Hospitality is a dynamic industry that offers a large variety of career options. Jobs in this field encompass diverse positions, starting from the job of a concierge to the job of a chef. Its 24-hour way of life allowing flexible working practices, along with the lucrative pay packages and benefits, make this industry a highly sought-after career option.

However, in order to land a job in hospitality and build a successful career, you need to possess certain qualities that employers (hotels, resorts, restaurants, catering companies etc) demand. As per Deloitteâ€s Outlook for 2014, the travel, leisure and hospitality sectorâ€s outlook remains optimistic and offers potential for growth. And since the travel and tourism sector is likely to create over 70 million job opportunities in the next 10 years, several professionals are out to pursue the prime hospitality jobs.

Let us take a look at what you can do as a prospective employee to stand out from the crowd of job seekers and highlight your employability. Hereâ€s a list of the top things to put on your resume so as to ensure your skills are noticed:

1. The Ability to Build Connections

Since this industry is all about comfort and good service, a hospitality job depends a great deal on a professionalâ€s ability to be pleasant and connect with the guests, clients, vendors and other employees. First, the skill of networking will help you with job search and second, it will reflect well on your amiable personality. Let the recruiters know that youâ€re good at making connections by putting this on your CV. You can use the following keywords in your application –

• Relationship Building
• Client Management
• Vendor Management
• Guest Relations
• Team Leadership

You must also highlight the accomplishments achieved through these qualities. This will help you demonstrate how you engaged in activities like crisis communications by nurturing positive relationships.

2. Multitasking

To build a career in hospitality, you must be able to simultaneously handle multiple responsibilities. A day in the life of a hotel manager can include negotiations for a contract with a vendor, filling out paperwork, assisting an unsatisfied guest and still putting up a happy face when you greet new guests. Employers need to know that you are organized and can manage the varied, fast-paced work.

So, make sure you highlight these skills using keywords like ‘proven time management expertise.†Phrases like these help you highlight the ability to adapt to the needs of a guest and manage and synchronize tasks.

3. Giving Attention to Detail

All hospitality professionals must work to accomplish a common objective – customer satisfaction. A successful hospitality manager, or any other member of staff, knows what it means to give the guests an extraordinary experience. It’s always the little things that matter. To provide an extraordinary experience, one needs to ensure perfection in everything, starting from the freshness of flowers to the uniform of the busboys. A good hospitality manager should be able to address every need of the customer.

As a probable hospitality manager, your CV should point out specific instances where these skills have been used. So, make sure you use phrases such as ‘surpass the expectations of guests†and the ‘ability to concentrate on important guest details.†This will bring forth your capabilities in front of potential employers and will prove that you can go an extra mile to make guests happy, which in turn helps build goodwill.

4. Openness to Learning

Technical know-how (such as the knowledge of computers, software and digital media) is important for all professionals, no matter what industry they work for. So is the knowledge of languages. These are important areas where expertise can make you stand out from the rest of the pack, especially in the hospitality sector.

You should mention the software that you are adept at and whether you received any kind of special training in your former job. As for the languages known, you must accurately represent your levels of knowledge by categorizing it as fluent, conversational or basic. Highlighting technical expertise on the CV helps you increase your employability.

5. Being More Flexible

Hospitality staff often has to work longer and unusual hours, in contrast to a regular desk job. They are expected to switch gears at a momentâ€s notice in case of an unexpected situation. Thus, to present yourself as a flexible employee, you must use keywords such as –

• Versatile
• Adaptive
• Resourceful

The key is to convey your enthusiasm as well as suitability, along with the proof that you are flexible enough to respond to the companyâ€s needs.

Other than the above requirements, here are a few other qualities that one must possess in order to succeed as a hospitality professional –

• Effective Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Strong Leadership Skills
• Teamwork
• Knowledge of Safety/Hygiene Issues

Devika Arora is a prolific writer who compiles relevant facts and analyzes the current state of affairs pertaining to the domain of education. She is currently writing informative articles, news stories and blog posts on career planning.

Whether you are working full-time, while considering a career change, or are a current student or a recent college graduate planning to jump-start your career, you need to work on your career to achieve your objectives. A successful career is not going to show up and knock on your door. If you want to advance your career, you have to boost your chances by utilizing techniques that will help you reach your goals. Here is a list of strategies you can use to accelerate your career:

Set Reasonable Career Objectives/Goals

Thinking about the direction you want your career to go and making sure your goals are achievable can be critical to your career development. In addition, think about the steps you need to take in order to reach your objectives. Setting incremental goals and pursuing what you want to achieve can be a great way to advance your career.

Do Your Research

When thinking about choosing or changing career paths, it is always good to start with research. Research the industries and companies which interest you. Being informed about a potential employer and the industry will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge to give you an edge during the interview process.

Network

Networking is the not-so-secret weapon when it comes to your career advancement. Networking is all about talking to people and making connections, and a well-maintained professional network will likely be ripe with opportunity. Make sure to attend professional events related to your career goals when you are looking to take the next step on your career path. By doing so, you will meet other professionals who can give you access to mentors, referrals or people who simply can open doors for you and unlock your future. Also social networks such as LinkedIn can be a valuable networking tool.

Further Your Education

If you are not moving forward, you are stagnant. To remain competitive and relevant in the current job market, look to acquire new knowledge to stay on top of trends or developments in your field. It is possible that your ideal career or the company, that you want to join, requires a candidate with an undergraduate or graduate degree. In this case, investing in higher education can accelerate your career growth.

Attending college can be expensive and hard to fit into an already busy schedule, but online degree programs can be a great resource because online schools can offer financial aid and scholarships to qualified students to help ensure students have the opportunity to earn their desired degree. Additionally, online colleges offer flexible schedules so that you can take classes whenever and wherever you want. Whether you are looking for an online school or a traditional one, investing in your education is critical when it comes to expanding your career options and open doors to new opportunities.

Seize the Day

Your career is in your hands. Today is a great day to set your career goals and start working towards them. Take advantage of any resources available and start your career development now. Spend time on self-reflection, push yourself to improving your weaknesses and be proactive to achieve your short-term and long-term objectives step by step.

Julie Perrigan currently writes for DeVry University, a higher education organization offering on campus and online degree programs. Visit DeVry.edu to get started today.

Most people have an idea of their dream job, often one they developed in childhood. Sometimes we grow out of them (like my dream of becoming an astronaut – too much math!). But one dream from my childhood never went away: I wanted to be a writer. I studied Journalism and, as I got older, my dream job turned out to be less of a dream and more of a trap.

It needed to pay a certain amount to support my family. While I was able to find a job that paid really well and allowed me to do some writing, I wasnâ€t happy. Eventually, I quit my full-time job to work as a freelance writer. When that income became unreliable, I learned a new skill to help me continue with my plan: I trained as a ‘Lice Picker’. While I struggled with the stigma of working such a “menial” job, it has possibly been the best career decision I ever made.

Here are five ways itâ€s helping me build my dream career:

1. It gave me a new perspective on why I wanted what I wanted.

My dream job used to be, very specifically, writing books and/or scripts. However, by quitting my 9-5 job and taking on freelance work as a writer, as well as more menial work in a lice clinic, I realized my definition of my dream career was too narrow. Now I define it this way: My dream job is work that allows me to be creative, have flexibility, autonomy, freedom, and fun.

Because of this new perspective, I decided to produce a documentary on a subject Iâ€d always wanted to cover as well as another documentary to support my blog on menial work. All possible because I stopped believing I needed to tie my ability to EARN money to my dream job. Once I stopped expecting to earn money doing it, everything was possible. It would be nice to have my dream job be my sole job that pays me well. But itâ€s a work in progress. Meanwhile, Iâ€m much happier and more fulfilled than at any other point in my life.

2. Menial work keeps you employable.

The economy is changing. Every year, the landscape of what jobs we will need two, three, five years down the road changes. Most people know this instinctively and make sure to keep up their training. For the most part, people focus on white-collar skills. But another option is blue-collar skills.

Itâ€s been proven that an increase in home ownership leads to higher unemployment. Basically, this is because people are unable to move to follow jobs. So if home ownership is important to you, widen the net you can cast to find employment in case you lose a job or want to supplement your income to support other career objectives.

Consider Americaâ€s Great Dust Bowl experience. Entire states suffered through the worst man-made drought in the countryâ€s history, which led to mass migration of people trying to find work. White-collar jobs were few and far between because whole communities and industries were wiped out. If you had other, more hands-on skills, such as carpentry or auto mechanics, you could eke out a small living and still feed your family during a time when many previously well-off families were starving.

3. My new skills as a lice professional help me give back in ways I couldnâ€t before.

Because of my new skills, I was able to take part in an outreach trip to Guatemala to teach senior girls at an orphanage how to treat head lice, an ongoing problem at the facility. The trip was life altering and has led me to pursue other outreach efforts closer to home, in addition to giving my “menial” job greater meaning.

4. I use my previous white-collar skills to help develop the small business I now work for.

By working with a growing business, there is greater opportunity for me to contribute, beyond simply working as a lice picker. I help with social media, write newsletters and promotional materials, perform outreach and sales calls, and produce online videos. Some of my lice clients have even become writing clients and others are taking part in my blog. This is not only good for my “other” work as a freelance writer and video producer, but also adds more meaning to my “menial” job.

5. My “menial” job provides me with a steady income, which means my creative efforts donâ€t have to.

Unlike my 9-5 career, my “menial” job is not mentally draining, which means I have creative energy left to work on personal projects that help me further my career goals. A job with minimal stress provides me with greater mental space to think creatively and out of the box. I often find that I come up with thrilling new ideas while steadily going through my “menial” work. When I get home, Iâ€m excited and energized about putting my new ideas into action.

Thinking outside the box is important while you try to build a new career, and menial work is a great option that can keep you employable while moving in the right direction.

Reni Walker is a writer and documentary producer. She explores her experiences working a menial job at her blog, Menial to Meaningful.

Look around your home office and see how many things there are in plain sight that might put you at risk if you had a burglar break-in. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, there has been a 20 percent increase in the theft of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops during a home burglary. Those devices likely have information on them that could result in identity fraud and financial loss.

It’s time to do some serious spring cleaning and reduce your risk of stolen personal information.

Declutter Your Desk

While this is the obvious first step, do this with an eye toward protecting your own personal information. Do you have bank statements on your desk? Or worse, yellow sticky notes stuck to your computer with your account passwords? All of this could get you in trouble should it be stolen and used in a case of identify theft. Don’t tempt potential robbers with a cluttered desk full of goodies they’d want to snatch.

File and Hide Important Documents

Take all the papers you need to get off your desk and file them away, but don’t rely on a locking desk drawer. Your six year old learned how to get into that drawer with a letter opener just from watching movies. Buy a locking file cabinet to hold those files and store it in the back of a closet. Get into the habit of filing paperwork as soon as you receive it, says Homesessive, and you won’t have to go through a massive purging and filing exercise each year.

Companies such as LifeLock work with consumers frequently who have had paperwork stolen from which thieves were able to charge up credit cards or drain bank accounts. For $10 per month, LifeLock will help monitor your accounts and prevent identity theft from taking place. In the mean time, the more of this information you can keep out of sight, the more you’ve reduced your security risks.

Digitize As Much As Possible

Get as much of your paperwork in electronic form as soon as you can. Digital records are not only easier to store, but it’s also easier to find information when it’s in digital form. Scan documents into your computer and shred originals. Use apps like Evernote to make notes and lists on your smartphone. You can even scan documents and photos directly into Evernote, giving you no excuse not to do this step.

An Easy Way To Manage Receipts

Get rid of those little receipt slips stuffed in shoeboxes with the appropriately named company Shoeboxed. You scan your receipt or mail it in to Shoeboxed. They enter the information into their system and create reports with images of your receipts you can use for customer billing and tax purposes. You’ll never again have to go through a box of receipts at tax time.

Digital Spring Cleaning

Part of your spring cleaning effort should be checking that your online information is safe. Make sure all of your desktop computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones are password protected. Then, secure those devices when not in use. Use a cable lock on desktop and laptop computers. Store your mobile devices in a locked drawer.

Should one of your mobile devices get stolen, there are options to prevent sensitive information from being used. Remote data wiping programs give you the ability to clear out data from a lost or stolen tablet or smartphone, notes PC Mag. The iCloud app for your iPhone and iPad and the Google Apps Device Policy for your Android devices let you wipe any personal data from the device before it can be used against you. For these to work, they need to be set up and configured before the device is taken. Prepare your devices for the possibility.

Jill is freelance writer who specializes in consumer fraud and identity theft protection. She is married and has two children.

Civil engineering has had its share of failures. Some of mankindâ€s proudest achievements in the field of civil engineering were also responsible for their most sorrowful moments. In our quest for perfection, many of our constructs have failed. These dark chapters in the history of civil engineering serve as a reminder for us to do better. And we can do better.

Letâ€s take a look at some of the most infamous constructions that have collapsed over the years. Itâ€s time to learn from our mistakes and do better.

1. South Fork Dam

If you want an example of American class distinction in the late 19th century, then look no further than Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club built for the rich and famous near Johnstown was responsible for its flooding. The poor maintenance of the South Fork Dam at the hands of the fishing club resulted in its rupture. About 20 million tons of water washed over Johnstown killing over 2000 people. The townâ€s people were made up of the families of steel workers. The Red Cross dealt with the aftermath of the flood and provided relief to the survivors.

2. St. Francis Dam

Just 39 years after the Johnstown incident, another dam ruptured in California killing 600 people. This time it was due to human error rather than negligence. The dam was designed and built by William Mulholland, who, needless to say, never built another dam after this catastrophe. What drove the proverbial nail into his coffin was that he had inspected the dam 12 hours before it ruptured. The 600 people that were killed due to the failure of the St. Francis Dam, remains in Californiaâ€s history as the second greatest loss of life. Whoâ€d have thought that one manâ€s miscalculation could claim so many lives?

3. Tacoma Narrows Bridge

If youâ€ve ever attended a civil engineering class, youâ€ll know about this bridge. Itâ€s a cautionary tale for civil engineers all around the world. Before the bridge collapsed on November 7th 1940, it was violently shaking in the form of waves due to the wind. Fortunately, no human life was lost in the incident, but the same canâ€t be said for K9â€s. A Cocker Spaniel named Tubby refused to get out of the car while people were evacuating the bridge. At its time, it was the third largest suspension bridge in the world; now it serves as an artificial reef under the Tacoma Narrows strait.

4. Hyatt Regency Walkway

A structural collapse doesnâ€t necessarily mean the whole construction has to come tumbling down. The Hyatt Regency walkway collapse in Kansas City, Missouri is proof of that. Two walkways collapsed on the hotel lobby due to structural weakness. What makes the story worse is the fact that there was a dance competition being held underneath. 114 people were killed and 216 people were injured. Ironical, isnâ€t it? A whole bridge collapses and thereâ€s no loss of life and here two walkways kill over a hundred people. The hotel should have conducted remedial construction services beforehand.

5. Reichenhall Ice Rink

Bad Reichenhall is a town in Germany thatâ€s known to receive heavy snowfall. On January 2nd 2006, the roof of an ice rink collapsed and bad weather was blamed as a factor. However, in reality, the accumulated ice over the roof was well below the limit. 50 people were trapped underneath the rubble as rescue operations began. Ultimately, 15 people were killed due to the incident, out of which 8 were children. Another 32 people were amongst the injured. Although bad weather was cited as the reason for the collapse, people believe negligence was the true cause, as officials were planning on closing the rink on the day of the accident.

Now that youâ€ve read about the catastrophes that have occurred over the years in the field of civil engineering, youâ€ll appreciate how dangerous it is to be anything less than perfect. Thereâ€s no room for error when your constructions shoulder the weight of human life. As we move into a future with technological advancement, there will be bigger and more complex civil engineering projects undertaken. Letâ€s just hope that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and put more lives in danger.

Andrea Warren is an employee at Central Systems, a reputable civil construction company. Andrea is a fitness-freak and follows her exercise schedule very strictly.

You graduated college, and then reality hit: You have student loans to pay back. The landlord wants rent. Work expects you to show up, every day, in fact.

Ah, life—it can be quite the adjustment for a recent college grad who’s used to sleeping in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Though Salary Survey places the average salary for the Class of 2013 around $45,000, it only takes one unexpected, expensive incident to start a financial domino effect that can set you back for months.

Here’s some help on dealing with three common real-world financial pitfalls:

1. Your Car Breaks Down

Eight million households in the U.S. don’t have a car, according to the Brookings Institution. These people do whatever it takes to get to work or school, and so can you. Have a backup plan in place in case yours breaks down. Know the bus route. Find a couple people at work who don’t live far from you and get their numbers. Make an agreement that in a pinch, you can commute with them while your car is in the shop. Agree to do the same for them.

As you apply for and get credit cards, be smart. Don’t max them out. You may need the available credit to pay car repairs. If you’re already swimming in credit card debt, investigate ways to pay them down. Of course, it’s a whole lot easier to maintain your vehicle and not break it down in the first place, so check your owner’s manual and adhere to all scheduled maintenance protocols.

2. Emergency Trip Home

Life happens, and there comes a time when you have to travel for a family emergency. But traveling home for your grandmother’s funeral or to see your sick father doesn’t have to derail your finances. Several major airlines offer bereavement fares. American Airlines offers discounts for both bereavement and medical emergencies. United Airlines offers a 10 percent discount on airfares to visit seriously ill or injured family, and they also allow customers to apply for bereavement discounts with proper documentation.

If you’re not traveling too far, Ridejoy.com and eRideShare.com are two options to potentially find someone already driving in the same direction. It may take a little longer to get to your destination, but it’s a lot less expensive.

3. No Budget and No Emergency Fund

The above two situations wouldn’t be much of a financial burden if you had an emergency fund built into your budget.

What? You’re not following a budget?

You’re not alone—a Gallup poll from last summer found that 68 percent of Americans fail to make a budget at all. The number of free smartphone apps out there to help with personal budgeting, including Mint.com and Easy Envelope Budget Aid, leaves no excuse. Make a budget.

Then look into ways you could start funding an emergency fund. You could temporarily adjust your W-4 at work, so fewer taxes are withheld from your check (just make sure to change it back, so you don’t owe a huge sum come tax time). Get a second job for a few months. If you receive regular payments from a structured settlement or annuity, you may be able to sell your future payments for a lump sum of cash now. This can help you build an emergency fund so when the unexpected does happen, you aren’t completely derailed.

Larry is a financial planner specializing in budget and debt management.

If you’ve grown tired of your current line of work and want a new start, you don’t need to invest years into a new career track. Rapid-fire training and transitions can help you find and land a great job within as little as half a year.

There are plenty of folks looking to start a new career, after all, since the average American works just over 11 jobs by the age of 46.

Here we explore a few of the career change paths that take a minimum amount of time:

Video Editing and Design

You can get a four-year degree in digital design, but many videographers may use only a handful of programs in order to create everything from commercials to full-length films. Becoming professionally proficient in a video editing platform can be done in the span of only a few months and lasts for as long as the technology remains relevant.

For example, a Microsoft certification lasts until the program receives “legacy” categorization, at which point it is either incorporated into new lessons or discontinued. This can last years or even decades, while the certification can be awarded as soon as the exams have been successfully completed.

Emergency Medical Training

If the idea of helping to save peoples’ lives every day sounds like a rewarding career, it’s possible to become a paramedic or EMT within only a few weeks. There are different levels of certification and career potential, with states like New York using a five-tier system of EMT responders that begin with first-responder certification. The experience working as an EMT, furthermore, can be beneficial to breaking into another part of the healthcare industry—an industry that accounts for nearly $2 trillion per year in the US alone.

Veterinary Medicine

Your love for animals might be the perfect inspiration for a fulfilling career as a veterinary technician. There’s a huge demand for technicians who can foster the healing process for pets, livestock, and exotics alike. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that demand for vet techs is expected to increase by 30 percent over the next decade.

If you’re looking for a career as a veterinary technician, find out which states require certification. Resources like the online school at PennFoster.edu, which offers a vet tech certificate, can help you determine the training and certification requirements for different parts of the country.

Bartenders

If you pride yourself on originality and great taste, there can be ample rewards in working as a bartender. In fact, the highest bartender wages earned aren’t in bars themselves, but rather in the traveler accommodations and the tourism industries. Opportunities abound, from resorts, restaurants, casinos and beyond. Put your affinity for cocktails, wine, or beer to work in little time by taking bartender classes in person or online to learn how to mix everything from Manhattans to Shirley Temples.

Jenna Fuller, the author of this article, is originally from New York. Jenna left a career in advertising to study sustainability. She is married and has a son.

A culture dominated by apps, Google, and tablets has truly bumped up the necessity of breeding future technology entrepreneurs. Fortunately, future-forward Australia is fast becoming a sanctuary for startups and the workspaces that coddle them. In fact, Australian institutions are moonlighting as startup incubators.

Two universities immediately come to mind: the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne. Both have initiated widely touted startup accelerator programs, the aptly named Incubate and the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP), respectively. Have a closer look:

Introducing Incubate

In 2012, two University of Sydney students, James Alexander and Mina Nada, launched Incubate to encourage the creation of start-up ventures on campus. The effort met great support from the University of Sydney Union, Australiaâ€s oldest student union.

Incubate was initially exclusive to students, researchers, and recent graduates of the university. A partnership with Google, however, has enabled Incubate to expand to other Australian universities, starting with the University of Adelaide in December.

“With Googleâ€s help, we want to take the accelerator program to other campuses to create Australiaâ€s first national network of global-thinking entrepreneurs at universities,” said Alexander.

Start-ups chosen to take part in Incubate, each receive seed funds amounting to $5,000; shared working spaces in Sydney University (or Adelaide University); and access to Internet, printing, and conference rooms, among other privileges. Incubate leverages advice and mentorship of a cross-section of Australiaâ€s think tanks in commerce and computer science. Incubate mentors have included Freelancer.com chief executive Matt Barrie; OneVentures managing partner Michelle Deaker; and PushStart founder Kim Heras.

Chosen start-ups are put into regular meetups with such personages. All in all, a typical Incubate program runs for 11 weeks and culminates in a ‘national demo dayâ€.

Incubateâ€s first batch of start-ups included WeSit, recipient of a US$20,500 investment from BlackBerry, and CloudHerd, a TechStars New York finalist. SnapDisco; Edisse; Muro; Weaver; Feedback; and The Best Day rounded out the inaugural graduates.

Introducing MAP

Rivaling Incubate in its ambitions is Melbourne Universityâ€s MAP, also launched in 2012. Most glaringly, MAP has one edge over Incubate: a higher seed funding, at US$21,000 for each accepted venture. MAP also incubates start-ups longer: six months as opposed to Incubateâ€s three.

However, MAP is exclusive only to graduates, students and staff of the Melbourne School of Engineering (MSE) and Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE). Incubate, on the other hand, is practically open to everybody at Sydney University. Nevertheless, MAP vows to expand beyond these faculties and has exhorted unqualified applicants to lobby their respective deans.

“I think itâ€s great that two of Australiaâ€s top universities are now actively engaged in encouraging more entrepreneurs and start-ups. I hope more universities follow suit,” Alexander said.

On a brighter note, MAPâ€s exclusionary framework has upped the complexity and quality of its accepted ventures. MAPâ€s first six start-ups included 2Mar Robotics, which manufactures robotic limbs for quadriplegia sufferers; Cortera Neurotechnologies, maker of implants that diagnose nervous conditions; SwatchMate, a colour-matching database; The Price Geek, an online engine that ferrets out deals; Ebla, a publishing platform for lawyers; and Client Catalyst, an inbound marketing app.

Like Incubate, MAP takes advantage of a network of venerable business minds, ranging from techno-preneurs to angel investors. Also, like Incubate, MAP mounts industry events, keynotes, discussion panels, and workshops year-round to help students network with experts as well as potential recruits.

Assets and resources

These programs are, if nothing else, great solutions to the worldwide crunch in information technology skills. Itâ€s worth noting too that Australiaâ€s university-based incubation programs are only among a handful of their kind in the world.

Universities in general have the assets and resources in place to build pathways that strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem. A universityâ€s alumni network and linkages to policymakers are incomparable; they benefit start-ups in ways mere workspace providers cannot.

Aside from making up the next line of business moguls, students who take part in these programs constitute a pool of attractive talent for employers. Alumni of Australian universities tend to penetrate Fortune 500 and ASX 200 companies. All that Australiaâ€s incubators ask of startup venturers in return is an audacity that transcends fear of failing. Hopefully, the many success stories in Australiaâ€s start-up community would help them build courage and forge ahead into the unknown.

Whether youâ€re job hunting, career ladder climbing, or simply trying to stay afloat in your current job, you need to know how your online profiles reflect upon you as an employee. One bad entry or mis-tagged photo can get you in a world of trouble on the job front or, even worse, keep you from getting a job in the first place.

Here are a few things your online presence may be saying about you whether you know it or not.

Youâ€re looking for a new job…

This may be a good thing or a bad thing! If you choose to use the internet to advertise youâ€re looking for a new position (which is not a bad idea!) you have to be aware your current company can and will eventually find out. Likewise, if youâ€re unemployed and looking for work and constantly posting status updates about jobs or reaching out to others openly, you may be sending a great signal that youâ€re proactive and available.

The safe strategy is to network quietly using personal messages or completely hidden profiles online.

Youâ€re totally unprofessional…

Itâ€s important to remember that although your online persona seems a world away from work, your job may not feel the same way. Plenty of people have been fired for outrageous statements, photos, or associations theyâ€ve made online and whether itâ€s fair or not, you should be as professional online (chatting, via email, and on social media) as you would in the office. This is particularly true if youâ€re looking for a new job because you better believe someone in HR will look you up!

Youâ€re out of the loop…

Unfortunately, itâ€s no longer acceptable to ‘opt out†of social media if youâ€re trying to move up or break into the business world. Not having any social presence at all seems suspicious, like youâ€re trying to hide something, and not being in the right places for your target industry says you donâ€t “get it”. At the bare minimum, you should have a LinkedIn profile and maybe one other social media presence that will prove youâ€re functional, social, and up with the times.

Youâ€re not right for the job…

Your online profile paints a picture of who you are as a person and it can easily make it clear that youâ€re not who you say you are in an interview or progress meeting. For example, if you say youâ€re dedicated to working long hours and youâ€re constantly Tweeting about the TV shows you watch each night, you could be shooting yourself in the foot. Likewise, if you bill yourself as a marketing expert and barely have any social contacts, you may invite doubt as to your capabilities.

As tempting as it may be, you canâ€t ignore the impact your online profile(s) have on your career. The good news is, you have some control! The more effort you put into crafting a specific, honest online personality, the more it will pay off in the long run!

Ryan Currie is a product manager at BizShark.com with 5 years experience in online marketing and product development. In addition to web related businesses, he also enjoys the latest news and information on emerging technologies and open source projects.

Eighty percent of the U.S. population will have to deal with some form of back pain in their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health.

If you find yourself going to work with back pain, these suggestions will help you get through the day. They may not completely resolve the problem, but they will keep you going until you can see a physician for further care.

When Going Back to Work Doesn’t Make Sense

Many cases of lower back pain will go away in four to six weeks, according to WebMD, but if you experience any of the following symptoms, you should see a physician as soon as possible:

• Your back pain was caused by a sudden injury
• You can’t sleep because of the pain
• You have severe pain radiating down one of your legs
• You have numbness in your body below where your back pain is located

Any of these symptoms can indicate a severe back injury that requires immediate attention. They also suggest that your condition could get worse if left untreated.

Focus on Your Back

Whenever you move, focus your attention on your back and move it as little as possible. When getting out of a chair, push up with your arms and legs while keeping your back straight. If you must pick something up, bend at your knees, not at your waist.

When getting in and out of your car, turn your whole body, not just your waist. Stairs may aggravate your back for a few days so take the elevator when you can.

When sitting at a desk, use a chair that keeps your back straight and doesn’t allow you to lean back in it. Use a heating pad or cold pack. Get up every few minutes and walk slowly down the hall and back so your back doesn’t get stiff.

Stretch at Work

On your breaks, do some stretching exercises to keep your back limber. Healthline suggests lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Arch your back up and hold for five seconds. Then lower your back and push it down into the floor. Hold for five seconds. Do this five times and gradually increase the number of repetitions as long as your pain is under control.

The Huffington Post says that some people respond to yoga as a way to keep their back flexible during their recovery from back pain. When doing any back exercise, only do what is comfortable for you. Do not push yourself or you’ll risk delaying your healing.

When the Pain Doesn’t Stop

If after a few days of going to work with your back pain, it shows no sign of improving, or it is getting worse, it’s time to contact your doctor. Back pain was once treated by traction, bed rest and major surgery. Minimally invasive techniques, such as delivered by Laser Spine Institute, put you at less risk, and speed up your recovery time so you can get back to work and life sooner. Many procedures can even be done on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. To learn more about Laser Spine Institute, visit their company LinkedIn page.

Your back is a complicated arrangement of muscles and nerves. Diagnosis and treatment of back issues is best left to the trained physicians who specialize in back and spinal injuries. When your back pain becomes severe, or just doesn’t go away, it’s time to see a specialist before the situation becomes worse.