personal branding revisited

personal branding revisited I have a few buddies (job seekers and business owners) that are interested in looking at how a website or blog could improve your personal (or company) brand. Since I have written a few posts on blogging to enhance your personal brand I have been on the look-out for marketing-type things that I would blog on if I were a marketer. I just couldnt resist this one: Today I was at the DMV waiting for my number to be called and reading the ONLY literature that they have there, called UtahHealth. Right below the magazine title is the URL which I was interested in (the magazine is actually a great read, making me more inclined to actually check out their website). I thought it was SO wierd. thealth.com? How peculiar I wonder what the t means? or maybe it is the th sound geez, I thought and thought about this wondering why they didnt get utahhealth.com or uthealth.com and then I realized it The image on the magazine cover is a lady that is placed OVER the title which is okay, because I can read the title even though a little bit is covered up. But the URL is covered to the point where I dont understand it! Furthmore, I opened the magazine and I couldnt find the real URL for a few pages about 5. Someone needs to tell these folks to put their URL on the bottom of EVERY page! Of course, the real URL really is uthealth.com. Oh, if I were a marcom expert, I would have a blog and blog about this ?? Of course this doesnt necessarily enhance or enforce my brand, so Id go into more technical jargon, or perhaps list 7 10 other things abot marketing with a URL in anything that goes to print. And Id throw something in about proofreading Get the idea? Pretty simple, eh? personal branding revisited I have a few buddies (job seekers and business owners) that are interested in looking at how a website or blog could improve your personal (or company) brand. Since I have written a few posts on blogging to enhance your personal brand I have been on the look-out for marketing-type things that I would blog on if I were a marketer. I just couldnt resist this one: Today I was at the DMV waiting for my number to be called and reading the ONLY literature that they have there, called UtahHealth. Right below the magazine title is the URL which I was interested in (the magazine is actually a great read, making me more inclined to actually check out their website). I thought it was SO wierd. thealth.com? How peculiar I wonder what the t means? or maybe it is the th sound geez, I thought and thought about this wondering why they didnt get utahhealth.com or uthealth.com and then I realized it The image on the magazine cover is a lady that is placed OVER the title which is okay, because I can read the title even though a little bit is covered up. But the URL is covered to the point where I dont understand it! Furthmore, I opened the magazine and I couldnt find the real URL for a few pages about 5. Someone needs to tell these folks to put their URL on the bottom of EVERY page! Of course, the real URL really is uthealth.com. Oh, if I were a marcom expert, I would have a blog and blog about this ?? Of course this doesnt necessarily enhance or enforce my brand, so Id go into more technical jargon, or perhaps list 7 10 other things abot marketing with a URL in anything that goes to print. And Id throw something in about proofreading Get the idea? Pretty simple, eh?

Work With Resume Writing Group.com

Work With Resume Writing Group.comResume writing group.com is one of the largest of all the online resume writing companies. This company can offer online resources and articles to help you in your resume writing project. In fact, with the professional resume writers from this site, you can get the most impressive resume. Here are some of the services offered by this resume writing company.With professional resume writer, you do not have to worry about grammar and spelling. This company will do all the work for you. You do not have to worry about writing the perfect resume for your intended employer. A professional resume writer can make sure that your resume is completed properly and with the right information.You also do not have to stress yourself on learning what the resume format or structure is or how to make a clear and useful resume. You can ask for an essay outline and a resume template and your resume writing group.com team will be happy to help you. These two formats are e asy to follow and with professional resume writers will provide you with high quality writing for the desired employers.You can also get the most from the online resources. While there are many sites offering free or low-cost online resources to help you in your resume writing project, you might want to check out the website of your resume writing group.com professional resume writers. They have quality work on the internet and are very much concerned about the quality of the writing. They also encourage you to take your time when writing the resume and come up with a great resume that reflects your skills and qualifications.By checking out their resume writing websites, you can also save time when it comes to your resume writing project. In addition, the resume writing group.com professionals will assist you with the answers that you need to find out. With the guidance of the professional resume writers at the resume writing group.com, you can easily come up with the best and the m ost attractive resume.You can get the best service from resume writing group.com. The professional resume writers can also provide information on resume formatting for you and what kind of format should you use to make your resume stand out. It will be very easy for you to start a new job or find a better position after a career change because your resume has a higher chance of being noticed. With the tips and strategies provided by the resume writing group.com, you can get the best results from your resume writing project.You can also trust the professional resume writers at resume writing group.com. Their resume writing skills and talents are so good that they can even make a resume that matches your personality and values. This can help you turn your job search into an exciting and successful journey.Resume writing group.com will make sure that you get the best out of your resume writing project. It can help you get the best and the most important information that will help you l and that job that you have been looking for. This is the reason why you should consider working with the resume writing company. Their resume writing services are guaranteed to get you the job that you want.

How to Gather and Update Your Employment References

How to Gather and Update Your Employment References Reference checks are important for both job seekers and employers as they offer employers a chance to add to the information learned from a person’s resume and during an interview â€"  and what they find out from references can impact their hiring decision. A great reference can easily sway the hiring manager’s decision towards the positive. According to a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, 76 percent of organizations conduct reference background checks, so although some companies may not check references you should always have them ready for those companies that do. In order to ensure you always have your references ready Career Directors International has declared  the first week of May to be “Update Your References Week” a time to check your list of professional references to make sure contact information is current. This will ensure references are easily located, should you find yourself unexpectedly looking for a new job or applying for a dream role. The first step is identifying who you should consider to be your references. Selecting Your References The advantage of preparing your references is that you can take the upper hand and identify the “best” references and control who you offer the employer as contacts.You will want to select 3 to 7 individuals to be your preferred references; these individuals may be current or former managers or supervisors, co-workers, peers, or team members, current or former customers of the company, vendors or suppliers, and people you have supervised. If you don’t have recent work experience, it can be members of committees you volunteer with, or pro bono clients (unpaid work experience is still work experience!). If you have recent educational experience, you can also ask professors, faculty members, and advisors. Always select those people who know your work well!  You want references that have seen you in action and can speak to your abilities and personal work ethic. Yet if someone seems hesitant to serve as your reference, ask someone else!   A weak reference could negatively impact your chances of securing a job offer! Start Contacting Your References Early The best time to start thinking about your references is when you’re putting together your resume (or during Update Your References Week each May!), not when you’re already submitting applications. You shouldn’t wait until you’re getting called in for interviews to contact people you want to use as references. It can take some time to track down and reach references, catch them up on where you’re at in your career, and obtain their contact information. You don’t want to try to do that while you’re researching and preparing for a job interview. Getting Permission From Your References Once you’ve decided who you would like to be your preferred references, you should contact these individuals and ask permission to use them as a reference. Call your references directly (don’t just email them); better yet ask for an in-person meeting. Keep in mind: Not everyone you’ve worked for â€" or worked with â€" will be a good reference for you. You want a reference that can be as enthusiastic about you as you are about getting the job and not all potential references will be able to provide this kind of stellar recommendation. But some of your references may be hesitant to say no to you directly if you ask. In order to help screen out those that may be hesitant to decline your request, give them opportunity to get ‘off the hook’ without turning you down directly. Instead of asking, “Will you be a reference for me?” Ask them, “Do you feel you know me well enough to serve as a reference for me?” Or ask, “Will you be a great reference for me? (If the answer is anything less than enthusiastic, you can collect their information, but not list them on your “preferred” reference list. It’s perfectly fine to ask a reference to support you, but then not use them on some jobs, or not at all.) What To Do With Your References Now that someone has agreed to be a reference for you, then what? Prepare a professional references page that you can give to a prospective employer (or email to them). Your references sheet should match the format, font style, and font size of your resume, with the same header. A typical format for each reference may look like:   Name                                                                                                                                                                                                       Jan Jones Job Title                                                                                                                                                                                             Supervisor Phone Number                                                                                                                                                                 (310) 555-0932 Email Address                                                                                                                                                                       Jan.Jones@ABCCompany.com How You Know the Person                                                       Former Supervisor at XYZ Company How Long You’ve Known Them                                                 for three years (2007-2010) When should you give your references to an employer? The easiest answer is: When you’re asked. Sometimes you’ll be asked on the initial application. Other times, you’ll be asked in the job interview itself. Never submit your references with the resume and cover letter as you want to encourage the employer to engage with you first (ie: interview) before they contact your references for further details. In addition, don’t waste space in your resume by adding the old fashioned line: “References available upon request”.  Prospective employers know you’ll provide your references when they ask for them, so use that space on your resume for something more useful. Preparing Your References When You Have a Job Interview When you have been contacted for a job interview, contact your references and let them know. Forward a copy of the job posting, if you have one for the position. If it has been a while since they agreed to be your reference, ask if it’s still okay to list them as a reference. Make sure they have time to respond if they are contacted. If they say “Yes,” let them know you will contact them after the interview to keep them in the loop.   References: Final  Steps After you land your new job (and send your references a thank you letter for their role!), remember that maintaining your network should be an ongoing process. Keep in touch with your references occasionally, sharing good news, information, and resources. Don’t wait to communicate with them until you need them for your next job search and take advantage of “Update Your Resume Week” each May to evaluate and update your reference sheet.

5 Ideas that will influence 2012

5 Ideas that will influence 2012 If I look back on my blog, I can see that each year there were one or two ideas that just blew me away and ended up dominating my thinking. For example, 2011 my year to be obsessed with school homeschooling and higher ed, 2010 was my year for disillusionment with happiness research, 2009 was when I started writing honestly about how unglamorousstartup life really is. Im excited to think about what this year will bring in terms of the ideas that will capture my imagination. Here are the early candidates: 1. Nature vs. nurture An important book came out at the end of 2011 that got very little play in the media: Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids, by Bryan Caplan The title of the book is just awful. Which is probably why it has been roundly ignored. The title should have been Why Nothing You Do As a Parent Matters. That title would have gotten a lot of media coverage, but who would have purchased the book? No one. Because as parents we are invested in the idea that what we do matters. But it turns out that what parents do doesnt matter very much. This book is a compendium of evidence from a wide range of university studies that show that once basic needs of a child are met, parents do not really affect how their kids turn out. Heres an example of the reach of this evidence: The age that boys first have sex is determined genetically. You cannot influence it by talking to the kid, or preaching to the kid, or whatever. The evidence is astounding. But also disheartening. Because then what does it matter what are parents doing? One thing is that they can affect how much kids appreciate them as adults. This is influenced by the parents completely. So as this research gains public attention, the shift we will see in spending will be toward things that parents and kids experience together. We dont need to spend money on shaping the child when the child is already in the shape he or she will be. We can focus on spending money to help the child connect with the parent in a meaningful way that will last their whole lives. Thats all we can influence, as much as we wish it to be otherwise. 2. Lean startup thinking At this point, the idea of the lean startup is not that new. Thats the method for launching a startup where you continually ask questions and refine as opposed to setting up a goal and driving unequivocally in that direction. Its a process for dealing with the reality that we dont know what will work and what wont work. Eric Ries came up with the idea, wrote a book about it, and now hes at Harvard evangelizing it to the next generation of entrepreneurs. The idea took hold of the Silicon Valley crowd first, of course, but at this point, the idea of the lean startup has infiltrated entrepreneur circles in middle America as well. The lean startup is such a strong, salient idea for our era because it is the natural response to the situation where we have the ability to gather information quickly and move quickly. But why do we only apply this idea to companies? Why not also apply it to our lives? We dont need to figure out a goal when we are in our 20s and then move toward that goal. We can constantly gather information, ask questions, and readjust our goals. Our lives should run as lean as our startups do, which is to say, aiming to get rid of the baggage from goals we once thought might work but now clearly will not. Next, we should stop investing in our lives as if they are set in stone. The less stuff we have, the lower our monthly costs are, the more flexible we can be to respond to new information about what really works for each of us, in our own lives. 3. Fake is an art form. Instead of fighting against fake, maybe we should celebrate it. After all, we have a long history of loving fakery. You know what the people did with the discovery of oil paint? Now that they could make lines and colors so precise as to look real, they started painting pictures of beautiful women for men to hold onto when they couldnt have a real one. (Girl With the Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier, is a great story of this practice.) Andy Warhol devoted his life to making art about our love of the fake. So here we are, in 2012, and did you check out the photo of the Apple store at the top of this post? Heres another photo of the store. Guess what? Its a fake Apple store in the middle of nowhere in China. All the employees think they are working for Apple. And the customers think they are buying from Apple. And though some mistakes are obvious, a former Apple store employee stumbled upon the store and she documents all the little details the store owners got wrong in a very fun blog post. I want to tell you this is thievery and dishonest and an international crime. But you know what? I love it. Fake is fun, and China is just amazing at it. 4. The rise of career centers. At some point, theres going to be a huge shift in university politics, and the head of the career center is going to be the god of academia. Thats because the value of a school is no longer in the knowledge it spewsanyone can take the classes online. Anyone can access the teachers papers online, and anyone can email the professor with a good question. The value in the school is the jobs kids get after they graduate. For some schools, just the name of the school will open doors. For most schools, though, this is not true. And for those schools, the career center has an opportunity to add huge value to the diploma. At some point, university administrators will stop courting physics professors and start courting a high-profile head of the career center. Because right now the career centers are throwing the students under the bus. You know what will make this shift go much faster? When US News and World Report gets a reality check about what people reallly want to know about higher education, and they start publishing lists of schools ranked by how well they place kids in the job market after graduation. Theres nothing like a new list criteria to force the hand of university presidents. (And in the meantime, we should complain loudly that US News and World Report uses largely irrelevant criteria for school rankings, like class size. Its 2012. If you dont like the size of your class, go online and have a class of one, and then meet your professor during office hours.) 5. The compounding effect. The guy who publishes Success magazine, Darren Hardy, wrote a book called The Compound Effect. I liked the book as soon as I heard the title. I thought to myself, Of course! Making good career decisions every month is like putting money in a 401K every month! The thing is that most of us are not putting money in a 401K every month. (And it probably doesnt matter, because saving for retirement is an antiquated approach to life.) But most of us can get the compound effect by making solid decisions each month, again and again and again. The opening of Hardys book is: Ever heard the story of the tortoise and the hare? Ladies and gentlemen, Im the tortoise. Give me enough time, and I will beat virtually anybody, anytime, in any competition? Why? Not because Im the best or the smartest or the fastest. Ill win because of the positive habits Ive developed, and because of the consistency I use in applying those habits. I like that. I like the idea of making lots of good small decisions about my career knowing that the compound effect will create big rewards over time. Which reminds me of the idea that captured my attention in 2008: having a strong career is so much more rewarding than having a 401K.

Resume Writing For Highschool Students - A Brilliant and Easy Way to Help You Finish in Time

Resume Writing For Highschool Students - A Brilliant and Easy Way to Help You Finish in TimeIf you are searching for a good way to showcase your accomplishments in a short amount of time, resume writing for high school students can be an excellent choice. You don't need to worry about spending hours at the computer writing a resume, nor do you need to worry about getting it approved or even read by anyone.The majority of the population of high school students has problems when it comes to spelling and grammar. This often means that they are unable to write an effective resume. That's where resume writing for high school students can help you.The purpose of your resume is to describe how you stack up against other candidates for a particular position. Your goal is to get your application noticed by someone who will ultimately hire you. It doesn't matter if you have been working for a certain company for years. You can still get a job if you know how to write a resume.Using resume writ ing for high school students to craft a resume that will get you the job is easy. All you need to do is to take some time and use the many resources available online to write a very effective resume that will convince your potential employer to hire you.While there are some things you can't do with a resume, resume writing for high school students can help you write a strong one. First of all, you can use resume writing for high school students to give you examples of resumes from other people. This is important because you can use the examples as a guide to create something that will make you stand out above the rest.After you have gotten your resume ready, you can use resume writing for high school students to add more information to it. That means you can include other things that you have done and think that will be of value to a company that you are applying to. You can do this by including personal traits, work experience, and leadership qualities that you have acquired during your time in highschool.Certain resume sections can be eliminated, changed, or improved upon. You should be able to find sample resumes on YouTube, but unless you are using the samples to help create your own, you should probably use them to check your resume. Don't forget to check your spelling and grammar.Writing a resume can be difficult, but if you are prepared it shouldn't be as difficult as you might think. Using resume writing for high school students is an excellent way to get your resume seen by more than one person.

5 Things Executive Recruiters Want Executive Job Search Best Practices - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

5 Things Executive Recruiters Want Executive Job Search Best Practices Need some tips on getting the attention of, and building relationships with, executive recruiters? According to a recent survey by ExecuNet, a private membership organization supporting senior-level executive job seekers with job opportunities, resources and job search help, top recruiters identified several clearcut dos and donts: 1.   Executive resumes need cover letters. 70% of recruiters said they pass over a resume sent without a cover letter. Because so many executive job seekers don’t take the time to include a targeted cover letter, those who do include one are more likely to stand out. The purpose of the cover letter is to quickly encapsulate why you are qualified for the role, and to get someone interested enough to read your resume, says ExecuNet Editor-in-Chief Robyn Greenspan. This research tells us that there are so many resumes vying for recruiters attention they are relying on a compelling cover letter to find great candidates. 2. Limit career history on executive resumes. The majority of recruiters want work experience on resumes limited to the most recent 15 to 20 years. Under certain circumstances, earlier work history may be relevant and should also be included, but following this rule of cutting off at about 20 years is an important one to follow. Relevant skills and accomplishments from early in your career can be showcased in the profile or executive summary section at the very top of your resume. 3. Include a photo with your online profiles. 62% of recruiters say  a professional headshot  on online profiles  is crucial. Although age discrimination can result, recruiters want to see what they’re getting. Because most recruiters will check out executive candidates online, be sure your headshot is  current so that it’s a close match with who they’ll meet in person. 4. Be prepared to give a realistic expected salary range. The recruiters surveyed advised against asking for more than you really want. Nearly half recommended giving a salary range. Others suggested deferring an answer until mutual interest is established, and asking what the range is for a high performer in the position. It’s never a good idea to bring up the salary issue first. When asked, let them know what you’re making now and say you need a competitive salary. 5. Bring information and leads, if you want to build relationships with recruiters. Only 25% of recruiters said they’d network with executives who didn’t bring reciprocal value. They’re interested in executives who bring to the table information about industries, companies, referrals or connections to key decision-makers. Related posts: Advice From an Executive Recruiter on Working With Recruiters Build Winning Relationships with Executive Recruiters How Recruiters Find You 00 0

How are you spending your time and energy

How are you spending your time and energy How are you spending your time and energy? The more senior you become in your career, the more important it is to be clear on the answer. That’s because not only are you an increasingly valuable asset to the organization, your time is finite and you can’t make more of it. The way you choose to spend your time and energy sends a message to others about who you are.   It’s part of your reputation. For example, early in my career I was obsessive about getting every detail right, and people would say, “Oh that’s May, the perfectionist.”   Later on, when I finally learned to lift my head up and look at the big picture, it was thankfully, “Yes, May is strategic.” Where you choose to deploy your talents drives the impact you can have in the world.   Back in my perfectionist phase, I spent all my time on my little job and had a very small circle of influence and impact. Maybe that’s why I now want to serve a million people! So what’s worth spending your time on and what isn’t? Here’s one way to think about it. Blue chips and white chips A friend of mine who is a former executive at BP (British Petroleum) introduced me to the concept of “blue chips and white chips”, as in poker chips, which is his shorthand way of setting priorities.   In this case, let’s say the blue chips are worth 10 and the white chips are worth 1. When tasks or issues come up, you make a conscious decision on which category they fall into. Do, Defer, Delegate, Drop Thinking about tasks first and where you want to spend your time and energy, the blue chips are where you want to focus, and the white chips are ideal areas to delegate. What’s a white chip for you could be a blue chip for people junior to you, and a great chance for them to gain experience under your guidance. This is a lot like the urgent vs important matrix for deciding where to spend your time, energy and focus. You want to DO the things in the top right box, the urgent and important. DECIDE WHEN to do the ones in the top left. DELEGATE the ones in the bottom right, urgent but not important for YOU to do. And DROP the ones in the bottom left that are neither important nor urgent. Things in the top row â€" the important â€" are the Blue Chips, and the ones in the bottom row are the White Chips. Where to spend your personal capital This also applies to where you choose to spend your personal capital. Let’s say we’re talking about issues rather than tasks. Then the blue chips are the issues worth fighting for (or against) and spending personal capital to win the argument.   The white chips, on the other hand, are the ones where you can be flexible and don’t need to fight to the death. We all know people who have to win every argument â€" that’s an example of someone who treats all chips as blue chips. Not a great reputation to have, is it? To take it a step further, the white chip arguments may not be worth winning even though you can win them.   For example, making sure my boss knows he was grammatically incorrect when he is full flow, making a point in a meeting.  There’s no positive outcome from winning that one! So, go out there and be known for being a leader who’s focused on “Blue Chips”! And please share you thoughts on how best to spend your valuable time, energy and personal capital in the comments section below

Tough (Question) Tuesday and The Girl Effect My Hero Deirdre

Tough (Question) Tuesday and The Girl Effect My Hero Deirdre Tough (Question) Tuesday is rolled into a post for  The Girl Effect today, because Im crafty like that.  â€œThe Girl Effect” is a powerful idea: by investing in girls in the developing world, they make an incredibly effective investment in eradicating poverty, creating thriving communities, and slowing the spread of AIDS. You can click here to see all the bloggers who took a day to write about The Girl Effect Movement. Deirdre on the back of a pick-up truck in Thailand. Is this girl the freakin coolest or what?! (Please note: this is a hypothetical question) I have a dear friend who kept me sane in Corporate America. Her name is Deirdre, and she started as an Executive Assistant at the financial consultancy company I was at a few short months after I did. We bonded right away, superficially because of our similar actor pasts and fiery personalities (we both didn’t take no s***, there or anywhere else), but on a deeper level because of our goals, dreams, and yearnings (I feel cheesy writing “yearnings”, but it’s the truth). While I knew from the get-go that I took that job to allow me to get my coaching certificate and build up my business, Deirdre knew that she was there for a reason, too â€" but what it was, she wasn’t sure. She learned pretty quickly that she wasn’t meant for the corporate world, and that there was Something More out there for her. A more religious person than I, I was jealous/skeptical when she would say that she prayed for an answer, or that she was opening herself up to just keep her eyes open and see wh at came her way. The practical, non-spiritual part of me wanted to protest, giving her exercises and helping her take action. Thankfully, I didn’t, as she got exactly what she asked for and allowed herself to see: an email from a friend who founded a non-profit to eliminate child sex trafficking in Thailand and was asking for help. I can still see (and hear!) Deirdre describing what it was like to get that email, to feel called to respond â€" not with a donation or some local volunteering, but with an offer to come to Thailand for a few months and build up a program around Acting as Therapy. She made that decision in under an hour one that would involve quitting her job, leaving the life she built in NYC, and traveling alone across the world to a country where she didn’t speak the language, committing herself to work with the children there who were high-risk for being sold into the sex trafficking industry. The wheels were in motion almost immediately. She knew she’d give her notice the day her bonus came through (just like me!), and while she had her doubts and fears, she knew this was her Next Step. Her excitement and passion were palpable, tangible things, and while she learned more about the sex trafficking industry and SOLD (the not-for-profit itself), the more she felt called to do this work. She left for Thailand in May 2010 and returned at the end of the year to her parent’s home in New Hampshire. A few weeks later she got a job on Long Island as an Au Pair Coordinator of sorts , and while she was excited to be close to NYC and to work with women from all over the world, the job quickly ran thin and she realized she needed to be involved with the anti-sex trafficking industry directly to feel fulfilled. My hero, she packed it in once again last month and moved to Oklahoma City, where she knows only 1 person but also knows that a number of foundations are there that have to d o with her plight. For her, it was worth making the move just for the opportunity to meet people connected with that world right here in the States, and to get involved herself. Because of a convention she went to earlier this year, she already has a network of people to call on and get the word out as to who she is, what she’s done, and what she’s looking to do. PDara (as the Thai kids called her) in front of her classroom. When I think of The Girl Effect, I think of my friend Deirdre. I think she’s remarkable and brave and such a light to do what so many others wouldn’t/couldn’t do (myself included): educate, prevent and stop sex trafficking both here in the States and abroad. Just hearing accounts of what she listened to at that convention, the American woman she met who was forced into the sex trade industry by her boyfriend,   how the police act and what these women (and children!) are subjected to…well, it makes my stomach turn, and I know I wouldn’t be able to surround myself with that sadness. But Deirdre? She’s my hero. Those facts and tales fuel her, and I have complete and utter faith in knowing that she’ll one day be a lobbyist, a speaker, a writer, and a safehouse founder herself. With Deirdre, it’s never a matter of “if”, but “when.” Deirdre also opened my eyes to what it really, truly means to be a “pimp”, and from this point on, I’m scrapping it from my vocabulary. Some of you might know it was my substitute word for “marketing”, “selling and/or promoting, but after reading this, using that word would come with guilt and shame. So, Ive replaced it with hooplah, equally fun and silly but, um, without the degration. See what I mean about her  being such an amazeballs educator? Making the world a better place thats my hero and friend, Deirdre. Do you know anyone whos making the world a better place for girls/children/people everywhere? I cant abandon Tough (Question) Tuesday completely, so please share who your hero is in the the comments below, or write your own Girl Effect post!