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Archives for Applying, Negotiating & Securing

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Money Does Buy Happiness: Here’s How Much Moolah You Need and Why

In the pursuit of happiness, how many times have we asked ourselves, “How much money is enough?” only to quickly realize we have no idea.
Finally, we have the answer. According to the latest research, once you have about $75,000 a year, earning more doesn’t really help.
Not surprisingly, people with a comfortable living standard are [...]

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IKEA’s Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest is Back!

In the dark days of this economy and job market, here’s a sunny spot.  If you have a passion to make a positive difference – in the lives of people, dogs, fire ants,  the environment or whatever your cause might be – you have an audience who’s ready to listen and give you funding.  It’s your [...]

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Why a Sabbatical on Your Resume Makes You More Desirable – Plus Tips for Negotiating One

Marlo Gaal, who hires employees as corporate HR director for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, says a sabbatical on a resume has the potential to make a candidate more interesting. “It’s an upside [for a candidate] because I appreciate the diversity,” Gaal says, in a US News & World Report article [...]

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Matt Koenig’s Big Decision: Four Months or One Year for His Family’s Sabbatical?

Matt Koenig of 1 Year Sabbatical might have a few sleepless nights ahead of him.
A few weeks ago, after working through Negotiating Your Sabbatical: The Ultimate Toolkit for Writing and Presenting a Killer Sabbatical Proposal Your Boss Can’t Refuse, Matt presented his sabbatical proposal to his boss. She understood Matt’s desire to live with his [...]

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The New York Times’ Trip Contest: My Mother Could Be the Lucky Winner

What do people usually want to do on sabbatical? Learn something, travel, and give back are the top answers we hear. Pulitzer-winning journalist Nick Kristof of The New York Times is offering all three in his Win-a-Trip 2011 contest. He’ll take a college student and a senior citizen along with him to a developing country [...]

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Adventure Philanthropy: The Sabbatical to Challenge You and Do for Others

You’re thinking of negotiating a sabbatical and what you really want to do with your time away is satisfy your need for a first-rate outdoor adventure and physical challenge. But you’re in virgin territory, in a company where no one has ever asked for a sabbatical before ….  and not everyone can appreciate your idea [...]

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Stand-Out Sabbatical Applications: Key Factors for Success

As more and more organizations investigate the best design for sabbatical programs, the sabbatical-by-application option could be the design that stands out. Already used in many universities, the by-application program means you will be in competition with your peers for the number of sabbatical slots available. 
In a competition for a sabbatical, how can you make [...]

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The Question at Meetup’s Sabbatical Send-Off Party: “What Would Brendan Do?”

Meetup’s first sabbatical-goer, Brendan McGovern, the company’s CFO, departed last month for his three month, fully paid sabbatical – an opportunity offered to all Meetup employees after every seven years of employment (who wouldn’t want to work at that company, huh?).
Brendan didn’t leave without a proper send-off from his team members, who gave him a [...]

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IKEA’s Unique Sabbatical Contest Has A Winner!

Last year IKEA announced their Life Improvement Project with the tag line, “Life Improved. Community Improved.”   The possbility of a year-long paid sabbatical was an innovative contest idea, and this year’s winner proves that the whole sabbatical trend is not just about the person who is on sabbatical. Yes, this year’s winner will have a sabbatical year [...]

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Seven Alaska Nonprofit Leaders Selected for 2011 Rasmuson Sabbatical Grants

There’s no doubt that the nonprofit sector values the sabbatical experience for its leaders. Nonprofits also prove to be willing to reach into their pocketbooks to make sabbaticals happen. 
The goal of the Alaska-based Rasmuson Foundation Sabbatical Program is to retain top-quality leaders in nonprofits by providing three- to six-month opportunities for rest, reflection and [...]

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My Mother’s Pitch to Nick Kristof of The New York Times

Gosh, I hope she wins. She really wants to go.
My mother, Barbara Pagano, turned in her application video and essay on Tuesday night for New York Times columnist Nick Kristof’s 5th annual “Win-a-Trip” Contest. Two winners will travel with Kristof on a “reporting trip from the developing world.”
This year, Kristof added a winner slot for [...]

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Google’s Response to its Brain Drain. And What Will Your Employer Do?

Last week’s news about Google fighting off Facebook and other fast-growing internet firms in the war for talent is a glimpse into the future as well as a substantial morale lift if you’re feeling stuck or looking for a brighter future.
Now hear this! You really can get a job somewhere else – if not [...]

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Win a $100,000 Sabbatical in IKEA’s Contest

Write an essay about how you would use $100,000 to help others and you could win a chance to do just that with the IKEA Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest.
If you ever dreamed of changing your life and someone else’s, this is one big opportunity.
What: Hoping to help people who want to help others is the [...]

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I’m Eating, Praying and Loving What’s Coming … and You Will, Too!

I’m disappointed. I expected the reviews on the new movie, Eat, Pray, Love, to be better. They’re not so hot.
“… be warned that you are diving into a movie with the spiritual and emotional depth of a birdbath.” – St. Louis Suburban Journal.
“A bloated monster of a movie. … gargantuan running time.” – Cinema [...]

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Multitudes Sing “Take This Job and Shove It.” Then What?

Johnny Paycheck’s 1977 hit went platinum.  Don’t know what tune you’re humming, but the research tells us that Paycheck’s song is on the lips of many:
Better not try to stand in my way,
As I’m walking out the door.
Take this job and shove it.
I ain’t working here no more.
In February, the number of employees voluntarily quitting surpassed the [...]

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More Workers Quit Jobs When Career Break Is Smarter Move

The number of workers who voluntarily quit a job surpassed the number who were laid off or discharged in February 2009, according to the the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before February, the BLS had recorded more layoffs than resignations for 15 straight months.  That’s not a surprising turn of events.
In fact, it may be [...]

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Why to Ask for Your Sabbatical in Tough Economic Times

Okay, it sounds loopy.  If you are lucky enough to have a job, shouldn’t you feel compelled to keep your head down, quiet your moans, and JUST DO THE WORK – your work, of course, and that of your two laid-off buds -and be thankful?
Not necessarily.  You could ask for a sabbatical.
Some really do work [...]

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