SmartZone

People who have a high IQ will enjoy easier enrollment to a high quality university
or college. They also get their first jobs easier, but they sometimes don’t achieve a high position. Sometimes, they don’t get any promotions at all. Any good company has some criteria to promote one of their employees to a higher level. If you want to reach a top job you must have a nice attitude, professionalism, and a good sense of humor. High IQ is not enough.

You may know about EQ (emotional quotient). Some experts in leadership add IQ, EQ and also SQ or Spiritual Quotient. A good sense of humor is a part of SQ and EQ. Working or organization environment shouldn’t be left dry. The organization is led by management. They are not machines, they still have their own feelings and mood to do their duties or when they make a tough decision.

When working with other people in any organization a smart brain is important, but you must also be smart in behavior, attitude, and remember to manage your relationship with others. The way you speak and your reaction to criticism from your colleague and client is very important to enhance career in the future. You need to show your ability to handle any complain and objection from other people. Your sense of humor will help you to save your career.

A piece of sincere smile and care to other people around you also will help you a lot to build your networking. Believe me that your smiles, good but smart jokes can improve your leadership. Professionalism with a human touch becomes a critical point in order to raise your position in a high level job or business environment. Everyone is happy to see your smile. Smile is free. A good joke is very effective to break the silence. Use any good joke in the middle of the meeting, presentation of your products or services. People who listen to your jokes will love you. They assume that you are not a monster. They will more relax and easy to absorb your idea and they will consider following your vision.

Is it difficult to improve your EQ and SQ? No, it’s depending on your heart and your commitment. There are many books, CD, DVD or eBook that you can help you to build your character. Be patient, because your superior or the owner of the company will know when to put you on the right position in the right time. Your future is in your hand.

6 Questions All Job-Seekers Should Ask

by Caroline Potter, Yahoo! HotJobs

Researching a company can only tell you so much about how your experience would be if you made the transition from candidate to employee. But there are things you can do during the interview process that will help you determine if the opportunity is truly right for you.

Career expert Deborah Brown-Volkman has six questions every job seeker should ask themselves when pursuing a position.

1. Who's the Boss?
If you're in contention for a job, you'll meet your future supervisor at some point. Pay close attention to how well you get along with this individual, as he or she will hold the key to your success -- and happiness -- in that position. Says Brown-Volkman, "If you notice on the interview that your boss does not get you or you do not get him or her, this will not change once you start working there."

2. Do You Click or Clash With Future Coworkers?

Some people hate their jobs but love their colleagues so much that it overrides any unhappiness they have about their daily duties. However, just as these folks can make your work life great, they can also make it miserable. Ask to meet your potential teammates before accepting an offer. Brown-Volkman, based in New York, says, "If you sense there is a problem with someone you will be working with, listen to what your inner voice is telling you." First impressions are often correct impressions when it comes to future coworkers.

3. Who Are You Trying to Convince?

"Wanting to be selected by an employer sometimes makes us talk ourselves into a situation we might not have taken if we were thinking more clearly," says Brown-Volkman, author of several books, including "How to Feel Great at Work Every Day." But as much as employers are trying to determine if you're a fit, you should be trying to determine if the organization is a fit for you. Forget your ego, and focus on why, and how much, you really want any job.

4. What Matters Most to You?

Just like people, every company is different. What is permissible at one may be verboten at another. Before you get too deep into the interview process, understand your priorities. Do you require flexibility with your hours? The opportunity to work autonomously? The ability to telecommute from time to time? Know it and own it during a company courtship. "Deciding what you want ahead of time will give you the opportunity to ask questions to assess whether you really want the job," she states.

5. Is This Job Just Right, or Right Just for Now?

Your personal finances may dictate that you have to accept something less than your dream job. Brown-Volkman says, "I work with many clients who agreed to less-than-perfect positions believing they would stay for just one year. But that one year frequently became two, and then more, even though the jobs were not satisfying." If you're taking a job just for now, plan your exit strategy. She adds, "An interim position is just that. Don't sell out for the long haul."

6. Who Are You Fooling?

Don't put on airs or make promises you can't keep when going after a job. Ultimately, you and your career will pay the price. Concludes Brown-Volkman, "You may fool the people with whom you interview to get the job, but you will only be fooling yourself once you get there and you have to be someone else."

By Rose Musyoka

Online distance learning has gained rapid popularity with the advent of the internet, which has proven to offer great supporting facilities and convenience for online education. However, just like everything else with pros and cons, the internet has also opened doors for the widespread sale of bogus online degrees. According a report by USA Today, there were already 400 diploma mills in the year 2003 and the numbers are rising. In fact, many of these unscrupulous operations are run by organizations in an industry that is worth $500 million a year.

However, amidst the negative hype about online education, there are actually many distance learning colleges offering valid degrees and diplomas. These institutions do not sell bogus certificates, but actually aim to provide quality education as alternatives for on-campus higher education. Valid online courses with online video lectures as well as online library facilities and test examinations conducted are often deployed to ensure that students truly qualify in their areas of study and graduate legitimately. Sadly though, many employers only see the negative side of things, and easily brush off online education degrees as equivalent to bogus degrees.

In view of the confusion, the National Education Board of the U.S. government has authorized 6 accreditation agencies to provide institutional accreditation to education institutions, as a measure to differentiate legitimate universities from the crooks. This means that students choosing their universities will be assured that these universities would have met minimum criteria set forth by these agencies for learning institutions.

Additionally, there is also The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) which provides accreditation specifically for distance learning institutions. The DETC is an accreditation agency that is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Furthermore, there is also specialized accreditation for specific programs of different areas of specialization. These programs which are found to have attained excellence will be awarded accreditation by various professional accrediting agencies depending on the area of specialization. For instance, the International Association for Management Education (AACSB) gives accreditation to accounting related programs while health programs are accredited by the American Health Information Management Association. It is also important to know that only accreditation agencies recognized by the Department of Education or CHEA are considered accreditation agencies which are acknowledged.
What does accreditation mean to a student? An institutional accreditation agency evaluates the various aspects of universities or colleges against minimum standard criteria to determine if the particular institution meets their list of basic requirements. College accreditation is necessary to ensure that the education, facilities and support provided by a college or university adheres to basic levels. On the other hand, specialized accreditation evaluates excellence in individual program regardless of which institution the program is being delivered within. In this type of accreditation, course content and program curricula is evaluated against pre-set standards of the institution.

All accreditation does is to assure employers, students and parents that the graduates who are awarded degrees from accredited colleges have undergone adequate training in their respective areas of specialization. This also means that colleges that are not accredited by the proper accreditation body would not have met the standards imposed by the agencies. However, courses taken by prospective employees that are accredited by the respective agencies would have met standards imposed on the respective specialized areas.

It is totally up to the judgment and decision of the employers on evaluating the validity of an online or on-campus degree. With the recent hike in bogus degrees, employers can’t help but be stringent in their applicant screenings and consider those with degrees that have been accredited. This may prove tedious and sometimes employers may get confused. Therefore, if your accreditation is provided by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education, then you will need to explain to prospective employers on the background of the accrediting bodies. This way, you can avoid employers from sidelining your application based on something that they may be unclear about and increase your chances of being short listed for a job interview.