Blog Posts by The Daily Muse

Break Into ScreenwritingYou love movies. You're passionate about storytelling. You saw Magic Mike not for Channing Tatum but for its interesting take on that age-old tale of man pursuing his dreams against ever-mounting odds. If this sounds like you, then you may want to consider becoming a screenwriter (if you haven't already). As a matter of fact, you might already have a couple of great scripts rolling around in your head, just waiting to be put to paper. But how do you get started? The professional world of screenwriting can be pretty tough, and there's no tried-and-true path to success. But the good news is that there are many, many ways to break into the film world. Here are just a few to get you started.

Take Some Classes

Screenplays-at least Hollywood screenplays-have a particular format and structure that people in the industry expect to see, and it's important that you're aware of these expectations. The best way to learn is to take a screenwriting course, which you can often find at local Read More »from How to Break into Screenwriting

Social Media Horror Stories

It's Thursday, you're beating the mid-afternoon slump with some Facebook time, and you see a new friend request-from your boss.

Yikes.

Unfortunately, though, declining connection invitations from your colleagues, clients, or boss isn't really an option anymore. We're all sophisticated enough social media users to know that if we check back on a page we sent a friend request to, and we're still not able to fully stalk it-we've been rejected. Ignore your co-worker or boss' request, and you can only hide until next Monday's staff meeting before having to endure an awkward encounter.

But, including your officemates in your online world doesn't mean you have to share every detail of your personal life with them. In fact, please don't. Learn from these real-life social media horror stories-and keep them from happening to you.

1. Trash-Talking on Twitter

A friend of mine was flying on an airline that also happened to be one of her clients. Her flight was cancelled, leaving

Read More »from 5 Work-Meets-Social Media Horror Stories

Find Your PassionYou want to get up in the morning and feel fired up about what you do. But what if you don't know what, exactly, that is? Finding your passion isn't always an easy road-at least for me, and many people I know, it wasn't. You're working in a hectic day job that takes up a lot of your time and energy, and while you know it's not what you love, you can't even manage cooking your own dinner most nights, let alone discovering your passions. Our lives are constantly operating at a frenetic pace, and so it's easy to get caught up in all of the noise and distractions. But if you're itching to discover your passion, then it's time to clear your schedule and commit to making it your number one priority. And here are five ways to start doing that today.

1. Slow Down

This may sound counterintuitive, but you need to slow down and get off the treadmill in order to find your passion. There may be clues all around you that are telling you what you should be doing, but when you're too busy, it's Read More »from 5 Ways to Find Your Passion

Unless you're on the set of Days of Our Lives, crying is generally something we all try to avoid at work. But, try as we might, it happens, and when it does, it's pretty awkward-not only for the crier, but for everyone nearby. As a manager, I was faced with the uncomfortable responsibility of calming a crying employee on several occasions, and while never would be too soon for me to want to do it again, I did pick up some valuable insight on handling an upset employee or colleague.

The Golden Rule

Now, as uncomfortable as you might be, the first and most important consideration when you're staring into the welling eyes of a colleague is empathy. I know, sounds obvious. But the first time one of my employees started to cry in front of me-and the entire team-my first reaction was nearly laughter. I was so surprised, not to mention completely unprepared to handle the situation, that all I could think to do was burst out laughing. Of course, this would've been the absolute worst thing Read More »from Tears and Fears: Dealing with a Crying Colleague

Group InterviewFeeling prepared, you walk into the office for your interview. You introduce yourself and are promptly led to the conference room-only to find five other candidates waiting.

Group interviews can take you by surprise, but more and more, companies are using them to effectively find job candidates and expedite the interview process. And with the rising importance of office dynamics, group interviews aren't going away. Here's a quick primer: Group interviews can include both multiple interviewers and multiple candidates. As a group, you may be asked to answer typical interview questions, but you may also be put to the test. Expect to find a problem solving or work-simulation exercise, along with discussion around the problem solving process. The purpose of this style of interview is to see how you interact with others, demonstrate your skills in a crowd, and solve problems on the spot.

Your goal in this setting is to stand out (in a good way), so that you can move past this first round

Read More »from Standing Out from the Crowd: How to Nail a Group Interview

Knock Your Interview Out of the ParkGive your interviewer a firm handshake. Make eye contact. Answer each question succinctly. Have questions to ask the interviewer at the end. If you've had a job, then you've had an interview, and you likely know those interview essentials. But if you want to move from being a viable candidate to the hiring manager's top choice, you'll need to go well beyond the basics. While the way you dress and present yourself is important, it will be the substance of your responses and interactions that leave the interviewer picturing you in the role-and, more importantly, being unable to imagine that anyone else could be a better fit. Convey these four messages in your next interview, and you're sure to hit a home run.

1. You Were Indispensable in Your Previous Jobs

Hiring managers want to hire people who have a history of getting things done. The logic goes that if you were successful in other jobs, then you're likely to be successful in this one. Truly, nothing says "hire me" better than a Read More »from How to Knock Your Interview Out of the Park

Jobs in ParadiseIn the dark winter months, sitting at your fluorescent-lit desk can feel like you're trapped in an especially cold circle of hell-and make you seriously consider escaping Cubicle Nation for a career of adventure, travel, and sandy beaches. The good news? You don't have to become a surf bum to get an all-access pass to paradise. Whether you dream of luxuriating under the Caribbean sun, rambling through Italian wine country, or discovering the beauty of an arctic glacier, check out these career paths that'll take you to the most exotic places in the world.

For the Foodie: Chef

Food is a universal language. And that means the skills of a top chef-whipping up scrumptious meals, delectable dishes, and succulent snacks-can be taken on the road. Whether you work as the personal chef to a vacationing family, job hop in restaurants across South America, or train with the masters in the heart of Paris, this hands-on job can take you to deliciously far-away places. A 2- or 4-year culinary artsRead More »from 7 Jobs that Will Take You to Paradise

Job Hunting? Think Like a LionA few months ago, I visited Tanzania for the first time, and over the span of two weeks had the amazing opportunity to venture out to the Siwandu and Jongomero camps in the remote Tanzanian bush. On my first day, we happened upon a pride of lions resting by a lake, just as the sun was setting. One of the young males decided get a closer look, and I was immediately spellbound by his presence. As he slowly sauntered by, he favored me with a glance, and for one magical moment, I looked into the eyes of the king of the jungle.

Understandably, I became a bit obsessed with lions after that. But in addition, as I watched one of the world's most effective predators in action, I realized that they could teach us all a thing or two about hunting-for a job. Hear me out.

Lesson #1: Learn From Others

Hands down, one of the most impressive animal sightings I had was of a pride of seven lions and cubs dining on a giant water buffalo. Although the buffalo was massive, it was easily dwarfed when Read More »from Job Hunting? Think like a Lion