Vicki Vannoy
Using the Craigslist Search Feature
Find a job using the Craigslist search feature.
The popular website is actually a network of online communities featuring classified advertisements. Since 1996, when the web-based service first began, Craigslist has grown to a point where it now covers 50 countries. Whether you are a fan or a critic of Craigslist, I’m sure that most of you have visited the site and are pretty familiar with it.
Essentially, Craigslist is similar to the classified section of a newspaper where individuals can post advertisements or respond to current ads. Employers can post their jobs openings at a very low cost (free in some locations). That attracts job postings from small and mid-sized companies that might not be able to afford to advertise elsewhere. For this reason, Craigslist is sometimes referred to as the “invisible job market. ”
People hunting for jobs can browse a variety of available listings by selecting a location and a general category. To find the Craigslist you want, select your location from the list of links by country, state, and city found on the Craigslist home page.
Job advertisements are broken down into an assortment of subcategories to make it easier for users to search. Temporary, short-term jobs known as “gigs” have their own subcategory. These postings may include construction jobs, writing and editing, assignments for actors and artists, or working on an Information Technology (IT) project.
The Craigslist search feature can help you to refine your job search terms to find exactly what you are seeking. This may include using search criteria such as whether or not the job is a telecommute position, an internship, a contract position, part-time, or employment with a non-profit organization.
Sometimes the people posting the jobs may list them in a category you wouldn’t expect, so I suggest that you look through the main jobs category just to be sure that you don’t miss something that might be really interesting.
You can search Craigslist anywhere in the United States. Use this formula and your results will pull up jobs from all around the country.
Google the following: your search keywords site:*.craigslist.org
Replace the words “your search keywords” with your actual search term. In the following example I replaced “your search keywords” with “writing/editing jobs.”
Example: writing/editing jobs site:*.craigslist.org
When you answer a job posting, don’t rush. First of all, make sure that the job is legitimate. Take the time to read the entire posting so that you can respond appropriately. Did they specify how to reply to the job post? Did they request a writing sample, ask you to send your resume, or provide a link to a job application on their website?
Protect your privacy if you post your resume. Remember to guard your identity by limiting contact information and the personal details you disclose. Never divulge your bank account information or social security number. Keep your shields up and always use your best judgment.
Whether you are planning your second career or looking for a way to supplement your income, you can efficiently browse a wide selection of job postings using the Craigslist search feature.
I hope that today’s post has given you some ideas you can use!
If you like what you read here, then please share my post with your friends on Facebook or perhaps Tweet it. Thanks for visiting!
Believing in Santa Claus
Simple ways to enjoy the magic of Christmas with your child.
Childhood is a time for believing in magic with all of our hearts. These precious years – when the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus are every bit as real as Mom and Dad – are when childhood memories are made and re-lived. Children’s faces hold wonder as they listen to stories or watch the classic television Christmas specials about Frosty The Snowman or Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Naturally, we want our children to keep believing as long as possible.
Create your own family Christmas traditions and sweet memories.
Children have always loved writing letters to Santa. If your child is just learning to print, she will need a little assist from you. Drawing or cutting out pictures of the toys she wants will be more fun at this age. Make the letter even more special by including a picture that your child drew of herself or a photo of your little girl with Santa. She could even enclose a little gift for Santa Claus such as a few of her favorite stickers.
Once the child’s Santa letter is finished, simply mail it to the North Pole. Mail it to the following Santa Claus address: Santa Claus, 1 Candy Cane Lane, North Pole 00001. Don’t use a return address; you wouldn’t want it to be returned as ‘undeliverable’ for any reason.
Amaze your child this Christmas by making sure that Santa writes back! You can arrange to have your child receive a personalized letter from Santa Claus stamped from the North Pole. Your children will have no doubt that Santa Claus is coming to town after they receive their personalized letter signed by Santa himself!
Bake cookies with your children on Christmas Eve. That’s a great way to create joyful memories. Did you know that Santa’s favorite cookie recipe is chocolate chip?
After story time and right before the children are ready for bed, take Santa’s special plate out of the cupboard. Put some of those freshly baked cookies on Santa’s plate next to a glass of cold milk. You can even put a short letter to Santa Claus next to the cookies and milk. This tasty treat will give Santa the energy he needs to continue traveling to the millions of other households awaiting his arrival.
Don’t forget to leave some crumbs on the table Christmas morning. Your child will feel honored that Santa Claus ate the whole plate of cookies and drank all of the milk before rushing on his way.
Santa Claus gets milk and cookies on Christmas Eve, but what about Rudolph, Comet, Prancer and the rest of the reindeer? What do they eat? Well, reindeer food, of course!
You can mix up a batch of environmentally friendly reindeer food using common grocery items such as oats and granola. (Do not use potentially hazardous items such as glitter in your reindeer food. Although this may make the reindeer food appear to be more magical, it can be extremely dangerous if ingested by small, curious children or animals that may eat the food.)
On Christmas Eve night, walk outside with your child and have him sprinkle reindeer food on the lawn. Explain the importance of making sure Santa’s sleigh team stays well fed. This healthy reindeer snack will give Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer the nourishment they need to continue flying Santa’s heavy sleigh into the night. Your child will be proud for helping Santa Claus and his reindeer on their journey.
Traditions are powerful. Most often it’s the simplest things that carry the fondest memories. It is a time when we remember the smiles of seasons past and open our hearts to the possibility of magic. It is a season of joy.
Magic Reindeer Food Recipe courtesy of Southern Living
Ingredients
• 2 (24-ounce) packages vanilla candy coating
• 3 cups mini pretzels
• 1 (12-ounce) can cocktail peanuts
• 1 (14.25-ounce) package frosted toasted oat O-shaped cereal
• 1 (12-ounce) package crisp rice cereal squares
• 1 (16-ounce) package holiday candy-coated chocolate pieces
• Red and green sugars
Preparation
1. Place candy coating in a glass container; microwave at HIGH 2 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring once.
2. Combine pretzels and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; add melted candy coating, tossing to coat. Stir in chocolate pieces.
3. Spread mixture onto wax paper; sprinkle with sugars. Let stand 30 minutes. Break into pieces.
SwagBucks
You should be rewarded for activities you do online!
Do you search for stuff online? Of course you do! You can earn some extra money for doing the things you do online every day.
Earn reward points.
Redeem them for cash.
It’s easy and free and you’ll get points just for signing up!
Whether it’s extra money for Christmas or just the weekly groceries… it all adds up.
New Holiday Movies for 2011
What do you think about the new movies for the 2011 holiday season?
Is there one you just can’t wait to see? Three new movies are competing for your attention.
A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (R) and Arthur Christmas (PG) are playing in theaters now. New Year’s Eve (PG-13) will open on December 9th.
Which one of these new movies would you go to the theater to see first? Click the image above, answer the question and you could be eligible for $100 in cash.
I read some reviews at Movieline and I think I’ve made up my mind. How about you?
One of my family’s favorite holiday traditions is movie night. There’s something about a timeless Christmas film that puts you in the holiday spirit and reminds you what the season is all about.
Are you looking for classic Christmas movies
Gratitude and the Law of Attraction
Make a habit of being grateful for the people and things in your life and focus on the positive energy within you. Your mind controls who and what you are! According to the Law of Attraction, your mind can also change what you have.
Every thought that occupies your mind, everything you tell yourself, and all of your beliefs carry a vibration and send energy into the Universe. The Law of Attraction follows the laws of physics: like attracts like. Basically, whatever you believe is what you will get. If you are in a mindset of gratitude, you will attract more to be grateful for.
Think of the way things snowball, both the good and the bad. You might wake up in a bad mood because your neighbor’s boisterous party kept you up late. If you allow that bad mood to triumph, more negative things will continue to happen to you all day long. When you consider the Law of Attraction, you will see why this happens.
Suppose that you wake up thankful that your loving spouse is beside you and your dog is sleeping soundly at the foot of your bed. You smile to yourself and that feeling of gratitude quickly banishes any trace of a bad mood. Now your energy is upbeat and you’re looking forward to a great day!
The Law of Attraction works on a system of gratitude and reward. You need a way to remind yourself to always be grateful for the good things in your life. You might carry some sort of trinket like a coin, a rock, rabbit’s foot, or an amulet of some sort. It can be anything you will handle daily. Some people keep these items in their pockets. Others put them on a necklace. The idea is that every time you touch this trinket, you feel gratitude.
Many people take time at the end of each day to record the things they’re thankful for in a journal. Whenever possible, remember to express that gratitude to others. These habits will help train your mind to think in terms of what you are thankful for.
If you’re lucky enough to get the wishbone after the turkey is carved, you might want to wish for a grateful and loving heart. If you believe the Law of Attraction, what you give affects what you receive.
~ Happy Thanksgiving! ~
Splash Pages: Do-It-Yourself Advertising
Advertising is an essential part of building every business. Well-designed splash pages that sparkle with originality will catch people’s attention. Getting noticed, making them look… that is the first goal of advertising.
A professionally designed splash page doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. You can make them yourself… and have FUN doing it!
It’s super simple with… AdKreator.
You can make as many splash pages, banners, and lead capture pages as you like using the hundreds of templates and art work that AdKreator provides.
Brand Yourself
Branding yourself is a vital component of your advertising. You have to get your name and your photo or logo out there. And your marketing materials need to make you stand out from the crowd.
The biggest obstacle people face when designing their advertising is staring at a blank slate, not knowing where to begin. AdKreator solves that problem for you with its professionally designed templates in various shapes, sizes, and concepts. You can add your own custom images or use the graphics included inside the designer.
Splash Page Designing for Everyone
This system was designed for everyone… from the first-time internet marketer to the list building expert. AdKreator even hosts all your work on their high-speed server! If you can navigate the web, point, click, drag and drop, you can do this.
Easy to follow video tutorials show you the basics on how to use AdKreator as well as tips and tricks for making your own professional looking designs.
Take AdKreator for a FREE test drive. Watch the tutorials and get familiar with the design process. You won’t believe how simple it really is! Create a splash page to promote your business. When you’re happy with the way it looks, save it and use the hosted link provided by AdKreator. Then show off your new design!
You will not be asked for your credit card and there is no trial period to cancel. AdKreator makes it easy for you to learn how to make a splash page using their design system. You can try it out and see if you like it before making any decisions. Try AdKreator.
Put your advertising in high gear and always ~ keep it fresh.
Disclosure: Please note that if you upgrade your AdKreator account to a paid membership, I will receive a referral commission. That being said, I only recommend products that I believe in.
“Trust that little voice in your head that says ‘wouldn’t it be interesting if…’
And then do it.” ~ Duane Michals
Create Fresh Website Content
With These 5 Bright Ideas
Are you losing sleep wondering what to write in your next blog post? It’s probably not a lack of topics to write about that has you stymied. Rather, it’s how to start writing and developing your topic.
Creating content worthy of being read will come easier when you make use of these five bright ideas.
This cool tool is in the Ezine Articles Author’s Area. If you don’t have a membership at Ezine Articles yet, go sign up at http://ezinearticles.com/. It’s free to join.
When you have logged into Ezine Articles, look for Author Tools on the black navigation bar. Hover your mouse over Author Tools and display the dropdown box. Click to select Title Suggestions.
On the next page, you will type in a keyword or keyword phrase relating to your topic. The variety of title suggestions returned in the search results will fire up your imagination. You can even perform a more targeted search by selecting a category and sub-category.
Research your topic. Browse article directories such as Ezine Articles, Buzzle, and Articlesbase to read about your subject. This will be time well spent. You will increase your knowledge and gain some new perspectives on your topic.
If you have private label contents stored away in a folder on your computer, look through them. Search for articles that contain keywords related to the topic of the article you plan to write. The more similarities you can find, the easier you will accomplish your writing task.
An indispensible writing tool is DupeFree Pro. It will help you to avoid the pitfall of duplicate content. Amazingly, it is free to download. Get DupeFree Pro here.
Are you a member of any forums? Busy forums in your chosen niche are a great source of material for your blog. Peruse the threads to discover the hot topics people are discussing. “How To” articles, inspirational pieces, list-based articles, and product or service reviews can all be developed from reading the conversation threads.
You can find plenty of online forums within your area of interest by doing a search in Google. Simply type your niche topic into the search bar and add the word ‘forums’. For example: work from home forums.
Bonus Tip: To break through writer’s block, get out of the house and take a walk with the dog. Bring a mini cassette recorder or pen and notepad to jot down the ideas that will come to you while you’re walking. After that, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to get back to work!
I hope that today’s post has given you some ideas you can use! If you like what you read here, then please share my post with your friends on Facebook or perhaps Tweet it. Thanks for visiting!
7 Tips to Re-ignite Your Passion for Business
Labor Day has come and gone already! We celebrated the weekend with one last picnic and a day of fun at the Evergreen State Fair! Now the kids are back in school. Summer vacations are over and there’s a definite hint of fall in the air.
September in the Pacific Northwest means that the mountains and the sailboats will be out most days. Since it’s one of our driest months, September is a great time to take a walk in the Washington Park Arboretum or to enjoy a drive along the Columbia River Gorge where the fall foliage is spectacular! Of course, September is also when we ‘do the Puyallup’. The Puyallup Fair is among the top ten largest fairs in the world!
Autumn is also a good time to renew the commitments we made on January 1st, take another look at business plans, re-establish priorities, and ‘gear it up’ again.
I met with friends for a brainstorming session last week and we came up with some ideas I’d like to share with you.
Tip #1: Prioritize your To Do list. Focus on completing the important things first, specifically, the projects that will help you achieve your goals.
Tip #2: Promise yourself that you will not work in a cluttered mess of an office. It will slow you down and stress you out. Get organized!
Tip #3: Redecorate your office with light and color. Is your office too dark? Maybe this is the time to add another window to the room or buy a new desk lamp. What about color? Does your office feel dull and monotonous? If you have been feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, your surroundings could be partly to blame. Infusing your décor, furnishings, and accessories with colors you are drawn to will lift your spirits and invigorate your mood.
Tip #4: Polish your image. Branding is your identity in the marketplace; is yours saying what it should? Large companies regularly review their brand imaging. Why wouldn’t you?
* Has your target market changed?
* Is your product or service as current and up-to-date as it needs to be?
* Could your website or marketing materials use some rewriting and tweaking?
Tip #5: Analyze the results of your marketing strategy. Take a fresh look at your message, approach, and tactics. If you’re marketing on a shoestring, make the best use of your budget by creating a balanced campaign that combines sales activities along with your marketing methods.
Consider the idea of presenting a webinar as a joint venture with an associate or vendor in a related industry. Think of the opportunities for lead generation and list building. Write a killer press release, position yourself as an expert in your field, and generate tons of free publicity by introducing yourself to the media. Contact your existing customers and let them know that you are looking for referrals. Show your appreciation by offering them a compelling incentive such as a discount on your products or services.
Tip #6: Improve your mindset for success by envisioning success in the production of everything you begin. Develop this habit; it will help you stay motivated and inspired.
Tip #7: Put your ideas in writing! Then determine how you will carry out those plans. Merely writing them down is not enough. You still need to schedule time in your day to take action and follow through.
Bonus tip: Get away for a day or a weekend once in awhile. Go to the mountains or the ocean, breathe some fresh air, look at the stars, and re-connect with your true self. A change of scene is great for thinking clearly and getting re-energized!
How about you? What projects are you focusing on to boost your business through the end of 2011? Leave me a comment and share your ideas here.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s post. If you have, please share it on Facebook or perhaps Tweet it!
Construct a Website with KompoZer
ALL YOU REALLY NEED IS A ONE-PAGE WEBSITE to take your business online! Creating that new website is the next thing you will want to do after you have your domain name and web hosting. You can design your website using a simple web page editor and a ready-to-use web page template.
There is no need to pay hundreds of dollars for complex web design software or hire someone to make a website for you, especially in the early stages of your business when you’re on a tight budget.
Using what is called a WYSIWYG editor, you will create, edit and tweak your very first website. And when you are finished, you will publish it on the world wide web!
I recommend KompoZer, a well-known, powerful yet easy-to-use WYSIWYG editor. WYSIWYG stands for What You See Is What You Get. Sounds pretty high-tech, huh?
Basically, an editor is a piece of software that translates the text you write on your computer into HTML code that is recognized by your web hosting company. KompoZer is a free software designed for non-techies who need a very easy-to-learn, easy-to-use HTML editor.
So, the first thing you will need to do is download KompoZer onto your computer.
If you have your copy of the book that you see in the upper right-hand corner of this site, turn to page 18. You will find a link to a video showing you exactly how to download and install KompoZer. That will save you time and help you a lot.
If you don’t have this book yet, just fill in your name and email and click the ‘Send me the Report’ button. Your copy of Create Your First Website By 3:45 This Afternoon will be sent to you immediately.
Your next step is to start designing your webpage. Write your content and type it directly into KompoZer. Insert any images you wish to use, but keep them to a minimum. Too many graphics will make your website look unprofessional.
Use templates to get a quicker start on your website design. They will help you create an attractive, professional-looking site more easily and in less time.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF CREATING YOUR WEBSITE IS TO START. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in the paralysis of analysis. The important thing now is to take action and get your new site out onto the web for the world to see. You can make more revisions later… and you probably will.
KompoZer is a popular, easy-to-use web authoring system. The WYSIWYG editor makes it very user-friendly for non-techies because knowledge of HTML is not required. A simple understanding of KompoZer is enough to create a website. DOWNLOAD KompoZer HERE.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s post. If you have, please “like” it on Facebook or perhaps Tweet it!
“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want
and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.” ~ Tony Robbins
Make Money with Sponsored Tweets
SPONSORED TWEETS is an advertising platform that benefits both advertisers and Tweeters. To earn money with Sponsored Tweets, your Twitter account has to be at least 60 days old and have over 100 tweets. It’s FREE to sign up and make money with Sponsored Tweets and your Twitter account.
Advertisers choose which Tweeter they would like to represent their company. They make their choices based upon things like the number of followers a Tweeter has, the topics that the Tweeter tweets about, and so on. Advertisers like it because they can control the type of traffic they want to generate.
In return, Tweeters receive compensation for every tweet they place and every click generated by those tweets. Tweeters who are willing to write and place these sponsored ads on their Twitter message boards are paid a fee. Sponsored Tweets puts the payment into your account at Sponsored Tweets. When your account balance reaches $50, you may cash out. Payment is sent to your PayPal account right away… no waiting days or weeks.
There are two types of tweets:
One is when an advertiser invites you to write a tweet for a set fee. In this case, you will receive an email letting you know that a sponsored tweet opportunity is available. You log into your Sponsored Tweets account and write the tweet. After the advertiser approves the tweet that you wrote, Sponsored Tweets will tweet it out in your Twitter timeline. After it is tweeted, you will receive another email telling you that you have been paid for tweeting.
Another way to earn money with Sponsored Tweets is with cost per click opportunities. You can see the ads that are available and the amount that you would be paid per click when you log into your Sponsored Tweets account. Most of the time these tweets don’t require approval by the advertiser and Sponsored Tweets will tweet them out in your Twitter timeline for you.
You can see all of the payments you earn under ‘Transactions’ in your ‘My Account’ tab.
Businesses (the advertisers) have figured out that the quickest way to get the word out is… Social Media. It is more effective than the classifieds and less costly than magazine ads. That’s why advertisers want to pay you to deliver their marketing message.
If you need help getting started, I will be happy to walk you through it. Just leave a message for me in the comments. I will be your referrer for Sponsored Tweets when you sign up through my link: http://spn.tw/r2ijT
FREE Report!
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