education system has historically lagged in fostering an interest in the technological fields, despite recent emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculums. By the time students hit high school, only 16% are interested in STEM-related careers, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Libraries across America give kids an opportunity to learn coding. Image Flickr / San Jos Public LibraryThe result has been a huge shortage of American workers in those fields, especially computer science. According to Cod e.org, an advocacy group for coding education, 58% of all new STEM jobs are in computing, yet only 8% of STEM graduates end up in computer science jobs. This could have something to do with the fact that only 40% of U.S. schools teach computer science, despite that 90% of parents want their children to study it.Luckily, as an engineer or any concerned parent, you dont have to rely on school to bolster your childs interest in STEM fields. You dont even have to wait until theyre in school to get started. Heres how you can foster your childs interest in coding from an early age1. Use age-appropriate activitiesNo one is suggesting sitting young children down with a manual and teaching them Python or Java. Start with the basics, and keep it light and fun based on your childs age. Apps are a great way to get started with your childs coding education, since they combine gameplay with the actual technological tools that coding involves. There are tons of apps aimed at a variety of age group s that are designed to get kids into coding through play. Here are a few examplesAge 4 8 Lightbot, Jr. allows young children to solve simple puzzles using basic coding principles. For older children (9 and up), theres also standard Lightbot, which offers slightly more complicated puzzles.Age 5 and up With Cargo-Bot, kids can use simple coding to teach a robot how to move crates around the screen. The levels increase in difficulty, but the easiest level is user-friendly enough for five-year-olds.Age 6 10 Daisy the Dinosaur is another fun app for younger children, where the user can animate a cartoon dinosaur through basic drag-and-drop actions, teaching kids the code principles behind objects and sequencing.Age 8 12 Hopscotchenables kids to design and build their own games, stories and art, and then publish them to a moderated angeschlossen community. They can also play and moderate other existing games.Apps arent the only way to engage your children in fun coding play. There are tons of toys and kits available to give your children the opportunity for hands-on experimentation.2. Emphasize the creative aspectsThere are a lot of misconceptions that software as a field is universally dry and dull. Unfortunately, this attitude can turn children away from the subject altogether. But coding isnt just about complex languages and mathematical principles its about imagination and innovation. It involves storytelling, artwork, and design.When introducing coding to kids, frame it through this creative lens. You can support this by introducing coding tools and games that play on your childrens creative passions. Scratch, for instance, is a program that allows kids in elementary school onward to create and program their own animations and games, in areas such as music, painting, and storytelling. It may help your childrens interest to know that technology and creativity are not mutually exclusive in fact, they go hand in hand.3. Make it socialIf your kids dont show an i nterest in coding on their own, they might be more inclined to participate if its something they can do with their friends. Research showed that in the early days of social media, kids learned HTML to update their MySpace pages as part of engaging with their peer group.bedrngnis only are there several games and apps (like many of those listed above) that encourage group play in coding and interaction through moderated communities, there are also coding summer camps and youth programs to get kids engaged in coding together.4. Encourage creative problem solvingCritical thinking and problem solving are some of the key characteristics of professional coders. Even when theyre not directly engaging in hands-on activities, you can encourage your child to think like a coder in day-to-day life. When your child encounters a problem, ask them to think up an invention or tool that would help them solve it. How would that technology work? What would it take to make it work?This not only fosters a childs creativity, it gets them thinking about how technology can be used to solve real-world problems, and how they can be the masterminds behind that technology.In todays ever-changing technological landscape, coding is a valuable skill that not enough people have. By encouraging your childs interest in this field, youre not only fostering that important skill, youre opening up a world of endless possibility and opportunity.Find out more about the latest in Career and Education from ASME.org. Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer. For Further Discussion

Who Is Misleading Us About Manufacturing Engineer Resume?

Who Is Misleading Us About Manufacturing Engineer Resume? Youll monitor unique elements of product development, make modifications to production procedures, and strive to continually enhance the manner manufacturing operates. As a manufacturing engineer in any market, youll be involved in the whole scope of the manufacturing approach. You might design much better production tools or utilize computer-aided manufacturing software to boost operations. In some instances, manufacturing engineers are responsible for determining what new machinery or polices are necessary at an organization. You dont know where that amazing career is hiding. It is possible to easily create winning resumes and cover letters designed to help you receive the job you desire. Identify distinctive and impressive work youve done related to the position. Explain to the employer why you are appropriate for the work position in a couple of words. If you didnt major in engineering, you might list relevant coursework. Education With the debut of modularisation in university, quite a few engineering graduates have covered a wide variety of subjects. Your familiarity with a plethora of different engineering computer software programs will make your resume much more convincing. Furthermore, you can find out more about engineering careers on Monster. The Nuiances of Manufacturing Engineer Resume In some instances, its also required they complete a licensing exam. After you have honigwein the academic requirements for your preferred grade of membership you are able to progress towards professional status. Dependent on the businesss requirement developer has to develop the program. The upcoming civil engineering resume sample has a far greater header section. Civil engineer resume PDFs are your best option unless the work offer forbids them. Specific programs and applications are frequently used as keywords in the event of a technical resume. In the same way, reviewers who have to process lots of resumes manually will search for keywords that match a predetermined candidate profile. Opportunely, engineering resumes have an extremely straightforward format. From it, you are going to be in a position to comprehend whats important to the employer for hiring for the engineering position, and youre able to craft an outstanding objective that meets their needs for the position. Should you realize that you are in either situation, weve included some examples of resume objectives which you can utilize to submit an application for engineer jobs, in addition to some general principles that will allow you to write your own. There are various ways of achieving an effective resume. You must sell yourself the same manner youd sell a possible process change to key stakeholders, by presenting more than bare mindestens facts. New Step by Step Roadmap for Manufacturing Engineer Resume A whole lot of positions arent posted on the standard websites and require a bit more investigating. An appealing job objective will offer decent beginning to your resume. You need to make sure that youre staying on top of your job search procedure and you dont get distracted. Whether you opt to apply or only leave your information, we anticipate staying connected with you. Details of Manufacturing Engineer Resume Youre able to help change the Earth, but well help you become hired first. Also, let people know that youre looking for work and the sort of work youre hoping to find. Being an engineer means having the capability to address complex difficulties and do tasks fruchtwein individuals are usually incapable of. People with confidence who thrive on competition and the opportunity to prove what they are able to do. The Basics of Manufacturing Engineer Resume For employers to find out what you could do, you make your abilities and abilities section uncomplicated to read. You may find out more about what things to put in your CV from our mechanical en gineer CV example. In the manufacturing engineer CV example above, you can understand that the duties and abilities connected with the position are highlighted. In your CV, youll want to be certain you highlight the specific skills that you have that cause you to excel at what you do. Precision is among the core elements of an engineering job. Your engineering Resume Templates is a powerful advertising tool, so make the the majority of it. Manufacturing engineering is just one of the most flexible jobs it is possible to hold. Employing the most suitable resources, such as our engineering resume samples, will be able to help you compose a document that makes it possible to accomplish your targets. What Civil Engineers have a tendency to do is describe their everyday responsibilities. Engineering by taking a look at the tough and soft skills below.

Overheard Inspiration at Own Your Future In Tech Lets Crack the Code

Overheard Inspiration at Own Your Future In Tech Lets Crack the Code What happens when you get four female tech leaders on a panel moderated by Geek Girl Rising author Heather Cabot? Well, you get some golden quotes for motivational fodder. We gathered some of the best lines from Thursday nights Own Your Future In Tech Lets Crack the Code panel. If you couldnt make it to Hearst Tower for the event then simply read on.On role modelsOn being your own championOn retention and workplace culture One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an archite cts plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study con ducted by Gallupon the wertzuwachs of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instru mentation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.

Is Being a Good Employee Out of Style

Is Being a Good Employee Out of Style Is Being a Good Employee Out of Style I do. I remember the first time a manager gave me praise, my first killer performance review and the first time I nailed a project right on the nose.Being a great employee is notlage as valued as it once was. As unemployment wobbles back to pre-2008 figures, stspeciesups start poking up with more frequency, and jobs slowly morph into roles, the art of being a great employee can at times get lost in the headlines.But whether you consider your employer the client, the candidate, the hiring manager or some amalgamation of all of the above, the traits that make a fantastic employee are valuable in all aspects of business. Heres how you can become employee of the month, every month.Research conducted by Time magazine in 2010 indicated that less than half of American workers (45%) are satisfied with their jobs. This is the lowest percentage since 1987 and is an indication that U.S. employers have a lot of work ah ead of them to undo the effects of the economic downturn and deterioratingemployee attitudes.Keep it professional. No matter how close you are to colleagues and clients, keep your mouth shut about politics, religion, sex, money and personal habits. This is an easy rule to keep once you set up a framework and ensures that your co-workers are comfortable.Do your homework. You know that saying that there are no stupid questions? It is not true, particularly at the end of a long meeting or workday when you blurt out something pretty ridiculous. Asking a question just to contribute when it doesnt further the purpose makes others exasperated and makes you look kind of ridiculous. By all means, do this if you want people to immediately tune you out.Underpromise. Overdeliver. You hear this all the time but it never stops being true. Letting your clients, coworkers and yes, your boss know what they can expect from you is paramount but going that extra step almost never fails to delight every one involved.Learn to say I Dont Know. If you dont know, dont pretend that you do. Have trouble admitting you have no clue about something? Think of it this way, every minute you spend hemming and hawing keeps your team from moving forward with the right information. Become an expert at getting the info and be an asset to everyone around you.Negative Nellies Need leid Apply. Ugh. Are you that person? The one that says It cant be done and heres why or I see some serious issues in that? Dont get discouraged, its not an all-bad thing. No one needs another yes-man but playing devils advocate can quickly veer into The Valley of the Nos, really quick-like.Know how to handle sensitive topics. We all want employees to raise issues, but some problems are better handled one-on-one. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects because their performance allows greater freedom. The employee who comes to you after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue that if brough t up in a group setting would have set off a firestormdoes you and the business a favor.Wheels up Everyone knows that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, but in this case, being the squeaky wheel might get you a promotion in the short term, but long term is it really the best things for the company? Most likely it isnt. Complaining, over delegation and chatting up all your cube mates might make you popularbut it wont make you effective.In a world that is becoming increasingly more social and engaged learning how to interact with your team, your clients, your candidates and yes, your boss, is paramount. Not all interactions can be navigated online. Bring some pride back into your workplace and start becoming the employee of the month.

Tips for Using Social Media Marketing to Promote Your Book

Tips for Using Social Media Marketing to Promote Your BookTips for Using Social Media Marketing to Promote Your BookBook absatzwirtschaft campaigns certainly benefit from the effective use of online social networks. Below, book publicity and marketing coach and consultant, Sandra Beckwith, she shares herbei thoughts on how authors can do a better job of leveraging their online social networks to promote their books. Tell Readers What They Will Get From Your Book on Social Media Social media networks are certainly an important part of a book marketing campaign and, because theyre so accessible, thats what most authors tend to focus on. But one book promotion tip that will help you stand out across all your networks social media and otherwise is focus on what readers will get from your book. The fact that the book exists is not news enough. Your friends might buy your writing because they want to support your lifelong dream of writing a book or help you get further in your goal t o be an Amazon best-selling author- but how many friends do you have? Their friends want to be entertained, or are interested in the information they can learn from your book- its the content that will bring readers to your book. Thats what you need to make aya to share in your book marketing and publicity efforts. Change Your Book Marketing Message for Each Social Media Demographic In terms of rising above the noise, whats true for traditional media is also true for social media crafting your message is not a one-size-fits-all situation. The type and tone of information you share might vary from network to network. For example, say you wrote a professional book about your industry- your tweets would be short, pithy and informal, while your blog posts might be information-rich and full of useful links. Leverage Each Social Media Platform Differently to Market Your Book Facebook (Personal) Heres a good case for why content is important- in order for information to go viral, it needs to seem interesting or useful enough to pass along. How many of your Facebook friends (and their friends) might find something interesting enough about your book to share it with their networks? Send them a message with a link to the books purchase page at your favorite retailer, and ask them to share it on their walls.Facebook (Professional) Do you have a separate groupie page for your book or one of its characters? These pages encourage interaction, which, in turn, drives traffic. Ask people to participate, as well as share information about the book on their own pages. Blog You have more flexibility on your own blog so, if at all possible, create a page for your book and share why your book is important and how it will help educate, entertain, or inform readers. When your post updates, you can link back to that page. Ask your blog subscribers to consider sharing that information with their own networks and groups, and, of course, offer to do an interview or guest post re lated to your book on their blogs, too.Twitter Of course, youll tweet about your book to your followers, but be smart about it. Dont do it constantly, and be sure not to make it a hard sales pitch (Buy my book) But instead, share tidbits that help people understand your books value. These are the most likely to be re-Tweeted. Your Google Circle The Circles tool on Google is tailor-made for author networking. Create a Circle for those in your Google network who might be interested in your book and share interesting book-related information with them. Keep Your Social Media Pages Updated Be sure to keep all your online social networks updated on your virtual book tour stops, media interviews that appear online, and so on. You never know which one a potential reader will visit- you dont want to take the chance that someone interested in your book will miss information that might engage him or her. Also, its important to remember that social networks were developed to emulate our re al-world networks- to be social, to engage, to share, to learn- not merely to sell. Be active in your groups, participate in online forums. Share news of your book, but avoid any hard-sell messages. And be generous and reciprocal with those in your social media networks- do unto them as you would have them do to you. Post, tweet and share their news, as well. Of course, online social networks arent the only kind we all have. Utilize all your social networks in your book marketing campaign. Sandra Beckwith, a former award-winning publicist, now teaches authors how to become their own book publicists. For more book publicity and promotion tips, and to sign up for her free newsletter, visit buildbookbuzz.com.

How to Handle Requests for Favors or Your Time - The Muse

How to Handle Requests for Favors or Your Time - The MuseHow to Handle Requests for Favors or Your Time If you have a good job and have recently spent time with family or old friends, youre probably familiar with the situation You share a big accomplishment or project youve been working on and a relative says, You should talk to insert distant cousin or friend of a friend here about what you do. He needs to work this summer. You can get him an internshipOf course, its good to be helpful, and you dont want to be rude. On the other hand, youre cringing inside because you also know that networking, while important, can take up lots of your time.I experienced these awkward moments regularly during my days working at MTV and VH1. Despite telling people that I worked on the corporate side and was not involved in production, I was pitched so many new artists and demo tracks that I could have started my own record label. Putting in a good word for an internship or location was another common request that, as a junior manager at a company of 10,000 people, I never had enough influence to honor.Through trial and error, I learned a few tips for handling the request and keeping my time and energy in check. If youre in a similar boat, consider the followingAsk Questions to Qualify ReadinessSome requests can be handled on the spot before you expend too much effort. Treat your conversation like a screening before a job interview, and focus on SPF skill, potential, fit. (And yes, even in situations when parents are asking favors for their college-aged kids, you can assume that they have some basic knowledge about their childs career pursuits.)SkillWhat to Ask What are your strongest skills?What to Listen For While a resume should spell this out pretty clearly, everyone should be able to speak confidently about what theyre good at when asked. PotentialWhat to Ask What are your career goals?What to Listen For If her goals clearly align with what your company is looking for, cons ider what kind of arc she could have within your team in the short and long term. You definitely dont want to bend over backward to help someone who binnenseems unfocused or will jump ship at the sight of the next hot trend (R.I.P. Bitcoin).FitWhat to Ask Its awkward to ask Why would anyone want to sit next to you eight hours a day? but you can get an answer by being perceptive. What to Listen For You know what it takes to fit into your company and team, so read the persons character in your conversation. If you feel shes arrogant or unmotivated now, shes probably not going to change any time soon. SPF will help you know how ready someone is for an opportunity. If you find the person hasnt put much thought into his search, try referring him to resources that will help him learn more, such as your company website or industry blogs. If he or she passes your SPF screen, you can consider helping out- think mentioning your experience to the hiring manager, writing a LinkedIn recommendati on as an advisor or mentor, or setting up some time to talk more. On that note Understand the Time InvestmentYou should never feel forced into networking or doing a favor for someone (especially for someone you dont know well), so its important for you to set the rules for how you spend time on requests to zupflmmel your brain, sit down for informational interviews, or answer questions about your career. Know that you have several options available, includingAnswering Questions by Email One option is to ask the person to send you his or her top three questions over email. This approach is mutually beneficial because you can respond when you have the time and your recipient gets thoughtful answers instead of rushed ones. Just try not to let a week pass without a response unless you give specific, advance notice of how long it will take. Taking a Phone Call Even if someone wants to chat with you, you dont have to meet in person A 15-minute (or less) call is often the fruchtwein effici ent use of your time. Video chats are also good when phone isnt the best option (such as between countries), but do plan extra time for unexpected technical difficulties.Coffee Meetings While sometimes it sounds nice to be treated to an afternoon latte, coffee meetings are time burglars. Think of all the steps involved commuting to and from, ordering, finding seats, and then finally talking. Quick can turn into an hour of lost time before you know it, so be careful with whom you agree to sit down.Onsite Office Visits Especially if you work for a big-name company, people may be clamoring to stop by and see where you work. But these should be reserved for those who will see the most value from it. For example, if you work at a tech startup, hosting your adolescent cousin who is taking her first coding class could help her see web development as a future career option.Put Them to Work, or PuntLets say that your relative or acquaintance has done all his homework and you decide to offer a phone call. As a next step, ask him to do a follow-up task based on what you discussed and get back to you within 30 days about its results.For example, if you gave suggestions for resume improvements, ask to see it again when they are complete (rather than editing it yourself). If he follows directions and does it well- congrats He has earned your referral or introduction.In he has more work to do, or if you just dont have the time, you can punt the request a future date. Be firm, but fair, with this script Id love to find the best way to be helpful, but Im booked solid. Reach out to me in a few weeks and Ill be happy to connect. If he truly needs your advice, he will be in touch.Your time and reputation are two of your most important assets. Use them wisely