5 Signs Youre Ready to Start a Remote Job Search

5 Signs Youre Ready to Start a Remote Job Search5 Signs Youre Ready to Start a Remote Job SearchDoes the idea of holding a telecommuting position sound intriguing but seem mora like a far-off dream than a current possibility? Making the jump from a traditional workplace to a remote one is a substantial change, and its easy to talk yourself into sticking with the status quo. However, you might be more willing and prepared to start a remote job search than you think.Even if you feel relatively content in your current role, it pays to look for clues that it might be time for a change.Here are five signs youre ready to start a remote job search, even if you dont think you are1. Youre productive away from the office.Chances are youve either brought assignments home to finish or had work-from-home days before. How much did you accomplish? If you got a great deal done, perhaps even more than when on-site, your work style and personality may be well suited to telecommuting permanently.2. You really hate commuting.For some people, driving or riding public transportation is no big deal- pop in an audiobook and relax. Others are significantly stressed out by traffic and crowds, especially during inclement weather. For those in the latter group, skipping that daily commute can greatly improve morale and save you money.3. You have health issues.Whether you would benefit from an individual bathroom, a midday nap, or the flexibility to arrange your schedule around doctors appointments, remote work can be a savior to people with ongoing conditions or illness. Greater control over the environment and when/how work gets done often boosts confidence, lessens stress, and leads to amazing output.4. Your work-life balance is out of whack.Do you feel like youre always scrambling from place to place? Have you put off volunteering or taking a class because of competing demands for your time and energy? While your current job may be not bad or even satisfying in many respects, if you fe el like you cant strike a good balance between professional and personal spheres, it may be time to consider how remote work could promote harmony.5. You get excited by the prospect.Are you fascinated (and envious) when you meet real telecommuters? Does the idea of seeking remote work flit through your head on a regular basis, even if you try to suppress it? Do you stop to read articles like this one? Perhaps the greatest sign of readiness to find a remote job is that the thought of one stirs your spirit and makes you smileStart Your Search for a Remote Job

Practice What You Preach How to Rehearse Your Role as a Manager

Practice What You Preach How to Rehearse Your Role as a ManagerPractice What You Preach How to Rehearse Your Role as a ManagerAthletes have an off-season to train. Theres a reason for that. Discover how even a manager can practice the simplest skills without the time suck.Is an executive you practice your trade on-the-job. You have to jump into the fire of an important business moment and do your best, right?What about practice outside 9-5?Most executives dont have room in their busy schedules to break down their role into critical aspects and then work to improve the details of each critical aspect.However, if you want to master the five critical aspects of being a manager, then you need to practice its five pillars (talent management, leading, setting strategy, planning, and executing) over and over and over again in a simulated environment. Think of a professional baseball player. They practice their swing daily. Not just in games.But how do you simulate real-world business activi ties?By far the single best book Ive ever read on how to develop expert performers in any field is Development of Professional Expertise, edited by Dr. Anders Ericsson, a professor of psychology at Florida State University.Before you rush off to buy it, let me warn you This book requires concentrated reading over an extended period of time. It is 491 pages, and it is filled with detailed stories of how to develop expert performance in the military, education, medicine, fine arts, athletics, business and several other areas of performance. If you are willing to put in the effort, this book can be an absolute game-changer in your career.First, realize that an actual performance surrounded by thoughtful reflection can be a simulation for a future actual performance. Second, you can create practice business situations which allow you to improve your delivery of a real business situation.Say you want to improve the effectiveness with which you influence other people. Here are a variety o f ways you might attempt to influence these peopleSend an e-mailLeave a voicemailCreate a podcastGive a speech to a large audienceProvide face-to-face conversationsText message your thoughtsWrite a daily blogWrite a handwritten letterEach of these can be a simulation of a leadership performance.Before you leave the voicemail, ask yourself what your objective is for the voicemail. Write down what you intend to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and how you will attempt to achieve it through the voicemail.After you leave the voicemail reflect on what happened. Did the voicemail elicit the response you hoped for? In what way was the voicemail effective, in what way was it not effective, and in what way could it have been mora effective?Rather than just leaving the voicemail and moving on with your day, turn the act of leaving the voicemail into a simulation of an act of leadership. You do this by surrounding the act with thinking and reflection. In doing so, you can improve on the su btle aspects of leaving a voicemail. You can use this same approach with all of the other ways of influencing people.Of course, you can practice writing and saying the voicemail without sending it to anyone. This is like the pianist practicing a song on the piano before giving it in an actual concert. You can record the voicemail and then listen to it to see if you believe it can impact the desired outcomes. Steve Jobs is famous for practicing his presentations over and over and over again in order to refine them to the point that they generate exactly what he hoped for.A real-life example of sustaining thought-filled practiceRecently I had the opportunity to take Ben with me to watch the Missouri State Class 3 Boys Soccer Championship. CBC High School won the championship, but more than that they put on the single greatest display of soccer I have ever seen at any level. I sent a note to Terry Michler, the head soccer coach at CBC, congratulating him on the victory and on his extra ordinary career. He wrote me back and said he enjoys what he does and that he still has a passion for learning how to be an even more effective coach.Then it dawned on me what this was really all about. He has won six state championships, he has coached for 38 years, and he is the all-time winningest coach in the history of high school soccer in the United States with over 800 victories. And yet after all of that he said to me that he still has a passion for learning how to be more effective.Terry Michler has proven what it takes to be an expert performer. Its up to us to follow the example.

6 proven reasons gratitude and happiness make the best leaders

6 proven reasons gratitude and happiness make the best leaders6 proven reasons gratitude and happiness make the best leadersHappiness is not something you plan for the future its something you design for the present. It requires you to make choices about the life you plan to lead. Regardless of where you started, what stage of life youre in, or your circumstances, you do have a choice of whether or not to be happy.It may be one of the few really important choices in life you have, so dont squander it. True happiness isnt something you imitate from others, buy in a store, or watch on a computer. True happiness does not mean you always get what you want. Instead, its about being grateful for what you do have. True happiness doesnt mean youll have it all. Instead, it means you let go of what you dont need.The combination of gratitude and happiness is very powerful because it shapes the way you see the world and your role in it. There will be mora clarity in the other choices you need to make, and that can give you the edge you need to pivot when faced with tough decisions.Gratitude leads to happiness, and these are some of the most overlooked tools available to leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners. Here are 5 proven reasons you need to choose gratitude to create the happiness you deserve, and at the same time, move toward success in both your personal and professional life1. Promote other positive emotionsWhen we express gratitude, nerven betreffend circuitry in our brain releases dopamine. Dopamine makes us feel good and triggers other positive emotions like contentment and joy. In addition, when we identify the positives in our life, our brain also releases serotonin. Serotonin is a natural anti-depressant that enhances our happiness and motivation.According to research published in Cerebral Cortex, gratitude stimulates key parts of the brain that regulate stress and produce the sensation of pleasure. If you choose to focus on good things, it will make yo u a happier person than if you focus on bad things.He is a man of sense who does not grieve for what he has not, but rejoices in what he has- EpictetusHow To Make It Work For You Even if youre in a bad situation, act happy and grateful regardless of how you actually feel. In a 1993 experiment, researchers asked people to force themselves to smile for 20 seconds. They found that this action stimulated brain activity associated with positive emotions. So, grin and bear it, even if it hurts. Remember, its a choice you make everyday. If you cant force a smile, express gratitude instead.2. Bring out the best in othersPolite and grateful people are known for their good manners, but they also know how to develop new contacts. A recent Australia-led study shows that when we thank a new acquaintance, it makes them mora likely to pursue a relationship. When we say thank you, it provides a valuable signal that were someone with whom a high quality association can be formed. The same study foun d that gratitude not only helped people develop new contacts, it also helped to maintain them in the long term.Gratitude researcher Robert Emmons states that gratitude helps us become aware of the value of friends, family, and colleagues. This happiness produces an upward spiral that continues to strengthen our relationships. According to Harvard Universitys Grant Study, the quality of relationships is the number one predictor of health and happiness in a persons life.How To Make It Work For You Take the time to thank a stranger who holds the door open for you, send a thank you note to a colleague who helped out with a project, and acknowledge the contributions made by other people.3. Attract other good things in lifeThe Law of Attraction tells us that we attract the things on which we focus our attention or energy. If our attitude is a cesspool of whats wrong in life, guess what? Well attract the crappy things that pull us further into a downward spiral.If you always look and searc h for problems, the neural pathways for negative thinking become stronger. If we look for what is right, this encourages our brain to search for constructive themes in our life. You can water weeds, or you can water flowers. It takes the same amount of work.The first time you try something new is usually the most difficult because the path is new and unchartered. The more you repeat the experience, the easier it gets. Our brain operates the same way. If you make a conscious decision to appreciate and acknowledge all the things for which youve been blessed, youll continue to attract even more things to be grateful for through the law of attraction.How To Make It Work For You Remind yourself of one thing to be grateful for every morning before getting out of bed. As the day progresses, express gratitude to friends, family, and colleagues. Give compliments to people with whom youve interacted with in some way.4. Less aggressiveA study at the University of Kentucky reveals that grateful people are not only kinder, theyre also less aggressive. The more we count our blessings, the more likely were able to empathize with other people.Gratitude is an equal opportunity emotion. Everyone is capable of being more grateful, and in turn, happier so theres less need to be aggressive or combative. This same study linked gratitude to a non-violent outlook in life.Gratitude is the memory of the heart.How To Make It Work For You If you experience a negative emotion, take a minute to think about what youre going to say and do. During this minute, think of something positive about this person or situation. Try to come up with 5 positive thoughts before you move forward. Develop the mental toughness to shift your mindset toward a positive and thoughtful response.5. Foster better workplace conditionsMany companies dont foster an attitude of gratitude. They fail to recognize employees for a job well done. When employees are recognized for their work, it creates a positive dynamic wh ere they are motivated to continue to produce good work and feel good about themselves at the same time.According to research by Forbes, 87 percent of the recognition programs are based on tenure even though tenure-based rewards have no impact on organizational performance. The companies that scored in the top 20 percent in recognizing employees for good performance had a much lower turnover. Overall, the study found the vast majority of companies show a remarkable lack of appreciation for their employees.How To Make It Work For You The Great Place to Work Institute, which maintains the list of Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, states that the Best Companies thank employees personally, frequently, and in unexpected ways.Thisarticlefirst appeared onLaRaeQuy.com.

Melinda Gates one piece of advice for young women in computer science

Melinda Gates one piece of advice for young women in computer scienceMelinda Gates one piece of advice for young women in computer scienceWhen businesswoman and philanthropist Melinda Gates was fresh out of college in the 1980s, she had just gotten zu sich dream tech job at Microsoft and thought she had it all figured out. But she soon realized that being a woman in a male-dominated field with all-male managers meant having no role models on how she should manage. The more aggressive, less collaborative management style of her male peers wasnt working. It got so bad that she even considered quitting.I thought that in buchen to succeed, Id need to act more like them. But when I tried it, I hated it, Gates wrote in her opinion editorial for Fortune on Tuesday about what advice she would give women college graduates in computer science.It wasnt until she learned how to manage in a way that felt authentic to herself that her career started changing for the better.It turned out there was room for my leadership style, too. Nothing made me prouder than when colleagues started asking to be reassigned to my team, Gates wrote. Learning how to be true to yourselfis the one piece of advice she emphasized to new grads.Be true to yourselfLearning your strengths and weaknesses and managing thediscomfort of that discovery process is advice Gates has talked about before. Its what she also told Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in 2016 about whatshe wish she had known on her first day at Microsoft You have to get uncomfortable getting comfortable.(function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)0 if (d.getElementById(id)) return js = d.createElement(s) js.id = id js.src = https//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.jsxfbml=1version=v3.1 fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs)(document, script, facebook-jssdk))I thought I was going to leave after two years until I just decided, well, maybe, Ill try being myself, Gates told Sandberg about her time at Microsoft. I started to lear n to be myself, and the more I did that andjust leanedinto it, as uncomfortable as it wasyou build that muscle.In her op-ed, Gates recognized that being yourself as a woman in computer science isnt easy when no one looks like you, citing the gender gap of being the only woman in a room full of brogrammers as a problem. The lack of diversity in technology careers is a problem with far-reaching consequences that persists to this day. Recently, the Labor Department announced that itsinvestigating Google over an extreme gender pay gap and a female Facebook engineer alleged that women engineers at Facebook face more scrutiny over their code than men.The world needs less samenessBut despite ansicht uphill battles, Gates said she was writing this editorial to keep women encouraged about computer science as a viable career path where you can make an outsized impact on the world.If you ever find yourself feeling out of place, I hope youll bear in mind that the last thing tech needs is more p eople who look and think the same, Gates concludedin her op-ed. Innovation requires new insights and new perspectives- and thats exactly what you have to offer.

I took a power nap surrounded by strangers (heres what happened)

I took a power nap surrounded by strangers (heres what happened)I took a power nap surrounded by strangers (heres what happened)Napping is arguably my favorite activity. I say arguably because if its between taking a nap and eating chocolate, Im torn. The decision could really go either way depending on how much sleep Ive gotten compared to how much chocolate Ive consumed in the last 24 hours.Anyways, when Ladders got the offer to test out Rise by Wes new open studio power naps, I volunteered as tribute. It was the first time an employer had ever (knowingly) offered to pay me to sleep, and I was excited about my mid-afternoon siesta (I always say, go to Spain for the jamn and the naps).At 235 p.m. sharp on a Wednesday, I marched about one block south (or east? Im badeanstalt at directions) to Rise by Wes luxe New York location in the Financial District. I signed in, got my handy dandy ID from a fancy check-in screen, and felt very tech-savvy. Then, I got lost trying to find the escal ator.When I finally made it down to Rise by We, which is below street level, I walked into the wellness club and felt like Lucy discovering Narnia. Oasis doesnt begin to cut it. Rise by We is a corporatschlage hipster den of beautiful people and exotic colors (when I say exotic, I mean the kinds of colors we see in Central Park, or anywhere with trees). It is the scent of what ambrosia would smell like if it were a real thing. Its basically like if Hawaii and Michelangelos David had a baby and named him Rise - which, to be fair, would be a way better baby name than Elsie Otter.I know what youre thinking Nowhere in New York can be that special. Here, were all rats that sweat in claustrophobic cages all day and then scurry the streets in hoards. True, all of it. But hear me out. Let me tell you about the mineral pool.In Wonder Woman, probably my favorite moment is when a completely naked Chris Pine is bathing in a glittering pool of something way purer than water. When Patty Jenkins directed the scene, she must have based it on this mineral pool on the basement floor of a New York high rise. I have visited waterfalls, and geysers, and hot springs. The mineral pool at Rise by We is the most beautiful water-based monument I have ever seen.Theres a sauna, too. Apparently, people go into this sauna together, in some kind of perfect-person cult ritual, where they sweat and rub essential oils on themselves. It sounds like a way cooler and more Gwyneth Paltrow-friendly version of an orgy. This is why some of us look 40 at 23, and others look 23 at 40.But I digress. I wasnt at Rise by We for a spa day (though clearly, I would have enjoyed that a lot). I was there for a quick power nap before trudging back to my office in the cold and writing yet another serious piece of journalism much like this one. So let me get to the point The open studio power nap was the weirdest thing Ive done in my life. And Id do it again any day of the week.The spaceI need to come clean I was homeschooled. That means I never took those Pre-K naps that everyone seems to pine after as they get older, and if I wanted to sleep, I did so alone in my lovely little bed. I think I went to a total of one sleepover where I had to sleep on the floor. I did not like it.So when I walked into Rise by Wes power nap studio, I was dismayed to find what appeared to be joga mats on the ground, side by side in rows. This was an especially petrifying sight because my boyfriend recently confessed to me that I snore - and not quietly - so the thought of communal, visible napping made me suddenly self-conscious. But beyond that, I couldnt imagine that the set-up would be comfortable for someone like me, who has been likened to the princess with that gosh-darn pea.My other two napping colleagues seemed much more in sync with the situation. One of them plopped down, covered himself with a blanket, and got to napping.Which brings me to the goodies Each station/small strip of floor in what is es sentially a yoga studio is equipped with a mat, eye mask, blanket and zabuton (a rich word for cushion).I studied what my napping partners did and replicated their behavior. I lay down, covered myself with the blanket, and pulled the eye mask out of its bag to cover my face. It smelled like peace on earth. And so I closed my eyes and just breathed.The noisesI should preface this by saying that I do not know if these sounds were intentional or just fortunate happenstance.As everything else fell silent, the studio itself turned into an alien planet of *loud noises.* The sounds were so overwhelming and foreign that they almost lulled my mind to a numbing quiet, like what youre supposed to achieve when youre meditating but never do because youre listing off all the presents you have to buy before Christmas (why did literally all of my cousins procreate?). Were the sounds invasive? Yes. Were they at times annoying? Also yes. Much like those machines that significant others ask you to kee p on at night because they cant sleep without background noise, the sounds - like air going through large pipes, maybe? I dont know - were not always welcome, but could have been worse.In fact, in a room filled with napping strangers, they almost felt like a necessary evil. I didnt want anyone to hear me breathing, and I certainly didnt want to hear them breathe. So a somewhat industrial soundscape was better than the alternative, and soon, I grew hintergrund of the airy orchestrations that I liked to imagine came from a great mind - like Beethoven or Wall-E.The peopleWhich brings me to the other nappers. I never spoke to either of them. There seemed to be an oath of silence between us. We were doing this very strange thing together, and it would only be okay if we never acknowledged it.But what got me was when one of my fellow monks - the other woman- got up and left. It was about 30 minutes into our 50-minute nap session, and presumably, she decided she was now rested (she al ready looked pretty luminous going into me, at least by comparison. I looked like someone who had been recently hit by a truck and lived to tell the tale). Now, all of a sudden, I was in a dimly lit room alone with one other person, who happened to be a man, doing what is likely the most vulnerable physical thing anyone can do.I did not know this man, and I did not trust him. This is a personal prejudice and has nothing to do with said guy, who is presumably a very nice and respectful finance bro. But I have been conditioned to believe that any blonde dude wearing a muscle shirt who looks like he went to The University of Pennsylvania is probably bad news, and those suspicions made me a little uneasy as I tried to return to my happy place. I never quite relaxed.Again, none of this is the mans fault, who seemed like a decent human just trying to get some zzzzzzzzzzzs. But it is pretty odd to sleep within feet of a complete stranger, and it was made weirder by the fact that the two of us were now alone.The aftermathI never went to sleep. Not fully. But I did get some restful me time, and the yoga mat/makeshift Eat, Pray, Love movie set was surprisingly comfortable.When it was time to return to the reality of working life on a journalist salary - where Rise by We and its elysian spa is miles out of reach - I felt sleepy and a little grumpy that I couldnt nap more. But as the hours ticked by, I found that I was more up and energetic than I usually am as day descends into night (thats not saying much - typically, I want to be in bed by about 8 p.m., and if Im not asleep by midnight I turn into a gremlin).I also dont know that my power nap made me more productive. I didnt really do much of anything afterward, though I did get a craving for penne pasta and hula hooping. Those may be instances of correlation, not causation, but they would require further study to determine anything for sure.All of that said, I would absolutely go nap again. Are you kidding me? I go t paid money to sleep. In a utopia. Thats hidden inside a rat trap of a city. Who in their right mind would say no to that?

Important Solutions to Product Manager Resume in Easy to Follow Step by Step Detail

Important Solutions to Product Manager Resume in Easy to Follow Step by Step Detail To make it simple for you, weve got a wide variety of ready to use and pre-drafted product manager resume samples. Since there are also several other soft skills you will want to be successful in product administration. The resume examples below are intended to assist you make and organize your merchandise manager resume. Let the subsequent two digital product manager resume examples show you exactly what to do. An netz product manager profile may give the CEO an opportunity to become familiar with your work. The very first is a good LinkedIn profile. If you wish to apply as a Product Manager or on any work locations which you may be considering, you might use our downloadable Resume samples and utilize it like a reference in making your own expert profile. There are many websites that delivers an Application builder facility. Employing work application template is currently an acceptable a nd smart practice for several of explanations. A man or woman might simply choose a template with respect to the persons needs. The 5-Minute Rule for Product Manager Resume The best technique is to decide on the aid of Curriculum vitae constructor for writing a work application so that you may not exactly loose the task prospect. Dont just believe the position can be dealt with haphazardly. You must know how to write and structure your resume to contain all the details that your employer should know about you. Just before you commence to find a job, consult together with your probation officer to be certain you clearly understand the guidelines. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Product Manager Resume Is Wrong More so, perhaps, than every other profession, product management demands a good grasp of the demands of several distinct disciplines as a way to communicate productively across divisions. Selling is an intricate activity that demands practice. An increasing number of business are realising the real value of project administration. As you play a central part in your organization always gathering valuable intelligence from several stakeholders, customers and your market youre in a distinctive place to define the success of your goods. An item executive helps a company increase profit levels to satisfy short term and long-term targets. Approach your work search just like you are creating an advertising campaign employing the phased approach I have outlined and youll clearly stick out from your competition. The issue is defined by whatever is very likely to create the maximum value to the client and the business at large within the locale of influence. The Basics of Product Manager Resume It is possible to also list related knowledge in non-product manager jobs. There is actually no one-size-fits-all means to do the job, and thats as it must be. You will get such all set types for every type of job that you want to apply. If you wis h to get a nice job, you require a good resume. Product Managers also ought to know results of consumer feedback and suggestions to create necessary changes for the item. They must understand how to determine demand for a specific product, how to identify potential customers, and how to gain their support. They must be able to monitor marketing trends and determine how to use them advantageously. 1 Product managers make it take place. Any on the internet flipbooks made in the demo will probably be watermarked. Our app is merely one of the simplest apps which you will use thus assisting you to preserve a good deal once it involves not only cash nevertheless also time. Item intuition is excellent, but actually testing ideas with users is vital. Developing an item vision comes next. Finding the Best Product Manager Resume Its possible to incorporate equally as much as you like to discover the work that you want. You might even choose to ignore work experience of over 20 de cades ago. The concentrate on the application in receiving work enables the children to access the task and following that get reinforcement from a lot of other apps or maybe activities. The practice of locating a new job can be overwhelming, so it can help to break things down into smaller attainable objectives. The Chronicles of Product Manager Resume If you get ready for the very long haul ahead, you may keep up your momentum and rest assured that finding your next job is just a matter of time. DO be sure that the remainder of your resume is completely machine readable. For instance, you can begin by sending out a particular amount of resumes weekly. Your resume should be formatted in an easy, professional method.

Are You Ready The Value of Preparing for Meetings

Are You Ready The Value of Preparing for Meetings Abe Lincoln* once said, If I had six hours to chop down a tree, Id spend the first four sharpening the axe. Whether or not you agree with theproportion of time that Lincoln would have you spend on preparation, its hard to argue against the idea that doing your homework will serve you well. How do you prepare for big meetings or presentations? Has that changed over time, or do you have certain routines you always follow?In speaking with many fellow business owners, Ive found that there are a number of preparation tipsthat most entrepreneurs agree will help you put your best foot forward.1. Know Your AudienceWho are you meeting with? Have you done a Google search on them? If you didnt set the agenda, who did and whats on the agenda?Its always best not to be surprised or blindsided at a meeting. The mora you know about the people youre meeting with including their backgrounds, their needs, and how they define success the more productive your discussions will be.2. Eat, Sleep, and Be MerryNothing beats a good nights rest and a full stomach when it comes to meetingpreparation.A warm smile and friendly conversation will go a long way in building rapport and, ultimately, a solid relationship which is the foundation for everything that follows.Of course, you wont be in the mood for chitchat and smiles if youre hungry or tired, will you?If youre in a pinch, grab some coffee and an energy bar before you start. It beats hearing your stomach growl and fighting yawns during a meeting.3. Practice Makes (Almost) PerfectRehearsals arent just for plays. Whether you think of a meeting as a performance or not, its your job to both inform and entertain your audience members.Nobodys perfect, but you should be comfortable enough with your material that it flows naturally and youre not relying on notes during the meeting. You dont want to be re ading off a script you want to be having direct, engaging conversations.4. Follow Up and Follow ThroughIf you tell the people you meet with youll get back to them on a particular issue, make sure you actually do it. Keeping promises goes a long way and reinforces the quality image and brand you want to project.Personally, I find that, if I write things down, they get done. Find a system that works for you to make sure you always close the loop in the end.-These steps may seem simple, but youd be amazed how many people dont invest the timeand effortnecessary to get into the heads and hearts of their target audience. You want to leave a lasting impression as a consummate professional you should never let a meeting go to waste especially when it can be a challenge to set one up in the first place.So, take the time you need to be prepared, because even meetings you dont initially think are important may end up putting you in front of people who can help you in the future. Though they might not hire you or buy your product this time, they will remember you for later if you make a great impression, that is.Keep sharpening that axe you never know when youll need it.*Ed. note Plenty of people credit Lincoln with this quote, but its difficult if not impossible to verify whether or not he ever actually said it.