Tattoos And You

by cjxpadmin | Aug 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE

By Sheena Williams

There are many reasons people get tattoos. This article is not an attempt to tell you if you should or should not get a tattoo. This article is not an admonishment of getting one, or whether it was right or wrong for you to get one. This article is assuming that we are past that point. You got one, and now, you need to know how to cover it up. Regardless of how you feel about tattoos, their use, or decoration of your feelings, sometimes they need to be hidden. Getting a tattoo is a deeply personal choice. However, keep in mind that for some, getting tattoos was not a choice, it was a way for survival. Some live in a conservative area and will, from time to time, need to dress up, or hide your ink. Below are some suggestions to help you out!

First off, I will give you a brief explanation of what a tattoo is. A tattoo is a type of body modification where indelible ink is put into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. There are normally two ways to hide a tattoo when you are working. One is with clothing and the other is with makeup. Both ways have their pros and cons, so we’ll go through both. Then, there are some non-traditional ways that we will touch on briefly.

Clothing:

Ways to hide tattoos with clothing include, but are not limited to, wearing long sleeves over full arm tattoos, wearing slacks to hide leg tattoos, or using an extra shirt to hide tattoos under sheer tops. You can also wear long skirts that hide tattoos around your legs or upper thighs. Maybe you could wear large watches or bracelets to cover wrist tattoos.

Pros:

1. You can hide the tattoos without the process being messy.
2. Inexpensive, chances are you already own enough clothes to successfully cover them.
3. Convenient, it doesn’t take a lot of time to put on an extra shirt.

Cons:

1. It’s going to be warm and summer comes pretty fast when you’re wearing extra layers of clothing.
2. It may feel restricting and you may have a job where you need to move around freely.
3. Jewelry and such may not be allowed, depending on what type of job you have.

Make-Up:

Make-up can cover a lot of things, i.e., acne, scars from burns, and even facial tattoos. You can go to a department store and buy make-up, such as Derma Blend, that was created specifically for covering tattoos on your face and other body parts. Or, you can go to your local drug store and purchase a few products in your shade and follow these steps. (Please make sure that your tattoo is fully healed before doing this!)

1. Using a concealer that is a few shades lighter than your skin tone, cover the tattoo completely. Allow the concealer to dry.
2. Using a foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly, apply a few coats of it until you have covered the light concealer. Allow the foundation to dry after each application.
3. Finish by applying a matte powder over the top of the foundation. Make sure that the powder matches your skin tone as well.
4. Allow the area to dry before touching it or attempting to cover it with clothing.

Pros: 

1. It’s cooler than wearing a lot of clothing.
2. It’s non-restrictive, the make-up rests on your skin so there is nothing to snag or bunch up.
3. There aren’t many work restrictions on wearing make-up in the workplace.
4. If done properly, it’s unnoticeable by most.

Cons:

1. You have to make sure that you are not allergic to certain types of make-up or have sensitive skin, so be careful.
2. It’s not convenient. To do the job correctly, take a few minutes until you get used to doing it in the morning.
3. For those not used to wearing make-up, you will know you’re wearing make-up, so it will feel odd at first.
4. It may stain your clothing, if you do not let it dry properly.
5. Sweating is a fact of life. Try to get make-up that is waterproof.

Now, there are some non-traditional ways of covering up tattoos that we haven’t mentioned yet that may also help you when covering your tattoo.

Band-Aids: Cloth, adhesive, or patches. All of these come in a variety of shapes and sizes or can be cut to the size you need. They also come in flesh tones that can blend in with your skin.

Arm Sleeves: You can by sleeves specifically made to look like skin that will cover up your tattoos.

Spirit Gum and Liquid Latex: This could probably go into the make-up category, but I put it here due to its availability in certain areas. The same items you pick up during Halloween to achieve those monster effects can also be used to cover up your tattoo. It’s also cheaper to buy around the holidays. So, if you get the chance, it might not hurt to stock up on theatrical make-up during that time of the year. It’s better then regular drugstore make-up, but much less expensive than the stuff you will buy at a department store. It can also be shaded to match your skin and it helps with those tattoos that are slightly raised off your skin.

Pros:

These options aren’t hot and can be used all year long.

There is nothing that will feel restricting when you wear them.

Most workplaces have no problems with any of these methods.

Cons:

Availability: in some cases, you may have to wait for a yearly event or order online, if you don’t live in a major city.

Expense: If you put a name on something, it can raise the price tag. Shop around, if you feel the need.

They may take some getting used to when you first start wearing them.

Regardless of how or why your got your tattoo, we hope we have given you some options that will help you cover them, when it is necessary. △

Are You Afraid of Succeeding?

by cjxpadmin | Aug 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE

By Sheena Williams

There comes a time in just about everyone’s life when it feels that it’s being put on hold. You’re stalled due to lack of money, job, or support. Then, there are those times when you don’t really have a good excuse for not succeeding. Everything is going well, but you just can’t get to that next level. Those are the times when you need to take a good look inside and see if you are self-sabotaging your success.

It may sound strange, but it happens quiet often. You can be afraid of succeeding, so you hold yourself back because, subconsciously, you are afraid of what comes next. And this is true. In some cases, when you reach the top, you find that there isn’t really a top; it’s just another milestone in the success that you are trying to achieve. Maybe you’re not an attention seeker. You want to succeed, but you don’t want the limelight that comes with the achievement. Then you have those who don’t feel that they deserve success for whatever wrong you feel you did in your past. Stop that!

Regardless of what your reason is, it is human nature to want to do well. It is in your genetic make-up to succeed. If you don’t want to succeed for yourself, then, look at it this way. There are people who look up to you. Family, friends, your kids, Sparky, your dog. All of them are on their own journeys to succeed. And when you reach your goals, you tell them, without saying a word, that it’s okay to let their own light shine.

So, in an effort to help your little light shine, we thought we’d give you a few things you could do to give yourself a boost!

Be Positive. Yes, every self-help guru in the world will tell you that you need to think happy thoughts. But negative thoughts keep your from moving forward. When you think positively, you are giving yourself permission to realize your potential. Positive thoughts will give you that extra push of courage you didn’t even know you needed to achieve greatness!

Achiever Tip: Take time to write down all of the things you have to be grateful for!

It’s All About the Big Picture. You are a cog in a very large wheel called Life. When you do something great, it pings the rest of world with a signal that tells others they can be great too. You don’t have to go out and feed 20 of the nation’s hungry or teach impoverished children in Tibet how to read. You can do something as simple as lending an ear to the people around you. Your positive vibe gives others reasons to be positive which will come back to you.

Achiever Tip: Volunteer for a day, or spend quality time with your loved ones just talking about your day.

Finding Yourself. With all of the things that you have taking up your day that you are trying to keep up with, it’s very easy to lose yourself in the problems of others and the daily grind of your responsibilities. But take time for yourself to find your voice. You can’t have a dream if you don’t remember what it is you are striving for. All of the things you do are supposed to be working to get you to a specific result. Take time to see where you are on that plan. If you’ve veered off, adjust and keep going.

Achiever Tip: Write down something that you would like to get done in the next 3 years. They don’t have to be important or even practical. Just write them down and see what steps you can take to get yourself there.

Create A Success Space. Everyone needs inspiration. Maybe, it’s a board with some of your favorite quotes on them. Maybe it’s a file filled with magazines with creative art, or a bookshelf with knick-knacks and reference material for your next goal. When you feel as if you’ve lost your way, go to your area and go through the things that you wanted to do. Look at the lists of things that you’re grateful for and the list of things that you want to do, and adjust, where needed.

Achiever Tip: Set up a corkboard you can take things to or a file on your computer where you can paste pictures. Find things that inspire you to get to where you want to go.

Learn. Practice makes perfect, and what better way to achieve your goal then to find someone or something who will teach you the best route to reach that goal? Take a class; pick up a book at the library and self-study. Whatever it takes, keep learning. It keeps your mind sharp and focused on your goals.

Achiever Tip: Find your local library and take a free class, pick up a free book, or talk to someone who is interested in the same things you are!

Balance is Key. It’s awesome that you are fast tracking your way to your goal. It’s great that you can see the finish line. But pump your breaks and check to see if those around you are at the finish line with you. Often times, while trying to reach a goal, we forget the reasons we are reaching that goal. Is it a better life for your family? That’s great, but if you don’t see your family, they aren’t going to appreciate your goal as much, which will hinder your progress because you’ll feel guilty. Are you neglecting other areas of your life trying to reach the intended goal? There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, but there does come a time when you can throw your life off balance.

Achiever Tip: Make a list of reasons that make this achievement worth it, and see if the reasons encompass all parts of your life, not just a few.

Believing You Deserve It. You worked hard to reach that goal. You put in the blood, sweat, and tears to make it. Don’t ever think that you don’t deserve to be where you are. Ignore naysayers who say you only got there because you were lucky. You made your own luck. You may have had help; we all do, but you got there through a lot of your own work as well. Maybe by achieving that goal, you can make whatever is keeping you from succeeding right. Maybe you need to forgive yourself before you move on. Whatever it is, all thoughts of your deserving success are not even a question and should never plague your thoughts.

Achiever Tip: Look at the list of what you want to accomplish and write down all of the positive things that you do that makes you worthy of achieving that goal.

The most important thing when achieving a goal is to make sure that it’s the goal that you want to achieve at the time. You may want to do something and find that you have outgrown that dream. Sometimes, a dream isn’t always plausible until later. No one is saying that your goal can’t be done; it just may need to take a back seat for a while. Whatever the case, just keep working on reaching your goals and never be afraid to succeed! △

10+ Tips to Avoid When Job Hunting

by cjxpadmin | Aug 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE

10 mistakes to avoid when job hunting

Don’t take your eyes off the competition, but do take a break. Here’s advice on mistakes to avoid when looking for work

_________________________________________

Simon Gray

the guardian.com, May 28 January 2013

_________________________________________

Don’t be afraid to blow your own trumpet Photograph: Terry Cryer/ Terry Cryer/CORBIS

Applying for jobs is often a difficult and demoralizing process, but it’s important to stay positive and learn from your mistakes. Here are ten common mistakes you should try to avoid:

1. Passing On Responsibility For Your Job Hunt

It’s important that you don’t try and blame others for your job hunting difficulties. Focus on positive action rather than negative thoughts. Brush pessimism to one side and look to the future. What’s happened has happened, but by taking control of the current situation and letting your personality shine through, you will overcome this.

2. Make Your Job Search Your Sole Focus in Life

Enjoy family time, eat well and exercise. Leave the house each day, volunteer, learn new skills, meet people and maintain a balance in your life. We all need interaction and variety: often the harder you chase something, the more it eludes you.

3. Take Rejection Personally

Unfortunately it’s rare to be offered the first job you apply for — it’s just not that easy. So, accept rejection as part of the process and always ask for, and even more importantly learn from, feedback. The job you don’t get helps you next time so always push for feedback and act on it.

4. Search in the Same Place As Others

Surfing the online job boards is an important first port of call in finding a job, but there are also lots of other places you can explore. For example, you could look at recommendations, referrals and professional networks as this market can be less competitive.

5. Fail To Deliver A Clear Message

Employers are interested in where you have added value, not everything you’ve ever done. Make sure they can see the wood from the trees. Think of yourself as a movie trailer and not the whole film – what is it about you that generates enough excitement and interest for an employer to buy a ticket to the main feature?

6. Hide It From the People in Your Life

Although searching for your next job is a personal experience, don’t try and do it all alone. Share the experience with your loved ones and you’ll be far stronger and more effective in your quest.

7. Apply For Every Job You Come Across

This makes you look desperate and you’ll lose focus. Try to take more time on fewer applications and don’t adopt the scatter gun approach. Throwing more mud at the wall won’t lead to more success, just more mess. Nothing puts an employer off more than you not knowing anything about their business or what the role entails and, if you have multiple applications out in the field, keeping track of them all becomes an impossible task.

8. Be Afraid To Push Yourself Forward

This is no time to lurk in the shadows. Don’t be afraid to shine, blow your own trumpet and tell people how good you are and what value you can bring to their business. Confidence, not arrogance, is the key here – don’t let your skills and experience be the best kept secret.

9. Forget That Times Change

If you’ve not been in the job market for a few years, you might have expectations that are unrealistic. It’s easy to think that it’s exactly the same as when you last looked for a position, but times have changed. Take a more enlightened approach and try to gain more understanding of the modern job market and how best to place yourself in it.

10. Take Your Eye Off the Competition

Make sure you differentiate yourself from other jobseekers. Instantly falling in line with what the competition is doing will put you at a distinct disadvantage.

Think not only about your skills and experience but also your key achievements. These should be things where you have made a difference and done something out of the ordinary. Your competition is likely to have similar responsibilities but achievements are unique to you. Think about a particular situation, what you did and quantify the outcome or result where possible. This way of thinking and presentation on your CV falls in line with the competency-based interview style of questioning and will help you make an even better impression once you get to interview. Knowledge is power and the more you know about yourself and what makes you different, the better placed you are to attack the job market and find your next position. △

Simon Gray is the director of Cherry Professional

Your Salary Information May Be for Sale

by cjxpadmin | Aug 1, 2013 | This Issue's FEATURE

AARP BULLETIN

AARP Home » Work & Retirement » Life at Work »Your Salary Information…

Your Salary Information May Be for Sale

You can check what personal data is being marketed about you

by Bill Hogan, AARP Bulletin, April 2013

Think your earnings are a matter between you, your employer and the IRS?

The Equifax credit reporting agency has collected 190 million employment and salary records on about one-third of U.S. adults and has sold some of the information. — Getty Images

Think again. That information may well be in the hands of Equifax, the credit-reporting giant. Its subsidiary, The Work Number, has amassed what may be the world’s largest private database of personal financial

information: 222 million

employment and salary records

from thousands of employers.

Companies pay The Work Number to verify information about potential employees and also give it access to their workers’ human resources data, which could include Social Security numbers and information on health care providers.

And it’s all for sale. The buyers include mortgage lenders, credit card companies and even debt collectors, according to a report by NBC News.

Equifax insists what they’re doing is legal, but some privacy experts worry that electronic warehousing of such data attracts hackers and identity thieves.

Elizabeth De Armond, a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, says that data breaches occur regularly and that “Equifax is not in the business of keeping valuable data secret — quite the opposite.”

Equifax paid $393,000 last year to settle charges filed by the Federal Trade Commission that it improperly sold information about homeowners who were late on mortgage payments.

Federal law allows you to review and dispute information in The Work Number’s database: Go to theworknumber.com/employees, select “Help” and then choose “How to Get Your Employment Data Report.” △