LinkedIn User Stats By Network, Profiles, Groups and Applications

LinkedIn User Stats By Network, Profiles, Groups and Applications LinkedIn now has 150+ million users. But how are those users really using the world largest professional networking site? Good question which this infographic will try to answer. Here are some of the highlights of the study. First off, most users (90.9%) use the free version of LinkedIn and the rest have an upgraded paid account. Probably the way it should be, paid accounts are typically only useful for people using LinkedIn for recruitment or business development. Most users (51%) have between 0-500 first degree connections on LinkedIn. Compare that to recruiters using LinkedIn, they have an average of 616 first degree connections (more at How Recruiters use Social Networks). This is interesting: only 50.5% of users have complete profiles as defined by LinkedIn. Getting a complete profile is really simple so wonder why so few people have done this? The majority of LinkedIn users are in 10 or more groups. 10.4% of users are a member of the maximum 50 groups. Being in more groups gives users more visibility and ability to search for others, something only one in ten users have clocked on to. How must time are users investing in LinkedIn? No surprise here that the biggest group (47.6%) only spend between 0 and 2 hours on the network per week. Only 10.5% of users spend more than 8 hours on LinkedIn per week, probably the same users that are members of 50 groups! What do people like about LinkedIn? Most users say they like Groups, people searching, finding people they might know, seeing whos viewed your profile and looking up company information. No mention of snooping on competitors or looking up ex-girlfriends. Related reading: Global LinkedIn Demographics and Statistics 2012 Source: Power Formula

Real Career Girls CEO Spotlight Annbeth Eschbach, Exhale Spa

Real Career Girls CEO Spotlight Annbeth Eschbach, Exhale Spa Find some invaluable wisdom on  entrepreneurship and how to successfully juggle it all from Real Career Girl  Annbeth Eschbach, founder of Exhale Spa. We spoke with lifestyle magnate Annbeth Eschbach, founder of Exhale Spa. After graduating from  Northwestern University, Annbeth pursued a masters degree in Business Administration from NYU’s  Stern School of Business. In addition to her all-consuming post as CEO of Exhale, she has also served as  President of the Board of Directors of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. Here,  you’ll find some invaluable wisdom from her on entrepreneurship and how to successfully juggle it all. 1. It seems your brand is rooted in the core belief of work / life balance. How important is this to a  successful career, and how do you do it? Do you have any advice for women trying to achieve this equilibrium? Work life balance is extremely personal and unique to each of us. For some, taking time off is stressful.  For others, being reachable 24/7 is stressful.  I believe it is critical to create the right structure and environment that will foster personal and  organizational success. And to me, that means sorting out what the brand and Company needs to be  successful, and structuring the organization, business practices, and culture to address those needs. It  also means sorting out my personal and home life in a way that sets me up to do what I have to do. In order for Exhale to thrive, we decided when we founded Exhale that we need people that are first and  foremost talented and capable, but that is just the first cut. In order for someone to be a good cultural  fit, they need to be engaged, passionate, soulful, a team player, and have a very high work ethic. If that  set of attributes, and expectations would create stress for you, disrupt your personal balance, then you  would be miserable at exhale and this is not a great fit. For others, who thrive in a high energy, high work ethic, and high achievement culture, Exhale is a  rewarding, fulfilling environment and career.  Not sure I can provide advice for others. What works for me is I do not expect to have on-going  equilibrium â€" there are just lots of moving parts and ups and down. I have four things to balanceâ€"and  one is sure to be out of balance at any one time. I accept that, and it makes me calmer. I also constantly  remind myself how grateful I am for the things that are in balance. 2. Youre your own boss. how do you collect feedback so you can constantly self-improve, even in a  leadership position? I report to a board and receive feedback from them from time to time.  I am also pretty introspective and question my actions and decisions at every turn.  But the major source of feedback comes from my senior team, and I am pretty comfortable that I know  when I am failing or thriving or need some re-tooling. We truly live by a set of mantras, several of which  rule our interactions, keep me humble and inspire me: We are fully committed to the success of our company and each other. We speak with integrity. We operate only from positive energy. We are passionate about expanding our expertise. We are constantly evolving and embracing change. 3. Whats your favorite Exhale class? Core fusion barre and  Core fusion yoga 4. How do you unwind (when not working out)? We go to Shelter Island on weekends, where we have a home in Dering Harbor. It is the most peaceful,  low key, natural, and uplifting place in the worldâ€"the antidote to New York City. 5. Looking back, since founding the company in 2002, what has been your biggest challenge in building  your business? After opening our first 6 spa and fitness boutiques, in NYC, Boston, Dallas, and Chicago -the world  changed and the winds shifted. Everyone in the industry was put to the test in the economic downturn,  and it was that period when we learned that we had something pretty special. At a time when many  spas were contracting, shutting, and the luxury spa sector was heavily hurt, Exhale was recruited heavily  by developers of hospitality residential projects that needed the brand + programs to drive rev par,  occupancy and sell residential product. This allowed us to more than double the size of our company funded entirely by developers. From  2007 to 2012 we opened 11 boutiques in partnership with developers that viewed Exhale NOT as an  amenity but a central component because of the brands ability to positively influence the economics of  the project and drive incremental business. 6. Biggest milestones? 1. After opening our third boutique in 2005, Exhale was named one of top ten brand stories in  the market place by Fast Company alongside Apple, Kimpton and Southwest Airlines. 2. Being selected by American Express to open in their Centurion Club Lounges at DFW and  MIA. 7. After your MBA, you worked in the fitness industry. what gaps did you see in the market that you  thought Exhale would fill? When we started Exhale the fitness and spa marketplace looked very different than it does todaythe  space was littered with beauty and pampering day spas, health clubs that offered “group fitness” and  yoga studios. We believed then, that the fitness and spa world needed to move in another direction. We passionately believed that what the world needed did not exist- A modern space in urban markets offering boutique fitness and spa, and a  brand + experience that would deliver the kinds of powerful life changing results that are achieved at  destination spas without having to travel from home and disconnect from your daily life. Exhale was the first concept to break away from the traditional spa and gym orientation to create a new  paradigm â€"integrating mind body spa + boutique fitness class programs under one roof.  Exhale was conceived as a lifestyle brand â€" not a luxury, never as an amenity, but an everyday  experience. Since inception, Exhale has grown from passion, vapor and vision to a leading well-being brand in a really  hot industry with 27 operating boutiques in 11 markets, 2,000 associates, dozens of proprietary core  fusion barre fitness class programs, and award winning spa therapies, and a growing following with an  emotional energetic and social connection to the Exhale brand. 8. Do you find you have to constantly reevaluate your business model so it fits different markets? if so,  how? for instance, i see you are expanding into places like the Caribbean, which likely have different  clientele. Exhale began as an urban experience …. but now that we have opened in resort and hotel properties,  our guests follow us from NYC + Boston to T+C, Miami, and Santa Monica and soon Bermuda so  Exhale has now become a destination as well as an urban everyday brand. 9. What have you learned on this journey that you wish a mentor would have told you when  founding your own business? 1. Trust your instincts 2. Learn how to find your own mojo when your well is dry 3. Avoid insecure, competitive, toxic people 4. Play by the same rules you expect everyone in your organization to play by 5. Do not play by anyone else’s rules in your industryâ€"play your OWN game.

Investors fund mostly men, which is fine for women

Investors fund mostly men, which is fine for women This post is cross-posted at TechCrunch. We need to get more guys who are running tech startups to decide instead to be stay-at-home dads. What do you think of that? Stupid, right? Thats what it sounds like when anyone suggests that we need to get more women doing startups. If you are worried that women dont feel capable of doing whatever they want, you can stop worrying. Women outperform men in school at such a huge rate that its easier to get into college as a male than a female. And women take that to the bank by earning more than men in their 20s. Women would probably continue out-earning men except that when men and women have kids, women choose to downshift way more often than men do. Clearly, women have a choice. There are plenty of opportunities out there for women if the women would just continue working in their 30s the same way they did in their 20s. So clearly, women dont want to. Women are choosing children over startups. So it seems that women are making decisions for themselves just fine. Its just that they are not the decisions that men make. This should not surprise anyone. Men and women are different. So what? On top of that there is evidence that the members of the VC community go out of their way to attract women. Of course, this makes sense. VCs look for underserved markets. Women are likely to address different markets than men, and since there are so few women founders compared to men founders, its likely that women are addressing an underserved market. So VCs want to talk to women. So VCs are definitely giving women a fair shake, its just that women dont pitch. And women are definitely feeling that they can do whatever they want, its just that women arent choosing to create tech startups. So what? Lets look at all the women writing articles saying that we need women to do startups. Heres an article by Jean Bittingham. She says the world needs women entrepreneurs now more than ever. But what has she done? Shes an author and an academic. Of course. She has no idea what life is like running a startup, so she thinks its a good idea to tell other women to do that while she writes books. Ive done both startups and book writing, and book writing is like a vacation compared to a startup. Heres a post by Tara Brown wondering why women dont comment on VC blogs. Heres the answer: Because women dont care. Is that okay? I actually wonder why Tara cares, because shes a web site producer. I dont think she has ever raised money for a startup. But I can tell that all three times Ive done it, raising money for a startup has been hell, so I think we should really be asking why anyone would want to try to convince someone to do it. TechCrunchs Alexia Tsotsis has taken on the cause of women in tech. She writes about it a lot: heres a piece where she rips on how mainstream America identifies with women in tech. But the problem is Tsotsis has never said why women are personally suffering from not being involved in the tech startup life. Really, how is it making any womans life better to say that women should be doing startups? And hey, if startup life is so great then how about trading in the writers life for a founders life? Its really different. Try that for a few years, and then tell all the other women you know, who are outearning the men they know, or taking care of kids, to trade their life for startup life. The people trying to give solutions are as lame as the people pointing to a problem. Whoever started the TED Womens conference is pathetic. Which would you rather say you spoke at? TED? Or the TED Ghetto? Fred Wilson says there arent enough women running startups. What does this mean, exactly? He acknowledges that women dont want to do startups in their 30s. And he himself points out that by the time women are 40 and they want to go back to work full-time, these women are not going to relocate to Silicon Valley. But the truth is that if there were really a problem with there not being enough women running startups, then people like Fred would fund startups in suburbia. Hed fund startups that run at half-speed to accommodate carpools. Hed fund startups that have part-time ambitions. Hes not doing that, though. So clearly there is not THAT big a problem that women are not running startups: The market for funding has spoken, and it is still funding mostly men. Peter Thiel recommends that women start companies from age 20-25 so they have one under their belt before they have kids. But why? Is he noticing that women who are 20- 25 are sad about where their life is going? Peter, heres some news for you: Women are most happy, in their whole lives, at age 28. So I dont think you are identifying a problem here. I dont think women are lamenting at age 28 that they did not found a startup at age 20-25. (Something to think about: Men are most unhappy at age 28. Maybe it is because they are so obsessed with launching a startup.) Sheryl Sandberg says that women need to lean into their careers. Sandberg runs Facebook. Shes doing a great job. She also has two young kids, and a husband who works at a startup. I think youd be really hard-pressed to find a mom with two young kids who wants Sandbergs life. Which is why women are not leaning into their careers like Sandberg says they need to in order to get to the top. Pew Research shows that most women who have kids would rather have a part-time job than either work full time or stay at home with kids full time. This sheds a lot of light on why there are so few female founders, doesnt it? But now I have an idea: How about giving some respect to women who grew up in the 1970s, with feminist revolution baby boomer moms, and are still brave enough to say I dont want to work full time. I can work full time. But I dont want to. Here is a Blueprint for a Womans Life which I published. It is full of recommendations for how to make choices based on what we know women really want for themselves. It does not involve getting VC funding. Because women are earning more money than men in their 20s and underrepresented in the startup world in their 30s and 40s. And I dont hear a clamoring of women in the US who are saying I want to do a startup and no one is letting me! In fact, women are starting small businesses without VC help, at a very high rate. For the most part, women are not complaining about the lack of VC funding in the world. They are complaining about the lack of jobs with flexible hours. And I dont see anyone on TechCrunch addressing that when they address women. Men could change the world by staying home with their kids and parenting them. Men would provide a totally different perspective as the lunchroom parent. They would ask for totally different after-school programming. Men would hire different babysitters and different SAT tutors. Because men are different than women. This is the same argument people use for why more women should do startups: They will have a different perspective, think of different models, lend a different sensibility to the industry. The problem is that people do not need to be told what they should choose. People are pretty good at making choices for themselves. Men can stay home. Women can do startups. The thing is, most dont want to. And thats okay.

3 Times When it Makes Sense to Pay for a Job

3 Times When it Makes Sense to Pay for a Job If you have been through a job search you may understand more than others why finding a job is a full-time job.In recent years, the frustrations with spending time and money to go on job interviews while staying focused on your career and current employment has led job searchers to seek out both time and cost-saving solutions.They are willing to pay for a job. They will pay someone in a job search firm to handle the task of finding them job interviews. If this sounds crazy to you, read when it makes complete sense to pay companies to perform a professionally managed job search on your behalf.3. When You Can’t Risk Losing the Job You Have NowIt is a good time to outsource your job search when you have the sensitive type of work situation in which the slightest hint of you looking for new work can cost you your job.For example, companies that need to protect their own intellectual property may let you go out of fear you will interview with a competitor.Paying for a job search firm wi ll also make sense to you if your future with a company has stalled due to reorganization or a merger.If job seeking costs money, you will need your current full-time job to pay for it anyway. Why not protect your job and yourself and pay for an outsourcing firm to do your job search?2. When You Lack Confidence in Your NetworkingYou might be a person with a great education, plenty of hard skills, and a strong business acumen, but if you are terrible with networking online, it makes more sense to pay for the job search to be done by a professional on your behalf.What are you paying for exactly? You are paying a firm to take on your job search from the creation of a resume to the moment you get hired.You know you do well in job interviews and get along great with others in the office. Getting the job interviews is the real hassle.If you have no idea how to network, dislike it, or cannot sell your resume to companies, paying for a job search is a valuable service.You are relying on oth ers to handle the stages of a job search that most find difficult: Being invited or asking for interviews.1. When Your Idea of “Professional” Is Not Aligned With Current Job Search TrendsIf you have had a job for the majority of your career, neither had to interview nor job search before and suddenly find yourself looking for work, it would make sense to pay for a professional job search firm to help you.Trends in resumes, interviews, and online communications are forever changing. What you said in a cover letter 20 years ago was professional then, but now may seem cold and outdated.If you know you are the best job candidate for a job, but have a hard time communicating it, paying to outsource your job search to people who are familiar with current job search trends makes good business sense.Closing ThoughtsAre you worried about paying a professional to do your job search? Do you find there to be something unethical about it? Are you worried about how much outsourcing your job s earch will cost?Remember this the next time you doubt contacting a professional to do your job searching:“He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” - Abraham LincolnIt pays to have a company take on your job search. This way, all the evidence used to present the case, proving that you are a perfect fit for a job is properly represented to hiring managers and recruiters with an objective view.

5 Careers You Can Get With a Masters in Financial Economics

5 Careers You Can Get With a Master's in Financial Economics Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comA Master’s in financial economics is a degree fit for some of the fastest growing careers. The program prepares students for jobs in finance, banking and asset management. Graduates are skilled in various areas of economics, such as investment banking, economic forecasting, financial markets and financial management.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for economists are expected to increase 6 percent over the next decade. Employers seek out candidates with a master’s degree or higher and who possess strong analytical and quantitative skills.Here are five careers that you can get with a master’s in financial economics.1. Management AnalystevalManagement analysts act as consultants to help businesses improve profits and minimize costs. They analyze data and conduct research to advise their clients on appropriate decision-making strategies.Candidates for this position should have knowledge and skills in financial management and strate gic planning, which are incorporated into financial economics degree courses.2. Financial ExaminerFinancial examiners perform evaluations of financial reports and statements. Their job is to ensure that companies are in compliance with state and federal regulations and laws. A master’s in financial economics is an excellent program that prepares individuals for this profession.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, courses in finance and economics along with job training qualifies for the position.3. Budget AnalystBudget analysts work together with program managers, analyzing budgets and preparing financial statements for their organization. They track budget reports and make recommendations on complex fiscal matters, including reviewing and editing proposals and ensuring that spending stays within compliance laws and regulations.Individuals who complete a master’s program in financial economics take courses in accounting, finance and strategic analysis, which are required for budget analyst positions.4. Personal Financial AdvisorPersonal financial advisors may work with one company or act as a consultant to several clients. They provide advice on various matters that affect their clients’ financial status, investments, insurance and tax planning.evalDuring a master’s program in financial economics, students take courses in financial decision-making, economic forecasting and financial investments, which are needed for this position.5. Financial AnalystFinancial analysts guide their clients to make sound financial decisions. They research economic trends and assist their clients on ways to capitalize on lucrative financial opportunities. Courses in investment, financial markets, economic forecasting and financial decision-making are offered in a financial economics curriculum.If you’re handy with interpreting and comparing data, you might find a job as a financial analyst a good fit for you.Graduates of a master’s in financial economics qualif y for a many professions that enable them to analyze data and make financial decisions on behalf of their employer or clients. They are required to take core courses in economics and financial management. They can also choose elective courses to help them develop a focus on different areas of financial economics.evalMost employers in the public and private sectors need individuals that possess expert skills in economics. Job opportunities are continuing to improve as more companies seek out innovative ways to maintain their competitiveness in these industries.

Keeping Politics Out of the Workplace

Keeping Politics Out of the Workplace Taking Sides: Politics in the Office. What is TMI? With national politics constantly in the media and on the publics mind, it can be difficult to keep political opinions to oneself in the professional setting. Colleagues who voice their political viewpoints whether around the water cooler or via social media could create discomfort or voice unintended biases against coworkers above, below, or beside them in the reporting structure. The New York Times recently reported the results of a Social Science Research Network study demonstrating the substantial influence of CEOs political preferences on employees and how they think about elections. Does an employee’s political view garner a similar response? The workplace?is an obvious environment in which political opinions can arise but making them known publicly can affect ones relationships at work. I interviewed Jane Trnka, SPHR and Executive Director of the Career Resource Center at Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business, to provide a few best practices for sharing political opinions at work and on social media. She recommends the following tips and advice to encourage a professional level of political discourse among co-workers as well as on social media platforms. In the Work Environment Take the conversation outside or avoid it altogether If you find yourself in a political conversation and think it will be lengthy or has the possibility to get contentious, suggest moving the discussion after workhours. Your employer expects you to be productive at the office. Political discussions can disrupt your work as well as that of others in the office and can have the long-lasting effect of generating disharmony among colleagues. While in meetings and presentations, keep your political views to yourself, including comments on the latest tweet storm or presidential gaffe. Should political comments come up, quickly shift the focus back to the meeting’s intent â€" the rest of the room will appreciate it. When politics get involved, a partnership that took years to build can crumble in seconds. Question the relevancy If asked during an interview or business meeting about your political opinion, inquire how it relates to the role, company, or project. If it does not, politely suggest you return to the topic of conversation. Trnka further suggests, “If this happens during an interview and it negatively impacts your chance of being hired, reconsider whether the organization is the best fit for you anyway.” On social media Watch your language Anything , “The language you use portrays your personality and impacts your credibility as well as that of those you associate with. Assume that everything you post will be seen by the world â€" because it can be.” Whether they admit it or not, hiring leaders review candidates’ Facebook and Twitter profiles for red flags. How much your online activity impacts the hiring decision depends on the nature of the job, but if it is down to you and another candidate who has a more professional online identity that won’t rub internal and external stakeholders the wrong way, who will they choose? Beyond evaluating your skill set, employers look for a cultural fit to see if you have staying power within the organization. Consider a secondary profile If you insist on using social media to express your political opinions, create a separate social media handle using your middle name, for example, to separate these posts from your business persona and connect with personal and professional contacts through the appropriate handle. Know your audience Consider how your current and potential business associates will react when they read your social media comments. Be aware of the “halo” and “horn” biases. These happen when we draw a general impression of an individual on the basis of a single characteristic, such as political view. Sure, some may think you are wiser, but the negative consequences can far outweigh the good. Subconsciously or deliberately, you may be overlooked to work on a high profile project or not invited to brainstorm a new idea based on your political opinions. “In all cases, it is best to know your audience so you can engage in a constructive and respectful conversation,” says Trnka. “Be respectful of others’ opinions. Someone once suggested to me, you have a right to your opinion, but it does not mean that your opinion is right, especially to the other party.” Expressing political views at work or on social media is a risk that can negatively impact your professional relationships. You may be trying to deepen your business connections, but those who disagree may also discount your business acumen and the valuable contributions you bring to your organization. If you want others to judge you and engage with you based on your professional qualifications, keep your election day activities between you and the voting booth. Join Dana Manciagli’s Job Search Master Class ® now and get the most comprehensive job search system available!

Outgoing Answering Messages, the Phone and Your Job Hunt -

Outgoing Answering Messages, the Phone and Your Job Hunt - Photo by The GC Four Its not rocket science potential employers and everyone else will judge you based on anything you offer them.   A typo on your resume?   Youre careless.   Unkempt appearance?   Youre a slob.   Unprofessional phone greeting?   Youre unprofessional! Since no one wants to hire someone who is unprofessional, take the time to make this very easy check of your outgoing phone greeting. Does it contain music? Are there childrens voices? Is there background noise? Does it make an effort at humor?   Is it cute? Is it political? Religious? If you answered yes to any of these questions, stop everything you are doing   change it now! Record a basic, easy to hear greeting:   Hello, you have reached April Showers.   Please leave a message and I will return your call.   Thank you. Listen to the greeting.   Is it garbled?   Did you rush it, as if you were escaping a fire but wanted to record the message first?   Re-do it!   Ask your hard-of-hearing neighbor to call and listen.   Does he understand what you said?   If so, you are golden! Now, dont get me started on kids, family members  or roomates  who answer the phone and dont relay messages.   Or who tell the caller that youre stuck under the car trying to rescue the cat.   Or in the bathroom, and you wont be out for a LONG time.   Try to give out a number on your resume that only you or a trusted adult will answer. Usually, that is a mobile number. Many of us answer our phones whenever they ring even when we are driving or in the middle of a mob of screaming baseball fans.   If you are job hunting, be aware that trying to scream, I cant HEAR you or cursing the driver who just cut you off as you are picking up your phone does not offer the impression you want to give your prospective employer. Once your resume is out there, be aware that any time the phone rings, it might be your dream job on the line.   If youre in a bad or loud spot let it go to voice mail (to your nice, clear, professional greeting), listen to the message and call back as soon as possible.   You (and the caller) will be glad you did. Need help with your job hunt?   Resume needs updating?   Dont know where to start?   Keppie Careers will coach you every step of the way:   www.keppiecareers.com.