From Video Games to Market Research

From Video Games to Market Research Success Story > From: Job To: Solopreneur From Video Games to Market Research “Make your move. It's a risk, but everything will eventually work out.” * From Video Games to Market Research Sometimes, doing what you're 'supposed' to do leaves you in completely the wrong place. For Dan Lazar, a career change meant navigating uncertainty, mental gymnastics, and working out of a garage. But he did it, and created the freedom and salary he's always wanted. This is his story. What work were you doing previously? I was an associate brand manager with Activision, the largest video game publisher in the world. What are you doing now? I'm a market researcher. I focus on qualitative market research â€" focus groups â€" and I'm a sole practitioner. Why did you change? I made the change because I wanted control over my professional life. Working for a large company like Activision taught me a lot, but my salary had a low ceiling and my time was not my own. I wanted more freedom and more of a financial upside. When was the moment you decided to make the change? About a year into my time at Activision, I observed a focus group run by a young, dynamic moderator. He worked for himself, and did very well. I realised right away that his career suited me, too. I spent the next year observing as many groups as I could. Are you happy with the change? Yes, very happy. I doubled my Activision salary in my first year as a moderator and my earnings continue to grow. I have more time with my family and for myself. And I have a degree of control over my life that comes with being your own boss. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I miss the benefits that come with working with lots of smart people â€" social interaction, introduction to new ideas. So now I need to make that stuff happen through dinners, networking events, etc. I don't miss the corporate slog of meetings and politics, though. How did you go about making the shift? I spent as much time as I could in my role as a brand manager getting up to speed on focus group moderating. That meant observing groups and setting up informational meetings. I then approached the best moderator I knew and convinced him that my experience on the client side gave me a perspective most moderators don't have â€" the understanding of what clients really care about and what kind of research insights they find useful. By turning my weakness â€" inexperience â€" into a strength, I was able to convince him (and future clients) of my value. It also helped that my domain expertise was in video games â€" a niche not many moderators at the time knew how to tackle. What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? It took me a while to get the hang of research report writing. I have a background in journalism, so writing was always something that came easily to me. But this was a bit of a different animal. I had to craft an argument / story in PowerPoint format with as few words as possible. I loved the mental gymnastics, but it took some time to get good at it. I still think report writing is the hardest part of the job. I also didn't assert myself strongly enough in my new role when I started. There was a period of time when the moderator who took me in and mentored me was working me to the bone. I should have told him I needed a break, but I didn't, and as a result some of my work quality suffered. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? Fortunately, my wife worked, so she helped keep the lights on. We also cut back. But I was fortunate to start making good money almost from the start. What was the most difficult thing about changing? I was starting a new career. I had a hunch I’d be good at it, but I wasn’t sure, so I went through a substantial period of self-doubt and uncertainty about the future. Also, I went from having an association with 'Activision' â€" an esteemed public company â€" to working with one guy, literally out of his garage. Some people interpreted it as a step down, though I quickly made much more money and had a more favourable lifestyle than many of those doubters. What help did you get? I got a lot of help from the moderator I joined up with. He was a very talented consultant and passionate about what he did. He was patient with me and really helped me grow. My wife and the rest of my family were very supportive when I doubted the move. What resources would you recommend to others? The best thing to do is have informational meetings with others in the field you're interested in. Books and websites are fine for getting up to speed, but they can't move you forward like relationships can. What have you learnt in the process? I learned two things. First, follow your talents. I joined Activision because I thought being a brand manager was what I was supposed to do after graduating from business school. But the job was very heavy in quantitative analysis, and that's not who I am. Once I found my place in research, I was off and running. The second thing I learned is joining a big company isn't always a secure move, and joining a small company isn't always a risky move. Activision had several layoffs after I left, while my consulting practice was growing. In fact, I serviced Activision after I left. So I saw first-hand that my move gave me more security, not less. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Don't delay. Make your move. It's a risk, but everything will eventually work out. Life's too short to stay in the wrong job. To find out more about focus group moderating, check out Dan's book on the subject here. What lessons could you take from Dan's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

5 Essentials For Minimalist Work Fashion - Classy Career Girl

5 Essentials For Minimalist Work Fashion The idea of minimalist living has intrigued the hearts and minds of many people who are tired of the anxiety created by conventional consumerist lifestyle. In recent years, surges of people transformed their lives from a cluttered one to one where you only give attention and space to the most useful items. The philosophy behind minimalism is very simple. Simplify everything! It’s a lifestyle choice as well as an aesthetic taste. People reduce their belongings in exchange for personal gains like more spare time for oneself, a less occupied mind, cleared living space, spiritual understanding associated with desires, and reduced stress levels.   You keep what you value the most and remove everything that distracts you from it. 5 Essentials For Minimalist Work Fashion What Are The Benefits? Along with personal reasons related to time and mental clarity, many people also choose to live minimally for ethical reasons which are not in tune with the consumption based structure that we were born into. Not only is our current system unsustainable, but its also unethical in the light of environmental degradation caused by manufacturing and wastage, lack of a just economic system, and bad working conditions for factory workers. The change towards a more minimal lifestyle and aesthetic, where you stop thinking about buying more, leaves you not only with more mental clarity and time, but also more money to invest in experiences, or things that create experiences for yourself; like learning a new skill or traveling the world. Instead of buying clothes, shoes and makeup every season; experiences not only leaves you with a lasting feeling of self-esteem, joy, connection and purpose to life but also aids knowledge about the world, and fosters personality and growth. Minimalist Fashion Minimalism is a movement in art and design, which strips anything away down to the bare essentials. Minimalist fashion is all about the idea of less being more. It is not only a top trend of the day, but it’s something that is here to stay. Minimalist style goes incredibly well with office fashion.  It focuses on clean cut, staple silhouettes that are striking yet non-distracting. Not only does this style makes you stand out as a modern, sensible, sharp person, but it also shows that you do not follow the herd in their race to procure the newest flashy trend. To adopt a minimal lifestyle and fashion you do not need to spend thousands. It focuses on basic design and neutral and pale palettes. If thats not already a part of your wardrobe, its available at numerous stores at affordable rates. To start your new minimal approach to fashion you need to: 1. Adopt a More Neutral Palette   Instead, play around with fabrics. You can mix your silk blouse with your boyfriend’s leather jacket and some casual jogger pants. Pastel, in contrast, is a minimalist style winner always. 2. Avoid Flashy Colors and Bold Prints As a way to express your quirkiness, experiment with accessories like caps, scarfs, vests and socks. Add your own touch of unique taste. 3. Play With Cuts Experiment with different cuts and silhouettes so that you are never boring and always stylish. Shapes which are unique create a mysterious curiosity that loud colors and shiny things can never compete with.   An old oversized structured jacket with flowy pants is one good idea. 4.  Simple Accessories and Shoes Carry a simple staple handbag with comfy sandals  to make a casual and minimalist-style statement. 5. Use Understated Clean Cut Jewelry Metallic accessories  add a classy touch of style to a block design style in neutral colors for a modern touch. It’s important is to find items that are subtle and streamlined, and yet visually striking enough to make a statement when worn in combinations and stacks. If you keep these tips in mind, youll soon fall into the habit of putting together a sleek and simple outfit because most of your items will go with each other. It will save a lot of time, effort, and money for years to come while keeping you tuned to the principals of clean and minimal living.

The Lowdown on Employer-Paid Student Loans

The Lowdown on Employer-Paid Student Loans If you’re a recent â€" or perhaps not-so-recent â€" college grad, you don’t need to turn on the news to understand the student loan debt crisis. Odds are pretty good that the $1.2 trillion in student loan debt afflicting young Americans isn’t just an abstract figure for you â€" it’s your life. Leaving school with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans  may be keeping you from living the life you’ve always dreamed of, as buying a house or car is more difficult if you already owe a good portion of your paycheck to someone else. There are lots of ways to pay down your student loan debts faster, and they don’t all require Spartan living styles and a steady diet of ramen noodles to do it. One of the most often overlooked methods of killing your student loan debt is to get your boss to pay it for you. That’s right: There are employers out there who will pay some or all of your student loan debt as a benefit. Types of Student Loan Payment Benefits Employers have various ways of helping their workers with educational expenses, and it’s always a good idea to ask directly about these benefits in the prehiring process so you can weigh your options carefully and accurately. Here are some benefits buzzwords to be on the lookout for when interviewing with private companies: Direct Repayment Assistance: A small but growing number of companies are offering student loan repayment as a direct benefit for employees to attract the best and the brightest. Tuition Reimbursement: If your employer doesn’t kick in toward your student debt directly, many make continuing education affordable by paying for new coursework. This at least keeps you from racking up even more student debt in the future. Automatic Savings Plans: Some companies automatically enroll you in a 401(k), and some provide matching funds if you contribute voluntarily. These funds can allow you to save for retirement while freeing up your own money to pay down your student loans, so take them into account as an indirect form of assistance. Financial Planning Services: Many large companies offer their employees access to professional financial planners, and they can offer great advice about consolidating your student loan debt and coming up with a solid repayment and savings plan while you’re young. Take advantage. There are also many public employers that forgive all or part of certain student loan debt for employees. There are restrictions here, so it pays to do your research. For example, the loans forgiven are typically those from the government, such as Stafford or Perkins loans, and they may not be eligible if you’ve consolidated them with private loans. Still, if you are interested in a service job that meets the needs of underserved areas, you could be eligible for a major loan repayment benefit. In general, these types of jobs may be eligible: Teachers Lawyers Military service members Automotive workers Veterinarians Nurses Doctors Other health care professionals It’s also possible for employees of the federal government to have their student loan debt forgiven. Since 2008, the federal government has paid over $452.8 million in student loan repayments as part of a program that helps recruit and retain federal employees.  The range and location of government jobs is vast, so it can pay off to be on the lookout for these opportunities as they open. Important Questions to Ask Before Accepting Benefits Though jumping at the chance to have your boss pay off your student loans seems like a no-brainer, it’s important to double-check the implications of any loan repayment program, particularly as it affects your bottom line at tax time. Make sure you ask the following questions â€" and that you understand what the answer mean for you: What’s the difference between loan forgiveness and loan assistance? The federal government offers loan forgiveness or cancelation programs because they have the power to basically erase your federal student loans. Loan assistance is when you are still being charged to pay the principal and interest, but your employer pays these for you. Will I need to pay taxes on the money? In general, if your employer pays part of your loan, that money counts as compensation and will be reported on your tax forms. You will have to pay taxes on that compensation. Loans that have been forgiven aren’t taxable in any way. How do the rest of the benefits add up? Student loan forgiveness or assistance is often offered in place of take-home compensation or as a way to entice employees into a job that many people may not want to do. For example, it could be used to attract people to a rural location or into difficult work with underserved populations. Make sure the rest of your paycheck is enough to support you before trading compensation for student loan forgiveness. Other Ways to Pay Off Your Student Loans Whether or not you end up accepting a job with specific student loan benefits, you can always tweak your lifestyle to help you pay down your loans more quickly. Don’t forget these important steps to get your financial house in order: Try Biweekly Payments: Paying every two weeks instead of every month will help you get ahead of your interest accrual and will result in extra payments each year, which allows you to pay your loans off faster. Take Advantage at Tax Time: You can claim a deduction for student loan interest, which will reduce your tax burden. Instead of blowing that bigger refund on a vacation, send it directly to your lender to get a jump on your payments. Commit to Paying Extra Each Month: Even just $20 or $50 extra per payment will help pay off your loan faster, and for less money in the long run. Try a loan calculator to see how it works. Your student loans may feel overwhelming, but with help from your employer and good financial planning, you can get it under control and feel in charge of your personal finances.

Myth #1 If you dont get on a graduate scheme during your final year, youve blown your chances of a good job. University of Manchester Careers Blog

Myth #1 If you dont get on a graduate scheme during your final year, youve blown your chances of a good job. University of Manchester Careers Blog Okay so if you’re not wearing a Christmas jumper, it’s impossible to have a good Christmas, right? Yes Christmas jumpers are great, but they’re not the only thing that makes Christmas special. The same is true for your future job â€" there are a multitude of alternatives to graduate schemes that will still provide a great start to a rewarding and enjoyable career. Although a great deal of importance is placed on graduate schemes with “big” employers, these programmes are not for everyone and they actually only account for a small percentage of the total graduate roles available to students from UK universities. So what are the other alternatives out there? Non-‘Grad Scheme’ Graduate Roles â€" Employers, ranging from large corporations to SMEs, are looking to recruit students and graduates to full-time roles all year round, as one of our recent blog posts attested. These positions are still exciting and challenging opportunities for graduates. Some currently being advertised on CareersLink and targeting University of Manchester students specifically include: a graduate digital marketing position with Brainless Digital; an opportunity to put together and market luxury holiday packages for Expressions Holidays; and a range of head office roles with Dixon Carphone â€" all of which are open to students of any degree discipline. The Manchester Graduate Programme â€" Every year the University offers its graduates paid, full-time roles as part of the 12-month Manchester Graduate Programme (formerly known as MGIP). There are a huge number of roles available in various departments throughout the university, as well as even more positions with companies based in and around Manchester. The 2016 programme launches in April, so remember to keep this in mind as another option for what to do after graduation. When one door closes, another one opens. And in the grand scheme of things, graduate schemes are a pretty small door. careers graduate schemes Graduates jobs

Tips For Writing Resume PDF

Tips For Writing Resume PDFResume PDF - Look, there are a lot of people who are claiming that using resume PDF is the best thing to do for your job application. Well, these are really making a lot of mistakes that are going to be reflected in their overall scorecard.If you don't want your resume to fall flat on its face and become unusable, then read this advice in writing resume PDF. You should not do anything that will cause you unnecessary delays. Start preparing your resume by filling out the necessary information in a PDF format, making sure that you have copied all of it from the company's website.When resumes are submitted for consideration, they may get rejected because they are badly formatted and not worth mentioning. This will definitely ruin your chances of getting the job, so it is imperative that you go through all the forms required before submitting it. After that, type the following information in a separate file: your contact number, your city and state, current add ress, your title, and your date of birth.The next step is to put your personal details and contact details on the resumes. It will help if you write a cover letter as well. The goal here is to convince the recruiters that you are the best person for the position. The cover letter is supposed to stand out from the rest and it is meant to grab the attention of the recruiter as well.To use resume PDF correctly, you must have good grammar skills and a good speller. Do not be discouraged if your writing skills are not the best. You may be putting together resumes that the people at the company have never seen. Make sure that you have the appropriate skills to utilize them to your advantage.Before you submit your resume PDF, make sure that you have completed all the forms. In other words, do not skip filling in the various fields of the employment applications because these fields are important to get into the company. It is therefore imperative that you finish filling out the forms befor e submitting them.Once the forms are completed, you can now start writing your resume. Make sure that it is clear and concise and it should have all the information required in it.Writing resume PDF can be the fastest way to get the attention of the company. All you need to do is to ensure that your writing is flawless.

70 Get a Job - Job Interviews - Jane Jackson Career

70 Get a Job - Job Interviews - Jane Jackson Career HOW TO GET YOUR DREAM JOBThere are 7 episodes in this JOB SEARCH SERIES within the Jane Jackson Careers podcast.So many listeners ask me about specifics regarding the job search or career transition process so I’m now going to make it really easy for you.From Episode 65 through to Episode 71 I’ll discuss each of the essential steps to take control of your career or your job hunt.Each episode will cover one step of the process and you can listen to two steps a week for the next three and a half weeks.I was recently honoured to be interviewed by podcaster and branding specialist, Ryan Rhoten on his Brand New You Podcast and we talked about my book, Navigating Career Crossroads in great detail. The 7 episodes of this JOB SEARCH SERIES feature our in depth discussions about each step.In this episode let’s talk about STEP 6, how to prepare for all the different types of interviews you may encounter.To find your Dream Job, take my Online Job Search Program, the 7 Steps CAREERS Progra m. Go to www.janejacksoncoach.com/7steps and get the program today!

3 Unusual (But Effective) Ways To Choose Your Career - CareerAlley

3 Unusual (But Effective) Ways To Choose Your Career - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Most people will spend upwards of 40 hours per week, 48 weeks per year, at work. Therefore, its crucial to find a career path that you enjoy, find fulfilling, and one which blends well with your preferences and goals but this can be far easier said than done. If youre struggling to decide the next step in your career, or are considering a complete career change, then it might be worth seeking new inspiration from one of the following If youre struggling to decide the next step in your career, or are considering a complete career change, then it might be worth seeking new inspiration. Tweet This Personal recommendations If you have a friend who is happy with their career, its always worth asking yourself if you also might enjoy a similar role. Not only do you have direct, first-person evidence that that specific career is enjoyable, your friend could also be a useful source of guidance, support, and insight into what the role entails if you do decide to give it a try. One of the first things you should ask yourself is what is your dream career. Believe it or not, many young children have a career in mind, going back to elementary and middle school. It is not unusual for some children to make their career dream a reality, by getting a degree in that field. Regardless, if your dream career is a teacher or lawyer, you can make it come true. And, you do not need millions of dollars to make this happen. What Is Your Dream Career? Personality tests The famous Myers-Briggs personality test has been used by both recruiters and job seekers for decades, though there are plenty of other personality tests that can also provide valuable career insight. Its particularly worth taking several personality tests and evaluating the results; if theres a consistent theme or one particular career that keeps cropping up across multiple results, that could be a promising sign. Oh, and speaking of signs Astrology If youre a fan of astrology, then it might interest you to know that it is thought that certain occupations suit particular star signs as you can see on the Libra-focused infographic below. As a result, its worth looking into the suggestions for your specific star sign to see if you can find anything that you feel might be suitable for you. Infographic Design By Ask Astrology What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to launch your career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search