The United States Opposition to a Breastfeeding Resolution Shocks World Health Officials

The United States Opposition to a Breastfeeding Resolution Shocks World Health Officials Hundreds of government delegates gathered in Geneva this spring for the United Nations-affiliated World Healthy Assembly, where theyd discuss a resolution that reportedly intends to encourage breastfeeding. The resolution argues that a mothers milk is healthiest for babies and, thus, countries should work to stop the dissemination of any inaccurate and misleading marketing of break milk substitutes. But the U.S. delegation upended deliberations, supporting infant formula manufacturers and arguing for the removal of language that calls on governments toprotect, promote and support breastfeeding. The U.S. delegation also pushed for the removal of aleidher passage that calls on policymakers to restrict the aufsteigen of food products often warned to have damaging effects on children.The U.S.s opposition reportedly shocked public health officials and foreign diplomats alike, as its deemed a stark con trast to the U.S.s usual support. The U.S. has largely backed the World Health Organizations (W.H.O.) longstanding policies that encourage breastfeeding, and Washington is the largest contributor to the W.H.O,providing $845 million (about 15 percent of its budget) last year alone. Now, health officials are reportedly concerned that the U.S. may cut its contributions and side with corporate interests on public health and environmental issues, according toThe New York Times.More than a dozen participants from several countries in the discussion requested anonymity out of fear of U.S. retaliation, after the U.S. reportedly said Washington would unleash punishing trade measures and withdraw crucial military aid, if Ecuador the first to acquiesce refused to drop the resolution,The New York Timesreported.We were astonished, appalled and also saddened, said Patti Rundall, the policy director of British advocacy group Baby Milk Action, who has attended meetings of the decision-making body of the World Health Organization since the late 1980s, according toUSA Today. What happened was tantamount to blackmail, with the U.S. holding the world hostage and trying to overturn nearly 40 years of consensus on the best way to protect infant and young child health.The resolution refers to decades of research that suggests that breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed babies. A2016 study, for example,found that universal breastfeeding would prevent 800,000 child deaths worldwide each year and save $300 billionfrom abridged healthcare costs. Hesitation to carry out a study thatd test break milk against breast milk substitutes boils down to ethics and morals.Ananonymous Department of Health and Human Services (H.H.S.) spokesman toldThe New York Times,however, that the U.S. only wants to ensure that mothers who cannot breastfeed alternative options to feed their babies.The resolution as originally drafted placed unnecessary hurdles for mothers seeking to provide nutrition to th eir children, the spokesman reportedly said, adding that the H.H.S. was not involved in any alleged threats. We recognize not all women are able to breast-feed for a variety of reasons. These women should have the choice and access to alternatives for the health of their babies, and not be stigmatized for the ways in which they are able to do so.Of course, its wrong to stigmatize mothers who cannot breastfeed for a number of reasons whether theyve had breast surgeries for health or cosmetic reasons, or whether theyre sick, pressed for timeor something else entirely. And its not right to shame those who do indeed choose to formula feed.There are other options for mothers who cant breastfeed and dont want to formula feed,like using breast milk donors through sites likeMilk Share,Human Milk 4 Human BabiesandEats on Feets. But even mothers who try alternatives are too often shamed.The resolution, however, calls to stop the dissemination of wrongful information not to strip women who c annot breastfeed of their options.Ultimately, Russia stepped in to introduce the resolutions, a move that was not met with any reported opposition or threats from the U.S., according to Slate. The U.S. succeeded in having the language that called on the W.H.O to offer technical support to member states looking to cease inappropriate promotion of foods for infants and young children, but the final resolution preserved the bulk of the original wording.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solo travel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Purdue University Resume Writing

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Purdue University Resume Writing What Purdue University Resume Writing Is - and What it Is Not Tell how youre a perfect match for the job. Put the Education section of your resume on top of your resume so that its the very first thing the employer sees. If you need a job, youve got to earn a case for yourself. Websites you are not familiar with can make finding where you must go somewhat challenging. Purdue University Resume Writing - Overview Employers know of the chronological format and frequently prefer it. Resumes are thought to be a truthful and totally accurate account of your qualifications. Reverse Chronological Resumes are used when youve got a considerable quantity of continuous experience. Evidently, you are in need of a computer. It is not advised to write an overall cover letter to be used for each and every application. The application doesnt need completed all at one time. List any computer computer so ftware programs you are conversant with. Therefore, if you learn how to think, through writing, then you are going to develop a well-organized, efficient mind and one which is well-founded and certain. So whenever you are writing an essay, youre harnessing the complete might of culture to your life. Rather than that, you group your abilities and qualities into three or four functional locations. Please be mindful you have to state the particular elements of writing on which you would prefer the tutor to. The Chronicles of Purdue University Resume Writing The typical employer only spends 15-20 seconds reviewing each resume, and that means you need to make sure that yours is targeted, error-free and simple to skim. You are going to be able to demonstrate a developed comprehension of the necessities of the expert work atmosphere. The more frequently you update, the simpler the procedure will be and the more prepared youll be. A History of Purdue University Resume Writing Ref uted Our high-quality, but affordable assignment writing help is extremely pleased with our professional writers that are readily available to work effectively and efficiently to satisfy the tightest deadlines. Students using the Writing Lab are predicted to. In the end, you are going to want to incorporate any work experience you may have. Start crafting your resume now so you can efficiently capture your existing experiences. Choosing Purdue University Resume Writing You may also present your comprehension of the discipline of study you want to know more about. If you are able to, have someone from your unigelnde career office, or maybe an alumnus in the area that you want to know more about, look at your resume to make sure you have included as much pertinent information as possible. Purdue is linked to the utmost Shreveport-based football game. The procedure for writing a cover letter can end up being frustrating. It is the primary way to provide an introduction to a potential contact or employer. It is connected to your resume, but it should not duplicate exactly what is already on your resume. Your cover letter provides you the chance to expand on your previous experience as it directly relates to the place of interest.

Ruthless Summary Statements Resume Strategies Exploited

Ruthless Summary Statements Resume Strategies Exploited Law schools utilize personal meinungs, among other facets. There are a few important things you need to consider when writing an educational resume summary. Especially if its intended to writing reviewing. Please get in touch with us if you would like us to add sample resumes for any particular category or whether you want to submit an example for particular category. If you dont find out how to begin your resume summary statement you may pick a resume template or employment from an online resume creator to discover examples and suggestions to compose an effective resume introduction. Easy-to-navigate styling ought to be the main focus, but adding somewhat expert flare is also welcome. You must have five objective statements. In any instance, you ought to pay enough attention to supply actual and correct data. Perhaps you wont utilize words like gain a competitive edge or boost revenue in your statement. When thinking a bout the subject of your private statement, consider what the. If you do decide to move forward with a resume summary statement, be sure to take care of it as your personal highlight reel. You may want to bring a resume summary statement. A summary statement is a brief expert introduction that you could increase the peak of your resume. At first, writing a resume summary statement appears easy. Ruthless Summary Statements Resume Strategies Exploited If youre not absolutely clear of what you want, envision a perfect sttte that will value you for the key characteristics and experiences you would like to be hired for. You also need to note your supreme record-keeping abilities. In spite of no experience, you still ought to show experience. You dont require experience to get achievements. Ok, I Think I Understand Summary Statements Resume, Now Tell Me About Summary Statements Resume If you follow the advice above you are going to have an interesting, compelling resume summar y that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience The piece you truly need the hiring manager reading is your latest work experience (and be sure you tailored that info to fit the work description). Ultimately, your resumes format is an issue of style. Scan the work description. On the flip side, once the work applicant has strong experience, there is not any need to trust the academic training any longer and it doesnt need to get mentioned. You might also see career summary examples An expert summary is a succinct overview of your skills, experiences and goals directly about the job posting. If youre a career changer or have several years of experience, craft a highly effective overview to highlight your accomplishments and techniques. You might also see thesis summary examples For individuals with very little experience or are in the midst of a career change, professional memberships are extremely much relevant . Bear this in mind while you create a summary that presents your uniqueness. The response ought to be at the peak of your resume a career summary. Everyone knows that when hunting for work, the very first task youll need to complete for an expected employer is, Send a copy of your resume. The very first thing which you want to do is go back and take a look at the job that youre applying for and determine your intended audience. Things You Wont Like About Summary Statements Resume and Things You Will Managers and executives should revolve around business skills and technical expertise even should they fall into a technical industry. Based on what field you opt to go into, a seasoned accounting and finance position would bring a salary in the variety of 68,000 to 109,000 dollars annually. Technical skills guide to assist you need to down merely a lead summary. The understanding of law is essential for employed as a paralegal. The resume profile is among the vital elements of a good teaching resume. Very short, which results in the next point. Your very first draft should not be your final draft. If youre unsure what to write, highlight your skills utilizing a number of bullet points.

Salary Negotiation These are the 6 worst salary-negotiation mistakes you can make

Salary Negotiation These are the 6 worst salary-negotiation mistakes you can makeSalary Negotiation These are the 6 worst salary-negotiation mistakes you can makeAs a top-billing headhunter for roles ranging from chief executive to the analyst level, a big part of my job welches to negotiate between the candidate and the client what compensation package to settle on. Only upon successful negotiations would I get paid, so I had to excel at this skill to survive. As someone who retired fromheadhunting at a young age, Im excited to share my volume of knowledge I gained from a third-party perspective.At the end of the day, here are the top sixbiggest mistakesand misconceptions Ive seen candidates fall prey to during salary negotiations.1. Relying on one offerBasic supply and demand dictates that the higher the demand for your skill set (assuming the supply of candidates is limited), the more youll be paid. In most skilled/white collar roles, there are more jobs than likable and qualified candidates available, therefore, the question is more importantWhy dont you have more offers brewing? The first mistake is relying on one employer.Why would an employer pay above what they can get away with if there is no competition? Its hard to create a bidding war when no one who wants to buy you. I advise candidates to use other offers to theiradvantage and also to be absolutelyhonest during the interview process. Dont hide the fact that you may have other offers coming inCompetition is good. You will raise your desirability in an employers eye if their top competitors also want to hire you. Your salary will naturally be higher in this scenario- this is the beauty of leveraging. Use this to your advantage and drop the hint that youre hot stuffIf, in your job type, there are more candidates than jobs available, then youre looking at an even bigger problem. You will elend be able to negotiate that much if youre operating in a role in which you are a commodity and easily replaced (worse yet, eventually automated). If youre relatively substitutable, you probably cannot negotiate for a higher salary above what is the market norm. For most jobs, there is a maximum ceiling, unless you bring something truly unique or add value.2. Not doing enough researchIf you rely on the negotiation at the end of the process to dictate your future, youre taking a big gamble. You should have been using market information from day one to set the stage for your negotiation strategy and expectations. Waiting until the end is the ultimate cat-fishing move for both parties involved.I always prefer to set the stage from the very beginning, or as early as I feel the tide turning in my favor. Once the phone interview is done and the face-to-face is being scheduled, Im already calculating and thinking ahead what numbers would be reasonable to me.3. Becoming an unemployed job-seekerI talk a lot about theDandan Global Power Spectrum- the basic tenant is that the more unhappy you are with y our job, the worse bargaining position youll be in.Unless you have some rational reason for why youre unemployed (winning the lottery, being extremely rich, having no kids/family to support, working within an industry where you dont have to continually stay employed), employers tend to view unemployment unfavorably. In cases where there is a layoff, and you have a severance, this is understandable.But too long of an unemployment timeframe impacts your desirability because there will be more questions to answer, such as Why havent you been able to find employment? Are you lazy, unqualified, incompetent, or just simply burnt out? Meanwhile, other candidates who are happily employed will also be competing for the same roles you are. Double whammy.The market value of someone employed is very easy to calculate- its their current salary or adjusted counter-offer amount. As someone who is unemployed, youre a bit of a guess, and theres only your past salary to work with. So again, this is w here you need to decideWhere are you willing to settle? Essentially, youll need to decide your strategy early on Either roll the dice on salary at the end and wing it, or dictate from the beginning what you want in a transparent manner.No matter what the scenario is, it helps to have money saved up at all times to make sure you dont get desperate to take on a job simply for the money. You never know what may happen, and you dont want to get sucked into a crappy job because you didnt plan accordingly. Theres a reason why various pundits will harp on the idea of the emergency fund, and rightfully so.4. Focusing too much on the moneyThe biggest complaint I have with negotiation gimmicks is that people propagate theidea that there are a few words or strategies that will magically fool an employer to pay double or triple the amount of money for you. That rarelyhappens. If it does, it isnt always a good thing.I worked with clients who are terrible people and horrible managers. Guess what? They usually pay above market rates for their talent The people who get wooed into that scenario forget to look at the opportunity and what theyre getting for their money. Are they really going to learn skills to increase their future employability? Are they working with a manager and within an environment that is conducive to a happy, enjoyable, healthy working environment?No The answer is no They may work there for a year, but will quickly leave and find another place sometimes for the same if not lower salary. Those environments are unnatural and unsustainable Any employer willing to pay unnaturally high rates definitely is undergoing something theyre not telling you.If youre an amazing organization, you dont and wonthave to bribe people to join you Im not saying this is always the case, but it certainly should raise a red flagfor you to investigate further. Dont be fooled by their desperation to hire you at all costs.None of my clients whowere halfway decent employers couldbe f ooled like that. Smart employers know the game a lot better than any gimmicky person out there. And besides, if youre able to double or triple your salary, that may be a one-time feat only (max twice, anyone else who does it more than that is too rare to replicate). That wont happen consistently, because market dynamics do not allow for that on an every day basis. Otherwise inflation would be through the roof5. Knowing what else the compensation package encapsulatesPeople place too much emphasis on the kusine salary as the most important piece to negotiate. Theyre forgetting one veryimportant compensation factor equity. The equity is what matters if youre looking for a true windfall Make sure youre not negotiating the small stuff andmissing out on the big stuff.Warning Many times, people from established businesses feel that its a risk to join a smaller company that is in an earlier stage of growth. They prefer large-cap companies, but then they miss the true windfall when a stock g oes from $50 to $600 like one of the clients I worked with. As a mid-sized company, everyone I placed there eventually became millionaires off of the equity package alone. At that point, does $10k on base matter compared to the $100k you can earn on stock options/restricted stock units? Dont miss the big win due to a small gripe. That may lead to regret further down the line.This is why you should never attempt to do my next and final point6. Behaving belligerently and/or with paranoiaSome people are so concerned about $5k or $10k on base salary, that theyll miss the job/offer entirely. I had a candidate who made such a stink about $5k that they lost their offer. The client was so turned off by their aggressive, give-me-all-you-got-I-know-you-have-it attitude. Remember, $5k after taxes is a little over $2,500. Why lose a job at $130k for $2,500?Not only was that candidate extra greedy, they were also extra entitled, and therefore extra rude. They treated their best friend in the hir ing process, their headhunter, like garbage. They were rude, aggressive, and mean. Again, totally unnecessary behavior. Even the HR person could hear this persons negativity and counseled against the hire.Please be careful how you negotiate and how you treat people in the process It does no one any favors by behaving like a total tyrant who thinks theyre the only person on earth who can do the job. Whether you like it or not, there is competition, so if companies have other employees to consider, you bet theyll take their chances.At the end of the day, employment is a two-way street it has to be fair on both sides. I have boosted peoples salaries by 10percent to 30percent on average, but its because they earned it. The employers I worked with understood that unterstellung are high-value employees so they were happy to pay extra.Ultimately, the point I am trying to make is that you should be easily able to achieve what you want if you know how the hiring process worksare competent in your role and have done a good job in your careerknow how to work with people who will help obtain the maximum amount of offers for youideally are looking for a new job when youre employedand are likable to bootThis article originally appeared on Quora.

5 Key Benefits of Using WordPress for Your Website

5 Key Benefits of Using WordPress for Your Website5 Key Benefits of Using WordPress for Your WebsiteDon Campbell is a well-known, highly respected Internet marketing expert specializing in WordPress website development. In part one of my interview with Don shares tips on developing a WordPress website. WIB Many geschftsleben owners hesitate to launch a website because of the high cost of having someone design, build, and maintain a website. Your company helps geschftlicher umganges build their own websites using WordPress. Aside from saving them thousands of dollars, how can geschftlicher umganges benefit from building their sites in WordPress? Is it really that easy? Campbell Thats a great question. Many of the businesses I talk to fall into one of two categories They dont have a website, and dont know how much it should cost, or who to trust orThey have a website, but its not really helping their business (its a glorified zugreifbar brochure.) Maybe they even paid thousands of doll ars for a nice looking one. They also struggle with updating it. Many times, they have to pay someone every time they want to make a change. I recommend to business owners that they try to strike a balance between that costly, high-design website, and a free website that doesnt really present a professional image. What they really need is a basic, professional website that is properly optimized for the search engines and built to bring them new business. I think using a tool like WordPress helps them strike this balance. Since WordPress is free and hosting is very inexpensive, a do-it-yourself small business owner can get going for a very low cost. And with the thousands of themes and plugins available, they can quickly customize the look of the site, and extend its functionality without knowing how to program. And someone who doesnt have the time to set it up themselves can find someone to build them a very professional business website for about $1,000. 5 Benefits of Building W ith WordPress Here are five key benefits of using WordPress for your website Themes allow you to change the design of your website quickly. There are thousands of themes available for WordPress.Plugins allow you to extend the functionality of your WordPress site without knowing how to program. There are over 10,000 plugins available that help you add all kinds of functionality to your sites, like social media sharing, SEO, photo slideshows, and much more.They are easy to update. If you can create a Word document, you can publish a new article to your WordPress website. Once it is set up, you can update it anytime you want, and that is important for engagement with your visitors and for the search engines. Google loves WordPress sites. Because they are updated more frequently, and the content tends to be structured well, you can get a WordPress site ranking very quickly compared to a static website. Google has even gone on record as recommending WordPress for business sites (see You Tube video)WordPress is supported by a thriving, engaged community. A recent study estimates that approximately 8% of the sites on the Internet are run by WordPress. There are thousands of designers, developers and enthusiasts out there to help if you get stuck. Help is just a Google or Bing search away. You can also read Dons series on using WordPress small business websites to get even more tips for your business. Don Campbell created Expand2Web to help small business owners build WordPress websites that rank in the top of local search results on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Now, Expand2Web creates training and tools for consultants and do-it-yourself small business owners. Balancing Work and Life WIB I read on your website that you play piano and are learning to skimboard - and you have a wife and two daughters. How important is it to maintain a balance between work and your personal life? Do you have any advice to women who are struggling with work-life balance as they build the ir own businesses? Campbell Yes, I think work-life balance is incredibly important. The reason I left my corporate job is to have less time traveling and more time with my family. I am constantly asking myself - what is the lifestyle that I want to live? And I try to let that guide me. Dont get me wrong, I like to work hard, but it needs to be on things that I love to do, and with plenty of breaks and time to step back, spend time with my family, and recognize what is truly important. I admire how my wife has navigated this along with me. When we met, she had a very successful career, and decide to stay home when we had kids. She took that opportunity to go back to school part-time, and completely change her career to something different, something that she really loves to do. Now she works 2 days per week, and gets to be super-engaged with our kids in their classrooms, and supporting our family. Shes the one doing the backdrop for the school play or running the volunteer art progr am at the kids school. I have a tremendous amount of respect for how she navigated all of this, and we both feel like were living a lifestyle we love. And the piano lessons you mentioned Im taking them along with my oldest daughter and were having a lot of fun doing that together Anyway, I could go on and on, but I dont want to bore your readers too much - I think having that balance leads to more creative output and a happier lifestyle all around. Ranking Your Website WIB You offer some really great tips on your blog and in your free booklet on how to get a website ranked in local searches. But what about business owners who have one physical schauplatz that serves multiple areas. How can they target a wider area? Campbell This is a very good question. In the Google Place pages are set up for a business to show up for searches in the city or town where their business is located. But the reality is that many businesses server entire areas of nearby neighborhoods, towns, and cit ies. There is no perfect answer for this, but what I recommend is that the business claim and optimize their Google Place Page, and other pages like Yahoo Local, Bing, Yelp, etc. And then couple this with a good website. On that website, I have them create a page for each of the nearby cities/towns that they serve, including details about the area. For example, describe why you have clients from the nearby city. Maybe they work at a company located there, there and its convenient to stop by your business on their lunch break. Each page is highly optimized for the city-specific keywords, and linked to properly from other areas of the site and from other web sites too. Heres an example of a city-specific page northvalleyoptometry.com/milpitas-ca-optometristMilpitas, CA Optometrist Don Campbell created Expand2Web to help small business owners build WordPress websites that rank in the top of local search results on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Now, Expand2Web creates training and tools for consultants and do-it-yourself small business owners. Learning From Others WIB Many businesswomen ask me about whether or not it is worth the time to enter business contests. One of your business ventures, RefMob, was a finalist in TechCrunch 50. What is RefMob and was TechCrunch 50 (TC50) a worthwhile experience? Campbell Absolutely. TC50 was a fantastic experience. The coaching that the TC50 team provided was awesome. We had practice sessions that were videotaped, and were coached by Jason Calacanis and Michael Arrington they watched us present and then gave us specific feedback on how to improve, and then had us come back again. Any time you can present in front of thousands of people its a great opportunity. I met some amazing people during that process and built some very important relationships that led to other opportunities. The Importance of Link Building WIB There is a lot of emphases today on building trusted and valued inbound links for websites. How important is this and do you recommend people pay for links? Campbell Yes, getting high-quality inbound links to your website is very important for ranking in the search engines for the keywords you care about. This is the hardest, most time-consuming part of search engine optimization. There are no shortcuts. Most of the time buying links is not the right way to go. But there are some effective ways to build quality links out there James Martells PAD technique is the very best Ive seen. You need to commit to building some quality links for your site or hire a link building specialist from a reputable SEO agency to help you. Don Campbell created Expand2Web to help small business owners build WordPress websites that rank in the top of local search results on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Now, Expand2Web creates training and tools for consultants and do-it-yourself small business owners. Keeping Your Site Fresh WIB Your website talks about the importance of growing a website and keeping it fresh by having a content plan. How often should people update their websites or blogs if they want to stay competitive in search engines? Campbell As often as possible. Having a good content plan is essential for the success of a website. I know many SEOs that will not work with a client if they wont commit to a content plan. The Google crawler thrives on unique original content published consistently. Every time you publish, Google gets a ping asking the crawler to come back and visit your site. The challenge, especially for small business owners, is that they want to do it, but they are very busy running their business. Part of the content plan should be a realistic assessment of whether the site owner can write the content, or if they should hire a copywriter to help them. Ive found some amazing copywriters to help me with my clients and even my own website, at very reasonable costs. Learning From Web Courses WIB Tell me about training courses you will soon be offering. Campbell I have three training courses right now, along with with a membership site, which is a community of web consultants and DIY small business owners all learning, helping each other out and referring business to each other. We call it the Expand2Web Experts Group (It is available to members.) Here are the online courses weve been delivering Building and Customizing Your WordPress Website In this 4-week course students start from scratch and by the end they have a fully functioning WordPress website and know how to build more of them.The Circle of Trust Local SEO process Weve built an effective method for getting results for small businesses called the Circle of Trust SEO process. In this course, we teach how to implement this proven process, which includes website optimization, content strategy, online reviews, local profile optimization, and link and citation building for small business websites. A Social Media Blueprint for Small Business Owners In this course, we teach how to leverage Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for small businesses. We actually build a business Facebook Page with custom tabs and share our templates. The courses have been a big hit - our students are coming out and building websites, Facebook pages, and doing SEO projects to help small business owners succeed online. The best part for me is building a community of like-minded folks that can all help each other to succeed. Im very excited about where this is going Don Campbell created Expand2Web to help small business owners build WordPress websites that rank in the top of local search results on Google, Yahoo and Bing. Now, Expand2Web creates training and tools for consultants and do-it-yourself small business owners.

Regional Sales Manager Finds Higher Pay in Medical Sales

Regional Sales Manager Finds Higher Pay in Medical SalesRegional Sales Manager Finds Higher Pay in Medical SalesIn a shrinking economy, abverkauf manager, Michael Meyer, led a bold job search for an employer that could offer higher pay in the medical fieldSome days, in schlussverkauf you can feel like you are on top of the world. Other days, you feel like you have been stepped on and trampled on. But I have done the cubicle job and I have done the hard-labor job and I have done the sales job, and even at my worst day in sales, I will take that any day over any of the other industries, said Michael Meyer of his position as regional sales manager for Sleep Solutions Inc, a privately held diagnostic service provider focused on products for patients suffering sleep disorders. There is no doubt that this is where I see myself. And every day, I love it.Meyer has always loved working in medical sales. But the compensation in his previous job welches a source of frustration. He felt he could be earning more. Meyer started his job search about a year ago and then just got away from it.He decided to halt the process.Despite having done a lot of interviews, he hadnt received any offers of interest. I had a few jobs offered to me but bedrngnishing too great. So, I just stopped for a few months. Then when I came back to it, I noticed that the calls werent there as much as they had been. And the interviews werent there as much as they had been. So, I was getting a little worried.Vying for more money in a shrinking economyWho would even think of looking for higher-paying work in this economic climate? Most would simply be grateful to have employment. Undaunted, Meyer rebooted his search.One online search drew Meyer to Ladders, where he signed up for SalesLadder. So when you have a site that you have actually got to pay for, you realize who is serious and who is not serious about looking for a job. You weed out all the other people and narrow the search down to some serious fo lks with good resumes.Meyer decided to focus his attention on companies that offered executive sales positions in his specialist field of medical equipment. I wanted it to be in the medical industry. When the jobs are posted, Ladders does a great job of directing you to the industry that the job entails. Health care was what I was mostly looking for. He also wanted to stay within the St. Louis area and not travel a huge amount. And, as a regional manager, he was looking for a new territory to make his own. All of those things excited me.Two months after Meyer began his job search through Ladders, he received the offer of regional sales manager for Sleep Solutions and began his new position in January.Missouris economy is based primarily on manufacturing, farming, tourism, government and mining. Business conditions have slumped with all indicators showing a contracting economy. But Meyer said he believes that the medical-sales industry is always going to be a strong industry, regardl ess of shifts in the state or national economy. You are always going to have people getting sick. You are always going to have doctors needing equipment and supplies.Trouble for pharmaceuticals, not medical devicesHowever, Meyer has noticed that one industry in his general field has been negatively affected by the economic slowdown in the Missouri area the pharmaceutical industry. He believes many pharmaceutical companies hired large numbers of sales staff to push certain drugs that then later became generic products. Those companies were forced to implement layoffs en masse. Talking to other reps and doctors offices, what I am seeing is that there is just not a lot of stability in the pharmaceutical industry.Meyer said he believes that the future of the medical-device industry remains bright in spite of a bleak, broader economic outlook. I dont think we will ever see the layoffs like you do with other companies. With med devices, if it works and it is a good product, you have got a little bit of security. (Meyers faith in the medical-device market matches the attitude of James Kasprzyk, an Arizona-based member of MktgLadder who recently scored his own job success in the medical-device industry.)Meyer is confident that the growth that is going to happen at his new firm over the next few years is going to be incredible. Sleep Solutions, which is headquartered in Baltimore, has 26 sales reps nationwide. Meyer is responsible for the Missouri area and works closely with other regional managers. There is a lot of communication on who does what, what works, what doesnt work. I am always talking to other territory reps on the phone. We feed off each others ideas.He also enjoys the dynamic and interactive nature of the job. Most of his clients are family-practice physicians who provide feedback, and may even request that changes be made to improve products. The sales force then relays that information to the medical-equipment development teams. It is up to us to feed those ideas back to the home office so they can implement those requests when making changes.The impact of awards and degreesMeyer became a specialist in medical sales at an early stage of his career. At South Eastern Missouri State University, he earned a bachelors degree in health management. He toyed with the idea of becoming a personal trainer or working in cardiac rehabilitation. But if you want to be compensated well, then sales is really the industry to follow.Making a mark and becoming a success in medical sales is tough. Meyer said having a health management degree is a huge plus. When he started out, Meyer concentrated on building up his resume and earning awards. That then opens up the doors for so many other possibilities, he noted. Success came from a can-do attitude that meant waking up every morning and hitting the ground running. And at the days end always saying I am going to make one more call. And constantly questioning if you have done enough that day to grow you r market. When I joined Ladders, I had close to five years of experience with a lot of documented sales success, and so when I joined I knew that I had a good shot. But I also knew that I would be going up against some pretty tough competition as well.Sales is not for everyone, Meyer said. You cant teach someone to be personable or to be outgoing. But for sales professionals with experience running a territory and managing it like their own business, Meyer said the transition from another industry into his line of work can be very smooth.

10 Interview Questions to Ask to Evaluate a Companys Work-Life Balance

10 Interview Questions to Ask to Evaluate a Companys Work-Life Balance10 Interview Questions to Ask to Evaluate a Companys Work-Life Balance Nearly half of adults surveyed are working more than 40 hours a week, according to Ernst and Youngs Global Generations study of 9,700 adults. What employees really want out of companies is flexibility, and an opportunity for better work-life balance. Understanding a companys policies and views on work-life balance is important to your success and happiness . You have the opportunity to discover what the flexibility and work-life balance look like before you even begin a job by asking a few key questionsThe phrase flexibility in the workplace can be interpreted in a million different ways. This is why its necessary to directly ask interviewers what benefits are included in the job description that ensure work-life balance. Does the company have mental health benefits, unlimited paid vacation days, or physical fitness allowances ? All of these can indicate varying focuses on employees well-being and balance.Get a closer glimpse by asking the interviewer to walk you through their own typical work day. If a day for the interviewer is jam-packed with meetings, tasks, a quick bite to eat while responding to emails, and attempting to end before the workday hits hour 10, its a good sign the balance might not be there.Employers who are focused on hours worked tend to hold the reigns tight when it comes to tracking hours, and not giving way to flexibility. Leaders who are goal oriented focus on thequality of work and not how many hours it takes to reach the goals. In reality, this may mean you need to work extra hours at times to meet deadlines, but a more flexible schedule is likely achievable with a results-oriented boss.Being able to complete work where youre most productive and efficient is a big part of work-life balance. If the employer offers telecommuting as an option, this shows their focus is on the best end goal, not just butts in office chairs.This question points out micromanagers . Work-life balance can be achieved when an employer gives employees the tools they need to succeed on their own terms, rather than dictating every part of their workday. However, if youre only allowed to follow preset habits and practices, you may end up deckenfries in the physical office working at a less efficient pace because youre unable to work in a way most productive to you. Understanding how employees engage together will show you the companys culture. Some companies engage in fun games and after-work activities together. This shows the employer knows the benefits relieving stress and a good work-life balance can have on their employees.An organizations mission statement can show you how the company values employees lives. If the mission statement places a high value on employees, its likely the employer will take care of employees needs, both inside and outside of the office. Its important to know if your opinion about work-life balance will be valued. Employers who listen to, and implement, employee feedback care about what will make their team most effective. This leaves room for employees to come to managers and express what needs to be adjusted to better their work-life balance. Yes - this does sound like a speed dating question, but its also a great way to gauge how much time the interviewer actually spends outside of the office. If they dont have a lot of interests or hobbies, it may mean theyre too focused on work. In other words, this question can show you how well the interviewer values their own work-life balance.We all have those off days where our brains just arent working up to capacity. Employers who push for goals to be completed on their schedule, no matter what may interfere with your work-life balance. Interviewers who are straightforward about understanding sometimes our brains dont work as quickly as wed like, or occasionally, life happens, are cons iderate to work-life balance.