No one wants to go through the painful experience of losing a job or being unemployed. For most of us, our jobs mean more than just a way to make a living. They define who we are and how we feel about ourselves, and most importantly, how others see us. This is why being unemployed can be extremely stressful. Take a look at 5 hard-to-ignore truths!

1. Unemployment can change your life

Losing your job allows you to refocus. It provides an opportunity for you to look at your life and make changes where necessary. It also allows you to pay close attention to your career choices and to rethink your professional goals.

2. Losing a job is stressful

There’s no question that losing a job can add a lot of stress to your life. Losing a job can be one of the most stressful things you experience. But it is how you choose to handle the situation that makes all the difference in the world.

3. Unemployment is difficult to face

You can lose your self-confidence, self-esteem and your purpose in life. You might even feel scared at times. But only you can turn a bad situation into a good one. How you choose to handle the situation will determine whether the outcome is good or bad. It’s really all up to you.

4. Our jobs give us purpose in life

Many of us equate jobs with our purpose and without a job , sometimes life can seem meaningless. But it is not the end of the world. You still have time to pick up the pieces and move forward – hopefully to something better.

5. The sooner you get over the loss of a job, the better

Most people go through a period of feeling depressed due to being unemployed, which is normal, but for how long do you continue with it? It is best to focus immediately on finding another job, even if it’s something you are not really excited about. This way you can still have a source of income while you continue to look for something you really like.

No one wants to be unemployed. But how can you prepare for something like this? Is there a way to avoid unemployment?

If you’ve experienced job loss or unemployment I would like to hear from you. Please share your story and tell us how you managed to cope with the stress of unemployment.

The job market looks gloomy right now. The question is, Will it ever pick up? One thing’s for certain though; some industries will recover, while others may not. Have a look at the 8 industries that are thought to be doomed.

Struggling Industries in the United States

These industries are some of the worst hit industries in the United States right now. They have seen a decline in revenue over the past 10 years and the decline is expected to continue that way for some time. It is suggested that you should avoid these industries, at least for now until they show some signs of recovery after the recession.

The industries are deemed doomed due to various reasons like:

• Decline in revenue
• Greater competition
• Technological change
• Lack of innovation
• Not current with market trends

The Top Eight Doomed Industries in America

1. Video Rental
We’ve all seen several video rental stores make drastic changes to stay in business. But how can they compete with the Internet? These days it is so easy to get your favorite movies online, you can even order anything you want on cable TV, so why take a trip to the video rental store?

2. Record Stores
The same goes for record stores. Why go to the store when you can get what you want over the Internet? It is so convenient and so much easier online. This industry could not keep up with the competition and that’s the main reason why it has seen a decline in revenue.

3. Newspaper
Do you still read the newspaper? Most people feel that since they can get the most current news 24/7 online, there is no reason to wait to read it the other day. This is what’s sending the newspaper publishing industry into extinction.

4. Photofinishing
Digital cameras have changed the photo shop industry. No need to wait a few hours or days for the film to be developed anymore.

5. Costume Rental
Why rent a costume when you can buy one at a cheap price and reuse it year after year? Most people choose to buy rather than rent these days because it’s cheaper in the long run.

6. Apparel Manufacturing
Cheap labor overseas keeps the costs down at home. Therefore apparel manufacturing has moved overseas where labor is cheap.

7. Manufactured Home Dealers
This industry will not recover as there are more innovative competitors. The drop in revenue over the past decade is also due to the decrease in the price of traditional homes.

8. Wired Telecommunications Service Carriers
Everyone is going wireless these days, so goodbye to wired telecommunication carriers.

These are the 8 doomed industries to watch out for. They have seen better days, but it’s time for them to say goodbye!

Networking is extremely important when job searching. Social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can help you connect with other career seekers, professionals, and recruiters. If you want to know the top 6 social media sites that can help you gain visibility in your job search, look no further!

However, don’t use these sites as a crutch for not finding a job. There are other avenues that you can take to help manage your career. These social media sites are an additional way to network effectively by posting useful information, links and comments, while getting the word out and might just land you the career of a lifetime.

Using Online Job Search Tools to Connect With Prospective Employers

Check out these top 6 social media sites to gain visibility in your job search and take your career to a whole new level.

1. Twitter – Twitter is a very useful and simple social media site that is increasingly becoming popular every day as a social networking service also. Build a network of professional contacts and get the visibility you want by inviting and joining others.

2. LinkedIn – This is a great online social networking tool for business professionals. Register and you’re good to go. Here you can immediately start making contacts, get recommendations from them and find leads to career success.

3. Google+ – Google+ is fast emerging as the forerunner in social media websites, and is gaining ground on Facebook as it offers greater privacy settings and allows for targeted networking.

4. Facebook – Access is very simple and free. Join and create a social media profile and begin connecting with other professionals and prospective employers.

5. MySpace – This is a great place to socialize while networking. Create your online profile and immediately connect with others and be part of a professional network circle.

6. Hi5 – Can I get a Hi5? Connect with a whole new online community and be a part of a growing community of professionals in over 199 countries and close to 61 million members.

Friends, which of the other social media sites are you using to search jobs? Also we would like to know how do you rate above mentioned sites on scale of 1-6 for their effectiveness & usefulness for new employees?

A career in academia isn’t one that will rake in the big bucks, at least not right away. That is why educators need to have a strong desire to teach, be committed to the profession and love what they do before they see a great financial reward. Most educators pursue their careers in teaching because they truly love the profession. Then if they become rich and famous, so be it. Here’s a brief roundup of the 8 wealthiest academics in the world.

Wealthiest Academics in the World

There are some educators who have become wealthy off their desire to learn, teach and make a difference in the world. They have turned their passion for educating others into a profitable career. Their commitment and dedication to their professions is an inspiration to college students all across the world.

Henry Samueli - Henry Samueli did not start out in the business industry. Samueli earned his doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering from UCLA, but today he is the co-founder, CTO, and senior vice president at the Broadcom Corporation. His net worth is approximately $2 billion. Not bad for an initial $5,000 investment.

Cyril Taylor - Taylor and a few partners started the America Institute for Foreign Study back in 1964. He plays a major role in higher education both locally and internationally. His estimated net worth is over 6 million dollars. He also serves as Chancellor and Founder of Richmond, The American International Univesity in London.

James Stewart - James Stewart is a retired mathematics professor. He became well known for his textbook series which can be found in high schools and universities all across the U.S. Stewart is a multi-millionaire with an estimated net worth at over $20 million.

David Cheriton - Since 1981 professor David Cheriton has taught computer science at Stanford University. However, he is most famous for his investment in technology companies that made him over $1.5 billion. He was ranked by Forbes as the 19th wealthiest Canadian and 692nd in the world.

Robert S. Langer - Langer is one of the top academics in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. He has a number of patents under his belt that have contributed to his fortune. Langer is a prolific inventor and holds more than 760 granted or pending patents. He has also authored more than 1,100 scientific papers and has participated in the founding of multiple technology companies.

Stephen Hawking - Hawking’ career in Cosmology and Theoretical Physics and the popularity of his books has helped make him one of the wealthiest academics today. He is worth around $20 million. He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21. Stephen was awarded Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

David Silvers - A great professor and researcher in Dermatology at Columbia University. Silvers owns homes worth over 2 million and makes more than the president of the University. His skin cancer research is a source of inspiration to future professors and researchers.

Adi Shamir - An inspiring educator who worked at MIT as a researcher. He also taught classes at École Normale Supérieure, Paris. Shamir helped in the development of cryptography algorithms that brought him most ofhis wealth. He earned his doctorate degree in the late 70s. After a year postdoc at University of Warwick, Adi Shamir did research at MIT from 1977–1980 before returning to be a member of the faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Weizmann Institute.

This is a great reminder for all teaching enthusiasts out there that one can make money through this profession. There is always room at the top!

Whether you teach in traditional classrooms or online classes, Google can greatly help you integrate social media and technology into the classroom. Google Plus, the latest social networking website, offers some valuable online learning tools that you can use to make learning more fun and interesting. Here are 7 best Google+ tips for teachers.

Hangout on Google Plus: Through the new Google+ Hangouts, you can video conference and connect to other Google Plus groups. You can also add it to your current curriculum to make class time more manageable and effective for you and your students.

Update students with class work. Use the same hang out spot to share class materials, lesson plans, get feedback, make comments and have class discussions or even grading sessions online.

Develop professionally through Google+. Attend conferences, take part in discussions, and reach out and connect with other professionals who share the same interests. This is a great opportunity for you to take the time out for yourself and learn and enhance your skills and knowledge through helpful professional development tools on the web.

Integrate Google Docs into the classroom. Have students connect with each other on Google Docs. Here they can work together on projects and share their work and other information.

Spice things up a bit with remote guest speakers. Make learning more fun by inviting guest speakers into the classroom with only a click of the mouse. College students would really appreciate this.

Provide support with a click of a button. Use Google apps to help your students. You can answer homework and other class related questions with a simple click of a button.

No more office hours. Invite your students to meet up with you online instead of at the office.Students can still get the same one on one personal attention they deserve online.Help your students after class by offering your time and support without leaving the comfort of your own home.

There are tons of discussion groups, hang out spots, meet-ups, and other educational circles and self improvement groups that use Google+. It is a unique opportunity for you to learn, share and connect with online students and other professionals from around the world in a convenient and comfortable setting. Eliminate office hours altogether and enjoy hanging out instead!

Friends, what are some of your favorite tools on Google + that you feel have really made a difference? Don’t forget to share such helpful tools & tips with us and your fellow blog readers. Happy Blogging

Online Army education programs are gaining popularity and recognition with active duty soldiers as they fill the distinctive requirements of armed service members. Online and traditional colleges have certain distance learning programs that are designed just for soldiers, which allow them to take full advantage of the benefits that service members enjoy.

How Online Degree Programs Help Army Soldiers

Standard campus based university courses are not designed keeping in mind the requirements of Army soldiers and service members. The development of the internet as an educational tool has altered the educational environment. Nowadays the many shifts in duty stations and disruptive deployments do not handicap soldiers that are seeking higher education.

Distance Learning For Army Soldiers

Numerous nationally and regionally accredited colleges and universities have developed online degree programs that are flexible and can mould themselves according to the timetables of armed forces members. Degree programs like these are accessible from almost anywhere. Online Army education programs are appropriate for soldiers and armed services members that are asked to perform duties far away from home.

Department of Defense and Army Education Benefits

Most online degree programs work together with the DoD to allow army soldiers to take advantage of army education benefits. These programs also allow service member to use credits gained through army education programs like DANTES and placement tests like CLEP.

Financial Assistance for Online Degree Programs for U.S. Army Soldiers

In addition to the above benefits there are economic assistance packages with grants, scholarships and other military educational benefits that may be used to help ease the cost of tuition for accredited online degree programs. Some colleges and universities have staff assigned to help army soldiers on their base to optimize their educational programs and benefits. Army veterans that want to attend online colleges or regular college scan also use these financial benefits and can check online for the specific benefits they can take advantage of.

Educational benefits are given to army soldiers to show gratitude for their sacrifice and service. Because of which more and more army soldiers are accessing education online programs.

Financial aid for Army soldiers acquiring online degrees are covered under the New GI Bill.

Online Degree Programs Growing To Assist Army Soldiers

The convenient and flexible schedule of distance learning programs has helped online degrees gain popularity with students in the army. These soldiers are taking advantage of the opportunities they have and advancing in their careers.