A Career in Fashion Photography

We see them everywhere, in Magazines, on the Run Way, in advertisements on TV. They are the slender women strutting their stuff or extra ordinary Beauties with their sultry looks flashing their pearly whites while wearing the newest Styles from the hottest Designers. We are talking about the fashion models of today, yesterday and tomorrow. They are everywhere we look, but who brings them to us? Their images are captures with care and precision, patience and that special look for style, color and lighting composition. I am talking about the fashion photographers.

In the fashion circles famous names like Mario Testino (easily one of the hottest names out there) and Eva Mueller (photographer for Fashion Magazine Allure) are just as sought out if not more then those men and women sauntering their way into our conscious.

High Paychecks and glamour’s Lifestyle of hob nobbing it with the rich and famous might be the dream of many young shutterbug, however it is not easy to reach the golden Staircases of the well-known fashion houses and magazines. For every one talented photographer, hundreds are left panting at the sidewalk, only dreaming about the moment that their photo will be chosen.

Here are a few tips for the novice and dreamer of dreams in getting started in fashion photography. Study your subject. You can never learn enough. Read and look at any fashion Magazine you can get your hand on. There are fantastic books on Fashion and fashion photography available. Amazon.com has a true treasure trove available.

You need one or two good cameras, tripod and a lighting system. Always make sure that you have plenty of film and batteries available. SLR and digital cameras take different photos, so make sure you find the best for your field.
When submitting your work, hopefully to give a chance you have to have a portfolio on hand, just in case the editor of the fashion magazine wants to see samples of your work. I assure you if they consider working with you that is going to be a fact.

The sharp, bright images of a 4X5” transparency show of your work to its best effort. If you have already had a publication, no matter if, it was a small neighborhood magazine/paper or a contest a tear sheet (literally a sheet you tore out of the magazine) works well. If neither is at hand a good high quality 8 X 10 “is acceptable as well. You want to make sure that you have a minimum of 20 photos in your portfolio and preferably different styles. You want to show your expertise in full figure or just partial body parts.

Remember, fashion includes jewelry and accessories. Sometimes a watch from a famous maker on the slender wrist of a beautiful woman is a good fashion shoot. If you are applying for the job, be prepared to leave your Portfolio behind for an extended period of time, sometimes as much as a couple of weeks. I would advice you to make copies and have several on hand. This comes in handy when showing your work to many different people for consideration for fashion work
.
In the time of modern technology, it is good to display your talent as a fashion photographer online as well. Set up a website; submit your photos to contests. Submit them to an online fashion gallery. This helps with getting your work seen and people can see what type of work you actually do and can do for them.

Most editors are looking for your personality in the photos you take. Each fashion photographer captures the soul of the fashion and its model differently. There are a couple of very good “how to get started” websites on the net. Most importantly, if this is your dream, don’t give up. Keep trying and I hope to see your images on the cover of my next hot fashion magazine.

8 Types of Golf Course Jobs for Career bound individuals

Many golf enthusiasts decide not to pursue a career in the field because they are afraid there are not enough jobs available.  However, the golf industry is quite large, and with such a variety of possible positions that no one who has chosen golf as a career need fear unemployment or underemployment.

The possible positions listed below represent golf course jobs, only a small slice of what is available in the golf industry.

Many golf enthusiasts decide not to pursue a career in the field because they are afraid there are not enough jobs available.  However, the golf industry is quite large, and with such a variety of possible positions that no one who has chosen golf as a career need fear unemployment or underemployment.  The possible positions listed below represent golf course jobs, only a small slice of what is available in the golf industry.

Golf course training and instruction:  Golf is an incredibly popular sport, which means that there is always a wealth of aspiring golfers seeking instruction.  Many golf courses keep several instructors on staff.  Providing training right there on the golf course means convenience for customers, more money for the golf course, and, of course, more jobs for professional golf experts.

Clubhouse food service crew and management:  One of the types of golf course jobs that no one ever thinks of is food service.  However, restaurant-quality food and drink is often the cornerstone of a golf course clubhouse, as it offers refreshment and creates a comfortable atmosphere.  Golf course jobs focused around clubhouse food service include the kitchen's crew, chefs, wait staff, and management.

Grounds care:  The entire existence of a golf course is dependent on the condition of the grounds.  Therefore, some of the most important golf course jobs are related to grounds care.  Chemical technicians handle the fertilization and other chemical care of the grass, while irrigation specialists ensure that the grass is well watered.  A turf manager or groundskeeper oversees all of the grounds care personnel.

Equipment operation and maintenance:  The daily business of running a golf course requires the use and maintenance of many pieces of equipment.  Golf course jobs usually include equipment operators, who are overseen by an equipment manager.  A maintenance team, including crewman and a maintenance manager, keep the equipment in good working order and handle maintenance scheduling.

Golf merchandise sales and store management:  A merchandise store is another important facet of any thriving golf course and clubhouse.  An on-site store provides a convenient place for members to purchase equipment and clothing.  Personnel needed to run the store usually includes sales associates and at least one manager.

Human Resources personnel:  As you are no doubt beginning to see, a successful golf course represents a coming together of many different employees.  As with any such workplace, a successful golf course usually includes a team of Human Resources personnel.  These professionals handle tasks such as the hiring of new employees for available golf course jobs.

Public Relations or advertising personnel:  As a thriving business, many golf courses must also manage a great deal of public relations interactions, such as advertising.  Golf course jobs therefore include positions to handle the writing of advertisements and video scripts, the photographing of the grounds for colorful ads, and a spokesperson to handle all communications with the press.

Golf course management and ownership:  A golf course is a well-oiled machine, but in order for all the moving parts to remain in good working order, there needs to be a manager to oversee it all.  The manager may also be the golf course owner in some cases.

As you can see, there are many golf course jobs available.  The careers described here are only the tip of the iceberg.  The golf industry also includes areas such as pro golfing, tour planning and management, and luxury golf resorts.  With the range of positions available throughout the industry, no one trained for a golf career need ever worry about not being able to find a job.

 

7 ways to network your way out of a job and into a home based career

Do you think networking can only be used to find a new job? Not true. Networking is often an overlooked opportunity to find a way out of the rat race. If you want to look for a work at home career, connections can be a key to rapid success. Get the inside tips and discover 7 ways to network your way out of a job.

Everyday you can read articles about how people network and find another job. You can find countless numbers of books and articles on how to create relationships to find jobs that might not otherwise be known. But what about people who don’t want to work?
    
I am not talking about a lazy person without any ambition. The person I am referring to is the unemployable, the serial entrepreneur or corporate refugee. If you are currently working in a job and what you want is not another job but to become a work at home entrepreneur networking can still be for you. 
                 
Here are 7 networking strategies you can use to catapult your work from home career.

1. Create your own Board of Directors. IBM and Microsoft are not the only ones who should have a boardroom team. As a home based business owner you want to have a group of people who you can meet with, mastermind and get advice from.
  
Often times they may see skills and talents in you that you might not recognize. Once you have identified what your business goal is you have the opportunity to leverage the power of six degrees of separation. Six degrees of separation is the principle that anyone on earth can be connected to another person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five relationships apart.

2. Join Networking Organizations for Entrepreneurs. Successful business owners like to connect with each and expand their relationships. Look for organizations that have business owners in the same area of interest as you. Don’t just see them as competitors. Look for opportunities that you might be able to assist them in some way. Here are a couple of groups to consider:

The Chamber of Commerce
BNI (Business Networking International
Le-Tip
Rotary International

Each of these organizations have different personalities and cultures. Attend a few meetings before you call one of them home. Know what you ultimately want. Basil S. Walsh states, “If you don't know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?”

First establish in very specific detail what you are going to achieve. Did you notice that I said going to achieve? Life will give you exactly what you expect from it. Start with the end in mind.

Now is the time to dream big and visualize what your life will look like when you are a successful business owner. Don’t worry about the how. Simply set goals by asking yourself some key questions such as:      
      
A. What would I love to do even if I did not get paid for it?
B. How many days will I work each week?
C. What type of work from home business am I interested in?
D. Where will I live?
E. What do I like to do?
Determine what you need to happen to get out your job. Do you know how much you need to make in your business to leave your job?  What is your financial freedom number? Your financial freedom number is the amount of income you need to have coming in passively each month to cover all of your expenses.

One of the reasons you want to know this is when you are looking at home based business income opportunities you want to choose one that has the profit potential you want and need. If your financial freedom number is £5000.00 per month you don’t want to choose a business that does not have the potential to net that on a passive basis.

As you are networking and meeting new people you can analyze the business opportunities that arise from a totally unemotional point of view because you are clear about your goals.
    
3. Remember it is better to give then receive. One of the biggest problems I see with networking is most people go in it to see what they can get first before they give. Always look for a way to be of service to the people that you meet first. There is a universal law of reciprocity. You will always get back more than you give out. As you get to know people think about how you can help to enrich their life or help them towards their goals.

If you read an article or run across something that might be of help to them send it. When you have a genuine interest in others success you are blessed through your giving.

Some people call it karma and others say you reap what you sow. My life’s experiences have been blessed more than I could have every imagined whenever I give.

So look for ways to contribute. You may be able to do this in a variety of ways:

a. Volunteer to work with them some way.
b. Introduce them to people in your network that could help them.
c. Send notes or articles that might be areas of interest or    
could help to increase their business.

4. Learn how to joint venture or strategically partnership. One of the fastest ways to get out of your job, launch a business or simply make some money is to create a joint venture with someone.

Joint Venturing is a way to take either yourself or two other people who could profit from working together but simply did not have the relationship. You profit from making the connection.

For example you know a veterinarian has a large practice with a list of over 700 clients. You also have a relationship with a new pet groomer in the city who is trying to increase his business. You put the two together and every time the pet groomer gets a new client due to your structuring this deal you get paid. We call this mail box money. Money comes in your mail box whether you work or not.

5. Set up a written networking plan. I am amazed at how much time and effort people will spend to find a new job. However, when it comes to designing a plan to exit the rat race they do it almost haphazardly. You will be much more effective if you have a written plan. The plan does not have to be elaborate. Here are some of the basic things you want to cover:

a. What is my goal?
b. Who do I want to meet?
c. What events should I focus on?
d. How often should I be networking?

6. Attend seminars and boot camp events. Specialized knowledge is one of the keys to being successful in a home based business. When you attend boot camps and seminars you able to surround yourself with like minded people as well as learn from the experts.

However, if you really want to make these educational experiences profitable do three things:

a. Introduce yourself to at least 3 people and get their cards. Ask them why they are there and what they hope to get out of the event. Exchange numbers and ask, “What is the single most important thing you need help in making your business venture successful?”

When you ask this of someone else you will genuinely get to know someone and you may be able to help them. In addition, out of respect they will want to know more about you and a new relationship may be formed.

b. Go to lunch with someone you meet at the seminar and tell them the things you learned so far and will implement. There is something about speaking your goal out loud that will make it real. If you immediately implement one single action every time you learn something the results will grow exponentially.

c. Introduce yourself to the speaker. Sometimes this can be difficult if the event is large. However, if there is a book signing buy their book so while they are signing it you can ask one question. My question is, “What is the single most important skill you contribute to your success?”  You might like my question or you can come up with your own. The point is you have a great opportunity to network and learn from someone who is a master at their craft. Seize the opportunity.

7.Have a goal for every networking opportunity. Simply going to an event and "working the room" almost never yields any measurable results. Before you attend any event know what you want your outcome to be in advance. Are you going to meet specific person? How will you insure your introduction? Make sure you have crafted out a plan and enlist support from someone to help you execute if needed.

For example, if you want to meet someone ask the host of the networking event if they know the person and if they would be willing to introduce you. Your chances of success are almost guaranteed due to the nature of the event.
    
Networking is often an overlooked opportunity to find a way out of the rat race. If you want to look for a work at home career, connections can be a key to rapid success. Get the inside tips and discover

6 factors of career success

Title:
6 Factors Of Career Success
Word Count:
674
Summary:
What do employers look for in potential employees? That was the question that was posted recently on a career discussion forum online. Naturally, for each different position, the particular answers to that question would be different. However, there are some common skills that employers look for in all employees, whether the employee happens to be a network engineer or a fry cook.
In-Demand Skills for Success
1. BASIC SKILLS‚ Reading, writing and arithmetic! Believe it...

What do employers look for in potential employees? That was the question that was posted recently on a career discussion forum online. Naturally, for each different position, the particular answers to that question would be different. However, there are some common skills that employers look for in all employees, whether the employee happens to be a network engineer or a fry cook.

1. BASIC SKILLS‚ Reading, writing and arithmetic! Believe it or not, a good portion of high school graduates (and some college grads) do not read at an 8th grade level and cannot do multiplication in their head. Employers are seeking employees who can read well, can write coherently, and who can calculate mathematics in a business environment (fractions, percentages, etc.) Add to that the modern basic skills of keyboarding skill, basic computer knowledge, and ability to use most computerized tools (e.g. fax machine, basic word processing program, etc.) to round out the basic skill sets needed for employment success.

2. PERSONAL SKILLS‚ Can a potential employee speak well? Can he/she answer questions of customers in a positive, informative manner? Can the prospect provide good customer service? While not everyone has an outgoing sales' personality, successful employees can communicate in a non-confrontational, positive manner with their coworkers, team members, subordinates, management, and customers. Being able to work well with others is a vital skill for success in all jobs.

3. JOB ATTAINMENT‚ Job search is a process that requires a great deal of dedication and attention to be conducted successfully. It follows the old principal that many veteran programmers refer to as GIGO ‚ Garbage In, Garbage Out. If you put lousy effort in, you will receive lousy results. Employers are seeking employees who know how to present themselves in a positive manner and who display enthusiasm and knowledge about the companies they approach. Not only do candidates get evaluated on their skills and experience, but also on how they are approaching the job search. Enthusiastic candidates with fewer skills have an even chance of getting the job as dull candidates with better skills.

4. JOB SURVIVAL‚ Now there's a hot topic in this period of layoffs. Who gets the ax and who doesn't is often a matter of numbers, but it is also often a matter of performance. Employees who have consistently demonstrated their worth, taken initiative, and made themselves a valuable asset to the company have lower incidences of being downsized than employees who put forth mediocre or average effort in their jobs. Surviving within a company through layoffs or moving up the career ladder is a success skill that is learned and is consciously cultivated among successful professionals.

5. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT‚ As all high tech and engineering pros know‚ it's learn or burn in today's work environment. Attaining new skills, applying new concepts, updating established skills is an absolute necessity to succeed in today's work force. The successful individual is constantly attending seminars, taking classes, attaining training on new products or releases, and otherwise learning new skills that will keep them marketable in their careers. Successful people are lifelong learners. Employers are looking for people who have the training necessary to fulfill their needs.

6. CAREER DEVELOPMENT‚ Career Development differs from Professional Development. Professional Development is learning while Career Development is a planning and goal setting process. Successful individuals design a career plan with written goals for short term and long term. They lay out the steps needed to move their careers from Point A to Point B within Time Frame C and plan how they are going to achieve those steps. Successful people have someone to whom they are accountable for their progress and who will monitor their success in achieving their goals. Employers are seeking individuals who (believe it or not) wish to commit to the company for a long period of time. Good career progression is a high selling point of candidates to prospective employers.

How do you measure up? Do you have the 6 In-Demand Skills for Success? Feel like you need some help?

Get shortlisted for interview

Most people put their responsibilities into the CV in the work experience section. The simple truth is that employers have a pretty good idea of what your responsibilities and activities are within a role.

The difference between getting shortlisted for interview and having the CV rejected is demonstrating your worth to previous employers. The way you demonstrate your worth is to show what you achieved in that role.

In the current Economic climate, employers are thinking hard about whether or not to actually take someone on or not so you have to show that you can add value to a new employer. A great question to ask yourself is “what benefit did my previous employer gain from my employment with them?”. When you consider the value that you actually delivered, think about the benefit that you delivered for that employer.

The largest and hardest hitting benefits are financial. If you can demonstrate that your employer was better off financially as a direct result of what you did there, a future employer can’t help but be impressed and come to the inevitable conclusion that if you delivered a financial benefit for a previous employer then you can do the same for them.

Examples of achievements that you delivered in previous employments include: increases in sales and margin revenue, increases in numbers of accounts gained plus their sales value, reduction in losses of customers or churn as it is sometimes called. Other areas where you may have delivered financial benefit include the cost area, reduction in costs of goods, transport or warehouse efficiencies and the like are good examples of this.

Don’t overlook the benefits that you may have delivered in cash flow. Reduction in aged debt, increase in the time that suppliers are paid, reduction in the time that customers pay their accounts, reduction in stockholding, reduction in interest paid to the bank are among the benefits that can be included in this section. Improvements in customer service can also be quantified- for example, reduction in credit notes, increase in stock availability, number of on-time deliveries completed, and the reduction in the number of complaints make for demonstrating an exceptional track record.

Simply put, demonstrate the benefit that you delivered for previous employers and you will be well on the way to getting shortlisted for that role. Just don’t tell anyone else about it or you could well be in competition with them for that very same role.

Glenn Hughes writes for CvBud. He runs a successful Curriculum Vitae service and is a professional CV writer

Glenn Hughes is an expert for Jobs in Wales.