What Not To Do on Twitter if You Want to Stay Employed

What Not To Do on Twitter if You Want to Stay EmployedWhat Not To Do on Twitter if You Want to Stay EmployedAh, technology. Whether its staying in touch with family and friends, checking out the latest trending news story or just catching up on ridiculously cute cat memes, social media sites have certainly had a big impact on the way that we communicate as a society. In many ways, the ability to stay instantaneously informed can be beneficial on both a social and professional level. But with great power comes great responsibility, especially when it comes to the world of Twitter and your job stability.Well admit that when it comes to role models for what you should and should not say via Twitter, you may not have the best modern examples. From political leaders and knee-jerk reactions to celebs making cringe-worthy social faux pas, its hard to know just where to draw the line with your personal tweet-storms. If this sounds familiar, youre in luck. Weve compiled some common sense advi ce for what elend to do on twitter if you like your job and want to stay employedTalking Politics (or anything controversial for that matter)We all remember the sage wisdom regarding politics and religion. In short, you just dont talk about these kinds of hot-button topics if you want to keep conversations congenial. When it comes to the Twitter-sphere, much the same can be said, or not said. If youre employed with a large company, are in a high-level position or would have concerns about your employer learning your political views its best to keep political leanings to less public, in person surrounds.Posting to the Wrong AccountThis one goes out to the social media managers out there. If you are in charge of posting to your employers Twitter profile, pay special attention to enkoranvers which voice youre using before hitting the tweet button. Posting a personal message, especially if its off-color, to your companys profile, can cause brand and client confusion, looks unprofessiona l and can ultimately cost you your job. Keep personal tweets to personal time and be sure to practice good login and logout hygiene to keep things copasetic. Complaining About Your Job/Boss/ClientWeve all had those tough days at the office. Maybe you were called into your boss office for a formal dressing down or had to deal with a less-than-amazing client call. While venting to a trusted friend or family member over a glass of wine is one way to release some stress, tweeting about the experience probably isnt going to get you high marks with your employer. To avoid word getting back to your company that youre a negative nancy, or less than a team player, keep your opinions on work to verbal communications only. Dont take the risk that an equally frustrated co-worker, HR rep or direct report can see and use your tweets against you. The Mom RuleWere all guilty from time to time of saying something we later regret. When it comes to Twitter, however, these mistaken postings can haunt y our virtual reputation for years to come. When in doubt, before posting insightful, rude or otherwise less than politically correct, ask yourself one simple question what would mom do?The mom test is a great pre-screening tool for just about anything youd say in public but is especially helpful for protecting your job from the prying eyes of your employer. If you wouldnt make a gutachten or claim in front of your mother, chances are your employer wont appreciate it either. Avoid saying anything distasteful or cringe-worthy in general, even if you think your account security is on lockdown. Remember mother knows best and youll never end up on the wrong side of a PC tweetstorm.

The Pros and Cons of Being a Stock Photography Model

The zu nutz und frommens and Cons of Being a Stock Photography ModelThe Pros and Cons of Being a Stock Photography ModelAt first thought, becoming a stock photography model seems like a terrific idea. After one little photo session, your image could appear in magazine ads, in digital ads, on billboards, on posters, and even on book covers- basically any type of marketing that requires a person with your specific look. It all seems so easy. But is stock photography modeling as great as it seems? Pro No Experience Required The stock photography industry is relatively easy to break into. You dont need years of experience or a stellar portfolio to land a job. If you have a look that appeals to the masses and can fit a general physical description, you can probably get yourself on a stock photography website. It helps, too, that stock photos are in high demand and always will be. That means that stock photo agencies are always searching for models- and plenty of them. Pro the Pay Is Pretty Good Stock photography wont make you rich, but its an easy way to make a few bucks. Generally speaking, you can expect to earn anywhere from $75 to $200 for a couple hours work. Not bad, considering its not too challenging and can be loads of fun. Just dont forget that even though stock photography modeling isnt one of the more commonly recognized types of modeling (like commercial, plus size, fashion, etc.), its leise modeling To ensure your safety, you must be sure youre only working with legitimate modeling agencies and photographers. Con the Photos Are Generic If youre looking to bulk up your portfolio with unique photos that show off your versatility and personality, then stock photography is not for you. Stock photos are always generic photos of people, places, and things. No exceptions. And theres a reason for this In order for a stock photographer and a stock photo website to license the photo as many times as possible (in other words make as much money as pos sible), the photos need to work with all types of content and all types of needs. Hence the not-so-interesting nature of stock photography. Having said that, you may still be able to get a few shots for your book to impress future agents and clients. Con Flat Fees Stock photography models are paid a one-time flat fee. You show up for the shoot, you get paid, you get sent on your way. Thats the last youll hear of it. So even though whoever buys the photo has to pay more for certain usage rights, sizes, distributions, duration, etc., the model wont get any extra money for it. This is especially painful when your photo appears on the cover of a magazine or pops up as a brand-name ad on a popular website. Con You Never Know Whos Using Your Photos Even though you can see your photos sell, you have no idea who bought them or where theyll appear. Sometimes the element of surprise is fun, as in, Hey, so-and-so just said they saw me in an ad for cheese But its not always this amusin g. When you sign a stock photo release form, chances are your photo can be used for any purpose, in any form, to sell any product, with any modification, in perpetuity. That means you might not always like where your photo ends up, especially if the ad is for something that conflicts with a higher paying jobs you book later or violates your ethical or seelenlage beliefs. Con It Can Interfere With Future Bookings If you go on to pursue other types of modeling (commercial modeling, for example), potential clients may ask you if youve ever done an ad for a competing company or product. The problem is, if youve done stock photography, you wont have a clue and you wont have any way of finding out. So you either have to turn down the job (the smart decision) or accept it and be prepared to face some nasty legal ramifications down the road (never a good idea). At the end of the day, its important to weigh all the pros and cons to determine if doing stock photography modeling will be o f benefit to you. For some, generally those in smaller markets, it can be a fantastic way to earn extra income for others in larger markets who are already signed to a major agency, it may not be.

4 Reasons You Deserve to Take a Personal Day - The Muse

4 Reasons You Deserve to Take a Personal Day - The Muse4 Reasons You Deserve to Take a Personal DayRemember when you were a kid and youd pretend to be sick because you didnt want to go to school that day?Well, when youre an adult, you technically dont have to pretend anymore. You can just take a personal day when you need a break. But thats always easier said than done, right? Its hard to look your boss (and your co-workers) in the eye and say that youre taking a day off for personal reasons. But if you have personal days worked into your benefits, you 100% should be taking themSo, when can you let yourself off the guilt hook and take advantage of those personal day youve earned?Here are four times you deserve to stay at home, unplug, and relax- completely guilt-free.1. You Could Really Use the Day Off for a Doctors Appointment/Family Matter/MovingWe all know how hard it can be to lock down that dentist appointment when your dentists been booked up for months. Or, how challenging it is to pack up your entire apartment to move when your only free time is after work, when youre exhausted.You shouldnt feel guilty for using one of your PTO days to take care of a personal matter (theyre called personal days after all). Especially if the situation feels nothing like something youd categorize under a vacation day or sick day. As Muse editor, Stacey Lastoe, perfectly puts it, a personal day can be just that, something more personal that youre less likely to be pressed about, even casually.2. You Havent Taken a Break in a Really Long TimeMaybe its been many months since your last vacation, or you havent missed a single day of work in the past year (not even when everyone else was out sick with the flu).Sure, maybe youre not burned out, but youve also been working hard, and a day off sounds really good right about now. Youve earned yourself a break- and youd be surprised how much more refreshed youll feel after even a day away from your computer.3. Youre Burning Out (and People Are Starting to Notice)Of course, if you havent taken many days off and you find yourself losing steam, patience, and quite possibly your head, I not only recommend but insist you take a day for yourself.And chances are Im not the only one who thinks so. If you can feel yourself burning out- and fast- your team can probably sense it, too. Maybe youre turning in sub-par work, or constantly missing deadlines, or quiet in brainstorming sessions. Regardless, youre not contributing a whole lot, and might benefit from some time off.4. You Dont Have Any Plans to Use Up Your PTO DaysLets say your company gives you 15 total PTO days. You use a couple when youre deathly ill, maybe one for a long weekend, but besides that youre just not the vacation type. For you, using up a weeks worth of days doesnt seem necessary, and yet youre getting paid for them, so you cant not use them.This could be a great opportunity to take time here or there when you find yourself tired, overwhelmed, or ju st in need of a lazy day. Skipping out on work when you dont have a legitimate (in professional terms) reason can feel sleazy, but in reality youre probably a lot more blameless than youd think. Personal days are meant for helping you be your best work self- just like vacation and sick days- which can mean anything from recovering from mental and emotional exhaustion (read burnout) to getting your life under control so you can come back to work ready to be productive.So really, using them is one of the smartest things you can do in your career.Ready to take the leap? Heres how to ask your boss for time off the right way.