Book Writing – 25 Tips on Getting Started Writing a Book

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Here are 25 tips on getting started writing a book:

1. Before you start know who you are writing for. Spend some time building up a character sheet on your target reader.

2. Before you start, identify what your target reader’s pain points are. Seeking to avoid those is the greatest motivation your target reader will have to read your book.

3. Before you start, identify what your target reader’s pleasure points are. The desire to reach these will help provide motivation to your reader.

4. Before you start, identify what your target reader’s problems are. Solving those will help to keep your reader reading your book.

5. Before you start, write down how your book will help avoid the reader’s pain points, solve their problems, or help them achieve their pleasure points.

6. Before you start, identify why you are writing. By identifying your pain points or pleasure points, you’ll help to motivate yourself to finish.

7. Make a sign of why you are writing. Use large letters, oversized pictures and whatever else you need. Post it over your computer. Or better still make several! Post them around your home where you can’t help but see them when you are doing something else.

8. Know in advance how you will publish book. This will affect the format and length of your book.

9. Know how many pages you want the book to be.

10. Know the style you will use. Do you want to use a conversational style? Or a formal or academic style? The type of book you are writing will help to limit your choices.

11. Have a system for designing and writing your book. This is probably the most important tip. Having a system will help to ensure you have a good book and that you finish it.

12. Use a cognitive tool to develop your outline. It’s much easier to build up your outline when you use a tool that works with your mind, not against it.

13. However you create your outline, make it detailed down to the paragraph. You can easily write a hundred words on a point you’ve already been given. But writing 2500 words on a topic (i.e. chapter) is very difficult.

14. Do your structural editing on the outline. Some of the older systems hold off editing until the whole book has been written. The problem is that you may end up having to make wholesale changes (i.e. rewrites) if you have a structural problem. By editing while the book is in outline form, you can identify and fix structural problems while they are easily fixed.

15. Have a separate space to write in. By having a specific space, you’ll train yourself to write when you’re in that space.

16. Have a specific time scheduled for writing. Not only does it help stop you avoiding writing, it helps set up the writing habit.

17. Use music to create a mood. Whether that mood is reflected directly in your writing doesn’t matter. Baroque music, for example, is known to help thinking. If you’re writing romance, Frank Sinatra or French blues may help you get in the romantic mood.

18. Have a comfortable chair. Pain is not conducive to writing!

19. Have everything you need to write always at hand. That way you don’t have an excuse to waste writing time.

20. Turn off the phone. Interruptions are a great excuse to waste writing time. Avoid them.

21. Have a user id on your computer that doesn’t allow access to games or email. The second most common excuse to avoid writing is reading emails.

22. Set rules for interruptions. You can’t expect your family to give you writing time if they don’t know when it’s appropriate to interrupt you and when it isn’t.

23. Start by editing your writing from the previous day. This will get you in the mood to write. And when combined with a detailed outline, will help you to avoid writer’s block.

24. Write first, write fast, edit later. If you are always going back and correcting what you do, it will take much longer to write your book. And it will be an unpleasant task. By following this advice you’ll find you finish quicker, your writing is better, and you’ll enjoy writing more. So you won’t be as tempted to avoid doing it.

25. When push comes to shove, there is only one tip that truly matters. Sit down and write! If you never start you’ll never finish.

Enthusiasts Spur Popularity of Model Steam Trains

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Although real steam trains have become a thing of the past, collecting model steam trains is a very popular hobby maintained by thousands of people around the world. Model railroading is a very extensive hobby to maintain and it can involve a considerable amount of investment and hard work. This is because not only does the hobbyist have to spend money to acquire a model train of his choice but he also has to put in the time and effort to set up the railroading tracks. However expensive and extensive it may be model railroading is considered to be a very wholesome and rewarding hobby to maintain.

The kind of model steam trains that you will be able to find in the market display dramatic variance. The simplest of them will be a plastic remake of the original whereas you will be able to find incredibly detailed steam trains in various sizes that can be further accessorized to create realistic city landscapes. You also need to be aware of the fact that one needs to have a considerable amount of skill when it comes to creating an entire landscape for your model trains.

Today you will be able to find model trains made out of a wide variety of building materials. The most commonly used materials include plastic, brass and cut wood. The hobbyist will also have the opportunity to choose between different model train scales when it comes to model steam trains.

Variants of the Steam Train Model

The most common scale that is easily available in the market is the HO model train. People generally prefer to go with this standard because finding relative inexpensive accessories is considerably easier. This enables them to add on freight cars, passenger cars or any other accessory as and when they feel like it.

The N standard model stream trains are also popular amongst model train collecting enthusiasts. However these trains tend to be considerably smaller when compared to the above-mentioned standard. This makes them difficult to manage and maintain because setting up N standard railroading requires a high level of skill. Another reason why most people tend to avoid standards other than HO when it comes to model railroading is the fact that finding accessories is all the more difficult in these scales.

In general most toy train models are downsized versions of famous Eastern and Midwestern American railroads. One of the things that set these historic model steam trains apart is the fact that they come equipped with all the necessary decals.

You can search the inventory of any company that offers these products to look for specific steam engine trains that you are interested in. The particular scale that is best for you depends solely on your personal preferences. In general however beginners are advised to stick to the HO scale model trains. The more experienced model train collectors can experiment with other scales such as N, Z and O.

The image of a model steam train with the smoke stack and the classic lines would make any collector proud. Trains can be easily purchased and accessories are readily available. Although they are some of the most expensive trains to collect they are well worth the cost and the tradability is exceptional.

Finding a Faith Based Private School in San Francisco

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Your family’s faith is one of the most important foundations of your child’s life. Consider nourishing this aspect of your child’s education at a faith based private school. San Francisco parents have nothing but wonderful things to say about the following institutions for providing a well-rounded curriculum and promoting tolerance, respect, and kindness among their students.

Star of the Sea School

Star of the Sea School is a Catholic preschool and K-8 institution known for their small yet uniquely diverse population of students, athletics department, and after-school enrichment program. Founded by the St. Joseph Sisters of Carondelet in 1909, this charming school hopes to encourage a real love of learning in their students and teach them how to apply their Catholic faith in their everyday lives.

Aside from providing students with a solid academic program, students are given the opportunity to participate in enrichment classes when the bell rings. Musically-inclined kids can take private piano lessons and group guitar, or audition for the Children’s Choir and join rehearsals after school. The school also has several organized sports team, but the sports program also provides golf lessons to interested students. Those who are passionate about science and math have more than just traditional clubs to join; the school has a chess club and a unique after-school class that teaches engineering and math principles using Lego. Budding writers can help write, edit, and publish the school paper with the help of a faculty advisor. And finally, Star of the Sea offers one of few Mandarin and Cantonese K-8 programs in the Archdiocese, as well as Spanish language classes. As part of the school’s commitment to the community, students can also join several outreach programs in the area of their choice.

Zion Lutheran School

A good K-8 school should prepare children for the demands of high school while helping them achieve their fullest potential in extracurricular fields. Zion Lutheran School is one such place you can send your child to. Since 1947, Zion Lutheran School has been providing their young Christian students with an academically-rigorous curriculum and a rich variety of extracurricular activities. This school uses a research-based curriculum called the Core Knowledge Sequence, a powerful program that builds knowledge upon knowledge. Everything a child needs to know about language arts, literature, history, math, science, music, and the visual arts is carefully outlined and taught in an age-appropriate sequence. Class sizes are very limited so that teachers can provide equal attention to all students. With such a strong academic and spiritual foundation, graduates of Zion feel confident about moving on to high school.

But academics are not the only strong suit of Zion; art and athletics makes up a strong part of the school’s curriculum. Students are encouraged to audition for the school’s annual spring musical, and those in 4th to 8th grades are welcome to join the Hand Bell Choir and participate in several performances. Athletic girls and boys are welcome to try out for the basketball team at fifth grade, the volleyball team at 7th grade, or the track team. Other after-school classes include art, cooking, music and chess.

E-Learning Made Easy With Offshore Development Center

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E-learning solutions have become indispensable for any organization that aims to keep its employees up to date with the latest industry developments. Such products are specifically aimed at the corporate sector and can easily create an ideal environment to hold a collaborative remote learning session for company executives. However, ever-rising costs in the business world are making it difficult for firms to develop in-house content for their employees. In such a scenario, e-learning off shoring has emerged as a feasible option for firms that want to reduce the costs involved with this process.

Service providers that render outsourcing services for e-learning projects have offshore development center, where they create the content for Instructional Designing, graphic designing and localization for their clients. They recruit Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who have immense experience in the fields of instructional designing, editing, graphics and technology. These professionals ensure that the content delivered to the clients from the offshore e-learning development center complies with the industry norms and caters to the requirements of the customer. While coming up with the content for the e-learning projects, they put emphasis on ensuring that the end product is strategically sound, linguistically articulate, visually appealing and technologically accurate.

Vendors engaged in providing outsourcing services for e-learning projects offer turnkey solutions, thus taking care of all the corporate learning needs of their clientele. Such companies keep the specific enterprise level teaching requirements of a wide variety of organizations, including blue-chip firms, training companies or even an e-Learning solution provider. By leveraging upon their expertise with offshore e-learning development, they make sure that the quality of the content is at par with the expectations of the end user.

Considering that the learners are high level corporate employees, it becomes essential that the learning management system has high turnaround time. This will save precious time while ensuring that the requisite content is delivered to them in the best possible manner at low costs. Moreover, the reliable learning outsourcing solutions rendered by service providers ensure that the content is concise and maintains coordination between the learning activities of the learners located in different parts of the world. These off shore e-learning development centers can help take care of issues like aging workforce, regulatory compliance as well as complex products, services and solutions.

There are four primary factors that ensure the success of outsourcing activities in the field of e-learning. The first is that companies can easily identify the leadership capabilities needed to moderate the learning management solution. Secondly, they can use a suitable plan for transferring the responsibilities related to e-learning to the vendors, which will put the burden off them. Third is the governance and relationship management structure that is created in order to resolve issues between all the concerned parties. Lastly, clients can keep track of the work being done by the service provider through a measurement and reporting framework. These prove to be instrumental in making sure that the vendors are rendering quality services and deliver effective content to enhance the e-learning experience of the users.

How Do You Obtain A Pass Mark In The CNA Exam?

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Training up as a CNA can be a challenging and difficult experience, however one of the elements which people have the most trouble with is not the practical elements of the training but the examination, or theoretical elements of the training. However, even if you’ve achieved a pass mark in your CNA training you will not be able to practice as a fully certified nursing assistant until you’ve undertaken and passed your CNA exam.

There are a wealth of tutorials and lists available on and around the Internet which allow you to practice the CNA exam, some are free and some you need to pay for. The paid ones do tend to offer a more premium and thorough solution to practising the CNA exam but the free ones can be just as good if you’re just looking for a little bit of practice.

However, using practice tests isn’t the only way to pass your exam when it comes to taking it, there are a few more things you can do to make sure you balance the scale in your favour. Just a few of these things include the following:

Step 1: Make sure you get hold of some practice tests – This is one of the easiest and most simple things you can do, but it’s also one of those things which people often don’t do and therefore miss out. Get hold of several tests, make sure you go through them over and over again, make sure that you understand the answers you’re giving and that you know how to answer the question if it’s worded differently.

Step 2: Find some study aids you can use – Study aids include things like guides on the main theory you need to know in order to become a CNA, make sure you go through as many of these as possible and revise from your original notes.

Step 3: Get your friends to help you – If people have the time to help you revise then that’s great, especially if they’ve already completed CNA training and the CNA exam themselves and can offer you some tips on passing the CNA exam. If you have friends who have already completed the CNA exam then they should be able to offer you some tips and advice on what you can expect from the exam so you don’t go unprepared.

Step 4: Make sure you’re as relaxed as can be – There’s little point getting yourself worked up in an exam, the more you get yourself worked up and stressed the more you’re likely to fail, it’s as simple as that. Make sure you keep yourself calm, follow the above 3 steps and in doing so you’ll have nothing to be stressed about.

Hopefully, these tips have provided you with some guidance you’ll be all setup and ready to pass your CNA exam.

Online Computer Education Degree Options

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Computer technology has spread through practically every part of today’s society from individual use to corporate use. This creates a need for skilled computer professionals who are educated in the numerous fields of computer technology. Many online schools offer education in a wide range of degrees connected to computers.

The degree options range from computer science to computer engineering. Because technology continues to advance at a fast rate education in the field is continuing to grow. With computers in almost every home, company, and organization educated skilled professionals are needed to manage computer software, engineer a computer, set up system security, and more. This fact is making the occupational growth within the industry well over the national average compared to all other careers.

Accredited online schools offer diverse programs with the advantage of earning an education while staying at home. Students will be able to take courses that fit into their commitments and job responsibilities. This allows students to earn an education at their own pace. However, many online programs and courses have a time limit and extensions on a course may result in a fee.

Computer science is the study of computers and their languages, applications, and designs. Students gaining a degree in this area will also study the mathematical structures that make up a computers computation. Students wanting to work in the computer industry have many different educational paths to choose from. Some colleges online offer degree distinctions as high as a doctorate in computer science.

An example of a computer science program is a computer systems security master’s degree. This concentration will train students to become computer security specialists that implement security measures and protect organizations from attack. Courses will educate students on computer systems security, security policies, formulation, design, and more. A program at this level may require 44 credit hours or more to complete depending on the program a student is enrolled in. Cost per course may be around $630. Some schools include the price for textbooks and required material in that price, but many online schools list these materials as a separate expense.

Computer engineering is a discipline that involves design in many different avenues related to computers and the Internet. Students interested in this field of the industry can find themselves working with online media and web 2.0 websites. Some schools offer degree concentrations in this area called emerging or new media. A degree program in this concentration may offer courses that teach a student how to integrate content and communication into strategies for businesses, entertainment, education, and more.

Degree options will continue to grow as computer technology is incorporated into more houses, businesses, and organizations. Students seeking an online computer education will find numerous courses and degree programs that will properly prepare them for success in the computer industry. Make sure to properly research all available programs. Verify the program is accredited and will provide you with not only the necessary skills but a quality education that meets or exceeds industry standards. Search out online computer education schools today and you’ll be on the right path to a rewarding career.

What Makes a Golf Course Design

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To some people, the challenge that comes with an exciting round of golf goes beyond having to score more points than their opponents. The challenge also lies in dealing with the obstacle that is the golf course design itself. If you have played a difficult game of golf before, you may have wondered who came up with the ridiculous golf course design that sent your mind boggling.

As you may already know, not all golf course designs are the same. Several factors affect how a certain golf course is designed. One such factor is geography, which dictates and limits the digging or filling of holes within the available terrain. Golf courses are also designed to minimize or avoid flooding during the rainy season.

There are some courses that are designed for novice players, and others are for seasoned ones. While some playing fields are easy and simple enough for people who like to play an occasional game of golf, other golf course designs are so complicated that even professionals find them exceptionally challenging.

Valleys, hills, water hazards, and ravines that are mostly seen in golf courses add challenge to the game. Some of these were pre-existing and some were man-made to make the golf course design more challenging to players. When playing on a course owned by a golf course community, the homes, roads, and other structures also add a bit of a challenge to the design.

When coming up with a golf course design, one of the most important things that a designer has to consider is the drainage. A golf course, being an open field, is exposed to all kinds of elements, including heavy rain that can cause flood, resulting in costly damages. Obviously, some designers are more adept than others, and their skills have made them sought-after persons when it comes to designing a golf course, either private or public.

If you are looking to play in a course designed by one of these designers, read golf course reviews to find out where you can admire and enjoy their impressive work.

College Money Nightmare – Best 10 Ways To Avoid Loans

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“In the 21 years I have been directly involved with college financial aid, I’ve had hundreds of students and parents ask the same question, ‘How do we pay off all the student loans?’ Unfortunately, there is no easy fix. Having student loan debt is like owing money to the IRS. Once caught in the snare, there is no way out. You simply pay and pay for years. Here are 10 ways to help you avoid student loans.”

1) Start Early

Without question, students should begin taking the SAT or ACT in the 7th or 8th grade along with test prep classes to bolster results. With proper direction, even an average student can score well on national achievement tests. When you do, you’ll secure a place in line for merit scholarships and grants.

2) Free College Credits

Students, sign up for Advanced Placement classes every chance you get. Millions of high school students are taking AP exams at the end of their school year. The reason is simple: hundreds of colleges will grant up to a year’s worth of college credit if you have successfully passed four Advanced Placement tests, earning sophomore status on day one.

3) Test Your Knowledge

Recently a student earned 39 credit units as a freshman by taking several CLEP tests. Go online and learn more about the College-Level Examination Program®, CLEP. You can earn college credits for what you already know. Really. You could start college as a junior.

4) Put Together a Spending Plan

This is the key to college survival. Write down all the funds you have for college and compare that to the costs for tuition, food, movies, housing, transportation, pizza parties, books, and so forth. Then the choice is simple: either manage your money or your money will manage you.

5) Shop Around

Apply to schools where your national test scores, scholastic achievements, and grade point average are well above the freshman average. “The trick is to find a school that considers you a star,” wrote Lucy Lazarony at Bankrate.com. Those schools will find a multitude of grants and scholarships for those they seek. In addition, look for alternative ideas such as distant education classes, a college coop program, a tuition free college, an accelerated degree program, a work-study job, or an athletic, music or talent scholarship.

6) Get Schooling for a Fraction

Attend a local community college before transferring to the “big name” university. You may be able to complete the first two years of a four-year degree at a fraction of the cost. Be sure to check with the college or university where you want to transfer regarding their acceptance of your community college classes.

7) Avoid the Credit Card Trap

College bookstores often have tables set up with credit card applications and free gifts. The free gifts are used as a hook to get you to apply for a credit card. Just say, “No thanks.” Avoid the usual debt problems that lead to more and more student loans. The results could mean that you’ll be back living with your parents again after graduation. What good will scholarships and grants in college do if you walk off campus with huge debt.

8) Consider a Private Institution

Many private institutions have more scholarship monies available with fewer restrictions. Hats off to Princeton and Harvard whose executive boards have chosen to draw upon their endowment funds to help reduce excessive student loan debt.

9) Let Uncle Sam Pick up The Tab

Two, three and four-year ROTC scholarships are available at some of the nation’s finest schools including Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Virginia, Yale, UCLA, Wheaton, MIT, Cedarville, Grambling, Duke, and many others. If accepted, your tuition, books, and fees are covered plus you’ll earn a monthly stipend to help cover room and board. In addition, high school juniors may be eligible to apply to one of the prestigious military academies.

10) Apply For a Perkins

You may be eligible for the sought-after Federal Perkins service-cancelable loan. Those who qualify may borrow up to $20,000 for undergraduate and $20,000 for graduate school with up to 10 years for repayment at only 5% interest. In most cases, if you enter the field of nursing, teaching, law enforcement or serve in the military, work as a librarian, a speech pathologist, a medical tech, or full time firefighter, 100% of your Perkins Loan plus interest will be cancelled over a period of five years.

By planning ahead, you can achieve graduation success without a millstone of debt strapped around your neck.

How to Turn Coaching Prospects Into Loyal Cash in Hand Clients!

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Would you like to turn your coaching prospects into loyal cash in hand clients?

Would you like to see your closing rate go up as high as 90 percent?

Would you like to get paid what you are worth as opposed to what you can get?

Then this could be the very article to do all those things for you and more.

There is a very thin line between coaches who have loads of loyal cash in hand clients and coaches who don’t have any clients or very few.

The worst thing is that the coaches who don’t have any clients are only a hairs width from getting all the clients that they could practically ever want.

You would have thought that coaches with clients and coaches without clients would be poles apart, nothing could be further from the truth.

Coaches without clients are usually only missing one little piece of the puzzle, the problem is that it is the most crucial piece of the puzzle that they are missing.

They do all the things that the successful coaches are doing, but they are not getting the desired results.

Some of them come up with new fangled ways to attract clients, and then they find that they just cannot close them.

Well all that ends today my fellow coaches, I want you all to be successful so I am taking it upon myself to give you the piece of the puzzle that you have been searching for.

Once this final piece falls into place you will see a huge change in your coaching practice, you closing rate will rocket, and you will have more clients than you can shake a very big stick at.

The way to turn coaching prospects into loyal cash in hand clients is this: “Sell them the results they will achieve from coaching, do not attempt to sell them coaching.”

That last statement might have confused a few of you so I will explain further, it is not as complicated as it sounds.

Your prospects need results, they have a problem and they want it fixed, they want a “how to” manual to resolve their problem.

What they do not want or need are the fantastic concepts behind the theory of coaching.

They want tangible results, they want their problem to be solved so that it is no longer a problem.

You need to take the concept that is coaching and make it into a real physical tangible item that your client can see the value in.

The only way for you to do this is to sell the client the “results” that they will get from enrolling in coaching with you.

No matter what kind of coach you are, you need to focus on the results that your prospect will get from your coaching program, once you have done that you will no longer have a prospect, you will have a new client.

Use sensory rich words that elicit emotions and that form a mental image of the desired results that they are looking for and you will close 90 percent of your prospects.

If you are a golf coach then you would sell the results of hitting the ball crisply and cleanly, you would have them imagine that “thwack” that comes from hitting the ball perfectly 30 yards further down that freshly cut fairway than they ever had before, you would sell them on bringing their handicap down by 3 or 4 strokes, you would have them imagine filling in their score card after a personal best round, and having a celebratory drink in the clubhouse.

The above paragraph is full of “results” that is the missing piece of the puzzle that turns prospects into clients.

No matter what your niche is, sell the results that people get from working with you and your business will grow exponentially.

Career Advice – Are You Packaged For Career Success?

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Like it or not, the personal package you present to the world–your dress, your demeanor, the appearance of your workplace, even your personal hygiene–is a critical factor in determining your career success.

This fact of life, encountered at every step along your career path, is more important than ever in a troubled economy.

Dress To Achieve Your Career Goals

A survey by Robert Half International’s Office Team Division, shows 93 percent of executives believe a worker’s style of dress influences his or her chances of getting a promotion.

This means dressing according to the prevailing style among one’s co-workers and the environment in which your employer or potential employer operates. There may not be an “official dress code,” but you can bet there is an “unofficial one”. Observe it and be guided accordingly. Ignore it and jeopardize your chances for gaining the career rewards you desire.

If the style is business attire, don’t buck the system and show up in jeans and running shoes. The reverse is true. If the style is casual, go for it; but don’t wear flip-flops, ragged jeans and an outrageous T-shirt.

Steve Jobs can get by wearing a pair of jeans, sans belt, and a turtleneck sweater for all occasions, but chances are you can’t.

Don’t go overboard with accessories. Get rid of body piercings other than modest earrings for women only. Camouflage tattoos. Go with a hairstyle that is appropriate to the work environment. A Mohawk might be acceptable in a creative boutique, but it won’t fly in a firm specializing in corporate law.

Clothes should be pressed, free of lint, with all buttons in place. Shoes should be shined; no run-down heels.

Mind Your Manners On Your Career Path

Treat everyone from the mail room to the corner office with the respect and dignity they deserve. Good morning, thank you, please and good night are always in order. Be polite, friendly and helpful. Treat others as you want to be treated.

Avoid nasty, sexist, profane language. Avoid destructive gossip and criticism.

Be aware that your table manners telegraph a strong message about you whether you are eating in the employee lunchroom, at your desk or at an up-scale restaurant with your boss.

Clean Up Your Workplace

Nothing says more about you than the state of your workplace. Keep it neat and well organized so that it facilitates your work and communicates that you are all about business. Keep personal things to a minimum. You want to project the idea that you are serious about your job, but that you have a well-rounded life.

Mind Your Personal Hygiene

Shower or bathe regularly. Use perfume or cologne sparingly or not at all. Less is more with makeup. Make sure your hair is well groomed; and that nails and hands are always clean.

That’s The Way It Is On The Career Path

You may feel this career advice is intruding your personal turf. By the way, a survey showed that a mere 4 percent of Gen Y workers want to wear business attire. That’s okay. It’s your choice, but be mindful of the fact that it reflects the reality of what it takes to get a job and hold it in today’s environment.