That’s the argument from graduating students at the University of South Florida. School officials at USF have asked grads to not snap selfies as they receive diplomas.

A quote from the Associated Press:

“I don’t have an anti-selfie bent,” said Michael Freeman, the USF dean who made the selfie rule. “I would just caution students to think there’s a time and place.”

A “time and place.” How true.

Graduation is one of the most formative times and places of our young adult lives. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Soon, you will dive into the chaotic job market and join the ranks of working adults.

This spring, forget about the pros and cons of selfies at the commencement ceremony. Look up from the camera, stick it in your pocket and understand once you cross the stage, life gets real.

Oh, and congrats on graduating.

17 Hard Truths Every College Grad Must Understand

1. A diploma does not guarantee an internship, job or career. It is merely a passport into the professional world. Now you’re in the jungle with the rest of us. May the best man 0r woman win.
2. To an employer, you look like every other recent grad who suddenly needs a full-time job. Unless, of course, your application promises to deliver exactly what the company needs —like this.

3. Your college coursework, difficult as it was, will never compete with someone’s real-world experience. You need skills ASAP even if they come from an internship or part-time situation. And never forget: a personal blog will make you instantly more marketable.

4. Expect to live frugally for a while. According to CNNMoney, average earnings for recent grads between the ages of 21 and 24 are around $16.99 or 8 percent lower than in 2007.

5. You finished four years of bloated, long-winded 12-page college essays. Unfortunately, the real world is busy and demands brevity. Remember: less is always more.

6. Your resume should be one page in length. Period. You don’t have enough experience to warrant two pages, much less three or four. Give employers the best one pager possible, and they will respect you for it.

7. There are three unemployed people for every job opening. It’s true. You’d better think creatively with your applications.

8. Order of importance on your resume: relevant skills, jobs/internships and then where you went to school. So stick education at the bottom and put “Skills” as close to the top as you can. Guarantee that’s the first place an employer looks.

9. “Your diploma is…permission to admit to yourself how much you still have yet to learn.” — Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson during the 2013 graduation at Rice University. Check out 15 more hard truths from last year’s commencement exercises.

10. Your first job won’t be your forever job. Don’t think too much about whether it’s the “perfect” situation. If your instincts say it’s a smart move, then go for it and don’t look back.

11. Google’s top HR person on job interviews: “What you want to do is say: ‘Here’s the attribute I’m going to demonstrate; here’s the story demonstrating it; here’s how that story demonstrated that attribute.’” TRUTH.

12. Forget texting. Forget Twitter. Forget email. Pick up the phone and call someone. That’s what adults do in the real world.

13. To land a job, you don’t need to live in one of America’s ten best cities for recent grads. You can create opportunity anywhere you set your two feet. Again, create opportunity. Don’t wait for good fortune to fall in your lap. It won’t.

14. According to USA TODAY, unemployment for 18 to 29 year olds is 15.8%, more than double the general rate. Want to stand out? Go beyond. After a job interview, send a hand-written thank-you note within 24 hours.

15. If you want people to take an interest in you, then you need to first take an interest in them — like this. [tweet the line]

16. With enough preparation, grit and confidence, you can land any entry-level position you want. Be proud of your degree, sure, but from here on out, success depends on you and not a piece of paper.

17. One more thing: “…trust me on the sunscreen.”

Danny Rubin is the creator and writer of News To Live By, a blog for Millennials that highlights the career advice and leadership lessons *hidden* in the day’s top stories. His columns have been featured on several blogs and news sites, including The New York Times and Business Insider.

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Specifically, here are nine important lessons I’ve learned from starting a blog:

1. I finally know how the Internet works

Sure, I go online all day long, but until I started News To Live By, I really didn’t understand how websites come to be and operate. I’ve gained all kinds of insight on user experience, site maintenance and content strategies. Now, I look at other sites and think, “Ah, I know what they’re trying to do here.” I have plenty left to learn, but my perspective has completely changed over the past year and a half.

2. The fastest way to get better is to let my guard down

Am I a good writer, or do I think I’m a good writer? It’s not up to me. The decision rests with people who read my blog. When I look at my columns when I first began versus today, the content now is much stronger. That’s because of a steady diet of critiques from friends, family and complete strangers in the comments section. Criticism sustains me.

3. All I needed to do was light the spark

The toughest part of any project is getting started, right? Once the flame began to flicker, News To Live By generated its own momentum and kept me busy. The next phase of the project always reveals itself in time. It feels like training for the real world: put an idea in motion, and let the process unfold organically. Doesn’t seem as intimidating that way, I think.

All it takes is a single spark. So go find a match. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

4. What’s the worst that happens if I get rejected?

In 2013, I applied to two companies that syndicate newspaper columns and was roundly told, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Undaunted, I then approached an editor at Parade Magazine and asked, “Would you be interested in News To Live By columns?” He said, “Yes, and thanks for asking us.” So now I contribute to Parade Magazine.

Why? Because I figured, “What do I have to lose?”

As a young writer, I don’t care if someone slams the door. Frankly, it energizes me. I love doubters and relish the opportunity to prove them wrong. Blogging has given me that confidence.

5. Great advice is like solving a 1,000-piece puzzle in two minutes

As I work to improve News To Live By, I always think, “Who can help me with the next step?” I relied on a blogger friend (with a great healthy eating site) for a suggestion on Web hosting services, a journalist buddy for the crucial tip on why I should build an email list, all of my readers for spot-on content suggestions through a short reader survey and my friends to tell me flat-out if my columns are any good.

Each time I ask for assistance, it feels like I’m handed step-by-step instructions out of an elaborate maze. I say to myself, “Ah, that’s how you do it.” Blogging has shown me the tremendous power of sound advice. Worth its weight in gold.

6. Relationships are everything

Since my blog is written for Millennials, I’ve developed a network of inspiring 20-somethings who do wonderful work on their own blogs and platforms — dynamic movers and shakers like Paul Angone, Erin Lowry, Rebecca Fraser-Thill and Chelsea Krost. We rely on each other for advice, resources and encouragement. We all realize the more we pay it forward, the more it comes back.

I never anticipated my blog would connect me with people who share my passion, interests and drive. Pretty awesome bonus.

7. Every blogging skill is transferable

The work I do with News To Live By impacts every part of my day job in PR and marketing. I understand social media on a deeper level and uncover all kinds of creative billable ways to improve a client’s online presence, sharpen decision-making and manage my time better. Hell, I even started a blog at our PR firm to highlight recent projects and expertise. And no matter your job, everyone can sharpen their writing. (For starters, stop using “in order“ and “amazing.“)

8. We are worth more than a 9-to-5

As I wrote in 2013 on why every 20-something needs a side hustle, work-life balance isn’t enough. What we really need is a work-hustle-life balance. A blog is a perfect side hustle and will make you feel productive every day — especially if your actual job leaves you unfulfilled. Plus, your blog could wow an employer and help you move on to a better situation.

9. Don’t wait for opportunities; create them

The beautiful thing about blogging is that you don’t need permission. Just start a site, give it a name and go. Once you begin, you put your career on an entirely new trajectory. Now, you can impress at an interview with your blog (in other words. a portfolio to showcase your work and experience). Once on the job, the site becomes an indispensable teaching tool that informs and enhances everything you do.

With a blog, you are the employee, HR manager and CEO. Congratulations, you just got hired — by yourself!

Kick off 2014 with the best decision you’ll make all year. Even if you only want to write for yourself and not a larger audience, it’s absolutely worth your time and energy.

This post originally appeared on News to Live By.

Danny Rubin is a PR professional in Virginia Beach. He writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Danny is also the author of 25 Things Every Young Professional Should Know by Age 25, available on Amazon. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post 9 Important Lessons You Can Learn by Starting a Blog appeared first on Brazen Life.

During a recent TED Talk, psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth said that while intelligence matters, a high IQ is not the greatest predictor of success. (Click here to Tweet this thought.) Rather, the key is to have grit, or determination — the willingness to push through even when the odds are against you.

Watch Duckworth’s short lecture, and then we’ll keep going:

OK, so grit matters more than any other talent or trait. That means a great deal for your career, especially in these top cities for job-seeking Millennials. Which means it’s time to start asking yourself some hard questions.

Do you have grit when…

You apply to 10 jobs and get no response? Can you find the motivation to keep firing off resumes until someone answers?

You send off a job application and want to make sure it was received? Do you ask via email or phone call, and do you refuse to let up until you get a response?

You sit down to write yet another cover letter? Do you have the discipline to make sure it’s tailored to the particular job — even though all that writing is tedious and a giant pain?

You prepare for a job interview? That means knowing the four questions to ask an employer and taking the time to research the company beforehand.

You have no energy, after a draining day of work, to attend a networking event? Do you dig deep and go anyway because you never know who you’ll meet?

You wrap up a networking situation? Grit means you take time to write a thank you note, even if someone only connects you from one person to another. (Use these templates to get started.)

You get passed over for a promotion? Gritty people then work twice as hard, rather than checking out mentally or looking for a new gig.

You realize you lack certain skills? Do you voluntarily teach yourself what you need, even if it won’t result in a raise or bonus?

You start a side hustle? Here are nine reasons why you should stick with it.

You hit a low point and life doesn’t seem to be working out? As Duckworth said, all the smarts in the world won’t save you. Your best weapon is a heavy dose of determination.

Do you think grit is more important than intelligence? Share your opinion in the comments!

This post originally appeared on News to Live By.

Danny Rubin is a PR professional in Virginia Beach. He also writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Danny is also the author of 25 Things Every Young Professional Should Know by Age 25, available on Amazon. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

http://ctt.ec/Nh7iJ

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That’s the thinking of folks at LinkedIn, who recently announced you can use the professional network to apply for jobs — and you don’t even need a resume.

Now, fire off a job application using your LinkedIn profile. (Click “Apply Now” on this job to see it in action.) Sounds pretty nice if you’re applying in a hurry.

For all other scenarios, your resume still matters. Heather Huhman of job resource Come Recommended says you could be super creative and make a resume that looks like an Amazon product description.

Want an easier way to get noticed? Move “Education” to the bottom of your resume and “Work Experience” to the top. The strategy has everything to do with our economy today and will make your resume more effective time and again.

You are more than a degree

If you begin your resume with “Education,” you sacrifice coveted space to, frankly, the least interesting part of your bio.

Then, the employer looks up from your piece of paper and says, “OK, so what do you know how to do?”

We are entrenched in a skills-based economy, and what really counts are your abilities. It doesn’t matter if you learned them at college, an internship, a full-time job or while babysitting your neighbor’s kids.

Skills. Skills. Skills.

Employers want ‘em, and your resume must quickly prove you got ‘em.

The challenge in this hyper-ADD, six-second Vine, 140-character tweet social universe is to immediately convince someone of your “specific contribution,” as columnist Thomas Friedman calls it.

Start with the best stuff

In journalism, it’s called the “‘lead” (or “lede,” if you want to be fancy about it). The lead here is your current job and the most compelling duties or accomplishments you’ve mastered to date.

If you only have internships and not a “real job,” it’s OK to start with those positions. Be detailed about the work you did and let your experience — not your college — describe you. Bosses don’t care where your skills come from, only that you have them. (Click here to Tweet this idea.)

If an employer has to scan the page to find the goods (your skills), then you’ve effectively “buried the lead.” That’s a journalism (and employment) no-no.

Don’t worry. An employer will locate your college and degree(s) at the bottom of the resume. Just realize that a diploma alone won’t make you different. Whether it’s a two-year associate’s, four-year bachelor’s or online coursework, plenty of people have graduated from somewhere.

You know what no one else can claim? Your diverse range of talents.

Crack open your resume right now and place “Work Experience” at the top. In today’s job market, your skills are the greatest thing you’ve got.

How else can you spruce up your resume?

This post originally appeared on News to Live By.

Danny Rubin is a PR professional in Virginia Beach. He also writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post Why You Shouldn’t Put Education at the Top of Your Resume appeared first on Brazen Life.

A survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate found that parents think 20-somethings can live at home up to five years. After that, it’s back to the real world and the vast unknown — or, you know, the pull-out couch in a buddy’s apartment.

A combination of student debt, the tough job market and a desire to save money have Millennials returning home at a record pace. A study from Pew Research reveals the number of people between the ages of 18 and 31 living with mom and dad rose 36 percent  in 2012.

As we cohabitate, let it be known far and wide — these are the official ground rules for moving back with our parents:

1. We are a family and also roommates. The arrangement may be tricky at times, but we’re all grownups and will make it work.

2. I, your child, will never, ever complain about a (free) home-cooked meal — no matter how it tastes.

3. I don’t need to tell you where I’m going on a Saturday night, and you certainly shouldn’t stay up until I get back. I will, however, keep my phone on if you need me.

4. We can exist in the same space without constantly making small talk. And it’s OK to come and go without necessarily saying “Hi” and “Bye.”

5. You must always knock before coming into my room. Even if the lights are off and there’s no sound. Even if you’re 100 percent positive I’m not home.

6. While I only need five hours of sleep and a Red Bull to function, I realize you need a solid eight to nine hours, so I’ll keep it down at night.

7. I promise to save money because I know my time in our house is temporary.

8. If the grass is getting long, I’ll mow it. If the floors are dirty, I’ll sweep them. If the sink is full, I’ll load the dishwasher. Thanks for letting me live rent-free.

9. The words “curfew” and “you are grounded” no longer exist. I don’t enjoy hearing the phrase “pick your clothes up off the floor,” but I can’t stop you from saying it.

10. You can go out of town for the weekend and trust that, while I will throw a party, my friends have matured and won’t break expensive things like they did in high school.

11. If you need me to chip in for bills or groceries, just say the word.

12. Whether it’s for one week, six months or five whole years, I will never forget to thank you for letting me come back home when I need it most.

This post originally appeared on News to Live By.

Danny Rubin is a PR professional in Virginia Beach. He also writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post The Official Ground Rules for Moving Back Home with Mom and Dad appeared first on Brazen Life.

The Millennial generation, which is 80+ million strong and larger than the Baby Boomers, has started to fill management roles at companies big and small. You could say our journey into the upper ranks isn’t going smoothly.

In a recent workplace study, older employees believe GenY managers are entitled and only concerned with ourselves.

Part of the problem: the idea that we deserve trophies for everything — even the stuff we’re expected to do all along, like work hard or not burn down a forest (seriously). We young folk, the so-called “Trophy Generation,” think even the smallest accomplishment is cause for major celebration. We figure we’re awesome. Then people call us entitled.

So when you hear your name, please come to the podium and accept this year’s “honors.” You earned them!

1. The “Arrived on Time for Three Straight Weeks” Award

Remarkable. You have greater precision than a fine Swiss watch. If you stay punctual an entire month, the company might even name a wing after you.

2. The “Worked Late to Finish a Big Project” Award

Company policy says the day ends at 5:30 p.m., but somehow, you soldiered on and didn’t leave the office until the clock struck 10:00 p.m. Forget about a trophy. You, fine sir or madam, deserve a medal of bravery.

3. The “Successfully Explained Twitter to the CEO” Award

The boss is 67. You’re 24. An outside observer might say you were the obvious choice to educate the CEO on social media. But no, what you did forever changed company culture and solidified your place as a future leader of the organization.

4. The “Effectively Dealt with an Annoying Client” Award

We all watched in amazement as you handled the thorniest client in company history. Until then, none of us had ever encountered a difficult business relationship. It had all been like a dream. What would we do without you?

5. The “Took Out the Garbage Even Though No One Asked Me” Award

The trash spewed from every can and threatened to overwhelm helpless coworkers. You calmly rolled up your sleeves, emptied each can and rid the office of vicious waste. Selflessness of the highest order. We know a trophy isn’t enough, but it will have to suffice.

6. The “Survived a Rough Yearly Review” Award

You entered the review feeling invincible and left with a dark shiner below your right eye. No matter. You slapped a frozen steak on the bruise, fought the urge to quit, made improvements and came back stronger than ever. Good on ya.

7. The “Stayed at the Same Job for More Than 2 Years” Award

Everyone figured after year two, you’d be long gone. Somehow, you found the strength to settle in and grow with your current organization. It takes a special kind of courage to be so committed.

And the most heralded trophy of all…

8. The “Lifetime Achievement by Age 27″ Award

Shut it down. Game’s over. At only 27, you became a manager with a corner office and a team of people under your dominion — some of whom are older than you. What else is there? You’ve reach the summit.

And why hasn’t someone topped off your coffee already? Interrrrn!

OK, here’s the deal…

A manager and a leader are not the same thing. Management means to oversee people; leadership means to inspire. As we assume management positions, we can’t forget what it means to lead.

Team-first over me-first. (Click here to Tweet!)You don’t need credit for a job well done. Be grateful rather than entitled. Sort of like…

The “Most Fortunate to Have Reached a Management Position” Award

Someone oughta make a trophy for that one.

This post originally appeared on News To Live By.

Danny Rubin is a PR professional in Virginia Beach. He also writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post 8 Distinguished Trophies Millennials Deserve to Win at Work appeared first on Brazen Life.

That’s because his boss, Marissa Mayer, announced through a company memo that, starting in June, staff can no longer work from home.

From the memo:

“Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussion, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home.”

Everyone who works from home (myself included) will agree that it can sometimes be isolating. That’s why it’s so important to remember this essential tele-working rule:

Over-communicate

Working from home is a modern-day luxury, and we have technology to thank. Smartphones keep us connected to our email, Dropbox and YouSendIt enable us to share giant files, WebEx allows group conversation and Google Hangout puts us in (virtually) the same room.

Still, none of these revolutionary tools work properly unless we do, too. When bosses let us work from home, they expect us to get the job done but also to stay in contact throughout the day, every day.

Here’s the tricky part. The boss might not say outright: “I need you to keep me up to date on your progress.” But that doesn’t mean you have a free pass to check in whenever you feel like it.

Since a boss can’t stop by your cubicle and see how things are going, it’s your responsibility to maintain open and active lines of communication.

When it’s appropriate to over-communicate:

• After you finish a conference call and duties are handed out, send a quick note to your boss or the team and reiterate what you’re going to work on.

• In the middle of a long, drawn-out project and it feels like people haven’t heard from you in a while, over-communicate. Send an email with relevant updates.

• As much as possible, respond to critical work emails. Even a simple, “Thanks, I got it” will let the other person know you’re in the loop. Remember: a co-worker can’t yell across the office and say, “Did you get my email?” You could be 1,000 miles away in another state, so you need to over-communicate.

• If you send an email and a person doesn’t respond in a timely manner, you’ll need to send a follow-up email. If the person doesn’t answer the second time, pick up the phone.

• Lastly, be detailed in your emails. It’s much easier to explain yourself in person — and annoying to type a huge description — but the added specifics help you sound clearer. That, in turn, makes the workday smoother and your bosses happier.

Starting in June, Yahoo employees will surrender their ability to work from home. Cherish your own tele-work situation and never give your boss a reason to think it’s time for a change.

Danny Rubin is a media consultant based in DC. He also writes News To Live By, a blog that shows us the career advice that’s hidden in the day’s top stories. Follow him at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post The Most Important Thing to Remember If You Work from Home appeared first on Brazen Life.

The Kansas City Star recently told two of its reporters that, due to budget cuts, one of them had to go — and that the employees themselves needed to decide who stays.

Um, what?

The two reporters, Karen Dillon and Dawn Bormann, reportedly had about a week to choose which of them would lose their job.

According to KCConfidential, a news blog, Dillon has seniority over Bormann and the option of staying put. Not surprisingly, Dillon voted to keep her job, and Bormann got laid off.

Mi-Ai Parrish, president and publisher of the Kansas City Star, had this to say in a company-wide memo:

“These are always difficult decisions, so we will on occasion allow employees to volunteer for a severance package when we are reducing in areas where there are two or more of the same types of positions.”

She added that if an employee does not volunteer, “then the person with the least amount of tenure is included in the severance program.”

We’ve all seen situations where the person with the least experience is the first to go. But employees having to fire each other? Seriously?

HR experts say this is one of the biggest management fails of all time.

Dr. Cassi Fields, a career expert who specializes in helping people land the job they want, says what happened at the Kansas City Star is shocking.

“It’s the most cowardice leadership I have ever seen,” Fields said. “It’s bad enough being laid off, but when you make the employees decide, it adds pain and suffering that doesn’t need to be there.”

In the memo, the publisher says comparing the layoff to The Hunger Games is inaccurate. But the newspaper isn’t exactly denying reports that Dillon and Bormann had to decide among themselves who would go:

“We find it unfortunate the way the situation has been portrayed, and we are very sorry for the impact on the employees involved. We will continue to work with all employees affected by this severance program to help them transition through this difficult time made even more difficult by the misinformation being reported.”

However this went down, Fields, who holds a PhD in industrial psychology, says the situation is instructive for young professionals just entering the workforce. She believes it’s important for new employees to become leaders even if they aren’t technically in charge.

“Young people need to set the right tone from day one,” she said. “They need to always do the right thing and make sure everyone on the team is contributing. That’s how people become leaders.”

Fields adds that it’s also important to decide whether you can trust your company — and how the company’s higher-ups approach these types of situations should play into that.

“If you realize early on that you’re working in an unethical place, you need to ask yourself, ‘Do I want to stay in this environment?’”

What do you think? Was this a fair or ethical way to conduct a layoff? What would you do if you were in these reporters’ shoes?

Danny Rubin, a media consultant based in DC, runs News To Live By, a blog that shows us how to apply the lessons of the news to our own lives. Follow him on Twitter at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post Would You Fire Your Colleague to Save Your Own Job? appeared first on Brazen Life.

Yet on Monday, the film academy selected the creator of Family Guy and American Dad to emcee the 85th Annual Academy Awards.

How did MacFarlane go from writing cartoons to hosting the movie industry’s biggest night? And what can MacFarlane’s career teach us about our own?

In a word: versatility.

From the get-go, it was obvious MacFarlane had a lot to offer. Not only did he write much of Family Guy’s early episodes, he remains the voice for several of the show’s iconic characters (namely Stewie, Brian and Peter Griffin).

Writing, directing and voice acting: triple-threat.

Then, MacFarlane moved in front of the camera. He emceed Comedy Central’s Roast of Charlie Sheen and a few weeks ago hosted the season premiere of Saturday Night Live.

Writing, directing, voice acting, on-camera acting and now hosting: that’s a quintuple-threat.

MacFarlane has talent, sure. But he rose to the top through a combination of hard work, taking chances and making himself valuable multiple times over.

Here are five strategies to become more versatile at our own jobs:

1. Never Say No

Before this year, MacFarlane had never hosted SNL. His recent appearance gave him the clout (and the confidence) to tackle the Oscars.

Say “yes” to new opportunities even if you don’t have a clue how to follow through on them — you’ll figure it out along the way.

2. Know What You Need

If you have your eye on a  promotion, ask yourself: What skills do I need to get there? Be honest about what you don’t know and then take steps to make it happen. A great place to find those next-level skills: read job descriptions of other positions in your field.

3. Act Like an Intern

If you want a certain skill and a co-worker has it, then use that person as a free tutorial. Whenever you two have time, sit down, ask questions and learn little by little.

4. Don’t Wait for an Invitation

Most people are busy and usually thinking about themselves. So should you. If there’s something you want to learn, go get it. Every skill you add to your resume makes you a stronger professional.

5. Remember: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Even if you’re learning skills you can’t apply at that exact moment, the time will come. By becoming versatile, you prepare yourself for any opportunity. The more you know, the more doors will open.

MacFarlane isn’t doing the Oscars because Family Guy is popular.

He got the gig because he can do everything the film academy needs in a host: tell jokes, sing songs, introduce speakers, command the crowd, and even reel off a few Stewie Griffin lines.

A little versatility will take you a long way.

Danny Rubin is a media consultant based in DC. He writes News To Live By, a blog that offers daily tips on how we can apply the lessons of the news to our own lives. Follow him on Twitter at @NewsToLiveBy.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated on which day MacFarlane was selected.

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The post The Professional Quality That Led Seth MacFarlane to Host the Oscars appeared first on Brazen Life.

But to skimp on the review process could doom even the best-written paper, brochure, press release or PowerPoint.

Why? Because even one typo could distract the reader and, worse yet, cheapen all the hard work you just did.

Since nearly all of us write on the computer and no longer by hand, you put yourself at a disadvantage if you rely exclusively on the computer screen to review your work. You’ve been staring at the same Word document for so long your eyes tend to glaze over, and you can miss obvious errors.

So, here’s the trick to improve your proofreading:

Print it out.

That’s right. Just print out the document. For some reason, holding the work in your hands lets you see it differently. The words jump off the page, and typos you didn’t see before become readily apparent.

Editing is such an underrated part of the writing process. It’s not enough to skim through your work and click “send.” In fact, the best writers are also great editors. They pore over what they write to make absolutely sure it’s ready.

This is so important that it’s no stretch to say that your reputation is at stake whenever you attach your name to a piece of writing.

Case in point: Team Romney

Remember this massive blunder at the start of the summer? When the Romney campaign officially released its mobile app in late May, it wrote “A Better Amercia” in huge white letters across the app’s main screen.

Did you miss it?

They spelled it “AMERCIA.”

The Romney camp was probably so excited to present the mobile app to the public that it missed the glaring error. And the Web had a giant laugh at the campaign’s expense.

That’s why proofreading is so crucial. You would hate to spend hours on a work project and then grimace when you—and everyone who reads it—spots a typo. No matter how minor the error, it will affect what readers think of your work—and of you.

Will you catch every single mistake using the print-it-out method? Of course not. But the strategy gives you an edge every time.

A few more proofreading tips:

• Read your work aloud. A sentence can often sound great in your mind, but when you say it out loud, it might not flow well.

• Ask sharp editors to have a look. Find coworkers you trust and have them review your work for content as well as grammar.

• If you have the time, sleep on it. The best time to do a final proofread is the day after you’ve written the piece. Sure, this requires working ahead of time. But it allows you to feel like you’re reading your work for the first time, and maybe you’ll decide that a sentence you were in love with a day before doesn’t really make the cut.

It’s worth the extra effort, because when you present a flawless piece of writing, no one gets hung up on your miscues. Instead, they can focus on your message.

Readers won’t have to ask, “Wait, is it ‘its’ or ‘it’s’? I can never remember…” No, they’ll simply enjoy your writing as intended.

So don’t let a typo here and there can ruin all your hard work.

Whoops. Almost missed that one. Think it’s time to print out this blog post…

Danny Rubin is a media consultant based in DC. He writes News To Live By, a blog that offers daily tips on how we can apply the lessons of the news to our own lives. Follow him on Twitter at @NewsToLiveBy.

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The post The No. 1 Rule for Proofreading Your Work on the Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

At just 42, Ryan’s a political “boy wonder” to many of us, a gifted legislator who quickly rose through the ranks and seemed destined for greatness.

Yet upon closer inspection, Ryan’s path to vice president had little to do with fate. Instead, he learned from an early age something that we should all apply at our own jobs.

He learned the power of finding a mentor.

The Washington Post does a great job of delving into Ryan’s earliest days on Capitol Hill. The reporter references a key moment when, at age 19, Ryan had to deliver mail (the lowliest job in D.C.) to the Senate Small Business Committee. While in the office, Ryan poked his head into a room and struck up conversation with Cesar Conda, a more experienced Senate staffer.

Ryan asked him about supply-side economics. OK, he’s a political nerd. But his strategy still applies.

That day, Ryan impressed Conda. Even at his young age, Ryan took it upon himself to latch onto people with more experience and knowledge.

In effect, he sought out a mentor.

A few years later, Conda helped Ryan land a job at a prominent think tank, which then led to more connections. Ryan left the think tank to work for a senator and finally met Mark Neumann, the man who held Ryan’s hometown seat in Congress.

At the time, Neumann was running for Senate, so he urged Ryan to run for his own seat in the House. At just 27, Ryan ran and won.

And from there, his political career took off.

Imagine if Ryan had not struck up that conversation with Conda many years ago. All of those ensuing relationships may have never happened.

Too often, young people think they need to stay quiet in an office and blend into the scenery, trying their best not to “bother” anyone.

Yes, older co-workers have the clout, but they also hold the keys to your future success. Buddying up to one — and not brown-nosing (because there is a difference) — can take you places you never thought possible.

The key is to show a genuine interest and curiosity in your industry. Prove to the higher-ups that you’re serious about developing within the company, and the rewards will come back to you ten-fold.

The worst mistake is waiting for someone to come over to you and offer to be a mentor. Bosses are busy people. They’re focused on the company’s bottom line, so the onus is on you to show initiative and prove you’re serious about learning. But when you step up and ask them, bosses are usually delighted to share all they know.

Once you seek out a mentor — and stick to it — you put yourself on a new path. It’s a sure-fire way to command respect from an early age and move up the ladder.

Heck, maybe one day you’ll even wind up a vice presidential candidate.

Danny Rubin is a media consultant based in Washington, DC. He writes News To Live By, a blog that uses the day’s headlines to explore how we can improve personally and professionally. He tweets at @NewsToLiveBy.

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How many home runs did Ken Griffey, Jr. slug the night before and what’s Calvin up to with his buddy Hobbes? For a wide-eyed ten-year-old, what else mattered?

Now, at 28, I see the news in a different light. True, I’m a media consultant who works with various news outlets, but a daily read of the nation’s top stories makes anyone—in any industry—better at what they do.

At the most basic level, reading the news keeps you informed. The Daily Show—where lots of GenY professionals get their news—probably covers 1-2 stories a night, which means 5-10 per week. It’s terrific comedy but a poor substitute for a nightly news program.

With a steady diet of the latest headlines (national, local, business and opinion), you will become a sharper, more competent young professional. Here’s the secret: our superiors think we only get our news from Stewart and Colbert. They assume we don’t know much more than the latest viral video or buzz-worthy sound bite.

What a shock when we engage older co-workers on weightier topics (i.e. the Supreme Court’s twin rulings on immigration and health care, the student loan debt crisis or the latest in Syria).

Even feature stories and business profiles can add so much to a networking conversation. Ten minutes before, you didn’t know you would be talking to someone in the home construction business, but you did just read an interesting article on the high cost of supplies and its effect on area builders.

The home builder is impressed. You look good. And maybe that person thinks of you the next time a position opens up. Who knows?

Reading the news every day may not have an immediate payoff, but that’s the point. By taking time to understand the world, you prep your brain for the unforeseen.

Need more convincing? Actually reading the words—not skimming the first paragraph—improves comprehension, focus and vocabulary. Even reciting articles aloud (alone in your bedroom, of course) could improve your public speaking and handling of tough words.

Let’s face it: we are a me-first generation. So go ahead. Read the news selfishly. Think to yourself with each article: this is going to give me a leg-up on the competition. And just by reading, you become a more capable working professional.

And there’s a bonus: by following the news consistently, we become a well-informed generation and stronger, more valuable citizens.

So develop a routine that helps you actually read the news, whether on your daily commute or during the first 30 minutes at your desk. Visit different news sites and challenge your assumptions by reading liberal and conservative columnists. There’s no way to read everything, so just do what you can.

Oh, and make sure to leave time for sports scores and comics.

Why let 10-year-olds have all the fun?

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N. Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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James with the crowd going wild: “Not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.”

At the time, it was harmless fun. A tongue-in-cheek prediction to get the fan base buzzing about “The Big Three” – James, Wade and Bosh – and the future of the franchise.

Now, with the Heat crowned the 2012 NBA champions, those words are an indelible reminder of what King James promised his loyal subjects.

Two years ago, James didn’t hope to win NBA titles in Miami; he guaranteed it. Through his own words, he made it real simple: create a dynasty in South Beach or bust.

That’s a tall order, even for basketball royalty.

Like James, let’s say you start at a new company in a leadership-type role. You’re likely hired because of your ability to manage and potentially take the company to the next level. Your employees should no doubt believe in you and your long-term vision.

That does not mean you should promise them the world.

For example, check out the differences between these two phrases:

1. “By the end of the year, our #1 goal is to boost sales by 25 percent.”
2. “By the end of the year, we will boost sales by 25%.”

Option No. 1 is great. You provide the team with a defined objective. It doesn’t mean sales need to come up by 25 percent; it’s a number to work towards together.

But option No. 2 can be fatal. By guaranteeing 25 percent, you put a target on your back from the very beginning. The company will view anything less than 25 percent – even 20 percent, which may do wonders for your balance sheet – as coming up short.

“Not two, not three, not four…”

Right now, the city of Miami is euphoric over its NBA title. Yet once the party dies down, fans across South Florida will return to James’ speech two years ago and remind the king that the job is far from over.

For James, and anyone else tasked with leading people on the job, it’s a hard lesson in leadership. When you declare victory prematurely, you cheapen your own talents and run the risk of “failing” even if you achieve some degree of success.

For the remainder of James’ time in Miami, fans expect a string of championships and an NBA dynasty. Anything less will be seen as a failure.

James is a gifted leader and an immense talent. It’s a shame the basketball world might ultimately judge him by his poor choice of words on day one.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C., and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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But do not get the idea you’re anything special. Because you’re not.

Think back to your own high school or college graduation ceremonies. How would you feel if the keynote speaker took all the air out of the room by saying, quite plainly, there’s nothing remarkable about you?

I imagine graduating seniors at Wellesley High in Massachusetts were stunned last week when their English teacher David McCullough Jr. landed blow after blow to their precious egos.

“Think about this,” he said. “Even if you’re one in a million on a planet of 6.8 billion, that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you.”

McCullough’s speech exposes a hard truth for this year’s grads, not to mention Millennials everywhere. We are not great just because someone says we are, and when it comes to the work world, the truly special employees consider themselves anything but.

Take, for instance, social media. Every photo that catches us in the right light, every award we receive and every big project we complete must instantly be blasted out to 847 of our closest Facebook “friends.” Then we sit by the computer and wait for the “likes” and glowing comments to pile up.

Same goes for our jobs. It’s easy to fall into a routine of doing good work to get a pat on the head from management or a shout-out on the company blog.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with being complimented. It shows you’re effective at what you do and you’re helping the bottom line.

But here’s the real bottom line: working hard to get noticed is far too common these days, and with the advent of social media, it’s so easy to brag. As McCullough said, “If everyone is special, then no one is.”

Ready for the irony? Special is to receive an honor and refrain from telling the world. Special means getting a compliment from your boss, remaining humble and using it as fuel to work harder. Special involves recognizing that self-satisfaction is more meaningful than outside praise.

With so many ways to give out personal information these days, it’s almost like society demands we over-share. But fancy, new technologies can never do away with this age-old truth:

The best employees say little, do a lot and do it well. 

And when it’s time for bonus season or a promotion, your boss will scan the cubicles and zero in on you.

Why?

Because you let your work do the talking, rather than seek adoration of those around you.

And that will leave your boss with just one thing to say:

“You know… that guy sure is special.”

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Let’s take a trip back to 2004, way before Facebook swelled to 900 million members worldwide and generated its colossal IPO. It was then that Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room and gradually let his target audience take the site for a test drive.

That’s right. Us. College students in the mid-2000s.

Way before your grandmother ever learned how to tag herself at a family reunion, Facebook was ours. The social network spread like wildfire across college campuses, and we provided Zuckerberg with crucial feedback to keep the site rolling in its most formative stages.

Colleges and universities were the perfect laboratories for product testing. Insular communities overflowing with chatterboxes that needed a place to share anything and everything. Facebook transformed college life way before it changed the world.

Now, people are salivating over Facebook finally going public. Early investors could become overnight billionaires and even California – which will receive $2 billion in state taxes in just the next year – stands to win big.

Everyone is cashing in on the Facebook IPO except, of course, those who made it all possible: young professionals like you and me. Zuckerberg had the sheer brilliance to bring Facebook into the world, but we had the collective enthusiasm to make it a reality.

Problem is, most of us are struggling to pay our water and electric bills and can hardly spare $38 a share (the initial price on Wall Street). We should reap the benefits from Facebook as much as anyone, but our generation is saddled with an interminable enemy: student loan debt.

An actual student loan horror story:

Original Balance: $199,256.90

Current Balance: $253,015.63

Paid so far: $29,242.15 (I’ve never missed a payment)

Interest rates: up to 10.7% (Citibank)

So here’s an idea: what better way for Zuckerberg to thank the people who made him the 35^th richest person in the world than helping alleviate our financial burden? 

Perhaps Zuckerberg can start a new movement with his old pals from 2004. He should use his vast resources and influence to design an online program that helps us pay down our student debt in constructive ways. Maybe we could “earn” the aid by volunteering in our communities. Facebook could strike partnerships with banks and loan organizations to tackle this crisis head on.

A comprehensive student loan strategy from Facebook would be more than a thank-you to its earliest adopters; solving this problem is essential for the long-term growth of our economy and the future of the middle class.

It’s an idea that makes people sense as much as business sense.

I think Zuckerberg knows a little something about that.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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I am sorry.  Let me do that again.

People often make a mistake in thinking that writing long-winded sentences with big words makes them appear smart.

Actually, let me try this one more time.

You don’t need to write a lot or use big words to sound smart.

Now, that’s better.

Too often, people write sentences like the one at the top when they should choose version #3.  The main culprit, in my view, is the loathsome college essay.  Only in college are we forced to write a paper a certain length.  We develop strategies that balloon our paragraphs so we can fill out eight, 10 or 12 pages and pick up our gold stars on the way out.

In the real world, most people don’t enjoy reading cover letters, resumes and presentations.  It’s extra work and burdensome.  Worst of all, trying to write beyond our skill level screams ‘I’m in over my head.’

When you write with brevity, you make your points quickly and shrewdly.  You don’t waste words and, in doing so, you don’t waste a person’s time.  An employer or hiring manager, for instance, then sees you as sharp and courteous.

The secret to brevity (and, in turn, clarity) is something we are rarely taught growing up and may appear anathema to a professor of English lit:

Write like you are talking to a friend.

I don’t mean write in Internet jargon or shorthand.  Whenever I am stuck on a sentence, I step back from the computer screen and ask myself, ‘OK, what am I trying to say here?’  Rather than come up with the most eloquent way to make my point, I write it out in plain English as if talking to a buddy.  And once I have my conversational sentence, then I go and attack it with a red pen.

Let’s use the examples from the top.

The before:

There is a common misconception when it comes to writing that is professional in nature that a person must write in a verbose manner to come across as intelligent.

The after:

You don’t need to write a lot or use big words to sound smart.

First things first, I switched the voice from passive to active (from ‘there is’ to ‘you’).  Always locate your subject and lead with it.  Active voice feels confident; passive does not.

To write the shorter sentence (version 3), I literally sat up from my computer and asked, ‘What am I trying to say?’  I stopped trying to be clever with it, and the words found their way onto the page.

I also have a habit of being very critical with the number of words I use in each sentence.  Once I write something, I go back and decide if each and every word I just wrote deserves to be there.  Say to yourself: if I remove this word, would the sentence still make sense?  If I removed this sentence, would the paragraph make sense?  And the ultimate: do I really need this paragraph?

Speed is key.  When people read your cover letters and resume, you need to be very respectful of their time.  Don’t write five huge paragraphs that go on and on.  Be tough on yourself and really give them just what they need to know. You are better off making one or two main points (or telling one great story) rather than trying to jam your entire life into an employer’s brain.

And when you finish editing your work, go back and edit again.  After that, go back and edit some more.  A boss may never tell you he/she loved your cover letter or resume, but ones that are tightly written and well-composed will leave an impression.

Most of all, you will stand out.  College did not prepare us very well for the process of job applications.  But those who take it upon themselves to learn to harness the power of brevity will have an edge every time.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Because for months, Americans have seen Romney in his true form: the elitist business executive from the Northeast with his perfectly coiffed hair and jacket/blazer combo straight out of a Martha’s Vineyard yachting regatta. Then, this past week, while stumping for the GOP nomination in the Deep South, Romney made an abrupt turn from his upper-crust persona and suddenly became…you guessed it…a son of the South.

“Hi y’all!” he said to subdued applause as he strode onto the stage in Jackson, Mississippi. He then proclaimed that, for breakfast, he had just eaten “a biscuit and some cheesy grits.”

In a word: awkward.

We see politicians pander all the time. They say whatever necessary to win over a strange crowd and force – er, I mean, forge – a connection. In Jackson, he came across stilted and uncomfortable. Some people might buy his shtick, but others see right through it.

In fact, last week voters DID see right through it because Romney lost Alabama and Mississippi. So much for his Southern drawl and choice of grits (both cheesy).

In the real world – far, far away from the campaign trail – the game is different, but our response similar. We typically find ourselves in one-on-one or small group conversations that demand a choice: do we act like ourselves or the person we think we are expected to be?

Consider a job interview. Once you sit down in front of the boss, it’s just you and your resume. The best candidates stay within themselves; they draw on personal experiences and respond to questions honestly. Just like GOP voters in Jackson, a boss can tell right away when you’re straining to be someone you’re not.

Rather than come across as phony, say you’re interested in the topic at hand and want to learn more. Make your weaknesses seem like opportunities for learning and growth (and chances for know-it-all bosses to impart their wisdom).

It’s impossible to know everything about a certain business or its industry – at least when you’re in the interview phase. Similarly, Romney can’t fully understand Southern delicacies and vernacular from a quick trip to the Deep South. But humans are perceptive beings. We would rather teach you about our unique culture rather than have you pretend to adopt it from us. It’s ours, not yours.

In short: be inquisitive, not manipulative.

Romney did the latter in the Deep South and he lost.

So much for being cheesy.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Those are all worthy goals for 2012 and with enough dedication, you’ll be speaking Mandarin and shedding pounds in no time.

But the New Year is also a perfect opportunity to take stock of your job or your pursuit of one. Like a car in need of an oil change, we too often forget about the basic maintenance required to stay sharp.

In case you haven’t added any career-related goals to your resolution list, here are 12 that will help you gain momentum professionally in 2012:

1. Update your resume

Even if you have a job and don’t plan on leaving, you just never know. Your resume should always be fresh and presentable. Once you update it, have a friend with a sharp eye look it over for errors. That way, when an exciting opportunity comes along, you’ll be ready.

2. Back up your computer files

Put all your files on a backup hard drive or server like Dropbox. If you have a job, make sure you ask about your company’s server and how to use it. That way, if your computer crashes this year, you’ll have a plan to fall back on. Don’t be that person who forgot to back it up!

3. Ask about or reassess your 401(k)

See if your company offers a 401(k) retirement plan. If you can’t afford to max out your 401(k), at least contribute enough to get your employer’s matching contribution (aka “free money”).

4. Network, Network, Network

Set a goal to meet with 1-2 people in your industry each month, or folks who could help connect you to the industry you want. Again, even if you’re in love with your job and could never imagine leaving, maintaining and growing your network is one of the best things you can do for your career. Keep your options open and your contact list robust. If setting up 1-2 lunches a month is too taxing, join a business networking group and attend monthly meetings.

5. Learn a new job skill

In between Mandarin verb conjugations and your flourishing garden, find time to add a technical skill to your repertoire and make yourself more valuable professionally. Most people like being asked for their knowledge and expertise, so sidle up next to a friend or co-worker and gain a new skill for free.

6. Develop quality habits

All those random business cards you collected over the past year? Store the info on your computer or cell. You might need one of those people in 2012, and this way you won’t have to search all over for someone’s email or phone number. Get in the habit of connecting with new people online right after you meet them in person, so you can toss the biz cards.

7. Have a sit-down with the boss

Yeah, I know. You would rather get a root canal than ask for a one-on-one with your boss. But it could be the smartest thing you do all year. Lay out reasonable expectations for 2012 and make sure you’re both on the same page. Your boss will respect your initiative and maybe even give you more responsibility, which could equate to a raise.

8. Hit the road

If you are out of work (and can afford it), professional conferences are a great place to learn new skills and network. If you have a job, it’s a terrific way to show you’re serious about your role with the company and want to grow. You may even be able to convince your company to pay for it.

9. Take care of yourself

Ever get really tired in the mid-afternoon and want to crawl under your desk for a nap? Think about what you just had for lunch. What you eat has a direct impact on your focus and productivity. Healthy eating isn’t just good for your body; it’s also good for your bottom line.

10. Pick a distraction

Make it a priority to find something you love to do outside of work. Creating time for yourself provides balance and might even help you enjoy your job that much more.

11. Keep your chin up

If you’re on the hunt for a job, stay positive. Some people won’t return your calls/emails and others will shuts the door in your face. That’s life. Work on the job search a little every day, and the results may surprise you.

12. Don’t get too comfortable

This should be the mantra for our generation. So many companies are in flux, and even great employees can be let go at a moment’s notice. Work hard every day, learn as much as you can and always have a Plan B. Hopefully, 2012 will go according to plan, but in the event that it doesn’t, never forget to look out for yourself.

Cheers to a fabulous 2012, everyone!

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Your workplace paranoia might be grounded in some truth, at least according to a recent survey of employers across the country.

The poll, conducted by Workplace Options, found that a significant percentage of people think Millennials are less inclined to take on responsibility and produce quality work compared with their non-GenY co-workers.

Nearly 70 percent of survey respondents think Millennials are lazy and uninterested in their jobs. What’s more, 55 percent of Millennials agree.

Yeesh. Rough stuff. Without question, Millennial power and influence grows every day in the professional sphere. But if we view the Workplace Options survey as a progress report on our generation, we still have plenty to learn about life in an office.

It should come as no surprise that we rub our superiors the wrong way. We were raised to chase our dreams, eschew the age-old climb up the corporate ladder, live with an independent streak and rely on finely-tuned tech skills to fix problems 100 times faster than our parents.

GenY cares little for corporate bureaucracy, red tape and the snail’s pace at which some companies make decisions. If we see the right answer, we run with it. If we can’t do it our way, we sometimes often check out and stare at the clock. But at our best, we are experts in today’s need-it-now culture.

There’s only one snafu with this tried and true approach to work: in most cases, Millennials are not in charge. We serve at the behest of older folks who not only pay our salaries but have likely worked in our field for years, if not decades. Just like Millennials, they have developed their own work strategies – and GenY’s brash, get-it-done approach doesn’t always mesh well with their style.

And now this recent poll makes it abundantly clear what older employees think of us. Rather than go on the defense, savvy Millennials should take the survey’s findings to heart and change the way we approach our 9-to-5.

So your boss expects you to not take initiative and ask for more responsibility on a big project? Prove him wrong and ask how you can get more involved. Your supervisor assumes you can’t get a huge assignment done in a short amount of time? Stay late, check it for errors backwards and forwards, and turn it around by the next morning.

Don’t give your boss a reason to doubt you; give yourself an opportunity to earn respect.

Each generation has its own unique style, and the Millennial tool kit is indispensable in today’s business climate. But technical mastery is one thing, and attitude another. No one can deny an employee who comes to work every day with a smile and flat out works hard.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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$500,000.

Those five and six-figure sums might look like payouts from different rounds on ‘Who Wants to be Millionaire,’ but you won’t find Regis or an oversized check anywhere near this kind of money.

That’s because these totals represent what different people owe on their student loans. Some are in such deep debt that they can barely make payments on the interest of their loans. Forget actual loan payments. Those will have to wait for a better day.

Since Occupy Wall Street exploded two months ago, a website called Occupy Student Debt sprung up alongside and collected horror stories of higher education.

Some are straightforward:

Original Balance: $199.256.90

Current Balance: $253,015.63

Paid so far: $29,242.15 (I’ve never missed a payment)

Interest rates: up to 10.7% (Citibank)

Others full of panic:

HELP!

I graduated college in 2005, originally borrowed a total of $54,232.62, even only paying a lower interest rate and a fluctuating repayment plan over the course of almost 7 years of paying back my loan. I still owe at this time an amount of $54,158.13. As you can see, not much has come off at all.

And plenty more seem like all is lost:

I GAVE UP ON BEING A LANDOWMER YEARS AGO

Never mind the American Dream. Now, I’d just like to be able to pay my rent. Bills take care of my health and my cat’s health. Even my cat didn’t realize what she was in for in 1996, when I started grad school at a private university. Silly me.

Universities, banks and politicians… please explain yourselves.

More than 300 people have posted on the site with tales of financial ruin. Thousands more suffer in silence just for doing what we were taught all along: work hard, earn good grades, get into college and make something of ourselves.

Rising tuition, dried up state funding for public universities, easy access to loans (i.e. Sallie Mae) and a culture that pushes young people to four-year institutions (whether they want to go or not) have all led to statements like this:

Education debt… is a loaded gun to my head.

While we may never pinpoint the root cause of student debt, it’s quite clear where we ended up. A Pew Research study this past week revealed that a person age 65 or older has a net worth 47 times that of a 35-year-old. That is believed to be the biggest wealth disparity in American history, and surely student debt, along with high unemployment, factors into the equation.

In late October, President Obama tried his hand at tackling the student debt crisis with an executive order that lowers to 10 percent the maximum percentage of income students will have to pay toward their loans. Students will also be presented with new ways to consolidate loans and create lower interest rates.

Obama’s efforts won’t be a cure-all, especially since the new rules don’t apply to people who have already graduated but rather those entering college next year. It will instead ease the pain for future students (and likely nab the president a few extra votes in 2012).

You can question the merits of OWS, but the movement did spur the creation of a sister site dedicated to telling the world about America’s corrosive student loans. Heck, maybe all the rancor over student debt even prompted the White House to act.

College students deserve a system that, at the very least, gives them a fair shot at paying off loans and living without the crushing weight of intractable debt.

Do you have your own student debt horror story? Are four-year colleges and universities still worth the price of admission? Let us know your thoughts.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Once a week, we see the same motley bunch of conservatives march across the stage and tell the nation why each is their party’s best option for 2012.

We could ignore the debates and wait for Jon Stewart to pluck out the most cringe-worthy moments. These live, made-for-TV events full of “gotcha” questions always recycle well as unintentional comedy.

But as thousands of us Occupy every park and public square, and the rest troll job sites for the next great gig, let’s use the GOP debates as a teaching tool to help win our own job interviews and get hired.

Lessons to apply in your next interview

Don’t fidget. Romney, Perry, Cain and the rest do a good job keeping their feet on the ground. They don’t sway, exhibit nervous movements or say “uh” and “um” between every phrase.

The GOP candidates don’t squirm under pressure, and that lets the audience focus on their answers, rather than their uncomfortable body language.

Be ready for anything. Practice out loud answers to questions you expect to hear from your next potential employer. Know your stuff backwards and forwards so even in a bind you will intuitively squeeze out an acceptable response.

Mitt Romney was ready for a tough question from fellow nominee Herman Cain at a recent event in New Hampshire.

Cain: “The 9-9-9 [economic] plan that I have proposed is simple, transparent, efficient, fair and neutral. The question is to Gov. Romney. Can you name all 59 points in your 160 page plan, and does it satisfy the criteria being simple, transparent, efficient, fair, and neutral?”

Romney (without a hitch): “Herman, I have had the experience in my life in taking on some tough problems,” Romney said. “I must admit that simple answers are always very helpful, but oftentimes inadequate.”

Romney didn’t know what Cain would ask, but he knew the perceived holes in his resume and had a quick answer when someone questioned his record. He anticipated that “gotcha” moment and came out on top.

Make eye contact. When answering questions, the GOP candidates do two things. First, they respond directly to the person who asked it. But they are also aware of the entire room. They scan the crowd while they talk and rarely stare at the floor.
In a job interview, eye contact shows poise. And by giving frequent glances to others at the table, it proves you know how to speak to a group and command attention.

Listen up. You will often see candidates jot down notes as the others speak. They heard an opinion or fact that sticks out and may want to bring it up later. That same technique works really well with an employer. Either remember key details of your conversation or write them down. Then, return to those points at the end of the interview and dazzle the boss with your perceptiveness.

Yes, on the surface, most GOP debates seem like nothing but hot air. But look more closely, and the most compelling and consistent debater usually becomes their party’s nominee for president.

Confidence kills. Voters know it, and bosses do too.

Want to see these interview skills in action?  Check out the next GOP debate on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. EST on CNBC.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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After keeping me transfixed to HBO the past seven years with “Entourage” (the final season was mostly garbage, but I was too far along to quit), the rapper/actor has done it again with the hit HBO drama “How to Make It in America.”

The show, which returns for its second season this Sunday, is everything “Entourage” should and could have been. Unlike the fantasy world of Vince and the gang where no one really struggles for anything, “How to Make It in America” offers a far truer depiction of life for most young adults. We are ambitious, smart and hungry, but not always sure which road leads to the Promised Land.

At the same time, our economy is in the toilet and joblessness has reached crisis levels. If Millennials ever needed a heavy dose of inspiration to stay on the grind in pursuit of our passions — and the almighty dollar — this show is it.

The protagonists, Ben Epstein and Cam Calderon, are best friends in their mid-20s trying to start a fledgling clothing line called Crisp. The first season chronicles Ben and Cam’s misadventures as they hustle all over their hometown of New York City in search of investors, designers, manufacturers and distributors.

Friends, family and pros in the clothing biz all tell Ben and Cam to turn back or try a less risky venture. The two are not Wharton grads or living off an inheritance. They only have a few bucks to their names but are incredibly driven to “make it.” They also abide by the famous Woody Allen credo: “90 percent of life is showing up.”

Just by hustling all over Manhattan and chatting up anyone in the clothing business that will listen, doors begin to open. Ben and Cam might be naïve to think they can start Crisp from scratch, but they are nothing if not opportunistic. When the two friends see a door open, they sprint through before it slams shut. They are assertive, putting themselves in position time and again to succeed.

In real life, too, the job market is fierce, and to win you must be swift. Like Ben and Cam – and even Cam’s felonious but well-meaning cousin Rene – we have to think of every social interaction as a chance to network and promote ourselves. You never know who you might be talking to on the subway or at the lunch counter.

“How to Make It in America” is a new way to view our depressing job market. Forget the competition, and get it for yourself with pure, unfiltered hustle.

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.

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Both of my friends had the same uneasy tone: “Eh, I don’t know if I should write them. Isn’t it kind of random? Wouldn’t I be bothering them? I don’t know…”

I cut them off mid-worry. It’s not only perfectly fine, but a good idea to occasionally reach out to strangers in the business community. Making new friends in this surreptitious way takes a bit of strategy, but it always begins with one indisputable fact:

Most people like being asked for their advice or opinion.

Being treated as an expert or someone “on the inside” with networking powers makes people feel really freakin’ awesome about themselves. But some of those people — OK, most of them — have important jobs with hectic schedules. They want to impart all they know, but they have to do it on their time.

Let’s say you’re after a job at an accounting firm, and you have a friend who’s friends with a vice president at the company. Here’s one way to frame your email (it’s fictitious, by the way):

Hi Sheryl,

My name is Danny Rubin, and I’m Don Baxter’s friend. I just graduated from Big State U with a degree in business, and I’m starting my search for a job in the accounting world. I focused my studies in auditing, and I see that’s a large part of what Thompson & Company does.

I am curious if you have a few minutes to talk with me either by phone or in person. It would be great to learn more about Thompson &Company and also get a sense of other CPA firms here in town.

I’m happy to work around your schedule. If you’re willing, please let me know a day and time that works for you.

Also, I am attaching my resume to this e-mail.

Thanks in advance.

Nothing fancy. Nothing flashy. I got right down to business, but in a polite, appropriate way. I also made sure to attach my resume (no harm in that) and tell Sheryl I can meet when it works for her.

Here’s the post important piece: I’m not asking Sheryl to hire me. I’m asking to meet her. If a job opportunity arises from our conversation, great. But my initial goal is to make a new connection that could open doors for me.

What are the possible outcomes to my e-mail?

1. Sheryl never responds. My rule of thumb is to wait two full business days and then try again. If you still haven’t gotten a reply, let it go.

2. She writes back and says she’s happy to do a quick phone call. Research the firm, do a little LinkedIn digging and have some questions ready about the company and industry.

3. She agrees to meet in person, whether over lunch or at her office. Awesome. Do everything stated in #2. Then shower, brush your teeth and wear something nice.

It’s rare that a person — no matter how busy or self-important — won’t find time to sit down with a 20-something and share their knowledge. Nearly everyone loves being asked to talk about their background, expertise or connections, especially in their niche field.

We love feeling valued. It’s a defining human characteristic, and one you should leverage in the pursuit of your next great job.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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Corporate executives want lower taxes and less regulation to boost job creation. Others in the business community think the government needs to be more involved and inject federal money to foster growth.

Millions of other Americans could care less about the president’s long-term strategy. What’s most important to them right now is finding a job, earning a paycheck and providing for their families.

But what about us, the Millennial generation? We’re relatively new to the workforce and most likely don’t have children to support, mortgages to pay off and other financial burdens that come with being a full-fledged adult — well, other than school loans.

What do we want to hear from President Obama on Thursday night? 

The answer has four parts but one overarching theme: Mr. President, don’t just dazzle us with your eloquence (why we loved you in 2008). Instead, lay out a plan and show us how we can help you design a stronger economy and meaningful future.

Here’s what Millenials are looking for:

A bold but practical tone

Three years ago, all of us (admit it, you too) swooned over then-Senator Barack Obama’s every word on the campaign trail. He was just so damn cool. We believed in his language of “change” and flooded voting booths to elect him.

Now, the tune has changed. Thousands of young people struggle to find a job and enter the labor market for the very first time.

Political observers and pundits have called on the president to be “bold” with his jobs speech. Lofty rhetoric is great, but Millennials need pragmatism, too. What kinds of industries will be around for the next 30-40 years? How can we get a foothold in those companies, master the skills necessary to assume leadership roles and then become industry leaders in our 40s and 50s?

A focus on manufacturing

Last week, GOP presidential nominee Jon Huntsman laid out his own jobs plan that stresses the need for a robust manufacturing sector, not just a service-based model where we conduct business in khakis and loafers from inside air-conditioned offices.

It might be tough to hear, but the president should echo Huntsman’s plan and tell Americans that we can’t regain our economic footing without a strong manufacturing base. Our generation excels at technical mastery (particularly online), but that shouldn’t excuse us from also making products with our hands. What should America produce, and how can Millennials play an integral role?

A call to tap into the power of the Millennial mind

By now it’s pretty clear: our generation tells everyone else how to use the Internet. We own the social-media space and keep pumping out newer and better ways to connect digitally.

In his speech, the president will no doubt encourage businesses to innovate and develop more cutting-edge technology. To get there, he should leverage the Millennial mind. Put our best and brightest on committees and councils that focus on jobs. Ask us for the smartest and most efficient ways to run companies. It’s time to tap into our collective online brainpower, and let us help guide this country back to prominence.

A reality check — both for us and for the President

If Obama wants to be president for another four years, his tone has got to change. Three years ago, Millennials were willing to believe anything he said. This time around, we’re often skeptical of his leadership. The president needs to level with us about the state of our economy and the work necessary to put our country back on its feet.

We then have to decide as a generation whether this country is worth rescuing from mounting unemployment, severe debt and a general sense that we are weakening on the world stage. It’s the president’s duty to inspire and provide a clear path, but we must carry the torch. One person — not even the president — can’t solve the problems of 300 million.

There’s plenty riding on the president’s job speech Thursday night. But the real challenge is how we choose to respond.

Brazenites, what else are you hoping to hear Obama say Thursday night?

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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Closing the House Page Program will save about $5 million dollars a year, a pittance given our astronomical debt of more than $14.5 trillion. But it wouldn’t matter if the program cost nothing to maintain. The last several weeks of partisan bickering in Washington have made one thing abundantly clear.

Congress, in its current form, is no place for teens to learn job skills.

For the past two centuries, our nation has sent its brightest saplings to Washington, D.C., for an education in policy-making and the delicate art of reaching across the aisle. Maybe the page program worked wonders in 1832 or 1957, but in 2011 its mission has been completely tarnished through the debt ceiling debate and its dangerous brinkmanship.

Politicians from both parties seemed willing to let our nation default on its debts for the first time ever rather than sit across from each other and find consensus. House pages were no doubt within earshot as Boehner, Cantor, Pelosi, and all the rest fired salvos at each other, one side set against raising taxes, the other determined not to cut entitlements. Even the final deal fell short of everyone’s expectations.

And what does such intransigence teach impressionable high school pages? They certainly didn’t learn to think independently or engage in the tough talk that’s necessary to produce compromise. Sadly, they watched politicians refuse to budge even as the fate of the world economy hung in the balance.

The American people roundly condemned this inaction with descriptors like “disgusting,” “ridiculous,” and “stupid.’”  If a high school received the same marks from a state agency, parents would clamor to pull their children from the building forever.

The same should go for Congress. All teens in the market for a quality internship should look in places where adults conduct themselves like adults, setting positive examples. Students should consider interning at a fire department, rescue squad, non-profit or even local government, where good people can have a lasting effect on young people. That would help us flood the job market with right-minded citizens who understand the value of compromise and how to achieve it.

Congress isn’t just saving money by ending the House Page Program. It’s also saving our sharpest teens from a wasted semester in real-life courses like AP Obstinacy and Advanced Ridiculous Behavior.

So $5 million off the books? That’s a drop in the bucket. Our biggest gain here is never again sticking an ambitious teen in a room with a bunch of politicians who act like children.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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But what if there was a way you could hold the reins and let the employer do the thinking? In honor of the final season of Entourage, is that something you might be interested in?

Here’s how: Learn to ask solid questions. Not just biographical stuff, like how long your interviewer has been at the company and where she went to school. Ask questions that take your interest to the next level, ones that show you’re not only serious about the position, but also knowledgeable about the company and its particular industry.

Let’s say you want a job in PR.  You might say to your interviewer, “So many companies today already know how to reach customers through Facebook and Twitter. What do you think is the next online frontier? Are your clients looking for something more?”

Or say you want a job as a chef. Try: “I read an article recently that said customers are really into bold flavors right now. Are you interested in creating menu items with that in mind?”

This technique will help you regardless of the job you’re applying for, regardless of the industry. Everything you need to craft great questions is waiting for you on the web.

So before the interview, do your research. Read trade articles. Browse the company’s website – more than once. Skim bios of employees listed on the site and get a sense of where they’re coming from. And don’t forget to check out the competition and what they’re up to.

As you read, think broadly about the company, its challenges and the underlying trends in the industry. Show the employer you have given the interview – and the company – considerable time and attention.

Here are a few more examples.  Say you want to sell cars:

“I read that Facebook is good for generating fans for the dealership but not great at helping to sell cars.  Do you think social media is a good strategy for car dealers?” (I found this article in three seconds by Googling “car dealerships” and searching under “news.” This type of research doesn’t have to take all day.)

Finally, a job at an environmental non-profit:

“I’m curious how the economy has affected this organization. There’s such a push for conservation, but we’re still climbing out of a recession. What are some of the biggest challenges your team faces in terms of financial support?”

These next-level questions aren’t meant to prove you’re smarter than the boss. On the flipside, they show you’re generally interested in what the company does and already thinking about ways you could help. To employers, that shows initiative, maturity and a bit of moxie.

Holding the reins in a job interview. It’s a beautiful thing.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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No big deal, right?  It only makes sense to seek the opinions of our peers before spending an evening — and our money — at a new, trendy dinner spot.  And in the larger landscape of Yelp, daily deal websites and now Google’s ‘+1’ feature, a group mentality for selecting the next dining locale has become standard fare.

But what about the even larger landscape?  Group decision-making helps avoid bad table service or lackluster surf ‘n turf, but a pack mentality has its limits.  Will such reliance on the food we eat hinder our ability to make bigger choices and ultimately hurt us professionally?

In business, the right move isn’t always the most popular one.  Leadership takes vision, boldness and a streak of independence.  Sometimes it’s not sound practice to ask everyone’s opinion before making a big decision.  If you are in a position of authority, you get paid to take risks and chart a course for the rest of the office.

I am not advocating we should dwell in isolation in an office and make rash decisions without warning.  But we can’t always depend on our peers to tell us ‘yes’ or ‘no.’  Use the facts and figures on the table, listen to those you respect, and then…

Trust yourself to do what you think is best.

Face it.  Our economy is in shambles, and when we assume the reigns at our various companies, we will face difficult challenges: having to freeze wages, let people go and pare down a budget.  And when it comes to managing a budget, everyone’s got an opinion (see: Capitol Hill all day, every day). But there’s no Google ‘+1’ or ‘like’ button for the best way to cut costs.  Should we seek the counsel of those we respect?  Absolutely.  But in the end, the decision may be ours and ours alone.  No help from Yelp or anywhere else.

Lost in a world of GPS, smartphones and online peer reviews is that we can be quite resourceful and discerning on our own.  The web frees us from the burden of having to choose based on our gut instinct.   But offline, in the real world, we Millennials can and should think for ourselves.

It might not always fetch the best BBQ ribs in town, but it will show toughness and individuality on the job, where it matters most.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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Your boss hands you a task you have never done before, and your mind begins to race.  ‘I have no clue how to do this. Why would they stick me with a job I can’t handle? How am I going to get this done?‘

These brief and unexpected moments of panic place us squarely at the crossroads of stagnation and development.  You can easily tell your boss, “Sorry, I don’t know how to do that.” Or you can take the professional road less-traveled, trusting your instincts, current skillset and the belief that somehow you will get it done.

The second strategy sure is working for many 20-somethings on Capitol Hill as was made clear in a recent National Journal article from the publication’s “Hill People” issue, which includes data and profiles of high-level Congressional staffers.

Take, for instance, Katie Grant, a 28-year-old communications director for the House Minority Whip, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).  Do you think Katie has that job – at that age – by shirking from new and potentially unnerving opportunities? No way.

To climb the ladder at any organization, we (young folk) have to be willing to step outside of what is comfortable and just go for it.  There is no possible way we have the knowledge base in our 20s to do any and all tasks effortlessly.  But the savvy among us know something just as valuable: your experience thus far combined with the ability to learn as you go will almost always lead to success.

Recently at my own job, I was handed a task that, at first, I thought I couldn’t do.  My boss asked me to write a consulting “white paper” for a client.  I didn’t know what a white paper was much less what goes into it.  But my answer was simple: “Sure, I can handle that.”

After we finished our conversation, I went to work… learning about white papers and how to write them.  I found some examples online and determined what mine should look like.  Then I leaned on my writing and research skills to put it together. A week later, the job was finished, and I presented the white paper to my appreciative boss. Mission accomplished. At the jump, I kinda panicked.  I really had no idea what to do.  But once my nerves settled, I began to think strategically about how to tackle the project.  I already had the necessary skills to write a white paper. I just needed to think it through, take my time and trust myself.

Our generation is smart, capable and unparalleled in our ability to learn quickly.  You might even amaze yourself by taking on a project that once seemed scary and unfamiliar. Plus, you will impress your higher-ups, and the next time they will hopefully give you larger responsibilities (i.e. Katie Grant).

At our age, respect in the workplace is earned, and proving yourself to a superior is a great way to build a reputation. The only sure guarantee of failure?
Saying ‘No, I can’t’ right from the start.

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It’s a valid question because if a particular job fields hundreds of applicants, who has the time to read everyone’s application from start to finish?

“My name is ____________, and I am interested in the position of __________”

Yea, we’ve all started a cover letter like that.  It’s a safe bet and lets us start talking about our work experience right away.  Problem is, that line is predictable and a complete yawner for an employer staring at a mountain of job applications.  The opening few lines to a cover letter are valuable real estate that can hook a reader.  When used properly, they can also enhance the letter in general and make you a more desirable hire.

One of the many things I learned as a television reporter in Virginia was keeping a straight face while delivering “breaking news” updates on half an inch of snow. But here’s the most important lesson: don’t just report the news but tell stories.  I wasn’t just covering a military deployment.  I was covering how people were affected by the deployment.  I profiled two parents as they watched their only child go off to war and a wife who expected to give birth while her husband was away. Deployments can be a fairly routine exercise in a military community.   That’s why I had to find compelling storylines to make them meaningful, especially for an audience who witnesses the ceremony all the time.

Same goes for your cover letter.

Some of the most effective ones use a work experience/life adventure as a launch point for who you are and why you are different.  Your cover letter, like a solid piece of journalism, then becomes distinctive and has a twist. If I may be so bold, I will show you the opening lines to a cover letter I wrote a few years ago for a marketing job at a youth group I joined in high school.  I wrote:

It was April 1998, and I had to be the coolest kid in the world.  I had just arrived at the Jamestown 4-H Camp for my first youth group convention.  But I wasn’t supposed to be there.  That spring, I was a timid 8th grader who had just snagged the invite of the century: a chance to sit alongside my older cousin, a revered senior and president of the organization.  Man, was I excited…

Set aside, if you will, the fact that I did not land the position.  If I recall correctly, I lost out to someone with more experience, but the hiring manager did note that he enjoyed my cover letter and said it was clear that I had a passion for the job.

Do you need to have experience in journalism or creative writing to assemble a winning cover letter? Hardly, although it always helps to have a friend with strong editing skills look over your work once it’s finished (even Hemingway and Fitzgerald had an editor).

You just need to write your cover letter as if you are telling a story to a friend or parent.  How would you say it?  Tell an anecdote about your current workplace.  Think back to an experience that made you want to go into the particular field.  Find a way to relate your life to the job in question and give an employer something he or she will remember.

Bottom line: be interesting.  Hiring managers expect your cover letter to be a dud because most of them are.  A colorful and well-composed letter that starts with a bang will surprise them and make you memorable.  Everyone’s cover letter will include work experience, job skills and salary requirements.  No one else’s will contain your stories.

So, I repeat: do recruiters and hiring managers read cover letters?

The answer is completely up to you.

Danny Rubin works as a consultant for the media research firm Frank Magid Associates. Prior to working at Magid, he was a television reporter at WTKR, the CBS affiliate in Norfolk, Va.

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The situation has created a quandary for millions of young adults: how can I ever get hired if I need to have a job as a prerequisite?

Federal and state governments are busy drafting legislation to protect the unemployed.  In May, New Jersey became the first state to prohibit businesses from discouraging the unemployed to apply for a job.  In March, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) tried to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make it illegal to bar a person from employment on the basis of of their unemployment.

Those efforts are well-intentioned but will likely not lead to sweeping reforms in the hiring process.  The world of applications, interviews and call-backs is a murky one and nearly impossible to control.  So we can’t rely on a government crackdown or the sympathies of an exec who “remembers what it’s like to be in our shoes.”  Ain’t happenin’.  Not in this economy.

The only person who can help you lock down that elusive job offer is, well, you.

Let’s be real.  If you were a boss, would you want to hire someone with a meager resume who appears desperate for work rather than primed and poised for it?  Yea, me neither.

The job market is a fierce, competitive place and those who wait for work to fall from the sky will get nothing but a neck cramp.  According to a recent survey from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there are more than 1.3 million people who have never held a job before and need one now.  That’s roughly the state of New Hampshire.   How will you separate from the pack?

Simply put: unemployed doesn’t have mean to unprepared.  While you have the free time, consider interning at a company that interests you.  Ask friends and family if you can shadow them and observe what they do.  Look for courses to improve your skill set (i.e. at a community college) or join a group or club that will provide relevant job skills (and allow you to possibly network with people in the field).  Think about what a boss would want on your resume and then take steps to fill in the blanks.

Who knows?  Maybe you will impress someone at an internship or night course and garner a letter of recommendation.  The key is to always make use of your idle time.  And don’t forget: we can all use a little polishing up on our interview strategies and public speaking.

In many ways, not having a 9-to-5 is a luxury.  You have plenty of time to try out new industries and trades and see what clicks.  And with each new adventure, you enhance your profile for the all-important job interview.

Let’s be real (one more time).  If you were a boss, would you want to hire someone who saw unemployment as an opportunity and found creative ways to gain skills despite not having full-time work?

Well, bosses don’t become bosses for passing on a person like that.

Danny Rubin works as a consultant for the media research firm Frank Magid Associates. He works mostly with television and newspaper clients, helping to either boost ratings or subscriptions. Prior to working at Magid, he was a television reporter at WTKR, the CBS affiliate in Norfolk, Va. In addition to consulting, Danny provides freelance video production services in the Washington, D.C. area.

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Schock doesn’t just “work out” like the rest of us; the guy is a machine, hitting the gym sometimes seven days a week for grueling routines that allow him to maintain a body politic like no other.

From the article: “Schock, an irrepressible optimist, believes that success in politics looks exactly like success in the gym: have a goal, a strategy, and be disciplined in making it happen.”

Amen. I couldn’t agree more. The older I get, the more I realize the only person looking out for me is me. Schock wants a killer physique, so he works at it. A lot.

The Illinois native took a big risk baring his chest and will no doubt garner many sneers and jeers from colleagues on the Hill for the glossy spread. Yet, the photo shoot is about the only daring thing he’s done while in office. The almost 30-year-old is in lockstep with his party on nearly every pivotal piece of legislation.

Those of us who are career-oriented know we have to balance a commitment to ourselves with a devotion to compromise in the workplace. And that is where, time and again, the chiseled and toned Schock fails to max out.

Take a look at Schock’s recent voting record. On many of our most divisive issues — health care reform, federal funding of abortion, extensions of Patriot Act provisions — he’s voted alongside fellow Republicans. He even refused to respond to  Political Courage Test in 2010 and was given a lofty score of 0 percent for his noted absence.

Sadly, he’s become part of Washington’s highly-charged partisan atmosphere that sees donkeys and elephants retreat to the fringes where everyone agrees with each other and no one challenges opinions.

Think about our own experiences at work. At certain times, we have to compromise or risk losing respect as well as bargaining power. No one gets everything they want all the time. That’s pre-school 101. The same rules apply at a small business, non-profit, corporate behemoth and on Capitol Hill.

As the youngest member of Congress and the first born in the 1980s, Schock is our guy, even if we don’t live in his home district of Peoria, Ill. He is Gen-Y and stands before every gray-haired patriarch representing us. Yet, his voting record only reflects him and, likely, his constituency back home, so he can be re-elected every two years.

Schock: “Too much thinking in Washington focuses on immediate crises at the expense of long-term strategic objectives. That is the biggest overriding failure of American government in the past 20 years.”

Again, I couldn’t agree more. Long-term solutions require the ability to hear from a broad array of people, balance pros and cons and come to a sensible and well-intentioned decision. As a leader of our generation — one taught that finding common ground is the only way to move past the never-ending arguments of our parents and grandparents — Schock needs to employ the delicate art of negotiation.

Perhaps Schock’s profile in Men’s Health will encourage more dudes to hit the weights and slim down. But leadership is far more than P90X and Muscle Milk. The ability to find a middle ground — not just carve out washboard abs — defines a leader.

As Schock exits the gym each morning and heads for his congressional office, that is precisely where he should focus his sweat equity.

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Danny Rubin works as a consultant for the media research firm Frank Magid Associates. He works mostly with television and newspaper clients, helping to either boost ratings or subscriptions. Prior to working at Magid, he was a television reporter at WTKR, the CBS affiliate in Norfolk, Va. In addition to consulting, Danny provides freelance video production services in the Washington, D.C. area.

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