Once affiliates begin to sign up, even if you are
automatically approving them, its in your best
interest to audit your network on a regular basis.
Now, the FTC is making marketers responsible for
the actions of their affiliates. If your affiliates
get out of control, it could cost you a lot of money.

You'll have hundreds of affiliates sign up for your
program. Hobbyists, spammers, webmasters and even
marketers. It's very important that you review
each one on a regular basis to ensure the way they
are promoting you is acceptable to your company and
above all - its legal.

Below, you'll find some tips when screening:
1. All affiliates must have an active web
site. If not, they may be spammers.
2. The affiliate site content must relate
to your products or services.
3. The site should have appropriate levels
of content.
4. Misuse of content. Be very clear with
your affiliates and what content they can use from
your website.

Affiliate fraud
Fraud with affiliates has been increasing over the
last several years, which is another great reason
to screen your affiliates on a regular basis. With
fraud, there are two main types:

Malware - Some affiliates out there have developed
software that is installed on a machine, normally as
part of a free download. When someone clicks on the
affiliate link, the true affiliate ID is replaced
with the fraud.

Fake purchase - If you have a product of high value
that returns large commissions for affiliates, you
may notice some bad parties signing up, then using
stolen or fake credit card information to purchase
products via their links.

Communicating with affiliates
Good affiliates are normally busy, as they can
easily forget about your services and products.
As time goes by, your offers can wind up less in
less visited areas or accidentally deleted.

It's extremely important to stay in contact with
your affiliates, even more so with the high performers.
Do not wait for them to contact you, as if you
do, it normally means they are reporting a problem.
By taking the time to contact them, you are showing
that you are interested in the partnership.

You don't need a new product as an excuse to
contact your power affiliates. Even if it's just
a quick note to ask if they need anything. You
can also use the opportunity for feedback on your
program as well.

Managing a successful affiliate program is not an
easy task you can fully automate, as you'll have
to get involved. Happy affiliates are more
productive, and the more money they make - the
more money your company makes as well.

Summary:
Art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, as school officials concentrate on the basics of learning. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even more focus has been placed on basic learning skills, which excludes the arts. This also means that any extra funding is funneled into these basic learning programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is one of the st...


Keywords:
San Jose schools, schools, san jose


Article Body:
Art programs, such as art appreciation, drama, theater and music, have been suffering across the nation for 30 years, as school officials concentrate on the basics of learning. With federal programs, such as No Child Left Behind, even more focus has been placed on basic learning skills, which excludes the arts. This also means that any extra funding is funneled into these basic learning programs in order to meet state and federal-set standards. Arts education is one of the standards that should be met by schools within the state of California, yet the state does not impose penalties on schools that do not met these particular standards.

A statewide survey by SRI International concluded that of the 1,123 schools surveyed:

• 89 percent failed to meet state standards for arts education;
• Nearly 1/3 offered no art education coursework that met state standards;
• 61 percent had no full-time arts specialist, with classroom teachers without adequate training teaching arts education at the elementary level;
• Kindergarten through 12 enrollment in music classes declined by 37 percent over a five-year period, ending last June; and
• Poor schools have the least access to arts education; whereas better income schools (where parents can afford private lessons) are more apt to have it.

Chris Funk is the San Jose schools’ principal of Lincoln High School, a stellar magnet arts school. He believes that the more San Jose schools’ students are exposed to the arts the better they will do in testing within other coursework.

Studies have proven that a strong arts program can be linked to improvement in everything from math skills to truancy. Arts education in elementary and secondary schools produce skilled sculptors, actors, musicians, singers and so many other arts-related careers. The arts also improve the socialization skills of students.

Bill Eriendson, assistant superintendent of the San Jose schools, stated that the level of funding for the arts is inadequate. Last year, the state budgeted $500 million for the arts and physical education; however, this amount was a one-time deal. The norm is $105 million, which is about $15 per student. According to Eriendson, the San Jose schools requires about $800,000 to restore just their music programs at the elementary San Jose schools. This figure does not include the purchase of instruments.

San Jose schools are a good representation of the statewide findings. Besides trying to meet state and federal standards in the basic coursework, the San Jose schools were hit with Proposition 13 that was passed in 1978, which imposed tax cuts for Californians and greatly reduced funding for arts education. The arts were first cut in the secondary San Jose schools and then in the elementary San Jose schools. By the late 1980s, arts education was all but gone in the San Jose schools.

According to Funk, there currently is a waiting list of 225 San Jose schools’ students. He finds San Jose schools’ students are drawn to the dance, theater, music and visual arts programs offered by his school. Without the support of the Lincoln Foundation, which donated $75,000 for this school year, this San Jose schools arts magnet would not exist.

Summary:

The most common mistake made by people who attempt to put together their first resume is that they put in too much information. They want to describe everything that they have ever done from the moment of conception to the present. The resume ends up being too long, and nobody will read it.

Keywords:

diabetes, diabetic

Article Body:

The most common mistake made by people who attempt to put together their first resume is that they put in too much information. They want to describe everything that they have ever done from the moment of conception to the present. The resume ends up being too long, and nobody will read it.

The most important piece of information that you should retain is that your resume, no matter how well it is put together, will only get a 15 to 30 second review by the person who does the initial screening.

That person is normally someone in Human Resources whose job is to look at hundreds of resumes per day. You must create your resume in such a way that it gives all the information they need in a maximum of 30 seconds.

There is information that, under most circumstances, should not be in a resume. This includes:

• Your age or date of birth

• Religious or political affiliations

• Reasons why you left your last job

• Your Social Security Number

• Health restrictions or physical limitations

• Any sentence that has "do not," "cannot," or "unable"

Age or Date of Birth

I repeat, you should not put your age or date of birth in a resume. In the US, an employer has no legal right to know your age. An employer can ask you only if you are over the age of 18 for insurance liability reasons or if local, state, or federal law requires that employees be over a certain age.

Therefore, if you’re concerned that your age will be a factor, don't list the date you graduated from high school or the years that you received any of your degrees. I received my undergraduate degree in 1962. Can any of you guess my age?

Religious Affiliations or Political Affiliations

It’s generally recommended that you stay away from listing a particular type of religion or political party affiliation. However, being active in your community or church can sometimes be a positive factor in many large companies, so you should make general statements about your participation in activities that support the community. Volunteer work for a charity group would be a positive example but active support for an environmental group could raise some eyebrows.

Reasons for Leaving Previous Jobs

We’ve become a mobile society and longevity in a position is now considered two years. People accept new jobs for many reasons. If you left your last job because of differences with your supervisor or company philosophy, I don't recommend that you put that information in your resume. The reader will probably get a negative impression of you. If you couldn't get along with your last company, you probably won't get along here.

If the job application asks you to give reasons for leaving your last job, a safe and truthful answer could be that you were offered a better position. “Better” could mean a pay raise, better working hours, better office environment, or newer equipment.

Your Social Security Number (SSN)

The exceptions to this are federal resumes sent for civil service positions. A prospective employer can ask for your Social Security Number in an application - that is normally a requirement for employment. However, putting your SSN on a resume could lead to disaster.

You’ll be sending out many resumes; you won’t know who’ll be reading them. It doesn't cost much money to put a small want ad in the newspaper or on an Internet employment site, and a dishonest person can run a fraudulent ad.

If someone knows your SSN, he can apply for credit cards or other important documents, such as duplicate SSN cards, with the information you normally provide on a resume. Be alert if someone other than in the civil service asks for your SSN.

Information about Health and Disabilities

The Americans with Disabilities Act has changed the way businesses in the US recruit and hire an employee. Generally, an employer has no legal right to know your health status. The only health-related questions that an employer can ask are job related.

If the job description requires that you lift 50 lbs, the employer has the legal and legitimate right to ask in the interview if you can do this. He can also state the requirement in his ad. He cannot ask you if you have back problems, diabetes, or have had a heart attack unless the job, such as airline pilot, requires perfect health.

Find out your legal rights if you live outside the US.

Marital Status

I’ve added marital status because this is another issue that can work against you, particularly if you’re a single parent. I know some people will disagree, but single parents have the highest absentee rate in the work force.

Companies will try to avoid hiring a single parent if at all possible. However, in the US they cannot ask you your marital status or if you have children. Don't volunteer this information on the resume.

If asked this question in an interview, the proper response could be, "Can you tell me what this has to do with the position I’m applying for?" That should end the questioning on this issue if the interviewer does not want to face a lawsuit.

Starting a virtual assistant business is just one of many ways to be a Work at home mom. If you have experience in an administrative field, or can offer virtual services to business clients, then you are a prime candidate for having a successful virtual assistant business.

Getting started as a virtual assistant requires a few simple steps. There is no formal credential process to become a virtual assistant, but there are several companies who offer training and their own credentialing. This is not absolutely necessary to be a successful virtual assistant, but it can be helpful in obtaining jobs as a newcomer. Before you sign up for any program or course, do your due diligence and investigate the company. Get recommendations from other successful virtual assistants and consider finding a mentor who can help you get started.

Legally, you’ll need a business license in order to become an independent contractor. By obtaining a business license you’ll be able to open up a business bank account and keep your business and personal finances separately. Being legal also means you can declare many of your business expenses as tax write offs.

Once you’ve set up your home office, you’ll need to establish your virtual office. On the Internet, you’ll use a website to advertise yourself as a virtual assistant. Having a website is essential to establishing your presence. If web design is not in your skill set, find someone who can make a website for you. Try to contact other virtual assistants and see if you can barter for the design if it’s something that you cannot afford to begin with.

On your website you should, at minimum, list your services and who you are. You can also include an hourly rate, although many virtual assistants like to charge by the project instead of by the hour. As far as services go, don’t offer services that you don’t like to do. If you can make spreadsheets but don’t like to do it, then don’t offer that service. If you have background in a specific field, for example law, then list this as a specialty. You can also specialize in the type of work that you offer. Many virtual assistants limit their business to writing and editing, web design, data management or planning, but some offer a mixture of all types of services. Remember, this is your business and you can choose what tasks that you want to perform.

The best way to get virtual assistant jobs to begin with is to start networking. Your best leads will come through people that you already know, whether they are online or in your hometown. Let people know what you are offering and promote your website address so people can see who you are and what you are doing. Make sure to include up to date contact information on your web page, including a phone number.

When you get your first client, its important to have a contract set in place before you start working on a project. You can get many sample contracts online that you can adapt for your needs. Make sure you and the client are both on the same page about the type of work that you will be doing. That way there are no surprises when you deliver the project and your bill.

After you have a few projects under your belt, you’ll begin to build a reputation. Then your virtual assistant business will grow naturally to include repeat clients and new projects. When you consistently do good work, your reputation will precede you and you may have more projects that you know what to do with in a short period of time. Make sure not to overbook yourself, and collect a network of other virtual assistants who are willing to take overflows for you if the need arises.

Getting your virtual assistant business off on the right foot is simple when you follow the basic steps mentioned above.

Budgeting your monthly expenses in order to get the greatest return on your income (and perhaps, even put aside some for saving!) doesn’t have to be extremely hard.

Various budgeting programs are available for use. Money management programs provide you with a usual package that allows you to enter your cash inflows and outflows, categorizes your expenditures, and at times, presents to you analysis of your spending behavior. Through these programs you can also input the various payments you have to make monthly, and subsequently track if you’ve paid your dues on time. Moreover, some programs also offer you a tax form draft that will help you make sure you’re not missing out on any dues or any deductibles, for that matter.

Another budgeting tool that you can utilize are coupons. Various stores and magazines contain coupons that you can use to get discounts on various products. Should there be a need to purchase a particular product for which you have a coupon for, you will end up saving a fraction of what you might have had to spend on a regular purchase.

Lists—whether on a piece of paper, on your cellular phone, or on your personal digital assistant (PDA) will help you keep focused on what you have to buy, and in effect, keep track of the purchases you make. A classic example is your regular grocery trip. Prior to making the trip, plan out the week’s entire menu and identify what food items and materials you need to purchase that are unavailable in your pantry. Then, make a list of other household items that you’ve run out of (or are eventually going to run out of before you can make the next trip to the grocery). Armed with these lists, you can go to the grocery and know exactly where to go and what you’re going to buy. Without these lists, you will walk idly along aisles, and will likely pick up various food items that you won’t likely need in the immediate future, or already have at home.

A filing system is perhaps one of the best budgeting tools you can have in your home. With simple, labeled file folders, you can put together your bills, your receipts, and whatever bank documents are issued to you when you save or pay. By putting together your bills, your credit card receipts, and the like, you are able to keep track of how much you owe and when your payments are due.

Effective budgeting tools are those that best address your needs as a consumer. Create your own budgeting tool or find a program to do it for you—just make sure it suits your lifestyle.