We’re all unique and many of us take great pride in the way we express ourselves through our clothing, accessories and language. One challenge that many people, especially younger folks just entering the workforce, face is whether or not to limit one’s self-expression during a job interview. I’m often asked philosophical questions about conforming for the sake of landing a job and some people are more adamant and/or sensitive about the issue than others. Some are the typical rebels without a clue while others have passionate beliefs that they like to express through their appearance.  Read more... (558 words, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

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The Karate Kid is one of the classic movies of the 1980’s. It inspired boys (and girls as well) from middle school to college to take karate lessons and stand up to bullies – the latter being a common theme of the movie that many kids could relate to.

If you’re not familiar with the film, it’s centered around Daniel LaRusso, a teenage boy who recently lost his father, who moves with his mother from New Jersey to California. Daniel quickly makes some new friends and is invited to the beach where he meets Ali Mills, the school sweetheart. In an act of chivalry to protect Ali from her ex-boyfriend, he inadvertently makes enemies with a gang of karate students from the notorious Cobra Kai dojo and that’s where the fun begins.  Read more... (623 words, 2 images, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

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This question, which may also be phrased as “why do you want to leave your current job?” is one of the most common questions asked during an interview (and rightfully so). As interviewers, we want to know why things didn’t work out between a potential hire and his or her past/present employer.

Sometimes, the answer is easy:  Read more... (446 words, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

• The employer had a reduction in force.
• The employer is relocating and the employee doesn’t want to move.
• The employer is no longer in business.

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The 1975 boxing match where virtual unknown Chuck Wepner nearly went the distance with then World Champion and boxing legend, Mohammad Ali, inspired Sylvester Stallone to write Rocky. Rejection after rejection didn’t deter Stallone from pursuing his dream, he persevered and eventually saw his script make it to the big screen (where he was able to star in it). The film eventually won an Oscar for Best Picture in 1976.  Read more... (244 words, 2 images, estimated 59 secs reading time)

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This month’s theme for the Video of the Week is “Inspiration from TV & Movies.” Let’s face it; the entertainment industry is one of the biggest influences in our lives regardless of how much we try to not let it. But as much as sensationalism of celebrity scandals and “art” trying push the moral envelope tends to dominate the news, there are a lot of things that we see both on TV and in the theater that can truly inspire us.

So this month, we’ll focus on some of the more powerful scenes of inspiration and motivation from film and television.

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On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, the biggest news story of the year in the U.S. is about to hit full force. Will we have the first Mormon, Black, Italian or female President? Will John McCain or John Edwards fare better this time around? Will one of the lesser known candidates surprise the world tomorrow? No one can say for sure, but it’ll certainly be exciting to watch.

I came across an interesting link from WQAD that ranks all the candidates based on your stances on major issues. Simply answer the eleven questions and you’ll see your results (note: the system will also include candidates that are no longer running). You can visit it at http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460.

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