Women have slowly but surely made their way into the corporate world over the last few decades. Still, only 18 women are running Fortune 500 companies. These female CEOs have broken the gender barriers in business, but not without many years of hard work, rejections, and slow promotions. Here are the 10 most successful female CEOs of all time.

Patricia Woertz

Patricia Woertz is the CEO of Archer Daniels Midland, a Fortune 500 food production company that operates hundreds of plants used to process crops into food, agricultural, and industrial products. In addition to being the CEO, Woertz also holds the title of president and chairman of the board of directors. Although Woertz has described herself as an “outsider” at ADM, she has managed to help the company achieve record financial results and improve their sourcing, transportation, and processing networks with strategic investments and planning. Woertz’s powerful visions and never-ending list of achievements have earned her a spot in Fortune magazine as the third most powerful woman in 2010.

Laura Sen

Laura Sen is the current CEO at BJ’s Wholesale Club, a membership-only warehouse club chain on the east coast and in the state of Ohio. Sen spent 14 years working for BJ’s before she was promoted to executive vice president and was considered for the position of CEO. After an unexpected firing and reworking of the company, Sen was asked to come back to BJ’s and was appointed to be executive vice president again. Within two years of her return, Sen was promoted to president and chief operating officer. The next year, she became CEO. Since then, Sen has taken the company to new levels of success and efficiency. Her unique management style and accessibility to all workers has made her a true success in the business world.

Ellen J. Kullman

Ellen J. Kullman is the CEO and chair of the board of DuPont, the third largest chemical company in the world. Kullman joined DuPont in 1988 and worked as the marketing manager in the medical imaging business before being promoted to executive vice president. During this time, she managed four of DuPont’s business platforms and shifted the company’s focus on international markets. As CEO, Kullman has revolutionized the company’s customer relations and overall innovation by focusing on what customers need and letting that drive their decision-making. Kullman’s innovative leadership and keen industry knowledge has made her own of the most successful female CEOs of all time.

Gracia C. Martore

Gracia C. Martore is the current CEO of Gannett, a media and marketing solutions company. Martore came to Gannett in 1985 and worked as the assistant treasurer before acquiring the position as vice president in the treasury group in the ’90s. She went on to become the treasurer and vice president/investor relations and later the senior vice president of finance. Martore worked her way up the ladder to become the executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2006, and was later named president and chief operating officer. She was finally appointed to the position of CEO on October 6, 2011. Martore’s rise to success was a symbol of achievement for female CEOs everywhere. Her accomplishments and dedication to Gannett have made her a true success story.

Margaret Whitman

Margaret Whitman is the former CEO of eBay and the current chief executive of Hewlett-Packard. In September 2011, Whitman became CEO of the giant tech corporation after the two former leaders failed to meet the company’s expectations. Whitman has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to HP. While at eBay, Whitman helped the online retailer grow from a small start-up to a global giant. Whitman plans to focus on the internal development of HP and provide data management services to other corporations. She also hopes to improve HP’s finances by limiting big acquisitions and scaling back on budget cuts. Whitman’s innovative ideas, strong leadership, and past successes as CEO will certainly shake things up for HP and the technology market in general.

Indra K. Nooyi

Indra K. Nooyi is one of the most well-known and successful businesswomen in the world. Nooyi has served as the CEO of PepsiCo for five years, where she has helped change the face of the giant food and beverage business. Nooyi’s innovative ideas and modern advertising strategies have increased PepsiCo’s exposure and global strengths. She is credited for helping PepsiCo expand its brand options by including healthy products like Tropicana and Quaker Oats. Nooyi’s bold business moves and strong leadership skills make her a successful and idolized CEO.

Irene B. Rosenfeld

Irene B. Rosenfeld has spent many years working in the food and beverage industry, but her biggest career accomplishment to date would be working as the current CEO and chairman of Kraft Foods. Since 2006, Rosenfeld has managed Kraft Foods, bringing many innovative ideas and collaborative efforts to the company. Rosenfeld has also helped restructure the business and improve earnings in the U.S. and international markets. Rosenfeld’s strong work ethic and collaborative attitude have made her a strong leader at Kraft and one of the most influential CEOs of all time.

Carol Meyrowitz

Carol Meyrowitz is the current CEO of TJX Companies Inc., a leading discount retailer of apparel and home goods, which includes T.J. Maxx, Marshall’s, Winners, HomeGoods, T.K. Maxx, and other stores. Meyrowitz has been with TJX Companies for 28 years, where she was able to pursue new job opportunities and become a strong leader with every promotion. Meyrowitz’s longtime experience with TJX and deep understanding of off-price retail has made her an expert in the industry. Her company loyalty and strong leadership skills have earned her a spot as one of the most successful female CEOs of all time.

Beth Mooney

Beth Mooney is the CEO and chairman of KeyCorp, a bank-based financial service company headquartered in Cleveland. Here, she oversees about 15,000 employees and nearly $90 billion in assets. KeyCorp has fought through one of the worst financial crises in U.S. history and has managed to return to profitability with Mooney’s strong leadership. Mooney’s dedication and personal rise to success have inspired many businesswomen and non-businesswomen alike to work hard for their dreams.

Ursula M. Burns

Ursula M. Burns is the current CEO and chairman of Xerox Corporation. Not only is Burns the first woman to succeed another woman as head of a Fortune 500 company, but she is also the first African American woman CEO to run a Fortune 500 company. Burns got her start at Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering intern and later worked in product development and planning. Burns climbed the corporate ladder, assuming new roles as senior vice president and later president. More than 25 years later, Burns was finally promoted to CEO in 2009. Burns has already faced many challenges trying to improve sales and get customers buying again. Burns’ industry knowledge and business smarts have helped Xerox tackle some of these issues and prepare for the future of printing.

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How I wish social media was then what it is today. We were lucky to at least have Instant Messenger.

According to ComScore 2010 US Digital Year in Review women spend more time social networking than men. Women spent approximately 16.8% on social sites in December of 2010 while men spent only 12%.

Today, social media tools are just as much associated with businesses as well as personal lives. Some researchers claim women are better with social media while others say men are. To confuse matters further, the LinkedIn research team suggests that women are better communicators in male industries and men are better at marketing in female industries (here is the report).

However, is this a real gender issue–or is it more about the skills needed to get the job done?

In this article, I address specific skills which are necessary to have in order to effectively and efficiently work with these tools. A few are listed below.

Communication and Relationships

To be fair, men can be great communicators in the work place where they are required to communicate information related to their expertise. My brother is a perfect example. He is a doctor and is known for his warm old fashioned bedside manner with his patients. He is patient, takes his time explaining technical diagnoses in simple-to-understand terms. His patients love him. However, as his sister, I find his personal communication skills stink (for lack of a better word) and could use drastic improvement.

On the other hand, women stereotypically speaking are natural communicators. We innately desire more emotional components in our relationships, from the personal sexual aspect to the professional relationships we build in the workplace.

Having worked for nearly a decade from a home office, transitioning to a new job in an office location with other women was something I wasn’t too crazy about at first as I’m quite content minding my own when I work. However, it wasn’t before long I started finding the need to get up out of my chair just to see what was going on with others and start a little friendly chit chat.

While working at home, I had my husband to chat with throughout the day or at lunch. In the office in my new job at the time, I still needed that interactivity–I never knew how innate it actually was in my own life.

Organization and Strategy

Another skill a person who wants to be successful at social marketing must have is the ability to be strategically organized. This means planning campaigns and following through. My husband is a big picture thinker and visionary. He comes up with an idea and yet doesn’t have a clue how to strategically implement it. Just throw it out there and see what happens.

Yes, I know some women are like this too, but I’m talking in general–and yes based on stereotypes. In my current job, I just wrote a press release about our sip solutions for encryption. Sip service or trunking is another term for VoIP, but for business. I created a list of all the places I would need to post a link or reference to this press release. No point in posting it online at our website only to not tell anyone about it–what a waste of time! So, I organized a list of all the places and how to spread the word. I also wrote a blog post on the topic, creating additional internal linking and relevant content.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, website, blogs, and newsletters–all these had to be strategically worded and sent out. I had to figure out not only what day to send it out, but what time of day in order to be most effective. Even though my male boss said it was fine to send it out on the weekend, I knew I’d be better off waiting for Monday daytime at the earliest. My efforts proved right.

To do well at social media is not about sending tweets at 2AM announcing a random new promo. It’s much more than that. It’s engaging with your audience in a deliberate and well managed and thought out process.

Intuition–Women Tend to Be Better at It

When dealing with social media, the tone of communication used for one company may be different than another. Learning to discern what is appropriate is an important aspect of communicating–it calls for intuition, something women tend to have a knack for.

For example, when working with my husband’s small business in sales, I knew many of our customers were from the art industry and not Corporate America. Many in our industry were mom and pop stores and having a personal touch is what worked for them.

Today, I work with a corporation, where my interactions may not be as personal–but the level of communication skill is–as long as it’s in an appropriate manner. For example, my role may be to ask a lot of industry specific questions to instigate a stronger degree of interaction and debate by those in my circles.

In the end, when dealing with social media tools, does it really matter if the role belongs to a man or woman? My answer is no, as long as the candidate has the proper interpersonal and relational skills needed for that particular job and industry. If they don’t, are they able to adapt and change?

Organization, strategy, intuition, and the ability to communicate effectively with the target audience–these are the skills which an individual who wants to be successful in the social media marketing world must either already possess or show an ability to learn an attain. If they cannot listen, learn and be trained–find someone who can!

Photo by Internet Marketing1

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One reason a parent might choose this path is because of the exorbitant cost of daycare. By working from home, a family can save thousands of dollars a year just by not having to place their kids in daycare.

I have heard of a family who wanted to stay home with their disabled child. They couldn’t find a place to provide attentive and individualized care for their child, without having to take out a second mortgage. The mom found a way to work from home, and have help from the extended family and a hired aide for a few hours a week.

For me, it was an easy choice. I’m a freelance writer and didn’t need a traditional brick and mortar office, so I knew this was a path for our family. Attending our kid’s events and activities is an important goal for me. So, having a flexible schedule and office allows me the luxury of being able to be involved, and still help provide for the family.

The Pitfalls of Working from Home

I learned early on that working from home is not as easy as it sounds. If I hadn’t learned early on, it could have been an actual disaster, because it’s not necessarily the healthiest, both physically and mentally, to work from home.

It’s so easy to succumb to the dangers of staying home all day, even if you are working. The refrigerator is just a short distance away, as is the ‘treat drawer’. At times, it just might be the only exercise…walking back and forth to get a snack. I’m sure you see the dilemma.

Combining the ease of grabbing a snack, along with the idle position a freelancer has sitting at a desk all day, leads to a less than desirable result. However, it’s not just about your clothes feeling a little snug, or feeling mentally drained.

A sedentary lifestyle, combined with extra pounds, can lead to some serious complications. Back problems, sleep disorders, diabetes, and even heart ailments are all conditions that can be brought on, or worsened by an idle life with weight gain.

I knew that if I didn’t get this new habit of sitting and grazing under control, before it controlled me, I would have sabotaged the sole reason for wanting to work from home to begin with. I wouldn’t have the energy to spend quality time with my kids, or go to their events.

I needed to get control over it all, from the snacking to the lack of exercise. So, I did. Planning menus, exercising, and even investing in equipment such as the Bowflex 552 Dumbbells, went a long way in providing a healthy environment. But, I wanted it for my family as well.

5 Tips to Get the Family Involved and Healthy

I knew that in order to keep myself on track, I needed to integrate my entire family into the plan. Besides, a healthy lifestyle is just as good for them, as it is anyone else. So, I came up with some ideas that worked for all of us.

• Walking
  I scheduled a break in the day for my kids and me to walk. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but enough to get our heart pumping a little faster. We could even incorporate a little scavenger hunt in the walk, such as looking for certain leaves, animals, or colors. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we choose another activity such as dancing.
• Cooking
  I found that my kids actually like to help with preparing a meal. So, I make it a challenge for them to find the ingredients, and to learn how to tell the difference between a healthy and fresh ingredient, over a processed one. Grocery shopping is also educational at times, if they come along.
• Water
  It’s common knowledge that drinking plenty of water is good for you. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to accomplish with kids. I have heard of someone who makes it a challenge, or contest. They keep track of how much water they drink on a weekly basis, and the one who drinks the most gets to choose one physical activity for the family to do on the weekend. I haven’t done this yet, but it’s on my list if drinking water becomes a problem for us.
• Charting
  Keeping a chart of all the intake for the family has been a real eye-opening experience. When marking down all the calories, carbohydrates, and fat, it makes you think twice before over indulging.
• Exercise
  Exercising is a great way to get, and stay healthy. It’s also fun to do as a family, and can be a simple game of tag in the yard, or a structured and intense workout program. I found a great one that I can do on my own, or with the family, through reviews for P90X. The best part is that I don’t have to take time away from the family to go to a gym, and it saves money.

I believe that a healthy environment is extremely important to have a successful and productive career at home. It doesn’t matter what your reason for wanting to work from home is, just that you don’t allow the pitfalls to control you. I hope I was able to provide some helpful information, and that you will prosper in work, health, and play.

Photo by rmolnar7

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Take a gander at these top five irritating office behaviors to see if there are any bad habits that you need to break in the workplace:

1. Not responding to e-mails. There is nothing more annoying than a coworker who simply won’t respond to an e-mail, especially regarding an important matter. Is this coworker too busy to shoot an e-mail back as a simple response? Or maybe this coworker lacks the organizational skills to keep her e-mail inbox clean? Either way, don’t commit this cardinal sin. If you don’t have an answer for someone, respond back anyway to tell them when they can expect an answer back from you.
2. Going long on meetings. Going over on a meeting will throw every employee’s schedule out of whack. If you happen to be running a meeting, try to stick to your schedule as much as possible. Remember, shorter is always better. There’s no reason to waste time going on and on about a subject that could be covered in an office-wide memo.
3. Constantly complaining. If you become dissatisfied with your job, it’s easy to catch yourself complaining behind your boss’s back. But no one wants to spend time with a constant complainer, especially since it could ruin their workplace reputation. Keep complaining to a minimum–and save it for the right time and place, preferably outside of work.
4. Not cleaning up the breakroom. If you use something, put it away, plain and simple. Didn’t we learn these rules in elementary school? If one employee is constantly causing a mess, consider putting up a sign in the breakroom to ask all employees to clean up dishes and trash before returning to work.
5. Not taking responsibility for a mistake. This is the most infuriating bad office habit of all! If an employee has made a mistake that has derailed a project, it can be frustrating if she doesn’t take responsibility for her actions. Do your part by trying to set a good example. If you make a mistake, fess up to it. This is a much better tactic than trying to hide your error and worrying that you will be found out.

Photo by uhhey

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Woman Tribune has been around since January 2008 and yet we have never had actual, official business cards. Can you believe that? I know, it is pretty mind-boggling for our world of booming blog businesses, conferences, events and miscellaneous get-togethers. The truth is, I tend to still have a very “old school” outlook on blogging, and I think that is because of the time when I started blogging–before anyone really knew what a blog was and I was told repeatedly that I was merely wasting time sitting in front of a computer for hours on end–as well as why I started blogging in the first place.

I began blogging in order to catalog and sort out my own thoughts and then overcome my own, unique struggles. It was easy. I sat at my computer, typed away and the world made a little more sense afterwards. Even now as I blog for a living, the reason why I started in the first place is still the underlying draw for me. Sit, type, proofread, publish. Easy.

Now we have conferences and events and blogging takes place just as much offline as it does online and I’m still getting used to that. The time has come where I now need business cards. They are a basic necessity, especially since next week I will be attending my first real, blogging-related event (more details on that to come!)

So Woman Tribune now has business cards! They were designed by my partner, which was a huge relief because while I have done a whole lot of graphic design work for a host of clients, when it comes to designing much of anything for my own projects, I freeze. That is precisely why throughout Woman Tribune’s history we went through a lot of different logos and themes before finally settling on the one we have now. A lot. I’m ecstatic with how the cards turned on, but we didn’t stop just there!

Also amongst the Woman Tribune-branded items are magnets and a pen. As well as a mousepad:

And a mug, for the coffee:

Now whenever I look down at my mouse or go to take a drink out of my coffee mug, I get all sorts of motivated and rejuvenated to get work done. Turns out that business-branded paraphernalia is amazing for productivity.

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When you work from home in any capacity, you’re frequently told by just about anyone who knows what you do for a living that your life seems “awesome.” “You get to work from home! In your pajamas! While sitting on your couch watching hours of television! You can take breaks whenever you want! Your time is your own!” Obviously, these people have no idea what they are talking about. The truth is, freelancing is tough and it’s hard to be taken seriously by anyone who hasn’t ever sat in front of their computer for nearly 16 hours straight with a strict deadline looming over their heads.

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The U.S. higher education system has made tremendous strides toward achieving gender equality, but there are still several areas in which women exceed or fall short of their male counterpart. Historically, women have dominated majors like education, English and psychology, while men were more likely to study engineering, computer science or math. Although this may ring true at some schools, it isn’t the standard at every traditional or online college. More than ever, college women are opting to study traditionally male-dominated majors and are breaking enrollment records while they’re at it. As the line between male- and female-dominated academic fields continues to fade, there will be less segregation in the job market and more opportunities for both sexes. Here are 10 majors that are no longer male-dominated:

Computer Science

Men aren’t the only ones who’ve declared their love for computing and designing computer systems; women have also jumped on board by majoring in computer science. Many colleges nationwide have seen an increase in the number of female students majoring in this traditionally male-dominated field. In fact, Harvard reported a record high for female computer science majors in spring 2011, with women making up nearly half of the sophomore class. The increase in female computer science enrollment can be attributed to the growing demand for technology positions and a breakthrough in the way computer science is portrayed.

Photo by BestTechie

Business

For many years, business programs seemed to attract more males than female students. However, there has been a significant increase in the number of women majoring in business and earning MBAs over the last few years. The increase of females at business colleges has a lot to do with the recession and the job opportunities now available to women. A business degree offers flexibility and prepares graduates to enter a wide variety of careers.

Photo by T.U.I.M.

Engineering

Engineering is one of the most male-dominated career fields in the country. A small percentage of women work in the field, but they continue to face a great deal of adversity. With that being said, there has been a notable increase in the number of female engineering majors throughout the U.S. For example, South Dakota State University has experienced an astonishing 43.5% increase in female enrollment in their College of Engineering during the last 10 years. This impressive growth can be attributed to a number of factors, including the weak economy and increased demand for engineers, as well as the field’s favorable salary outlook and improved recruiting efforts by colleges.

Photo by Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth

Agriculture

Agriculture was once considered an all-male area of study, but that is no longer the trend at many American schools today. Female enrollment in agriculture colleges has continued to grow over the years as women learn the importance of agriculture and discover new job opportunities within the industry. Iowa State University has noted a significant increase in the number of women enrolled in their College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with 1,535 females and 1,763 male students enrolled in 2010.

Photo by thegreenpages

Biological Sciences

Biological sciences might have been a male-dominated area of study many years ago, but females have taken their place as the new face of biological sciences. Today, more women than men major in biological sciences. The growth has been linked to women’s tendency to study subjects that will help the greater good and make a difference in society. According to Forbes magazine, biological and biomedical sciences is the eighth most popular major for women.

Photo by annpar

Construction Management

From the labor to the management, the construction industry has long been dominated by men. But times are changing for the field of construction management and it’s starting at the academic level. More than ever, women are starting to major in construction management and leave their front-office construction jobs behind. The rise in female enrollment in construction management programs can be tied to the growing number of professional opportunities and career advancement options that are now available to women in the industry.

Photo by University of Salford

Fire Science

Just as more women have broken into the firefighting field, more are studying fire science to prepare for a career in fire service. An increase of females enrolled in fire science programs may be due to the fact that this degree gives prospective firefighters a leg up in the job market and makes them more competitive applicants.

Photo by gaylezoe

Criminal Justice

Men may have dominated the criminal justice field for decades, but that’s no longer the trend today. Many colleges have seen a significant increase in the number of females enrolled in criminal justice programs. Change isn’t just happening at the academic level either. Women have taken over a large percentage of criminal justice jobs, as well. This increase may be attributed to the growing demand for police and criminal justice services, as well as the positive employment and salary options now available to women.

Photo by rotcav

Information Technology

Although the number of women majoring in information technology varies from school to school, many colleges have noted a significant increase in females within their IT programs. The increased number of female students studying information technology may be due to the growing demand for IT jobs and a growing emphasis on the importance of information technology.

Photo by DBreg2007

Sports Management

Ever since sports management programs started popping up in American colleges, male students have dominated the major. But that’s no longer the case for many schools, which have seen an increase in the number of female students declaring sports management or another related field as their major. Over the last few years, women have started to recognize the exciting career opportunities that sports management offers them, and have decided to put their sports interests and business skills to good use by majoring in sports management.

Photo by MinimalistPhotography101.com

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Women have accomplished absolutely amazing things throughout history and we continue to do the same today. Without the diligent, shameless, kick ass and inspiring activism of women, we as a collective people would not be who we are today and our worlds, no matter how seemingly different in culture from one location to the next, would not be what it is today. And there is so much more to do.

There are countless women’s rights activists, feminists, womanists, humanists and socially-conscious people who participate in celebrating International Women’s Day every year. There are currently upwards of 1500 events taking place all over the world this year alone posted on the official International Women’s Day website. Bloggers have also come to celebrate this day through their blogs, such as the series of interviews the super amazing and fantastic Renee Martin of Womanist Musings conducted with bloggers who make up a good portion of the society and culture blogosphere in 2009. Then again, I could be biased since I was one of the women she interviewed, which you can still read here.

Gender Across Borders is urging more bloggers to step up and recognize and celebrate International Women’s Day with their second annual Blog for International Women’s Day (Blog for IWD for short). Each year, there is a running theme associated with International Women’s Day; this year’s theme is “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.” Going along the vein of this theme, Gender Across Borders is asking bloggers to think about any of the following questions in regards to the U.N.’s theme for International Women’s Day:

• What does it mean to have equal access to education, training and science and technology for women, and how do we get there?

• Describe a particular organization or moment in history that helped to mobilize a meaningful change in equal access to education, training and science and technology for women.

If you plan to participate in Blog for International Women’s Day, add your blog to Gender Across Border’s link roundup of participating blogs and spread the word on Twitter using hashtag #BlogforIWD.

This post was cross-posted from Menstrual Poetry.

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 I have always really loved learning. Expanding on my ever-growing collection of knowledge, even if it’s just in the form of seemingly mindless trivia, excites the pants right off of me. It’s a fantastic hobby of mine. I blame my grandmother, who also helped raise me, and who refused to answer any question I had even remotely related to school or academics, but would make me look up the answers to my questions in the encyclopedia or dictionary. Even if it frustrated me at the time, I can do nothing but thank my grandmother for that now, as an adult.

I have been known to spend hours watching free lectures on a myriad of different topics on YouTube or other websites that offer free literature and lectures. Those websites, for me, are like the equivalent of a kid scoring an extra ten minutes before bed time. It is awesome.

 I was recently made aware of CoursePark, a website that provides people with access to courses that promote career development and advancement. CoursePark is full of over 3,500 courses in a plethora of different fields, including business ethics and law, operations, communications, accounting, health, leadership and internet technology, among others. Some of the courses available on CoursePark are free, but most of them cost $29 per course, per student. Even with the cost, CoursePark offers quality courses for far less money than any college or night class program; at least any I’ve seen.

In addition to catering to countless students-at-heart, you can also use CoursePark as a tool to train your employees or prospective employees, and sell your own courses if you are an expert in a specific field.

You can join CoursePark for free to see everything CoursePark has to offer and how it can help enrich your own brain or help educate and train those joining your association or corporation.

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Teacher discounts don’t often receive the same hype and attention as those for students. But be confident, oft-neglected educators of the world–businesses haven’t forgotten you.

Along with classroom supplies and other learned goodies like books, numerous teacher discounts are offered nationwide, running the gamut from laptops and Photoshop to museum entry and wedding favors. Yes, wedding favors.

While eligibility changes based on where you purchase, most offers are redeemable by kindergarten teachers and college professors alike. Also remember seasonal promos, particularly back-to-school sales and Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. Merchants without regular promotions often roll out limited-time offers.

To add much-needed oomph to our spending, Gift Card Granny compiled an extensive list of the 67 most lucrative year-round discounts for teachers. Keep in mind, however, that policies vary greatly by location. Some give a different percentage off, other shift discounts over time, still others simply don’t honor deals. Call ahead before making a purchase to avoid frustration at checkout.

Arts, Crafts, and School Supplies

1. The Container Store The organizational aficionados at The Container Store provide a 15 percent discount on all items through the Organized Teacher Program. Register online for a free discount card to use for in-store and online purchases. If you visit a store, be sure to have your school ID.

2. Office Depot The free Office Depot Star Teacher Program grants privileged educators (aka those who sign up) 10 percent back in rewards points on ink, toner and paper purchases. You also get 15 percent off the price of all copy and print orders placed online or at a brick-and-mortar location.

3. Fedex Office Just for being a schoolmarm, the handy print mavens at Fedex Office give you 15 percent off nearly all products, including brochures, business cards and photos. Call ahead to be sure your intended purchase qualifies for the discount. Nothing like being left high and dry when grades are on the line.

4. Staples Register for the Staples Teacher Rewards Program to garner 10 percent back in rewards points. The program covers a slew of products, from ink and paper to teaching and art supplies.

5. Ben Franklin Crafts Tuesday is the new Friday at Ben Franklin Crafts, an online craft store with kiosks in supermarkets and local pharmacies across the nation. Shop on Tuesday to take 10 percent off all purchases. Be sure to have your school ID on hand.

6. Joann Fabric The free Teacher Rewards Discount Card entitles educators to 15 percent off all purchases. Home schoolers are also eligible for the card and new members receive a 20 percent off bonus for signing up.

7. Hancock Fabrics Flash your valid school ID at most Hancock Fabrics retail locations and be rewarded with a discount of 15 percent on all purchases.

8. Michael’s Apply for The Knack Faculty program to receive discounts on a slew of purchases. Offers differ based on item, time of year and store location. Check by phone beforehand or register for email updates on exclusive sales and promos.

9. Discount School Supply Discount School Supply doesn’t run a rewards program, but certain purchases are eligible for a teacher discount if you call ahead or ask before finishing an order. The online store trades in a wide variety of supplies, crafts and games for early childhood educators.

10. A.C. Moore The A.C. Moore Teacher Discount Program grants educators a discount card for in-store purchases, including home schoolers. Mail a copy showing proof of your status to A.C. Moore to sign up. For a mailing address and acceptable forms of ID, visit the A.C. Moore FAQs page under “Discounts.”

11. Izzit.org Teachers are human too, meaning just like every human, they were born on a particular day. Join Izzit.org and receive one free educational DVD on your birthday. The company specializes in videos for older students, so only teachers of grades 6-12 can apply.

Books and Media

12. Barnes & Noble The bookworms at Barnes & Noble grant a generous 20 percent off hardcover books and 15 percent off softcover books at every retail location throughout the year. Unlike similar offers, sale items are eligible as well, but discounts on those vary by location.

13. Borders Register for the Classroom Discount Card, a brand spanking new program that entitles librarians and teachers to 25 percent off most purchases. The discount is for those who teach preschool to high school and available in-store only.

14. Half Price Books Sign up for the Half Price Books’ Teacher and Librarian Card and be rewarded with discounts of 10 percent year-round. Visit any Half Price Books location and show your school ID for the free card. As per usual, the card is only valid for in-store purchases.

15. ShopPBS ShopPBS is one of the few book and media outlets to offer an online discount for teachers. Register for the PBS Teachers Program to take 10 percent off your first purchase through the store.

16. Books-A-Million Certain brick-and-mortar locations grant teachers a 15 percent discount on most purchases just for asking. Call ahead to be sure your local store honors the discount and, if they don’t, see if they offer a compromise.

17. Book Warehouse The perks of flashing that school ID aren’t lost at Book Warehouse. Show your valid school-issued card for a 15 percent discount on most in-store purchases.

18. Churchill’s Photography Teachers are lovers, too, and just as most lovers do, they strive to get married. They especially strive to save money doing so. Teachers in Florida will receive 15 percent off wedding packages from the Palm Beach studio Churchill’s Photography. All other photo services earn a 10 percent discount.

Clothing

19. Ann Taylor Loft Fashion forward educators are rewarded for their posh style through the Loft Loves Teachers program. Register to get 15 percent off all in-store purchases, plus an introductory discount for new members.

20. The Limited Show a school ID or valid pay stub when you shop at any The Limited locations and snag 15 percent off your entire purchase. The offer is good for all items on the racks, walls, or tables. In other words, everything.

21. Aerosoles Are you a member of the National Education Association? If so, show proof of your membership at any Aerosoles store and take 15 percent off any purchase from the apparel and footware mavens. Aerosales has locations in 16 states on both coasts and in between.

22. New York and Co. New York and Co. grants any educator with a valid school ID 15 percent off every purchase at participating locations, keyword participating. Call ahead to be sure your favorite store honors the offer.

23. J. Crew Visit the local J. Crew, flash your school ID, and be rewarded with 15 percent off designer duds from the dapper dudes.

24. Banana Republic Banana Republic offers a 10 percent off deal to any teacher with a valid school ID. Another caveat fiend, it’s only good at participating locations. Call before you shop.

Electronics and Software

25. Apple Store he House of Jobs is surprisingly generous to teachers, offering 5 percent off all in-store purchases with proof of employment as an educator. This includes librarians, home schoolers and university profs.

26. Bose The Bose offer is primo, particularly for those in need of sonic stimulation. Variable discounts are available on all music systems and accessories. Call the Customer Focused Development Team at 1-800-353-4027 for pricing and to place an order.

27. Dell Buy direct from the Dell online store and get 2 to 4 percent off the final price of any desktop or laptop, as well as software a peripherals. Call Customer Service at 1-800-999-3355 before paying to apply the discount.

28. Cell Phone Companies (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint) This discount is a tad tricky to redeem but can save loads on a personal cell phone bill, sometimes up to 20 percent a month. Visit your providers business or discount portal and input your .edu email address to check if your institution is registered. Example: Search “Verizon business discount” in a search engine and click on the first result to register or check an existing discount.

29. Adobe Shop direct from the Adobe Education Store and receive 25 to 75 percent off all software, including bundles and suites. Adobe requires proof of employment as an educator before applying the discount. Scan your school ID and email it to Adobe for a promo code to enter every time you pay. The offer isn’t good for home schoolers.

30. HP Register through the Academic Purchase Program and take up to 10 percent off nearly any purchase, including computers, printers and ink.

31. Lenovo Teachers earn 5 percent off any purchase from the computer connoisseurs at Lenovo simply for being, well, themselves. Call Customer Service at 1-866-968-4465 to apply the discount.

32. Sony Sony keeps well-trained cornea on teachers through its aptly-named Eye on Education Program. Discounts on projectors and flat-panel displays vary when you register and buy through the program portal, but most lie in the 5 to 10 percent off range.

33. Software Express The online outlet Software Express grants discounts up to 75 percent on a host of programs, including Adobe, McAfee and Symantec. Submit copies of your valid school ID and state driver’s license to Customer Service before completing your order.

34. Academic Superstore Academic Superstore is another online software outlet that sells a slew of products for up to 85 percent off. Discounts are available year-round with proof of employment as a teacher.

35. Gradware Gradware is the final in a gang of three software suppositoris and–surprise, surprise–its offer is similar to its brethren. Send Customer Service a copy of your valid school ID to be eligible for a variety of discounts.

Food

36. Pizza Hut Feed your pizza monster for cheap when you dine at any Pizza Hut location. Show your school ID for discounts of 10 to 20 percent off any meal.

37. Starbucks Deals at the world’s most iconic coffee shop vary widely by location and the baristas working. However, they’ve been known to give discounts by request. Build a healthy rapport to up your chances.

38. Charm City Cakes The darlings of Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes” program don’t advertise a particular discount, but they’ve been known to give educators a price break. The bakery’s creations are available to clients within a 4-hour driving distance of downtown Baltimore.

Furniture

39. Room Store Furniture Let your school ID loose for 10 percent off all furniture and accessory purchases at all Room Store Furniture retail locations. The business has showrooms in eight states, primarily strewn across the southeast.

40. Cost Plus World Market Educators in San Francisco and Oakland can snag a 10 percent discount year-round on all items. Other locations may honor the award, but give them a ring to be sure or do some gentle convincing.

Gifts

41. Life’s Little Favors Remember the aforementioned wedding favors? Well, buy to your hearts content from the online favor boutique and take 10 percent off with a valid school ID. Call Customer Service at 1-800-406-9985 beforehand for verification instructions.

Hotels and Attractions

42. Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel Teachers are eligible for a variety of discounted rates at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel, located securely in the center of Walt Disney World in Orlando. Availability also varies based on season and demand. Mention you’re an educator when booking.

43. Marriott Hotels Marriott grants teachers a discount at a slew of hotels across the nation. Whether you book online or in-person, show your school ID at check-in to receive the special rate. Rules on this discount are a bit vague–they mention government employees, which would imply only public school employees–but most hotel employees don’t bite. Feel free to ask.

44. Regal Cinemas Regal Cinemas regularly have discount tickets for teachers (and students), good for all show times. Call or visit beforehand, as not every location honors the discount or offers the same price. Like there’s time for a film with all those papers piling up, anyway. Guess that’s why summer exists.

45. Sea World Orlando Register for the Teacher Study Passes program, an exclusive for K-12 teachers in Florida, and get unlimited free admission. Bring a copy of your Florida teaching certificate, a current pay stub and photo ID to the Sea World Orlando front gate to obtain a new pass or renew an old one.

46. National Park Service Show a valid school ID at a slew of National Park Service visitor centers across the nation and receive 15 percent off any purchase. The discount doesn’t apply to park entry fees, camping fees or Smoky the Bear petting zoo fees.

47. Kennedy Space Center Florida treats its teachers well and occasionally lets folks from Georgia in on the fun. Registered educators from both states are eligible for a free, full-fledged Educator Study Pass. Show a valid teaching certificate and recent pay stub to any ticket agent for an annual pass.

48. Origins Game Fair Plan on visiting the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio from June 22 to 26 this year? Sneak ticket agents a peek of your school ID or teaching certification for a free convention badge, god for one day of entry.

49. Forever Young Med Spa Banish evil skin to dermal limbo at Forever Young Med Spa in Cooper City, Florida. All Florida-based teachers get 20 percent off any service, including laser hair removal, botox injections and other non-invasive skin care services.

50. Gatorland Yep, Florida again. Teachers with a valid school ID snag free admission from September to October at the 110-acre alligator farm in Orlando.

Museums and Zoos

51. Abbe Museum in Maine Teachers with a valid school ID for grades K-12 receive 10 percent off books from the gift shop at this museum dedicated to Wabanaki Native Americans. The offer is good at both the Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park locations.

52. Art Institute of Chicago Teachers at any level are entitled to free admission with valid school ID. The Institute’s extensive museum is at 111 S. Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago.

53. Boston Children’s Museum Despite the name, the Boston Children’s Museum isn’t just for kiddos. See for yourself for free with a valid school ID, available year-round. The museum is at 308 Congress St., just across from the Children’s Wharf Park.

54. Dallas Museum of Art Teachers are eligible for discounted single-day tickets, as well as annual memberships by calling the Members Services Desk at 214-922-1247. Inform them of your status for rates and purchasing info, The museum is at 1717 N. Harwood in downtown Dallas.

55. The Field Museum of Chicago Educators need only present a valid school ID for free admission at The Field Museum in Chicago, dedicated to all things historic and otherwise dug up. The museum is located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, only steps from Lake Michigan.

56. Florida Aquarium All Florida teachers receive one free ticket with proof of employment, including a current payroll code and pay stub. The aquarium is at 701 Channelside Drive in the Channel District of Tampa Bay.

57. Gulf Breeze Zoo in Florida Show your school ID at the ticket office to garner one free admission. Rules don’t specify if the offer is available to all teachers or only those from Florida, so call beforehand is planning a vacation visit. The zoo is located in Pensacola at 5701 Gulf Breeze Parkway.

580. Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Missouri Enjoy a free visit at the birthplace of Missouri’s wittiest state treasure when you complete the applicable teacher form before visiting. You must have an active .edu email address to be eligible. The museum is at 120 N. Main in Hannibal.

59. Mote Aquarium in Florida Teachers will receive one free ticket with any recent pay stub. Present your stub at the admissions desk before purchasing a pass. The aquarium is perched on a lush peninsula at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota.

60. Museum of Science in Boston Teachers of grades K-12 can register for the free Teacher Partner Program at the Museum of Science to receive a slew of exclusive benefits, including free individual exhibit passes, discounted annual memberships, and 10 percent off at the Museum Store. The museum is located at 1 Science Park just off Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

61. New England Aquarium Current teachers get 10 percent off purchases at the gift shop and a 10 percent discount on family memberships with a valid school ID. The aquarium is at 1 Central Wharf in Boston.

62. Orlando Museum of Art Florida educators can receive a discounted annual pass by contacting the museum box office at 407-896-4231. The museum is at 2416 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando, near Lake Estelle.

63. John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Present a valid school ID at the box office to snag a discounted day pass at the estate-turned-gallery in Sarasota, Florida. The museum, named for John Ringling of Ringling Bros. circus fame, is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road.

64. Science Museum of Minnesota Minnesota teachers can apply for a $60 annual household membership, $35 off the normal price and good for all family members. Present a valid school ID and current pay stub at the box office when purchasing. The museum is at 120 W. Kellogg Blvd. in St. Paul.

65. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago Teachers are eligible for one free general admission ticket with a valid school ID. Present ID before purchasing at any box office window. The aquarium is located at 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive in the same complex as The Field Museum.

66. South Florida Museum Teachers will garner free admission with a valid school ID at this regionally-flavored marine life and history museum. The building is at 201 W. 10th St. in Bradenton, under 50 miles from Tampa.

67. The Tech Museum in California All California teachers can earn a free annual membership with a current California teaching license. Present a copy at the box office before purchasing. The home of “Body Worlds 2″ and numerous Silicon Valley-inspired exhibits is at 201 Market St. in San Jose.

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Most people lead very hectic lives; we’re just plain busy. From the moment we wake up in the morning until the time we fall into bed at night, we try to navigate our lives through some pretty impressive and not-so-easily-controlled-chaos. I don’t know how many times I’ve said the words ‘Sorry, life got in the way.’ And that is exactly what life just has a habit of doing.

Now more than any other time in most of our lifetimes, we see people attempting to truly better their lives as well as their financial standing as they try to recover from the damage that has been done not just nationally, but globally, by The Great Recession. People are doing this by going to school or going back to school, but most people have a whole lot more going on in their lives and just don’t have entire days available to attend classes, lectures, write papers, and focus on schoolwork, especially when most people are working full-time jobs or raising families or both. This is precisely why Online College has become so popular in recent years.

More than 1/5 of all higher education students are taking at least one of their courses online–that is nearly 4,000,000 students. Ashworth College is a leader in online education; one of the biggest reasons for that, I can only assume, is because it is a phenomenal bargain when compared to other online education programs. Research shows they Ashworth College is as much as 88% cheaper than bachelor’s degree programs at traditional college institutions, while also making it possible for their students to receive one of more than 100 nationally accredited career diplomas. Going to school is a huge investment and even after you receive your diploma, you’re paying off student loan debt for years. With Ashworth, there are no student loans; instead, Ashworth offers zero-interest financing plus a low monthly payment plan. According to them, your monthly payments can run as low as a couple of large pizzas and your tuition also covers all of your course materials and books. This is the first time I have heard of a school of any kind set up their payment options quite like this while also including everything you will need to complete your work right in the tuition.

Check out the Ashworth Video Gallery to view testimonials from past graduates, events, and discussions from real people who have chosen online college programs. You can also read Ashworth College Featured by National Education Report, an article of how Ashworth College is changing online education.

Online college courses give you complete control over your education and your life. I always said that if I were to ever go back to school, I would most likely take online courses just because I have been working from home, in front of a computer for so long. It’s a comfortable setting for me and I would have the ability to complete my work on schedule without the stress of having to make it to classes on time and also, some people just don’t excel in a classroom setting, which is another reason why I have loved the idea of online education courses since they first started becoming so popular.

Freedom to study where you want, when you have the time to really focus on your work, and without the stress of student loans and debt. What other reasons do you need to look into online college courses?

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In order to score the interview for that job you saw that you swear was made for you, you’re going to need a resume and because you have a lot of competition, being one person in a big crowd of people who all firmly believe that job was made for you, you’re going to need a resume that accurately sings the praises you know you deserve. So here are some simple things you can do to improve upon that resume you’ve been pouring over.

• Keep it up-to-date
  If you’re still sending out the resume you wrote three, six, or even twelve months ago, make sure to take a few minutes and think back over the course of where you have been and what you have done since you first wrote your resume. Have you acquired any new skills or become more proficient in something you didn’t feel confident including in your first draft? Be sure to add them before you change anything else. Potential employers want to know who the person applying for the job they are offering is now, not who they were a few months ago.

• Organization is key
  If you Google how to write a resume, you’re going to find a ton of results that look super fancy, have embellished language and design and frankly, a lot of stuff that doesn’t need to be there. To pull off a distinctly professional and clear resume, all you need to know is how to use headers to announce distinct sections of your resume and bullet points to separate your thoughts and experience.

• Don’t marry your words–self-edit
  Speaking of embellished language… a resume is a list of your skills and accomplishments and it is meant to be a quick way for your potential employer to see if you possess the skills and knowledge in order to get the job done. While correct spelling and grammar are a must, you do not need to include your life story in your resume, nor do you need to write more than what is necessary. Keep your resume condensed and easy for someone to read quickly.

• Use keywords
  Managers who are constantly receive a high volume of resumes are beginning to rely on search systems that filter through someone’s resume and places them in an automated search based on whose skills match those of the job description. Use keywords when and where they make sense, but be sure to include the keywords that you saw in the job description for the job you’re applying for without copying and pasting the full job description language.

• Include your name in the file name
  Instead of just naming your resume ‘resume’ on your computer and sending it to your potential employer, be sure to get noticed and stay noticed by including your full name in the file name of your resume. For example, your file name could be “Jane Doe Resume” or you can also include the date along with your name to refresh the employer’s memory of who you are and when you first showed interest in the job.

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Everyone has different reasons for deciding to work from home, but when you decide to work from home as a freelancer, getting started could end up being what makes you decide to retreat to the formal workforce again.

When I first started working from home, I know that I would not have been able to stay afloat for more than two months, never mind four years, without the help of some truly amazing friends. I was lucky, but a lot of women aren’t so lucky when it comes to getting up and started as a home-based entrepreneur.

So where do you go to get your first opportunities? When you finish your first job, what’s next, where do you go from there and where do you get more freelance gigs?

5 Minutes for Mom, a tremendously popular community for moms, recently added a job board to the website. The job board pulls in project listings from all of the top job board and websites for freelancers to find opportunities to help moms find real work at home opportunities. The opportunities the job board pulls up are from sites including Elance, Freelancer.com, ScriptLance.com, among others.

After looking through the job board I found that most of the opportunities look legitimate and could very well end up being worthwhile opportunities to keep your work day full and exciting. There are a few of them that look more than a little suspicious, but not too many and I think they’re pretty easy to spot so you won’t be wasting your time. What I really like about this site is that instead of going to all of the freelance sites you can find individually and searching through countless categories, this job board pulls in all of the relevant job opportunities and makes them easy to find in one place.

If you’re looking for legitimate work at home opportunities, you should definitely check out the 5 Minutes for Mom Job Board.

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For a little over a month now I have been making a conscious effort to be up during the day and to sleep during the night. You know, attempting to keep the same schedule as all of you normal people out there who work real jobs and keep real schedules. It has been difficult. You would think that if I just slept during the night then obviously I would be up during the day and able to work and get everything that I set out to do every day accomplished. I thought the same thing and I was wrong.

Sure, I’m up during the day, but I am not able to work. I end up sitting here all zombie-like, trying to force words to come to my brain and get my fingers to type the words into the computer and then suddenly I’d have some awesome stuff written. And you know what else? All of you people out there whose day job it is to develop Facebook games, I am not happy with you. Well, in a way I’m extremely happy with you, but my productivity is not happy with you. So while I am here during the day, sitting here trying to force the productivity to take place, I don’t manage to get much done and for the most part, I have come to the conclusion that I’m just insane. That has to be it! It is the only logical conclusion I can come to and I’m sure it’s the only logical conclusion that all of you out there reading this can come to. Anything else just doesn’t make sense, right? RIGHT.

When you work from home, as I do and have done for the past five years, it’s important to keep track of trends; especially when you work from home primarily as a blogger and freelance writer. I’m not talking about boyfriend jeans or mom jeans or whatever type of jeans people are making fun of this week. It’s important to keep track of what is being read and most importantly, when. Turns out that everything happens throughout the daylight hours. Imagine that! Emails get sent during the day, people expect replies to emails during the day, people write during the day making all of the important news and information spread like wildfire throughout the day, and even the majority of people read websites throughout the day. Everything happens during the day, so it would make sense to do business during the day.

Except for when your brain doesn’t function during the day, even with copious amounts of coffee. But I do get a great deal of work done, it’s just during the night time hours. Like right now. Right now at around 4am and all of my writerly mojo is flowing and everything is just great. The words come, the fingers type and before you know it, I have over 600 words typed into this little box.

But that right there–this, the entire point of this post, is where the writer and the professional blogger with the professional presence clash. A great deal of people find that they can only truly get great work done when the mood is right. For me, it has always been when everything is dark, quiet, and there is a stillness that cannot be mistaken with anything the daylight has to offer. But when the business world operates during the day and you operate at night, it’s easy to always feel like you are playing catch-up. Not just when it comes to returning emails and phone calls in a timely manner, but even when you’re working with strict deadlines or just deadlines you’ve placed on yourself.

So what do you do? Well, I’ll let you know when I’ve got it figured out. I do know one thing for certain though, and that is that just because you make the conscious effort to accomplish your to-do list every day does not necessarily you can make it happen–especially if your to-do list heavily relies on you being creative in any way whatsoever.

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Ever since the economic downturn, jobs have been extremely hard to come by. I know of a lot of people in my very small town that have been out of work for over a year and despite their best efforts, they can’t seem to land a stable job. We’re not talking about high-paying, lucrative jobs here, we’re talking about anything and everything from retail to call centers where people are willing to work, yet they remain adamant on not hiring.

While I work from home and am very happy doing so, a great deal of people are taking this downturn in the economy and turning it into an opportunity to completely change the focus of their careers. Those who have been laid off or let go from jobs they have been at for years are finding themselves back in the school environment, taking classes, and getting certified for brand new careers where they are in high demand.

A rewarding career that is always in style is teaching. Educators have the opportunity to inform, influence, and pave the way for future generations of people to change the world. It was because of an English teacher I had in seventh grade that I developed the passion for writing and stuck with it throughout my entire life, and did something with it. Without that teacher, I do not know what I would be doing right now, but it surely wouldn’t be writing because I didn’t give myself that time to realize that writing could be fun, cathartic, and something I really enjoyed doing.

If you are an aspiring teacher or a current educator who wants to expand their horizons and move on to bigger and better experiences where you will be influencing the next generation of movers and shakers, the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC offers an amazing program to earn your Master of Arts in Teaching degree. Better yet, because we all live with schedules, errands, you may have a family you need to attend to, and you just may not have the time to dedicate to a full-time, in-classroom experience, MAT@USC offers you the ability to study online.

MAT@USC offers their online students a great deal of opportunities and privileges that go above and beyond just the pride felt from becoming part of the elite USC Trojan Family. USC offers a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program, scholarships to make paying for your education a realistic opportunity, and a chance to learn from distinguished USC faculty who have been recognized for their contributions to modern education.

Even if you are foreign to the ways of the internet and what studying online would bring to your life, USC offers easy technology that introduces you to the interactivity of the program you will be learning in. This technology is so above and beyond what other online programs have to offer that Rossier and MAT@USC has garnered awards by AACTE for innovative use of technology in education. Their program is highly interactive and also lets you learn through field-based experience in your local area. USC has also been ranked as #22 in United States and #9 among all private universities by US News and World Report, so you know you will be receiving a quality education.

To ensure you reach your goals, MAT@USC offers an accelerated program that you can complete in as little as 12 months, allowing you to begin your career sooner than if you were to attend a local university.

If you have a passion for teaching, be sure to check out the program information for MAT@USC and see how they can make your aspirations a reality.

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If you are a start up or small business owner, odds are you’re going to need a business phone service. (You’re not going to tell prospective clients to call your cell phone much longer…) Here’s a tip that’s going to make your business look bigger, better, and smarter: Use a Hosted VoIP service.

What is Hosted VoIP?

Voice over IP (VoIP) is the growing technology that allows you to make phone calls over your internet connection. You may associate Skype with VoIP, which is an app that allows you to call another Skype user. However, there are phone services that integrate with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), allowing you to make and receive phone calls like you would on a traditional phone.

Because of its relatively new emergence to the market, a VoIP service may seen intimidating. But, I’m here to assure you it’s actually cost efficient, reliable, AND easy to set up!

Why is VoIP Great for Small Businesses?

First and foremost, VoIP is great for small businesses because of its cost efficiency and ease in setting up. Frankly, if you choose a hosted VoIP service, you won’t need to pay a phone company to wire a business phone at your office or home. Instead, you’ll sign up for the service, purchase an IP phone to plug into your internet connection, and you’re set. Also, the actual phone service is cheaper because long distance calls are essentially local calls; voice data travels over the internet until it reaches a local PSTN to transfer to the recipient.

Secondly, VoIP has great features and scalability. You will find, using a hosted VoIP service, that you can choose a package that fits your business needs and budget. “This technology allows for businesses to take advantage of services like auto attendants, conference bridges, voicemail servers, video conferencing, click-to-call website integration, business hours routing, and voicemail-to-email notifications…” says TechCrunch. In addition to these features, you will be able to:

• Add users (extensions) in a matter of a few clicks as your business grows
• Answer your phone from the road using a smart phone app or your laptop in your hotel room
• Transfer calls to your remote employees with extension dialing (available with some services like OnSIP)
• Take your phone system with you when you move to a new office.

How Do You Get Hosted VoIP?

Well, of course I am biased, since I work for a great Business VoIP Service, OnSIP. You can easily sign up and try our service. But, feel free to weigh your options by Googling “Business VoIP”. Remember if you choose Hosted VoIP, all you will need are IP phones (e.g. Cisco or Polycom) and a broadband connection. Or, you can always email me with questions. Good luck in growing your business and communications!

- – - – - – - – - -

Nicole Hayward is the Marketing Director at Junction Networks, the creators of OnSIP Business Phone Service. Joining the software development industry after a traditional engineering education, she became passionate about discovering new software tolls for business efficiency and success. Follow Nicole and the rest of her team on Twitter @OnSIP and on the OnSIP blog. Or, you can email her at Nicole [AT] JunctionNetworks [DOT] Com.

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One of the biggest and most influential necessities you need for your business (and for your business-like image) are printed goods–things like business cards, stationary, flyers and brochures and businesses like Kinkos can really rob you blind as they up-sell you on pretty much everything. What businesses of this sort do is try to squeeze every last cent out of you and you invest the money knowing that there’s no way around it, you need these items and these places are so well-marketed that you really believe that they are the end-all and be-all of businesses who can effectively help you brand your business and and yourself as a professional business contact.

There are an abundance of resources online to help you with your business branding and printing needs; if you are a start-up company or just a blogger in need of some professional and aesthetically-pleasing business cards for an upcoming bloggers conference where you will undoubtedly encounter other bloggers-turned potential loyal readers and influential companies, it is always wise to do your research and search online for a company that can really produce the product you need at the quality you pay for. Online printing can save you a bundle because regardless of the time of year, there is usually a sale (or multiple sales) going on. Online businesses have a tendency to really appreciate their customers and even create professional relationships with people who do business with them frequently and online printing services tend to have even more products, services, templates and samples to choose from because of the versatility of the internet and the diversity of their clients.

An excellent online printing resource for small, start-up and home-based businesses is PsPrint. They are a leading printing company and have an extensive list of products and services ranging from the practical, like business cards, flyers, booklets and brochures, to the really cool, like greeting cards (the holidays are coming up and now is the perfect time to start planning sending out holiday cards to your customers, clients and partners with your business logo on them!), pocket folders and door hangers. They can also handle bigger business printing needs like full catalogs, menus and sticker printing (something fun to hand out during blogging conferences or when pitching your business to prospective clients.) Their prices are also great for small businesses, their stickers starting at just $40. They also have a slew of great promotions going on to help you save even more money when you do business with them. Their brochures and greeting cards are currently 50% off, business cards and postcards are 40% off and posters are an astounding 60% off! That is some major savings to be had there!

Online printing is most definitely the way to go when you’re looking for high quality printed items for your business at the right price.

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Because of the employment drop, many people are frantically searching for employment opportunities wherever they can. Many people are going back to school, either opting to take classes at vocational trainings and community colleges. But no matter how bad this recession gets, or if it eventually drops off into a depression, there is one field that is always in great demand for committed employees.

Healthcare professionals will always be employed because people never stop getting hurt. Emergency rooms are always packed, regardless of the area you live in because kids fall down and gash their heads and break bones, as well as a myriad of other accidents that happen involving children. People are consistently being diagnosed with diseases and cancers and doctors and nurses are there to help aid patients in any way they can.

While healthcare professionals of all varieties are in demand, one healthcare profession that won’t lodge you in the ER for days at a time and will also give you the opportunity to travel and see the world; that profession is travel nursing.

A travel nurse gets a ton of perks all while performing a job that they are passionate about. The perks they receive are unlike any I have seen in any other professional out there, especially now. Along with excellent pay, from the first day you become a travel nurse, you receive health, deal and life insurance benefits immediately, as well as a 401k plan. You also receive free continuing education units, a prestigious loyalty program and regardless of where you choose to work, you receive free, private, furnished housing with utilities.

Travel Nurse Across America is a company for travel nurses that believe in long-term relationships and treat their nurses with the respect and courtesy they deserve. Nurses are never harassed by a myriad of phone calls and mailers. They offer the very best compensation for travel nurses; they compensation package and support has even been praised as the best in the business.

Travel nursing is by far one of the best employment opportunities I have seen rise up above the rest, especially during a recession, and because so many millions of Americans have lost their jobs and have nowhere to turn, this is the perfect profession for RN’s and other healthcare professionals looking for a great career.

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While it may be difficult to find the right fit for you as far as schools go, if you are interested and serious about event and wedding planning, there is no other choice for excellent schooling than Sheffield.

In 1985 Sheffield began as an interior design school and has since expanded. Located in Manhattan between Grand Central Station and the United Nations, Sheffield is in the design capital of the world and is home to the top professionals in the world to offer you an excellent, top notch education in event planning, feng shui, interior design, wedding planning, and much more.

The wedding planning course offered at Sheffield is a comprehensive curriculum that will set you apart in the work force and includes twenty complete lessons with additional supplements, a study guide to lead you step-by-step through your lessons and a personal student adviser, internship projects, and everything you will need to perform your career seamlessly as a wedding planner and bridal consultant.

Really, with an education from Sheffield you will turn your passion into a career and will undoubtedly have your pick of professional careers in any location you wish to live your life.

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American scientists have finally proved a widespread opinion that nothing effects the productivity of our work more than mood. Nancy Rothbard from Warton University of Pennsylvania and Stephanie Wilk from Fischer College of Business in Ohio investigated the work of call-center employees from different US states. During 3 weeks, Rothbard and Wilk were studying their behavior and changes in mood depending on the situation at workplace. The experiment clearly showed that nothing effects quality of work more then a mood. Employees who were starting their day on an optimistic note were much more attentive to clients and needed less coffee breaks during the working day. On the other hand, employees who come to work in an upset mood have less contacts with clients and are less responsive.

I never even doubted that personal and team mindset had a strong effect: goal-oriented and optimistic people inspire colleagues and show great results. At the same time if you “wake up on the wrong side of the desk,” it’s really hard to set yourself up to work. In this case it’s extremely important to brace up, set right priorities and reach your targets. Otherwise, any deficiency in work, any little problem will let you down and thus form a vicious circle. An employee who gets bored with routine is much more likely to notice each and every drawback in his work and to be completely disappointed in it.

Quite often employees’ mood is in tight connection to manager’s personality, charisma and ability to inspire the team. Mood and will to work do not always depend on material things. If a manager doesn’t use non-material factors to motivate subordinates, then he shouldn’t expect them to work properly even having decent salaries. Success is guaranteed if the manager sets clear, attainable goals and shows sincere gratitude to employees for their positive achievements.

The other side of this question is an inspiration. When you apply for new job you feel simply elated and during first few months this inspiration helps you to overcome all the difficulties that may arise. If you have chosen the right job then this initial inspiration should slowly transform in a much deeper feeling – passion for work. Psychologists say that one has to be honest with himself and start searching for new work as soon as this passion disappears. Unfortunately it’s not always possible due to multiple reasons and sometimes you just have to switch your attention to other positive moments that can be found in any job.

To sum up I would like to repeat that experiments clearly proved that start-of-day mood is a determinant of employee performance. Every manager has to consider it his duty to take special care about team’s mindset that assures good work results.

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Ksenija has a small travel agency in a nice little country in the suburbs of Europe who is interested in receiving high profit with minimal expenses. It is for that reason that she runs her blog, Unusual Business Ideas, where she discovers and shares stories from all over the web.

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Microsoft Office Live Small Business has rolled out some big changes to make customizing your Small Business website even easier.

There is a new custom color selector, giving you more options as far as color selections go for your website, making it easier to match colors in your business logo or other branding elements you have for your business. There is a new custom page zone resizing tool letting you think outside the box when customizing your existing web page layout template. You can now resize individual zones within a template with a simple mouse click and drag and drop action. There are also new custom backgrounds for your website and finally, the ability to add a new PayPal button, making it easy for you to sell products and/or services via your website without having to bother with a full-blown ecommerce solution.

There are even more improvements in the works for Microsoft Office Live Small Business. Microsoft will continue to improve their service for all small business owners who want the ability to easily manage their businesses online.

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The receptionist is the customer’s first impression of a company, and although receptionist jobs don’t require a university degree, you must be able to multi-task, answer the telephones, deal with inquiries, work with databases and staff, and facilitate the general day-to-day running of the company.

In this age of automated phone systems and electronic communication, people genuinely appreciate being able to speak to a human being. Because of this, receptionist jobs are being valued more, as they become a rarer commodity amongst the backdrop of out-sourced admin and automated responses.

Working in receptionist jobs is not suitable for everyone. Direct person-to-person contact is a skill that needs to be honed, so that the crucial first impression potential clients have of the company is favorable and positive. The receptionist should put people at ease and inspire confidence. He or she should give the impression the business runs smoothly and visitors are welcome. A detailed knowledge of the company and employees is essential, so inquiries and telephone calls can be channeled towards the right department without delay.

The great variety of tasks involved in receptionist jobs means the job is challenging without being greatly different each day. Receptionist need to be computer literate, have a good telephone manner, and be an accomplished communicator. Patience and forbearance are handy attributes when dealing with members of the public! Not all interactions are pleasant, and some may involve delicate, awkward, or even unpleasant communications.

People applying for receptionist jobs need to be aware that sometimes things can go wrong. In which case, the ability to handle complaints with politeness, in a level-headed and fair way, is essential. However these situations are rare, and by far the biggest reward of receptionist jobs is the ability to help people achieve their aim, and enjoy the recognition you receive from having done so.

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People who conduct business from home are realizing within just the first few months that the days of home offices filled with standard office equipment such as something as simple as a filing cabinet is no longer needed. All of your important documents and files can easily be kept on your computer and since you will surely be spending a considerable amount of time on your computer to keep up with your budding business, keeping your business files on your computer is more convenient and easier to keep track of. But what do you do when your computer gets a virus or you do a virus scan and find spyware and malware on your computer that you can’t get rid of?

There are a great deal of risks that one must take as soon as they choose to keep important documents on their computer. You must be prepared for something to go wrong with your computer at the most crucial and inopportune time. Some feel a bit safer with their documents by keeping them on an external hard drive, backing up their important files and keeping them on a private server or even keeping copies of your files, printed out and kept in a filing cabinet. One of the most convenient aspects of home businesses is that all you should need is your computer, whether it be a desktop computer or a laptop that you can easily travel with and never have to miss a day of work so keeping run of the mill office furniture in your home-based business is being counterproductive and you are making your business and organization more difficult than it has to be.

Did you know that something as simple as computer software can eliminate not only these, but many other risks that people take when doing business on a computer? A computer’s operating system is the most crucial and important aspects of your computer; if your operating system is not functioning to the best of its ability then you, and your home-based business are not functioning to the best of your ability. If you are using a PC you may feel that you are limited with what operating system you can choose to run your computer on. The simple fact of the matter is that most businesses and even people are not using the one Windows operating system that has been tested and proven to work most effectively for individual users and is the absolute best operating system for home-based and small businesses to run on–Windows Vista.

Windows Vista has less than half of the security risks that Windows XP, the most common operating system PC users are using today, has; with a 60% less likely change to be infected by spyware or malware. If that doesn’t make you more comfortable, you are also guaranteed the peace of mind and know that your important files and documents will not be lost while they are on your computer since Windows Vista has also implemented a new Windows Backup and Restore Center. Vista is the most secure Windows release to date, which is comforting since the amount of people who use and have used Windows XP know the frustration that sets in when your computer gets a virus you can’t seem to get rid of or your computer freezes or applications randomly crash for no reason. People who run small or independent businesses have polled to be up to three times more favorable of Windows Vista just after using it and adjusting to its interface and superior quality.

Since its launch, Windows Vista now supports more than double the number it supported at the time of their initial launch; the PC world is moving over to Vista–Are you willing to be more productive in your business and make the smooth transition over to Windows Vista?

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On one hand, you have the luxury of working when you want, not having to ask your boss if you can duck out for a smoke or have to plan your meals around a business schedule. On the other hand, you always tend to not work as much as you had planned, get distracted a lot more easier especially if you do work that puts you in front of a computer and of course there is the case of the impatient freelancer who checks their PayPal and bank account and the client who suddenly disappears right in time–Just as soon as you send out your invoice.

As I have already blogged about, Victoria’s Secret is currently in the midst of having their semi-annual sale; that combined with a wedding reception I attended recently that I desperately needed a dress for as well as thinking I could afford a little frivolous spending did not help the current situation that I am in.

So, as any normal person who knows they’re broke but isn’t aware of just how broke they are, I avoided my bank account. I have not looked at my bank account all month and I was really loving that arrangement; however, I noticed this morning that I am half way through my last pack of cigarettes and oh no, I need to buy more! And so, with many belly somersaults and the feeling of nausea creeping in, I checked my bank account balance.

Luckily, I have enough money for the carton of cigarettes that will save my life as well as my ability to work and earn the money that will replenish my bank account because I got nothin’!

Makes you wonder where the money I did have went. Oh yeah, shoes, undies, tank tops, pretty pretty dress. Sigh…

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