4 Things to Expect at Your Used Truck Dealer Service Appointment

When you purchase a vehicle from a used truck dealer, it is wise to periodically bring it in for service appointments. Not all used car dealers have service departments, but if yours does, be sure to take advantage. There are several things you need to have checked regularly to ensure your car or truck is always in great shape.

Check Brakes and Brake Pads

When you take your vehicle to your used truck dealer for a service appointment, one of the first things they will do is check your brakes and brake pads for any wear and tear. If they're in bad shape, a replacement may be necessary. If you don't drive a lot, or if you are more cautious with how often you use the brakes, you may find that the brakes and pads won't have to be changed very often. However, if you notice that you are having trouble stopping your vehicle, or if you hear noise when you apply pressure to the brake pedal, you need to bring it in right away.

Change Oil

Another common item on the checklist at your appointment is having the oil changed. While it used to be common to change the oil every 3,000 miles, the quality of today's motor oil allows you to go longer between changes, especially if you don't drive erratically. Many service technicians will recommend you have the oil changed every 7,500 miles.

Rotate Tires

Having your tires checked is another thing that will happen at your appointment. Having your tires inspected by a professional is very important. They know what to look for and can often tell you when you are at risk of a blown tire or other problems. When they rotate the tires, they often move the front tires to the back and the back to front. They also move the right tires to the left and vice versa. This allows the tires to have better traction and keeps them from wearing out too fast.

Check Filters

Every six to twelve months, your service technician will check and change out the filters on your vehicle, including the oil and air filters. The old rule use to be that oil filters had to be replaced with every oil change. However, with the recent advancements in quality, oil filters can last up to a year. Air filters are designed to ensure the quality of the air inside your vehicle is fresh and free of impurities.

Visiting a used truck dealer for a service appointment is very important to the health of your vehicle. You may want to make a list of dates of when you had your car serviced to keep in the glove compartment. This can help keep you on track as to how often your car maintenance should be performed.

When looking for a professional used truck dealer, Greenfield, MA residents visit Ford of Greenfield. Learn more about our services at http://fordofgreenfield.com.

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Tips for Auto Sales and Purchases - Dealing With Vehicle Recalls

In recent years, there have been many recalls of cars and trucks, and it may come as no surprise when you receive a letter requesting that you bring in your vehicle for repairs due to a recall. Manufacturer recalls are meant to address safety problems, even minor ones. In 2013 alone, car companies called back more than 20 million vehicles in the U.S. for everything from minor parts issues to airbag issues that resulted in accidents, some of them serious. If your car or truck is recalled, don't panic - just take action. Take these necessary steps to ensure the safety of your family and to prolong the life of your vehicle.

Have the Repairs Performed

This may sound simple, yet thirty percent of owners don't bother to take in a car for the repairs. Letters usually go out to owners telling them to bring their vehicles to a dealer for free repairs. The recall doesn't always affect every single make or model in a line, or even a model year, so study the details carefully.

Be Proactive when Dealing with Recalls

News media outlets are quick to emphasize recalls. However, it can take a month or more following a major news story for manufacturers to communicate the information to the auto owners and to send parts and instructions to auto sales dealers. If your vehicle is already having problems related to the recalled parts, don't wait for the recall letter; have the issues diagnosed by the dealer. Better yet, sign up for email alerts on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website when you purchase your car to receive free lists of recalls and service bulletins.

Check for Recalls Before They are Even Announced

Automakers announce recalls after they search state databases to find owners of their vehicles. But if you purchased a used car from a local independent auto sales dealer or you've relocated, they may not be able to find you. You should search the NHTSA database online regularly for recalls. If you should locate a recall on your car, call your auto sales dealer or the manufacturer's customer service line and ask if it was fixed.

Be Aware of Other Repairs, Not Just Those Covered by the Recall

Manufacturers don't always issue a broad recall. Automakers sometimes issue service bulletins to auto sales dealers telling them to perform certain specific repairs on specific cars that come in for maintenance or repairs. Other car dealers and some vehicle enthusiast discussion boards online usually share this kind of information with the auto community and can recommend a reputable source for repairs.

While events such as recalls are inconvenient at best, it's important to ensure that your vehicle is in good working condition. By making a few proactive efforts or taking immediate action following notification of a recall, you can secure peace of mind while prolonging the life of your vehicle.

For residents of Lancaster, auto sales information can be found by visiting http://www.keimpreowned.com/auto-sales.htm.

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Car Dealerships: Our Local Resource

Car dealerships are like members of the family. They've been in the neighborhood for generations and will remain there for many to come. These businesses are local institutions that provide a number of very valuable services to the community. They'll figure out a way to get your dream vehicle, and they'll take that old beat-up model off of your hands when nobody else will. These places are essential to the community. Local businesses are essential not only for the local economy but the national economy as well. We'll explore how these places became a local institution, and we'll take a look at some of the amazing services they can provide.

A Local Product

Almost every single trader of automobiles is an independently owned franchise. When the automobile industry was just starting out, state governments encouraged it to grow by designing laws that curbed corporate ownership. This resulted in the rise of the local franchise. It was a win-win. The manufacturers took very little financial risk and they still got to spread their product across the country at a rapid pace. Manufacturers were not allowed to give only their corporately owned stores advantages and discounts. Local car dealerships were also advantageous to the community because they employed local citizens to work. They also only spend their money locally. This is not the case for corporations. The community's money leaves and doesn't come back, whereas in the previous model a nice healthy flow of money is created. Locals are better at evaluating and addressing the needs of their local peers as well. Nobody will be able to serve the community better than a community member.

Financial Services

Car dealerships generally employ an in-house financial team that can be of assistance when money becomes an issue. The financial professionals will work with you to determine your credit, how much you can afford to make on monthly payments, and which vehicle options are the most realistic for your current financial situation. Their main goal is to get you into the automobile of your dreams. Instead of making you go to a bank and talk to a financial advisor, car dealerships save you the time and hassle. It is a one-stop shop.

Trade-ins

You've been trying to sell that old vehicle of yours for a while, but you have garnered no interest for it. You won't be able to buy the new ride you've been eyeing unless you can get a little bit of money out of your old one. Your local car dealerships will offer you a trade-in value. You'll get rid of that old vehicle, and they'll knock money off the one you are trying to buy.

These are but a few of the services your friendly, local businessmen can offer you. Stop in, and see what they can do for you!

When looking for quality car dealerships, Michigan residents visit Milosch's Palace Chrysler Jeep Dodge. Learn more at http://www.palacecjd.com/.

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Vehicles of Choice in the Restoration Industry

When you are starting any type of contracting or restoration firm it is important to remember that there is a critical piece of equipment that you need first and foremost. That piece of equipment is the vehicle that you need to get to the job site. You are probably thinking that you already might have a vehicle to get to point A to point B, this might be the case but can it carry all of your equipment, can this vehicle work in inclement weather, these are all questions that need to be asked.

Contractors choose their vehicles in a particular manner in order to secure the most efficient cost wise and a vehicle that can handle a wide variety of jobs. The types of vehicles that would be included in this are SUVs, Vans, and Trucks. These types of vehicles can hold a large amount of items from tools to the materials for the job that needs to be brought to the job site. This especially critical for an emergency restoration company, because some of the equipment is bulky and needs to be loaded into the vehicle in a speedy manner.

Restoration firms tend to look more at vans than trucks or vans. The main reasoning behind choosing the vans is for the purposes of water damage equipment it is easier to load on and off the equipment. This equipment would include dehumidifiers, air movers, vacuums, etc. All of this is necessary when handling a water damage claim. Also, another benefit of the vans is that they can hold a large amount of reconstruction materials that are necessary for the rebuilding of the affected areas that are requested by property owners. However, the occasional truck is necessary for some of remediation work.

Trucks are required by a restoration firm for the transport of larger materials that cannot be carried in the vans due to the length and weight of materials. Another reason for the purchase of truck could be necessity that some of equipment you are required to use for a job is too big for a van to pull. Certain large scale dehumidifiers, fire damage machines, and duct work equipment are heavy and trailer bound which is not particularly good for a van that can be used on most jobs.

With over 25 years' experience in the restoration industry, I can attest to the values of having a reliable vehicles to the job sites. This especially critical during emergency mitigation situations where time is of the essence and unless the problem is solved there can be large scale problems in regards to the security of the property and protecting it from further damage.

Jeffrey Cohn
SI Restoration-MD,DC
CRD Restore-NJ,PA,DE
IICRC certified
http://www.crdmoldfirewater.com
1-800-356-0484
1-855-883-8985
410-458-5371 ( cell )

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Important Considerations When Searching For New Cars

Searching new cars and making a final purchase can be an exciting period for the consumer. Oftentimes, a customer has been looking at a certain make or model for a long time while saving up the hard-earned cash to buy it. This is a rewarding moment for an individual, and it's an accomplishment to be proud of.

When looking into buying a vehicle, however, there are several things that the consumer should keep in mind with regards to financing options, service contracts, and finding the best deal. Let's explore these issues more fully and provide the consumer with a good idea about the process they are involving themselves in.

Take Your Time

It's easy to get caught up in all the excitement that is part of the purchasing process, but you should use your head and do critical research so that you don't get pressured into making a speedy and costly decision on the showroom floor. You'll be able to get yourself a better price if you know the vehicle you're looking at through and through. The best places to look for research on new cars are in automobile publications, Kelley's Blue Book, enthusiast websites and blogs, and guides from professionals in the field.

If you know what model you are looking for, shop around at multiple dealerships to see how flexible each is with their prices. If you can't negotiate a price that you like or if you can't find the exact model you are looking for, don't be afraid to order the vehicle you want off the manufacturer's website. It may take longer for you to get your vehicle if you pursue this route, but you'll be able to choose every additional option that you want, meaning that you can save a lot of money by cutting out unnecessary options.

Financing New Cars

Just as you need to shop around for vehicles, you should also shop around for financing deals. Oftentimes, the dealer will contact lenders for you, but that does not mean that the annual percentage rate that they are offering you is the same. You should make contact with a number of lenders and see where you can get your best financing deal. These rates can vary greatly from lender to lender based on the length of the loan and the amount of risk they are willing to take on. Occasionally, dealers will offer really good rates on specific new cars, but they will often be unwilling to negotiate the price, or you may be required to make a big down payment.

Service Contracts

These documents provide for the free repair of certain parts or problems that you may have with your recent purchase. These deals do not always provide coverage past the manufacturer's warranty, so you will want to be aware of the length of that agreement. A warranty is included with your vehicle, but a service contract costs extra money. Just as you did with the price, negotiate with your dealer to get the best possible service contract.

New cars are wonderful investments. Keep in mind the above information and good luck when looking for vehicles.

Looking for new cars? Clinton Township, MI residents can trust the resources at http://www.dorianford.com/Clinton-Township-MI/For-Sale/New/.

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About Car Spoilers

A car spoiler is a wing shaped device that is usually positioned at the rear of the vehicle above the trunk. Initially, the units were used on race cars in order to stabilize the vehicles at high speeds. In modern times they are used in a number of ways.

Functions of car spoilers

Reducing the amount of drag: drag is the resistance generated by air that the vehicle passes through. Since air is very light, it allows objects to pass through it at lower speeds; however, as the speed increases, air generates resistance which usually slows down the vehicle.

A spoiler is designed in a way that it minimizes the resistance which allows you to easily push against air thus attaining maximum speed.

Increasing traction: traction is the stability of the car on the road. It's determined by a number of factors such as: the car's weight, amount of tire that is in contact with the road and the gripping power of the rubber on the tire.

A spoiler can be angled in such a way that it causes air around a fast-moving car to press down on the vehicle thus creating a downward force on the tire thus increasing traction. This in return increases the car's stability.

Some spoilers have brake lights which aid in increasing the safety of the car by making it easy for other drivers to see that you are braking. If you have a heavy truck, you can install the units in order to decrease the drag between the cab and the trailer.

Types of spoilers

There are two main types of spoilers: rear and front spoilers

Rear spoilers: they aid in reducing a car's air resistance. From their name, they are placed at the rear of a vehicle. They are usually flat surfaced units that are held at a right angle in order to reduce the amount of drag. The horizontal angle prevents some of the generated air from following the rear contour thus preventing the creation a suction effect.

Front spoilers: these are common in high performance vehicles that are designed to travel at very high speeds. Front spoilers play a crucial role of creating a downward force on the front tires thus increasing traction.

Conclusion

This is what you need to know about car spoilers. When installing the units, ensure that the work is done by a professional who will not only install the units perfectly, but also advice you on the best units to go for.

We stock different types of car spoilers. For example, we have high quality roof spoiler. We also have carbon fiber spoiler.Visit the given links to see what else we have in stock.

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Tips on Choosing an Alloy Wheel Cleaner

In the past, car owners had very limited selection of alloy wheel cleaners. Various homemade solutions such as freshly squeezed lemon juice were recommended. Now things are different. You can pick from a huge variety of products. You need to ensure that you will make the best choice so that all of the stuck dirt is effectively removed without any particular effort on your part.

The Right Ingredients

The most important thing for the alloy wheel cleaner is to be free from any acid. This is essential since acid can cause serious damage to the coating and expose the rims to a higher risk of rust and corrosion. The product must not contain any abrasive particles either. Generally, the ingredients should provide for good cleaning while being perfectly safe. You can check them specifically to confirm that they will not cause any harm to the coating.

Liquid, Gel or Spray

It is important to note that the cleaning formula is the most important factor for the effectiveness of the product. Still, its texture can also have a considerable impact on how well it works. You should keep in mind that the liquid cleaners are the rarest. This is because liquid flows away from the surface super quickly. The shorter it stays on the surface, the less effective it will be.

The spray products have become increasingly popular in recent years because they are easy and quick to apply and there is no mess. The sprayed substance tends to stay longer compared to liquid that you pour directly on the alloy wheels. Still, the gel is the slowest of all three to drain down. It sticks on the surface for longer and this makes its effect more potent.

Foam or No Foam

You can select from foaming and non-foaming wheel cleaners. In general, the formed bubbles help to absorb the dirt and to remove it more easily and quickly. However, this applies only to fairly small and recent dirt accumulations. Foam alone is not effective for stubborn dirt which has remained on the surface for a long time. Hence, if you clean the rims more frequently, a foaming product may be a good option for you. Otherwise, you should not expect the foam to be of great help.

Finally, when you select an alloy wheel cleaner, it is highly recommended that you go over professional reviews. You can readily find videos with comparison tests and charts with results from such tests. These will be of great help to you.

It is time to give your car the best Mag Wheels which can be found. Have them fitted and serviced by leading professionals.

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3 Unsuspected Threats to Alloy Wheels

You most certainly know that brake dust can cause serious damage to alloy wheels. However, it is not the only threat to these light and weather-resistant car parts. There are other potential threats which most vehicle owners are unaware of. Find out what these are and how to get proper protection.

Steam Cleaning

This method is typically recommended as safe and natural for vehicle interior, in particular. However, it can have negative impact on alloy wheels. Thankfully, steam cannot lead to corrosion. However, it can dull the paint and coating of this car parts. In this way, they will be more vulnerable to damage from all kinds of sources.

If you use a steam cleaning machine to remove dust and dirt from car floor mats and upholstery, you have to be careful so that the steam does not touch the wheels. Generally, if it is not applied directly to these car parts, it should not cause any kind of trouble. One effective method for removing mild traces of dirt from wheels is to use warm soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge.

Automatic Car Wash

These facilities are extremely useful to car owners as they save time and effort. However, they can hold potential risks to alloy wheels. The first potential threat is an acidic cleaner. The acid can damage the protective coating of the rims and increase their otherwise extremely low risk of rust and corrosion.

The other risk which these facilities may pose comes from hard brushes which are designed to remove dirt and debris from the tyres and the rims. Not all automatic car washes use them, but if they are present, they can cause serious abrasion and expose the wheels to greater damage. You can readily provide protection by just asking what materials and tools the wash uses to provide cleaning. If these can pose damage to the rims, then you should opt for another service.

Abrasive Tools and Materials

These work to damage the coating of the car parts. They create tiny scratches which can expose the items to greater risk of damage. Before you use any kind of tool for dirt removal or any kind of cleaner, you have to confirm that it cannot scratch the surface. Steel wool is one of the tools which you must avoid using at all costs. When you buy a cleaner, you have to check the ingredients and the texture.

Protect the alloy wheels from these threats and clean them regularly to ensure that they will do their job perfectly for a long time.

Choose from a huge range of trendy and absolutely beautiful Mag Wheels of top quality. Receive all the servicing which you need from fitting to repair from experienced professionals.

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Plain and Practical Career Advice Book 'Do What You Are' - Review

"Do what You Are" just shook me out of nowhere, which I was not expecting. Although the concept given by these two thorough psychologist researchers (Paul D. Tieger & Barbara Barron Tieger) are well established for several years now, but frankly, it was the first time for me that I was reading and trying to understand about the 16 types of personalities. What are these 16 types of personalities by the way? I wanted to know more...

How can the entire population of about 7 billion people be just divided into these 16 types? How can it be like that? I had more skepticism on my mind than the positivity.

Anyhow I decided to give it a go. Right from the start of the book "Do What You Are "was so interesting, I felt gripped to read on and know more. That's what I did.

The strange awkward four letter combination like ENFP, ESFJ, ENFJ, INTP, etc initially sounded silly & stupid without making any sense to me. But later, they actually proved to be magical letters.

As I continued, I didn't know much about what these personality types are and how effective they would be. The only way for me to validate were two ways:

1 - To do further research and know more about the reliability and validity of these concepts in its practical application on others.

2 - The second way was to apply it on me first.

So I started my journey first to apply it on me in order to validate this model and convince myself first about these concepts.

Well, in short, it helped to change my life to a great extent the way I look at it now. I guess it threw the most impactful impression on my mind.

I have read many more similar books in life especially on career and self-improvement. Many of these have their own unique angles to address human life and mind and they definitely are good and also add value. But this book "Do What You Are " completely addresses a different subject and makes it much more simplified to know about ourselves through a proper proven and validated system.

The first confusion and complexity about life and human being is that majority of us still don't know `who actually we are' or `who actually we are meant to be'. We just live and design our lives based on many factors like family influences, cultural norms, friends' influences, society, schooling etc. and we start becoming very practical and intelligent (that's what we think). But the fact remains that most of us end up living mediocre lives. Why it is like that then? Probably after when we retire from work we will have time to think about it...

"Do What You Are " simply helped me to understand what job and work I should choose which will interest me more, which will connect with my innate talents, which will help me to do more & more of it, which will help me to excel in it, and which will help me to enjoy it all of my life.

Well, one important point to learn is that it doesn't matter, if the talents which we eventually find relate to something very ordinary and small. In many cases, you may like to dream of becoming a doctor, but on the contrary, you may hate the look of medicines and injured people, whereas you may only like to draw sketches. In that case, definitely becoming a doctor may be much more impressive, society friendly and gets you more money in life. On the other hand, the route for drawing sketches, concentrating on it may not bring you much money or the kind of status, doctor or lawyer or business tycoon can enjoy.

The writer, the traveler, the musician, the actor, the researcher, the journalist, many more of such kinds may not apparently give you the feel that it can bring good money and status, and you may have your own requirements or family pressures to earn more in life. That is where when we deviate from our innate talents and get on the bandwagon. But you should know that there are chances that even if by other influences you happen to become a doctor or lawyer, still you may end up having an ordinary living because you may not be doing that great work to patients which any other passionate doctor or lawyer can do and also you may likely have a burn-out after 10 or more years. So eventually may enter in a lose-lose situation in future.

On the other hand, if you choose to stick to your innate talents and aptitude (be it small or ordinary), the initial route may not show you big rewards, status or money, but after years of commitment and hard work it starts opening up new opportunities for you. That's the kind of patience which is required after we know about ourselves through "Do What You Are."

Having read "Do What You Are" is one thing but trying to apply it on you is the real deal. I am very confident that it will help you as it has helped me to unclutter the confusion for myself.

Through this book - I turned out to be an "ENFP" - Extrovert, Intuitive, Feeling and Perceiving.

I was doing a job in a bank in Operations for more than 10 years. Now if you happen to read about who ENFPs are like in this book "Do What You Are", you will come to understand why I was at the wrong place for so many years. It has changed now. I am in 'Communications/Advertising' field and involved in writing, graphics and creativity. Though, I was blessed to get such an opportunity in life recently, but that's what now I think I am moving closer to what I am.

The book has helped me to establish clarity about me and my life to a large extent which indeed is a great feeling. Every day, when you wake up, you feel fresh right from the first hour and feel fully geared up for the day ahead. That's all what matters in the short term. With this approach in mind, you automatically will achieve your long term goals and dreams too. Just try to focus on the small gains and what matters most to you in the short term that will lead you to big victories.

"Do What You Are" has become one of my favorite books. I feel like preaching about this book to all... This feeling is simply based on my own research and experience and the impact it had on my life. But I urge you to read it with positive frame of mind and by giving sufficient committed time to help you understand the concepts.

I wish you luck if you do happen to grab this book...

By Zeerik Ahmad

About The Author

I have been with corporate sector for more than 20 years now. I have served in Banking, Quality, Process Management, HR, IT, Marketing, Advertising, PR and CRM. I have obtained diverse exposure mostly in Middle East (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Egypt) and now in Lahore, Pakistan.

Besides, I love the concept & model of E-Business and I believe it has lots of potential for individuals, Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as well as large corporate sector to take full benefit from.

I have just launched my first humble & formal E-business project which is a growing information web portal about city of L

If you want to know more, you can also reach me at my email: zeerik@lahorebeat.com

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3 Signs That You Need a Raise at Work

Asking for a raise does either of two things to your image. First, it may make you seem like someone who has gotten the confidence to ask for something that you have deserved a long time ago. Either that or you just stain your reputation by appearing as someone who is asking for a higher compensation without putting in the work to do so. That being said, we usually don't ask for a raise. We work hard at the workplace and we hope that our efforts are recognized for us to either be given a raise or a promotion. However, there are a few scenarios where you absolutely must ask for a raise.

Honest Work
The first is, as mentioned above, when you know that you have been working hard for the past year or more and you've never gotten a promotion. If this is the case, chances are that the management is simply exploiting your hard work and promoting you simply means they lose one of their best workers. If you're not even actively asking for a promotion, then you should at least ask for a raise.

Continuous Workload Increase
Unless otherwise stated in your job description, workload should not increase. If you are facing continuously increasing workload to the point that you are getting too stressed out, you may need to approach the management about what's going on. Believe it or not, there are cases where managers would delegate too many tasks to their employees. If it isn't part of your job to do these tasks, you have the right to refuse them. Better yet, ask for a raise. If any of these aren't possible, you may want to look at other career options.

About to Resign
If you're about to leave your current company for whatever reason, there are a few things that you should do before your final day at work. For instance, be sure you already have a job lined up for you when you leave. If not, and you feel compelled to stay, try to ask for a raise. If you're an excellent employee, you may just get it just to make you stay. It's up to you where to go from that point.

There are a lot of other scenarios where asking for a raise is just the right thing to do. One thing you never should do is to ask for it if you're not even performing that well. If, on the other hand, you're all set to resign and you're offered a raise without asking for it, try to really think about it. For all you know, that raise comes with a lot of strings attached and wouldn't be worth staying for anyway.

If you think you need a fresh start somewhere, try looking for other jobs; possibly overseas. At Marks Sattin's online site, you can find a lot of employment possibilities such as banking jobs Singapore.

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Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg Book Review

Current Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has been touted as one of the top 5 most powerful women in the world (to her surprise!). Whether that appointment was a bit exaggerated or not, she clearly has been in powerful positions at large organizations. She has held her own, and "had it all" professionally and personally, which is often treated as a myth that women can never achieve. Her book "Lean In" goes over the advice she has received along the way, revealing some of her own failings towards accomplishment, and includes her own advice too.

As a young woman who is already interested in social movements and gender studies, I'd researched many of the ideas that Sandberg brought up in this book. However, I had never seen some of them pointed so directly and personally to a female's perspective. Sheryl Sandberg allowed her personal examples to give a real word connection to her ideas. I found myself nodding along in many of the early chapters where she discusses women's propensity to downplay their abilities, dismiss their accomplishments and avoid opportunities to advance out of fear.

She urges everyone to begin by being more honest about their personal life or feelings in the workplace, and true to her word she does this throughout the book herself. It's extremely refreshing to hear that a woman who is at the top has the same insecurities. Don't think this book is merely whining about gender bias or unfair workplace practices. These are highlighted briefly when appropriate to get the reader to examine how these affect job interviews, negotiations, teamwork and more. Sandberg goes beyond this with discussions of real solutions that have worked for her or other women. She explains what the pitfalls were, and provides steps that can help to overcome them.

I appreciate that Sandberg acknowledged, without placing blame, that women can add to the glass ceiling by also believing the stereotypes that others have about them. In some ways this does involve looking at how men react in certain ways or get treated and finding ways to mirror them. In others, she describes methods women can even use the stereotypes and gender bias to find the best approach to accomplish their goals.

Some readers may be upset by women being told to walk this tightrope, but that anger should be directed at the system. Currently most women are already doing this, it's just their rope is a very short one because they feel there's no incentive to be more ambitious. If more of us, (who are legitimately interested), make progress in moving upwards in big companies, there will be more consideration of women in business and less need to conform. This will even open up opportunities for women who are motivated in other areas besides upper management or corporate life.

In "Lean In" Sheryl Sandberg is simply providing the encouragement and suggestions to help you get where you want to be. This book is the most specific to women in business, but I really do believe that men and women can benefit from her insights no matter their personal ambitions. This is a must-read, and a must-share!

OMG at Work is your home to vent, share, connect, and support yourself and others like you with stories about the drama that goes on in the workplace.


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DeCluttering With a Bigger Purpose

Yes, indeed, there are many many qualified ADHD experts out there who address cluttering with far more expertise and finesse than me. Dana Rayburn and Bonnie Mincu come to mind.

Today, however, I want to explore with you how the act of decluttering literally opened up possibilities for an abundant livelihood for me. Here's how it all began.

First I made a decision, had an epiphany, an "ah ha" moment or whatever term suits you. It was time to get started decluttering. I had also just had a powerful reading from an intuitive healer who bossily (in a good way) told me that I must do this, and do it NOW. So I put on my favorite Pandora station, and decided to start with my walk-in closet and a goal of actually seeing the floor.

Pulling off clothes from the hangers that I hadn't worn in years, I began to feel the rhythm and it soon became a game.

Next thing I knew, I had 8 full garbage bags of some fairly nice clothing that I no longer wore or wanted to wear. I actually got paid for some of it. via Craigslist. Suddenly I could see the floor of my closet. A feeling of overwhelming calm and pride came over me.

Then came the urge to do more and more. Suddenly I was clearing my papers. Same thing.

Then it hit me. Why do I need all this stuff. Stuff from my past. Stuff that has kept me in my history v. my present and ultimately my future.

I then had one more big "ah ha" decision to leave Texas and finally go back to where my heart has wanted me to return for years. I had gotten comfortable. It was easy to hide out cocooned in my house. Now it was time to move on once and for all.

After that I decluttered with a Big Purpose. Of course, being ADD, I needed help and got it from a compassionate organizer. So far the entire house has been downsized and everything that I'm taking to Sac (as I affectionately call my destination) will literally fit in my 2 door Honda Coupe. I can always buy stuff I really need when I get there!

Next came opportunities, and more opportunities. I won't go into detail here, but lets just say that my work has been impacted more positively than it has been in years. Out with the old and in with the awesome!

So, without going into a massive number of tips, if you are not living your dream by doing the work you love to do, chances are you are caught up in the past - a past may be sitting dormant in your home as clutter - maybe every inch of it.

LET GO - FREE YOURSELF. MAKE A DECISION - one tiny piece of clutter at a time (let's call it My Past Clutter).

What is invading your space that needs to be set free. Keep your heart and mind open and go for it. More to come...

Shell Mendelson, MS, is a Career Counselor and ADD/ADHD Career Coach. Shell was mentored and trained directly by Richard Bolles, Master Career Counselor and author of What Color Is Your Parachute and has been listed as a resource for the past 20 years in the annual Parachute edition. Shell helps ADDers manage their careeers and is a recognized Career ADD Expert. Her mission and purpose is to guide her clients to abundant livelihood, which helps manage symptoms and impacts all aspects of life far beyond career.

Shell is the founder and former CEO of KidzArt, an international art education franchise in 29 states and 8 countries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shell_Mendelson

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Cash Nickerson Unveils Compelling Data On Aging Workplace Employees In Published Books

Cash Nickerson, a recognized expert on aging workplace trends, has an interesting insight on this sector of the workplace. In contrast to bias against the aging workplace, Nickerson identifies the importance of the aged, experienced worker crucial to any company for their experience, education and the ability to mentor younger workers. This, he asserts is essential to today's workplace in order to ensure workforce productivity and revenues. Without communication and building relationships between different employees, Nickerson believes that today's corporation could lose competition.

Nickerson definitely has the education and experience to identify key workforce trends. Over his 25 years as an attorney, writer and CEO, he has gained a unique insight into what makes a company successful in terms of employee relationships that result in success.

In his second book, BOOMERangs, Nickersons starts off by addressing the two most import challenges facing today's worldwide work force: global warming and global aging. He believes that the American workplace has never been more stratified as it currently is. Why? Nickerson asserts that changes have to be made regarding the legal, social and cultural attitudes as well as the required actions that need to be implemented to create a healthy balance between young and older employees. This will result in valuable commercial success.

However, BOOMERangs does more than just identify current and looming problems. In chapter 10 of this small book (135 pages), he includes a simple list of 10 tips for employers to consider.Those include: when to increase or downsize a work force, and how to include accommodations for older workers, who may want more flexibility in their schedule and who can train emerging leaders through mentoring and job-sharing.

Nickerson, in describing "BOOMERangs, said that: "It (the book) is revolutionary in that it addresses a necessary overhaul of our attitudes, our biases, our laws, and our workplace rules in order to realign those things with the actual human lives that are taking place today."

Nickerson's research was included in an article, "6 Ways Your Company Can Adapt To An Aging Workforce" by Patrick Ball, associate editor of WHAT PUBLICATION. Ball discusses six factors for success in today's workplace. He writes about the significance of key data from Nickerson, such as age neutrality to mentoring programs. Some key points from his article are:

1. Employers must create a respectful environment for workers of all ages. This is essential to a productive work cycle that is committed to success in terms of employee satisfaction and revenue growth.

2. Taking advantage of older employees experience and expertise is a must. Viewing older employees as a burden is extremely detrimental to the work environment. Companies should implement mentoring programs in which younger employees learn to appreciate what older employees have to offer. Again, this tactic is essential in creating a strong, productive work environment.

"Today's current workforce really needs to adapt to new challenges affecting businesses in all industries," Nickerson said. "My position on the relationship between young workers and older employees must be used for revenue growth and in creating a team environment. Without this, companies simply won't be as competitive.

In his first book, Nickerson chronicled the devastating changes to the US employment sector in the wake of the Great Recession. Add greater human longevity to the mix and you have an economy that can't or won't accept the new employees, while it continues to honor earlier retirement promises.

Personally, I agree with Nickerson's perspective. Aging workers are extremely important to today's workplace for the qualities he discusses. His three key points about older workers, education, experience and mentoring, make his book extremely powerful.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Moscov

Book Offers Advice on Recruiting Employees in Shrinking Talent Pool

Anyone who has ever been in a position to hire employees knows how difficult it is to find the right people. Too often, employers find themselves in situations where they need to replace someone quickly or add staff, and they don't have time to do the due diligence to recruit the best people. Other times, it seems like the best people just aren't out there, or they end up going to the competition.

Jeff Jensen understands these issues and he suggests ways to resolve them by recruiting at the forefront of your business processes. He's been recruiting people for over thirty years for various companies he has owned or where he has held executive positions. Now, he shares his experience and his methods for success in his new book What a Hoot! Let's Recruit!

Plenty of Jeff's advice and information can be used immediately to start making a difference for your business or organization, even if you have no plans to hire in the near future. You should always be looking for good prospects who will fit into your company's culture and help your business to succeed. Jeff walks readers through all of the ways you can find recruits, many of which you probably never considered, including networking events, asking for referrals from others, using social media, and making your company attractive so people will want to work there.

Then Jeff moves into more specifics about the hiring process, such as interviewing and negotiating with a prospect. Having conducted many employee interviews myself, and admittedly having made some bad hires, I greatly appreciated all of Jeff's advice and wished I'd had this book to read years ago when I was in a management position. He covers everything from when are the best times to interview, to how to read and mirror body language with interviewees, handwriting analysis, and which questions to ask. He also discusses how to negotiate, when to make an offer, when to increase an offer, and what to do when a candidate is leaning toward going to work for a competitor. Most of all, I appreciated Jeff's information on how to win over a candidate by showing how much you appreciate his or her time coming in to discuss a potential career with the company. He discusses how to create the "Wow" factor for prospects, part of which includes expressing gratitude to the prospects' spouses for sharing their partners' time with the company.

Of course, it's no good to hire the right people if once they start, they discover they don't like working for you. So Jeff explores how to create a culture where people want to work, how to get rid of people who don't fit the culture, and how to show your employees they are appreciated. Jeff's employee retention skills shine as he discusses the more than fifty ways he has shown his appreciation of his employees, as well as why it's important to promote from within.

Personally, I found the networking chapter one of the most helpful. Jeff provides tips for remembering people's names, opening conversations, and how to think outside the box to see new possibilities for ourselves and our businesses. Possible recruits for your company are everywhere if you just look, as Jeff reveals:

"By placing yourself around people who are making things happen, you move further away from your routine of typical acquaintances and expand your environment to one of unforeseen relationships that continue to multiply. I see a lot of recruiters who sink into their own small comfortable environment. If you continue to do that, you will always get the same results.."

Another part of the book I found valuable was the discussion of understanding the different generations who are in the workplace. Jeff goes into detail about the different beliefs, work ethics, and expectations of Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen-Xers, Millenials, and Generation Z. Knowing how to communicate with employees from these different generations and how they will expect to communicate with each other will make your workplace run more smoothly and help you in your hiring and employee retention efforts.

Finally, I briefly want to mention Jeff's focus on the importance of momentum. The problem most of us have is we get excited about something like recruiting after attending a seminar or reading a book like What a Hoot! Let's Recruit! Then after maybe a little success, we stop our efforts. Instead, Jeff tells us how important it is to keep the momentum going:

"Too many people will stop and take a break after they meet some goal or objective. When your competition thinks it deserves a reward, it takes a break. If you take a break after each small success, you're robbing yourself of the momentum you can achieve. You have just beat a deadline and gained a tremendous amount of energy and confidence from that action-so take advantage of it and make the next step."

While Jensen doesn't have all the answers, he offers plausible strategies for recruiting that will make your company better in the long run.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tyler_Tichelaar

New Book Reveals How to Survive and Flourish in the Ever-Changing Workplace

James Lehman has had an interesting career to say the least. Early in Maneuvering Your Career, he shares with us his diverse work history and the job instability and difficulties he has experienced throughout his years of employment:

"As I have had to maneuver my career, I have been fired multiple times, had my position eliminated multiple times, have quit before getting another job more than once, and had my employer be acquired, merged, closed, and go bankrupt. I have worked for the same employer three different times. And I have been self-employed. My shortest job has been eight days (not including the weekend). My longest tenure has been just shy of five years. Along the way, I have collected severance and unemployment. I have filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claim, and I have won an appeal of an unemployment decision. Although not my plan, I even collected severance from two different companies while working for another."

While most of us may not have experienced so many job changes in our careers, I doubt there is a reader out there who has not known the worries of losing a job, finding a better job (or any job), or at the very least, having to deal with a crazy boss. There is no job security anymore, and for that reason, James Lehman has written Maneuvering Your Career to teach readers how to survive career transitions and all other manner of office politics, disgruntled coworkers, and micromanaging bosses who have no business managing anyone.

Using a river metaphor throughout, Lehman teaches us how to maneuver the river of our careers, avoiding obstacles along the way and learning when to go with the flow. Each chapter is dedicated to one of the twenty strategies he offers, and these chapters are grouped into three sections on Taking Control, Owning Your Job, and Taking Care of Yourself. The bottom line is that no one is going to look out for you in the workplace so you need to take care of yourself. Occasionally, you can forge a strong alliance with a boss or coworker to give you some leverage in moving your career forward, but for the most part, you need to work hard and smart, have common sense, and not settle for being stuck in a bad situation. Some of the strategies Lehman offers include: Breaking the Rules, Visualizing the Future, Working Smart, Knowing Your Rights, and Getting the Payback.

Lehman illustrates all his points with personal stories from his own career, many of which are both surprising and even hilarious (though I'm sure they weren't at the time). In each story, he shows how he dealt with a difficult situation and what he learned from it. In some cases, he admits his own personal failings and what he learned from an experience; at other times, he shows humor and wisdom in dealing with situations beyond his control such as a difficult boss's personality or a job interview gone wrong.

I can't resist sharing just one of Lehman's many stories of crazy people he has worked with. In this case, he was stuck trying to please two crazy bosses who worked in different offices. Lehman decided to take advantage of this situation to maintain his sanity, as he explains:

"I could split my time as to where I was working, and the other one would always think I was at the other office. When things got too crazy, a walk around the lake at the nearby city park during lunchtime was always a great escape. The funniest thing was when I was over at office B, I eventually would get a message from the crazy at office A-"James, where are you this morning?" Then I knew it was driving him crazy that he couldn't see me, so he couldn't control me, and he was paranoid about what I might be doing that would damage him. I would reply that I had a meeting at office B, and that I would be over as soon as I could, which in some cases would be the next day. It was really bad for my team members because they would call to tell me (half-laughing) that Crazy was looking for me."

In the end, Lehman makes it clear that we can't let anyone else control or dictate our careers for us, and we can't rely on any company to be loyal to us. Instead, we need to own our jobs, and that doesn't mean just doing a good job, but working for ourselves-either literally being self-employed, or doing what is best for us rather than solely what is best for the company or the boss. Lehman doesn't make any lofty or false promises, but rather, he offers a realistic look at the shifting workplace today and a message of hope, independence, and security for those willing to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. At times, that may mean paddling against the current everyone else is blindly following, but in the end, it will lead to greater career satisfaction, career advancement, and the feeling of a job well-done at the end of the day. If you want not only to survive but to flourish in the workplace, pick up a copy of Maneuvering Your Career.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tyler_Tichelaar

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Finding Speedy Programs In Web Hosting

This should open your eyes to which ones are best, as well as which ones you should avoid. So as they say," if it's not broke don't fix it", and it holds true with Host Dime. Indeed, this costs the hosting company more money than just hauling outdated equipment to the local landfill, but hosting companies that have, as part of their corporate culture, "green" as a centerpiece, take steps to lessen the flow of dangerous toxins into our water supply. The most vulnerable ones are those who are after small business web hosting plans as they want to get started in a business with minimal costs. This is a good example of where a web hosting company feels they have thousands upon thousands of people with sites so losing one here or there really doesn't matter. 

Since we have looked at what makes a good web hosting company, now I think it is a good time for us to highlight the bad points of some of the terrible companies out there. Such servers behave almost like a dedicated servers, except that resources are shared. It is one of the 'conventional' hosting platforms and has immense following in the corporate world because of the facilities it offers to the users. You'll have some basic options offered to you when you sign up. All of these things are on the hosting providers end. 

Therefore you control the performance of your web server based on the resources that your web site requires and not hundreds of other web sites along with yours as is the case in shared hosting. Your company's database should be large enough to hold the daily transactions as well as other important company related information. Choosing a company is not just a simple task of decision making because its impact can totally make or break your business. Security is one of the most important aspect when we are discussing about e-Commerce related websites because if they are not secured the customers data can be accessed by anyone and also these websites accept direct online payments which is why it should be safe & secured. Overall, it is probably a very good idea for you to get some small business web hosting. 

If you are still paying for parts of your web hosting service then you should look into a different hosting company. Changing hosts is a troublesome process and is not recommended by professionals. You should interview, inquire, and investigate your business to see what works and what doesn't. In order to understand what a web host is, you can imagine a large company dealing with computer work. In our current time now that modernization and technology is being part of every one's life. 

Windows Web Hosting gives a company the capability of designing web sites using the ever-popular Windows Operating System. You also have to conduct several tests to your website to find out if there are any problems in regards to the loading time, compatibility with browsers and navigation features. You see the Energy Star symbol on appliances like stoves and dishwashers. Visit one of the lots of forums about hosting, ask the members for advice or search threads from those that have asked before you. With unlimited hosts supporting one account eliminates the need to create more pages for every different department supporting your firm.