Work . 

Study.

Run.

For the past several months, my life has been nothing but these three things.  Last weekend I took the revised GRE and this weekend is a half-marathon race.  Needless to say, checking one item off has led to a massive increase in, or an illusion thereof, “free time”.

Despite the scores not being issued until November, I’ve already begun to reflect on my preparation methods and perceived performance.  Ranking the sections by relative difficulty, I was actually least concerned about “Analytical Writing” and think blogging is to thank for that!

For background information…

In August 2011, the GRE Revised General Test replaced the GRE General Test*.  The major overhaul of the exam incorporated a shift in focus along with structural modifications.  The new exam format is broken down as follows:

Within the Analytical Writing section, two separate tasks are responded to through prose.   As described on the ETS website, these tasks are summarized as:

Analyze An Issue Task

The Analyze an Issue task assesses your ability to think critically about a topic of general interest and to clearly express your thoughts about it in writing.

Each issue statement makes a claim that you can discuss from various perspectives and apply to many different situations or conditions.

Analyze An Argument Task

The Analyze an Argument task assesses your ability to understand, analyze and evaluate arguments and to clearly convey your evaluation in writing.

You are presented with a brief passage in which the author makes a case for some course of action or interpretation of events by presenting claims backed by reasons and evidence.

Your task is to discuss the logical soundness of the author’s case according to the specific instructions by critically examining the line of reasoning and the use of evidence.

The essays will be read by two readers, and in the chance of large differences, a third reader.  Each grader will assign a numerical value from 1.0 to 6.0 in 0.5 point increments and the two scores will be averaged.  In order to receive the highest score (6.0 out of 6.0), each response must present a “cogent, well-articulated analysis” and “convey meaning skillfully”.  A typical response meeting these criteria*:

• articulates a clear and insightful position
• develops the position fully with compelling reasons and/or persuasive examples
• sustains a well-focused, well-organized analysis, connecting ideas logically
• conveys ideas fluently and precisely, using effective vocabulary and sentence variety
• demonstrates facility with the conventions of standard written English (i.e., grammar, usage and mechanics), but may have minor errors

So how did blogging factor into all this?

First, it provided an outlet to practice writing.  More specifically, it gave me the chance to analyze a personal finance “issue” or “argument” in a timed environment.  Beforehand, draft article would sit in WordPress for days.  Now, I needed to formulate and write the same articles in 30 minutes or less.  I also turned off spell-checker as to force some self-reliance.  The ability to recognize and correct grammatical or spelling errors was the surest way to increase my overall writing score.

On a smaller scale, commenting on other blogs provided yet another opportunity to hone my skills.  Since I would have to address an author’s position on the test, why not practice by addressing the hundreds of positions published by bloggers on a daily basis!  Beyond traditional means, the best part was the instant feedback.  When you comment on a blogger’s article, they will respond highlighting what is either wrong or right about your analysis.

During the actual exam, I was nervous at the beginning of the first essay, but hit my stride eventually.  Mind-mapping the structure and logic of the essay before actually writing it took the bulk of the time, and while being confident in my typing skills, the countdown timer in the right-hand corner was quite distracting.  It could have been that the energy drink didn’t kick in until the 2^nd question, but whatever it was, at that point, I was golden.

It’s hard to say definitively whether the blogging helped, but there is a distinct feeling it did.  Even once I know the scores, it will be hard to say for sure what contributed to them, but at least using the excuse of blogging as “study prep” was a fun distraction from hitting those monotonous books.

Recently a friend asked for some feedback on his own offer.  Foreseeing the near-term end of his existing circumstance, he was excited about the new prospect.  Looking for recommendations on the compensation, he outlined the parameters of the position for me to help formulate a counter-offer.  Whipping together a simple excel sheet, we discussed the results:

“Probably should ask for 30% more”, I stated.

“Really”, he wondered, “that’s not too much?”

Following our conversation about the job in general, we reviewed the reasons which justified the considerable increase:

1.)     Changing Industries

Switching from non-profit work to the private sector, his current salary was likely lower than a comparable position in private enterprise.

2.)    Cost of Living Adjustment

Moving from an already high cost-of-living location to an even higher cost-of-living location, accepting the offer as it stood would have been a decrease in his standard of living.

3.)    Relocation Expenses

Despite previously offering to cover the costs of his move, these shouldn’t be written off and therefore should be accounted for when evaluating the total package.

4.)    Industry Medians

The current offer was slightly lower than most median salaries for that position.  *We used a variety of sources so we had a more representative sample range.

5.)     Future Prospects

A commonly accepted principle – your best chance at negotiating a higher salary is prior to accepting an offer, not once you have the position through raises/promotions.

Regardless of where the negotiations landed, my friend planned on accepting the offer.  But because he didn’t shy away from asking for more and provided concrete reasons for why he thought the higher request was appropriate, the negotiation leaned towards his favor and he ended up increasing his base salary by 20%.

I’ve purposely neglected to mention my friend has the potential to increase his total earnings by up to 50% through future bonuses.  Since those aren’t guaranteed, we focused first on improving his base salary.  Considering those bonuses will be based on his annual figure, it was especially worthwhile to focus on negotiating a higher base compensation.

While it may seem greedy to ask for more and be perceived as money-centric, ultimately you must make yourself a priority.  Many seem unaware of the very real and long-term negative impacts short-changing your worth can have down the road.  All forms of future earnings are tied to what’s negotiated now – raises, promotions, bonuses, social security, new job offers, etc.    And since it isn’t uncommon for companies to carry out layoffs merely to report quarterly profits nowadays, you cannot passively participate in your own career and hope for the best.

Unfortunately for me, these costs will most likely be an out-of-pocket expense unless I can dupe someone into paying for it.  And to be honest, it’s the primary reason for my hesitance in committing to the decision.  Fortunately for my cousins, they are covered.  One just finished his undergraduate on a full-ride and is headed to Carnegie Mellon for a PhD… also on a full-ride.

Talking about life in general, I commended him on how well he had handled his education.  In true personal finance fashion, I noted the significant benefit (beyond the obvious accreditations) would be the lack of debt.  Approximating the costs, we arrived at an estimated figure of $500,000.

Yikes.

And it’s not just me either.  “Stop the Tuition Madness” as Money wrote about in their current issue.  The article highlights different ways for students to cut back on their education bills.  Out of the three students featured, only 1 of the strategies made seemed to make sense.

Money Strategy:  Go to a Lower-Cost College Abroad

My Interpretation: You went to University of Where?

Of course there’s nothing wrong with other schools, but perception alone will be the limiting factor.   The student even notes, “While Victoria may not be a house-hold name in the U.S., Gesten thinks it will be a net plus for employers once she explains where it is and what a good school it is”.

Let’s hope… From my own experience, this was not the case.

During a summer internship after my freshman year, I learned some colleagues were severely over-educated for their positions.  Since most held Masters or PhD degree, we spoke about their frustrations with reporting to younger engineers, with engineering degrees, but less experience.  All were educated in universities outside of the US, but relegated to lesser roles because their alma maters didn’t carry the same clout as US schools.

Money Strategy:  Pay with Future Earnings

My Interpretation: Schools are catching Zuckie-Fever!

Can you imagine how that board’s meeting went?  “As long as he is 1/100 as successful as Zuckerberg, and we own 1/10 of his business – we will never have to run a donation drive again.”

Interestingly, has the rise of Facebook has spurred a sort of venture capital outlook towards prospective students?  Clarkson University was willing to bet a full tuition scholarship in return for 10% of Turcotte’s company.  “The college is continually checking in on me… They see this as a long-term investment.”

Whereas his accomplishments should be recognized, the editorial decision by Money to include this strategy was still a poor one.  This is something not easily replicable and therefore not generally applicable.  It would be more likely to receive an academic or athletic scholarship than create a angel-investor type of partnership with the school.

Money Strategy:  Start at Community College

My Interpretation: No Issues – Financially Sound Decision…

Not much to discuss here.  As identified in the article, many community colleges have admittance agreements with four-year institutions.  Can’t beat that – same degree for half the price?

BUT THERE ARE OTHER STRATEGIES OUT THERE!

What amazed me went beyond the obscure examples Money selected, but the relatively simple and accessible options they failed to mention.

For example:  ROTC

Depending on the branch and agreement, students can get a full ride.  They may also be eligible for a living stipend.  Plus, guaranteed employment after matriculation.  Sounds like a pretty sweet deal.  Don’t forget about veteran status afterward.  Beyond the inherent dangers, there is a laundry list of benefits.

If the military doesn’t quite jive with your personality, there are similar work-study type programs.  Many nurses could get full rides if they agreed to work at a specific hospital or within a specific field following graduation.  The point is – Money should have focused on strategies which the majority of high school students (or their parents reading the article) could actually employ in reducing the staggering costs of higher education.

You’ve heard it before.

Maybe it didn’t register at first, but once you know what to listen for – you’ll realize you’ve heard it a hundred times.

Someone – somewhere – at some point, has told you where to find the “real money”.

Most likely it was another colleague, possibly a mentor, or it could have even been a client. The speaker will preface their statement with some sort of qualifier: “well, I have things pretty good here” or “this job pays well enough”…….but…..

That’s not where the REAL money is. The REAL money is in _______.

Whatever it is, you are not in it.

What is it about the human condition which tricks us into thinking someone always has it better? Blame it on the “grass is greener” complex, but we aren’t satisfied with our jobs. Even if we are, there’s always another job which: pays better, commands higher prestige, induces less stress, and is located on Easy Street.

Ironically of all the friends I interviewed about their career satisfaction, only a tobacco marketer and oil professional stated their industries was where the real money was. Does this mean we should all switch careers and join their ranks? Probably not.

The real money paradox only applies to subsets of a profession for which you are already intimately involved. Otherwise, there would be no basis for speculation. You can’t comment on a field in which you have no experience. That would severely impair your credibility!

A security guard outlining the advantages of becoming a surgeon has little merit, but a security guard weighing in on the benefits of working in private force protection is very plausible.

This mindset isn’t restrictive to a specific income bracket either. Nor does it apply just to careers, it spans all money-making ventures whether full-time or weekend hobby.

When I first entertained the idea of advertising on this blog, Google Adsense seemed like the appropriate starting point. Then I was told, “no no…that’s not where the REAL money is… it’s in direct advertisements and text links”. To which I assumed was the best option. After a while I was informed the real money wasn’t actually in single advertisements, but in advertising agreements for multiple websites. Purchasing & managing websites my friend, that is where the REAL money is!

Ultimately, the real money is where you make it.

There are literally hundreds of ways to make money. The key is to focus on one (or a few) which you truly enjoy and dedicate yourself to becoming the best possible person in that chosen field through hard work, learning, and growth. If all of your time is spent chasing the real money, you won’t end up ever making any real money.

With the top 10 business schools accepting 25% or less of applicants into their programs, competition will be fierce.  Faced with only a 1-in-4 chance of acceptance, wouldn’t you do [spend] whatever it takes to increase your odds?

Applications consist of four main aspects:  GMAT, Resume, Essays, and References.  While there aren’t any “reference-for-hire” services yet, there are plenty of resources for the other three.

First, the GMATs.  Going at it alone may only cost you $100 worth of books, or you may even be lucky enough to find them at the library for free.  However, paying for more catered preparatory services (online review sessions, in-person classes, boot camps, advanced strategies, and private tutoring) can range anywhere from $1,000 – $5,000.

Then there are the consultants who perform cradle-grave services fFrom performing initial “likely candidate for…” evaluations to reviewing rejection letters.  These consultants are here to help you at every turn… for a price.

Most of these can be purchased as single options or at hourly rates.  Not too bad if you are confident with 90% of your application and are looking for a minor checkup or professional feedback from someone other than mom & dad.

Using the premier Veritas Prep for pricing, a complete package will run you anywhere from $3,700 to $11,400 depending on how many schools you apply to (1 to 8, respectively).  Add that to our original GMAT prep courses, don’t forget to add the school’s application fees, and you may be confronted with a $15k+ bill… even before you’re accepted – which you may not be!

No Debt MBA thinks these consultants aren’t worth the cost, and may have the defense to support his thesis.  He got into a top 5 business school on his own accord.

What if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of doing it all on your own?  The novelty isn’t there when you consider what other services people pay for (tax preparation or estate planning).  Venturing solo into these areas isn’t unheard of, yet many people seek the guidance of someone who understands how to navigate all the nuances of “getting it right”.

For those applying to an unranked business school, the costs probably aren’t justified.  But for those straddling the different brackets, the potential return could be huge.  Since there isn’t much disparity between the tuitions of top programs (also for resident or non-resident), your front-end investment into a consultant should be measured at the completion of the program.

The average starting salaries from a top 5 program are generally 10% greater than those graduating from a top 10.  The salary gap widens even further when dropping down to a top 20 school with starting salaries off 20% from those within the top 10.  This means forgoing the $10k in consultant fees could be costing you 3x as much in potential income!

Not only does the income differ, but the number of offers increases the higher up the tiers you climb.  Better securing employment in the future should be a careful consideration in the equation.  Saving $10k now won’t seem like a big deal when you aren’t able to pay off those $100k student loans!

Since the purpose of business school is to learn about the aspects of business, applying to these programs should be addressed with a business-like perspective.  This may mean outsourcing some of the workload and paying for operations which could increase returns, but are not guaranteed, like application consultants.  But maybe you have to pass Risk Analysis first in order to really understand & apply it.

But something very interesting happens in between the question and the answer.

During that brief moment, your brain goes through an assessment to: compartmentalize, weight, and rank all aspects of the job which are most/least important to you. Your job satisfaction is then determined from the aggregate sum of these parts.

Imagine a set of 4 or 5 buckets. Each bucket has a label representing a desired job characteristic. There’s no set combination of buckets or labels – it’s entirely up to you. Just don’t end up with 10 buckets because then you dilute the importance of each. The labels could be anything: social impact, impressing the opposite sex, compensation, contribution, entertainment, work/life balance, ethical practices, whatever would constitute your “dream job”.

Once your satisfaction has been broken down into the buckets, it’s time to re-size them. Think about what’s most important. Determine how heavily each one weighs on your happiness. This will be a very personal process and different for everyone, which is why there are well-paid bankers who overlook their long hours or not as well-paid non-profit employees swelling with pride from their sense of purpose.

Part of Generation Y, my friends and I have arrived at what feels like a junction point in our careers. We’ve been working for a few years now and seem to have a better handle on how we plan to contribute to society and what we’re looking for in our jobs.

Needless to say, I’ve been thinking about my own buckets for a long time now. I often fear my desire for career purpose consumes me, preventing me from living in the present and always thinking about the not-so distant future. Working towards defining my buckets has helped to ease this concern.

For those who don’t know, I took a risk on an engineering job which was supposed to split my time 50/50 between coastal development projects in the Turks & Caicos Islands and Florida. Not quite turning out as expected and adding in the economic downturn, things fell flat with the job. I was forced to re-enter the industry I’d left in the first place! It feels like I’m still picking up the pieces and trying to figure out where I’m headed in the long run. When I think about what will come, two buckets stick out.

Culture

Would you rather do something you love with someone you hate or something you can tolerate with someone you love?

I’ve been where I dreaded the work, but loved the company and people. I’ve also been where the work was enjoyable, but the company was unbearable. At least for me, the first was a lot better situation. It’s so much harder to buy into your work if you can’t buy into your employer.

Prestige/Respect

I’m proud to say I’m an engineer but embarrassed to say my industry. Beyond the stigmas associated with it, everyone seems content with outdated and inefficient practices because that’s what is most profitable. And unfortunately, I can’t see these changing during my lifetime. Similar to above, when I struggle to respect the industry practices or the people I’m engaging with, giving 100% effort is so much harder and each day is left in frustration instead of accomplishment.

But I didn’t want to stop with my own viewpoints. Having a variety of friends, I wanted to see what their take was and how they viewed their own buckets.

CORPORATE COG TO ENTREPRENEUR

Value of Time

I need to be in an environment where either the organization values my time the same way I do, or I have control over how my time is allocated and how I’m compensated for it. One of my biggest frustrations at Capgemini was how my time was valued or, for that matter not valued… Since it didn’t cost the company, the client or my coworkers anything to use my time, they would make inefficient use of it. Now that I am my own boss, I get to determine what is worth my time, and to assign a cost to it.

BETTERING YOUR FUTURE

Organization

This one can encapsulate all sorts of elements about an organization: the people, the office environment, etc. I’ve found myself happiest in work cultures where everyone is treated equally (or close to it, at least). At Greenpeace, everyone is encouraged to share the ideas they have and contribute however they want/can. There is a palpable sense of respect amongst the staff here, and it doesn’t matter whether someone’s been here 20 years or 20 minutes.

Big Picture

This last one really deals with the what/why questions. What am I actually doing with my life? Why is this important? (or, why am I doing this?). For me, right now, it’s easy to feel good about the big picture that I’m working towards. I’m part of an organization that promotes green and peaceful ideas for a better future. Despite learning all about the terrible things that go on in the world, I feel much better coming to work every day knowing I’m contributing towards that.

TOBACCO FOREVER?

Compensation

Wow… tobacco marketer saying money is the most important thing… shocker… But seriously, the compensation here is a big reason why I stay.

My sister worked for a non-profit in NYC living paycheck-to-paycheck and now finds herself with tons of debt to deal with. I don’t think she regrets her choice, but the reality is that she is years away from being financially stable. For her that’s not a big deal, but for me it is.

The benefits here are also unbelievable. The company paid for my MBA, no strings attached. That kind of benefit is so rare these days and one of the biggest reasons that I took this job in the first place.

Finally, the opportunity for advancement is legit. Promotions can be hard to come by, but when they come they can feature some truly significant pay increases. If you really stick with it here you can make some really life-changing amounts of money, setting up not only your kids, but also your grandkids.

Impact

There can be some extremely long nights working at this place, and some nights I find myself sitting here wondering why I’m working so hard. Working weekends to ensure that I can discount cigarettes by an extra $1 next week? There is absolutely a disconnect there, and it’s what will eventually make me leave this place.

GOOGLE IN BRAZIL

Company Role

At my previous firm, it felt like a lot of times I didn’t have enough work to do, or the work I was doing was just “busy work” that really didn’t make a difference. With Google, I’m hoping there will be plenty of work to do and it will all be more meaningful.

Compensation

Important up to a level where I’m comfortable and I feel like I’ve already reached that level now. I’m actually taking a 20% cut by going down to Brazil since I’ll be earning income in Brazilian Real on their local salary scale. Plus, Sao Paulo is actually more expensive than Atlanta, so I’m becoming additionally poorer in the transition!

BANKING NO MORE

Compensation

I’m not saving up for a Lamborghini and generally don’t get very excited about extravagant lifestyles, but it’s an empirical way to measure your progress. If I joined a start-up and we made lots of money, I’d think there’s a pretty high correlation between our paychecks and the quality of strategic decisions we made. Not always, but usually.

Culture

A big part of why I left banking is because I really couldn’t relate with most of the people I worked with. They had no interest in music, science, religion, etc. Their interests seemed to revolve around: finance, making money, the Wall Street Journal, action movies, hot girls, spending money, finance, sports, and finance… you get the idea.

Meaning

At CIT and Merrill Lynch I had no sense of pride in my work. That could be because I’m a negative, cynical, sarcastic individual, but to use Google as an example… that’s a company I would actually be proud to say I work for… I would want to help Google improve their bottom line and develop the “next big idea.” When Merrill or CIT had a good year, I couldn’t care less. I didn’t shed a tear when CIT filed for bankruptcy or Merrill was acquired.

WRITING @ ONION & FAST COMPANY

Respect

Fast Company knows my outside work, and they give me respect for it, without me having to brag about it. A lot of employers don’t care what you’re doing outside the office, even if it can technically make you a better employee. At FC, word always gets around if I have a new book or a freelance article out, and it’s nice for that stuff to be acknowledged without me having to toot my own horn.

Trust

Trust is a big part of journalism, since editors have to trust their writers aren’t making shit up. So it’s nice that everyone I’ve ever written for has trusted me implicitly, even when sources bitch that I wasn’t fair. They always size up the facts defend writers, unless of course we’ve made some transgression we shouldn’t have.

I’ve been taking extended time away from this website so I can focus more on where I’m headed and what direction I need to be pointed in order to get there. The question remains: Can I stay somewhere I don’t really feel in touch with and still be profitable? John Bogle has made quite the name (and fortune) for himself doing just that.

More importantly, this mini-research project refueled my outlook for Generation Y. Articles (often written by “old” people) continue to criticize and critique our traits of entitlement and laziness with grim predictions for the future, but this couldn’t be further from our aspirations.

Our desire to be highly compensated only stems from our plans to contribute significantly not only to our organization, but to society as a whole. We want, and are looking for, opportunities to become integral players in this country’s growth and development. Once we figure out what our buckets actually are, we’ll be on our way.

Breaking into the financial industry can seem daunting. A popular saying goes, it comes down to who you know, not what you know. While this holds some weight, the knowledge you have about finance is extremely important to finding a job in the industry. If you live a busy life or don’t have the resources available to make a big move, you may want to look into studying finance online. The top online finance schools are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.  This accreditation takes into account a school’s history, the quality of teachers they provide, the quality of their masters in finance online programs, and any distinguished alumni that may have attended. Choosing to attend accredited online finance schools is a big step. It is best to take your time and do as much research as possible before deciding where to attend.

Know the Finance School’s Requirements

All online schools have different requirements for admission. Some schools require a high school diploma or even some college coursework. Online schools may even take into account your ACT or SAT scores. Understanding what the online schools you are interested in are looking for is very important. You don’t want to waste time filling out applications for schools you know you will not be admitted to. On the other hand, you should not apply to a school just because the requirements for entry are low. Make sure the online finance school you choose is the best fit for you.

Length of Online Finance School Programs

The time commitment required to complete an online finance degree depends on the workload you take and the type of degree you are interested in earning. For example, online finance certificates take between six months to one year to complete, while an online finance PhD requires a commitment of two to five years.

Finance Specializations

Accredited online financial schools give students the option of choosing one specific area of the financial industry to study. Choosing a specialization allows students to gain an in depth understanding of the topic and better prepare them to get their desired finance job. Some of the financial specializations available at online schools include:

Financial Investments
Financial Planning
Corporate Finance
Financial Insurance

Types of Online Finance Courses

Courses offered by accredited online finance schools are fast paced and designed to prepare you for the stressful financial industry. Some of the courses offered include:

Economics – Online financial students learn about both micro and macroeconomics and cover topics ranging from banking and trade to the stock market and taxation.

Entrepreneurial Finance – If you are looking to land a position as a financial consultant or manager, this course is for you. It teaches students all of the different ways finances are used in the business world.

Investment – Online schools feature investment courses to teach students how to invest funds in banks and the stock market. They also provide tips on how a student can help others make sound financial decisions.

What Can You Do With an Online Finance Degree?

Online financial degrees open several excellent and well-paying job opportunities. People who have degrees from online schools have found employment as financial assistants, stockbrokers, financial advisors and tax professionals. After earning an online finance degree, you will be able to follow the economic status of the country and make decisions about where to invest.

The importance of having a finance degree is at an all time high. A position in the financial world was one of the most popular career paths for the baby boomer generation. These people are rapidly approaching retirement age, creating hundreds of job openings for people with finance degrees.  Accredited online finance schools will give you the knowledge to navigate the job market and find the financial job that is best for you.

Kimberly Palmer, senior editor at US News & World Report and author of the Alpha Consumer column, decided she was fed up with the negative labels associated with young professionals and wrote a book to debunk the myth!

Finally… an advocate for those of us on the other end of the perspective.

Generation Earn

The Young Professional’s Guide to

Spending, Investing, and Giving Back

My interest piqued just from the table of contents. Broken into only three sections, the book still covers a wide spectrum of ideas, and current ones at that.  Job Juggling, Not Your Parents’ Retirement, When Parents Are Landlords, Lessons in Modern Frugality, and The New Rules of Philanthropy to name a few.

Whether focusing on your primary career, looking to go out on your own, or just looking for some supplemental income, Job Juggling addresses all three.  Since there’s only one person looking out for our careers (us), Kimberly stresses the “daily hustle” mindset like earning extra income from side projects or developing new skills within your job industry.

The same self-preservation spills into Not Your Parents’ Retirement as well. The chapter starts out at a youth summit on Capitol Hill about the doom and gloom future of Social Security.  While the fears may not be warranted, we can all agree Kim’s title sums it up – this is not our parents’ retirement anymore. The saving and investing we do now will have a much larger impact on our future retirement years.

Admittedly, I let out a little groan seeing the Green Spending title. While my views are still shifting, overall I’m still put off with some people’s delirium to be green.  But I have to give Kim credit, because she suggested some things you don’t see too often – using less energy (period… although she throws in the generic “use CFLs”) or drive smarter (not drive a hybrid).

While the book was good, I must admit the introduction really got me. If you pick up a copy of this book, don’t mindlessly skip to Chapter 1 – make sure to read through her well-written intro.

Originally I’d planned on meeting in person with Kimberly, which still may be a possibility. I’d had a few specific questions for her about the book and wanted to get the unfiltered version. Maybe those will find their way into a follow-up if the time comes.

So to sum it all up – Generation Earn represents those of us here on the personal finance blogs, continually working towards educating and improving ourselves, financially and elsewhere.  While it didn’t feel like I financially “fit in” with my peers before starting this website, I’ve come to find a community who not only embraces the same beliefs, but are often better practitioners than me!

Remember when Cliff Notes were the lifeline to all those classics you had to read in school? It was a novel idea – taking complex topics, like literature, and breaking it down into quick and easy to understand guides. Then emerged the “Dummies” series whose tagline is “Making Everything Easier” and covered how-to guides from computers and software to religion and spirituality.

Now a new series has hit the market, The Skinny On, which plans to bring the Cliff Notes concept into the 21^st Century. Based on the idea that our brains adapt to changing environments, the books are tailored to match the “faster, more staccato, bottom-line and visual reading experience” of the digital era.

The author, Jim Randel, graciously sent me two copies to review:

Networking: Maximizing the Power of Numbers

Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box

Just as the website claims, it only took about an hour to read each during my Thanksgiving roadtrip.

Ultimately, each book should provide the reader with a broad overview without diving into further details. Not to say that the book doesn’t give details, just that it’s more of what you need to know versus everything you could know.

You can actually take a decent look inside each of the books. And all of the summaries give you a good feel for what you’ll be learning.

Top 10 Networking Lessons (Networking Book Preview)

1. Make networking an important part of your business strategy.
2. When you have a specific need, start with family and friends.
3. When you want something, be precise in explaining it to others.
4. Reach outside your comfort zone.
5. Find ‘connectors’ and buddy up to them.
6. The Internet is a super-powerful connector.
7. Don’t assume people will help you just to be nice. Give them a reason to help you.
8. Give before you receive.
9. Be aware of your social capital.
10. Networking is not just about business.

Top 10 Creativity Lessons (Creativity Book Preview)

1. You can develop your creative thinking.
2. Ignore limits.
3. Break mental patterns.
4. Embrace disruption – good ideas are often disruptive.
5. Creativity is energy.
6. Change your environment.
7. Solitude is part of the process.
8. Find your inner child.
9. Capture your thoughts immediately.
10. Go with the flow.

Formatted almost like a PowerPoint presentation, there are four “slides” per page. Short stories are used within the books as examples to illustrate the underlying themes. Whenever something important comes up, it clearly stands out. Big, bold words on dedicated slides key you into what deserves your attention. Another way points are driven home are through historical quotes. Clever ideas are recirculated through generations and it’s humbling to be reminded of something someone wrote 200 years ago.

Overall, the books were an enjoyable read. While they seemed overly graphical at times, that could have been related to trying to digest the information in a moving car. We all strive towards traits like being creative, successful, and well-connected, but may often fall short given how stretched we’ve become. Living a world strapped for time, it’s nice to have an abridged “cheat sheet” on a topic to help steer you in the right direction.

It may have been some of the truly entertaining photos,or the fact that I’ve been guilty of close to 50% of these at some point.

Although… I’d be surprised if there’s someone out there who hasn’t committed any of these no-no’s!

I’ve left the original number as they appeared in the slide show, but reorganized them by severity.

DO OR DIE SERIOUS, MEANS NOW

• Have No Plan (#3): Plans can change, but as the classic goes: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. **That’s why I’ve been quiet than usual on the blog, been working on my own plan!
• Don’t Answer the Tough Questions (#4): This goes hand-in-hand with the above.
• Don’t Develop Self (#7) & Fail to Adapt (#23): You become stale if you don’t, and stale stuff gets thrown out.
• Dwell on the Past (#11): Let it go, move on. Too much wasted energy.
• Never Step Up (#16) & Never Challenge Yourself (#17): Great quote: “Doing what’s average keeps the average down”. You should always strive for being better and doing more.
• Don’t Communicate with Superiors (#24) & Don’t Hang with the Right People (#28): They hold the key to everything. They’ve been there done that, can affect your projects & pay, have a larger network to lean on… I just don’t understand this one… should be common sense.
• Lack Self-Awareness (#29): Being cognizant of yourself and your surroundings is a crucial skill to develop. “Many times, you are unaware of what you’re signaling”. Anyone watch Lie To Me?

THINK ABOUT IT, MAYBE LATER

• Put Things Off (#2): This is inevitable, some things will take precedence while others fall by the wayside. The important takeaway from their write was “You avoid making choices, and that’s the worst choice of all”.
• Make Yourself Invisible (#6): “like a shy teen at the dance”… you want to dance, you’ve got to get out there.
• Lack a Filter (#8): Depends…Too broad of description.
• Do It Your Way (#13) & Always Are Afraid (#15): Need a healthy combination of both. Risk/Caution and Following Directions/Going at it Alone. Don’t want to lose that creativity and get stuck within the rigid confines of the company’s “system” or always be on the extreme of the risk-taking/risk-aversion spectrum.
• Are Self-Absorbed (#14): It comes down to strategic alliances. You can’t only look out for yourself, but you can’t look out for everyone and let yourself get run-over. You are your own best defense.
• Don’t Look Out for Yourself (#20): Oh wait, what did I just say.
• Stay for the Wrong Reasons (#22) & Grow Negative (#25): Right now, the wrong reasons may be the right reasons and it’s hard not to grow negative. The job sucks, but it pays. Hopefully this will turn out and people will again have the option to leave for the right reasons.
• Are Unwilling to Start at the Bottom (#26): Unwilling to start at the bottom is significantly different from unwilling to work hard and learn. We do things like get degrees, take extra training, acquire certifications specifically so we can skip a few bottom rungs.
• Break the Rules (#27): Engineers go through ethics classes and take oaths to provide unwavering service to the public good. But if you’re at the top, it’s a lot easier to change the rules than break them. If my directive only affects my superior’s bonus, why not break the rules?
• Miss the Big Picture (#30): While its good to have “situational awareness”, Custard had a big picture and it was wrong for his men. Mostly what this slide tries to capture was covered in developing and adapting your self.

NO WORRIES MON, BLOW IT OFF

• Don’t Live in the Moment (#1) & Lack Vision (#5): These two go together given the blatant contradiction: “You spend hours imagining the next job” and “You think small, unable to visualize your possibilities in a different job”. Which one is it BW?
• Don’t Keep Your Composure (#9): You should act like your job is on the line everyday, you just shouldn’t let your emotions show.
• Lose Your Passion (#10): Why all this concern with passion? Most people I know have jobs so they can afford their passions. Plus, if you’re a top performing employee why would I care if it was your passion or not?
• Never Commit (#12): That’s because those are BIG decisions! Americans are good at committing then breaking those commitments – what’s the divorce rate now?
• Are Afraid of the Extra Work (#18): Oh classic…. you should always be hustling, yet only pursue extracurriculars that will boost your resume. You could be working from 10pm – 6am, but instead you’ve chosen to sleep… come on BW.
• Listen to Naysayers (#19): What about those naysayers of the Iraq war? Thank goodness we didn’t listen to them! Worthwhile takeaway: you follow the herd and don’t act yourself.
• Never Realize It’s a Competition (#20): It doesn’t matter what you do with your career, just make sure to crush your peers. If I follow this, how could I not be self-absorbed (#14)?