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Who says you have to go to some stuffy industry conference to network? It’s summertime! The hot sun and long days get everyone – including professionals you need to know – out of the house. Give yourself a break. And while you’re in a good mood, make an effort to get to know the people around you. You may be surprised who’s getting their life next you.

Here are a few events to get your summer plans started.

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It could get difficult: applying for job after job, checking  phone messages and emails waiting for the right HR person to contact you and going to interviews to no avail. It’s frustrating and the struggling job market isn’t making it any easier, as the 8.1% national unemployment rate looms over America. You might be one of the 5.1 million long-term unemployed Americans who are getting restless with the job search, but with that restlessness comes neglect, something that might push your job prospects back.

Whether you are looking for a career change or applying to jobs for the first time, it is easy to forget the little details of the job hunt. Make sure you are not forgetting these little but important pieces of the job search process.

Source: Oprah.com

It’s no secret Oprah’s OWN network has not been off to a good start since it launched in January 2011, and though most businesses are expected to take three to five years to become profitable, Oprah’s investors are losing a lot more money than they bargained for with her Discovery channel.

According to a new report from Businessweek, OWN may have lost as much as $330 million since its inception in 2008 through Dec. 31, based on Discovery’s annual 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. And what’s worse is even if OWN makes money in 2013, as its been predicted to:

“it has saddled Discovery with such high costs that analysts say the company may eventually be forced to write off some of its current $420 million investment.”

Accounting and tax consultant Robert Willens says the network isn’t quite at that point yet, but they’ll likely be there soon, while David Bank, a media analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said that OWN is the most “successful failure in television today.” According to Businessweek:

“Discovery has poured at least $585 million into OWN. It contributed the Discovery Health Channel (OWN took its slots on cable systems), which it valued at $273 million, as its equity stake and loans and interest of $312 million, according to the SEC filing. (OWN’s borrowings from Discovery have tripled since the venture was formed.) The lower $420 million investment value Discovery noted in its yearend filing suggests its share of the OWN loss is $165 million and growing.”

This year, Discovery expects OWN’s operating losses to exceed the balance of equity contributions recorded by the network. Some estimates put that number at $143 million but OWN execs say that’s inaccurate.

Advertisers are being patient with the network whose programs are now averaging between 326,000 and 393,000 viewers thanks to new segments like “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” but experts warn that they won’t wait forever. The bottom line, as Businessweek points out, is that the network is hemorrhaging—quickly.

Do you think OWN is salvageable?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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The latest concoction to satisfy America’s craving for drama-filled reality entertainment comes from one of the top purveyors of the reality show medium: VH1. Continuing the trend of forcing the next best thing to a celebrity (the person they are sleeping with) into the limelight, the network is set to launch a series starring the significant others of famous Black actors and comedians.

Nicole Murphy, Jessica Canseco, Sheree Fletcher, Mayte Garcia, and Andrea Kelly will star in the series set to launch this summer. Don’t know them? How about Eddie Murphy, Jose Canseco, Will Smith, Prince, and R. Kelly? The stars of the show shared a marriage bed with these gentlemen, respectively, thus the show’s title, “Hollywood Exes.” Cameras have documented the “wives” of mobsters, athletes, and upper-class men in random cities across the country. It was only a matter of time before Black Hollywood had its turn.

How dare they!?!

According to the network, these women have been friends for years and are using the show to share their relatable experiences with America. TV guide summary aside, these women are using the success of their lovers to further their own careers. If this weren’t the entertainment industry, it would sound worse than it already does.

For example, if Bill Gates’ wife started a small tech company just because she’s Bill Gates wife, the entire tech industry would badmouth her, some even in public. She’s riding his coattails, they would say. She’s using her connections to cheat people who have real talent out of an opportunity. If these sentiments sound vaguely familiar, it’s because this scenario of using relationships and position to get ahead in business is not far-fetched in any industry.

If you’re in the market for a new job, job fairs are one of the most efficient ways to go about it. Several employers who are actively hiring all meet in one place to talk to candidates and the connections you can make while at these events can set you up better than you ever imagined. It’s a great way to kill several birds with one stone and to get several weeks of a job search done in one afternoon. But job fairs can be tricky, too. With a few tips, you can make your next job fair a success.

Before You Go
Preparation is everything. Check out the description of the job fair and identify the potential employers you’d like to see most. This will give you a guide during your day. Plan to wear something that looks professional but is appropriate for your field. Dress the way you would if you got the job and you had an important meeting at work that day. And remember that old rule: if you could wear it to the club, you probably shouldn’t wear it to a job fair.

Take a look at your resume and freshen it up if necessary. Make several copies of your resume because you are going to give it out the entire time you’re at the job fair. Make sure that your references are still on board to offer their endorsements for you. Bring your identification, too, because plenty of companies at job fairs are looking to hire right away.

During the Job Fair
Show up to the job fair on time because many close the doors 10 or 15 minutes after start time. Relax when you get inside. Remember that you’re basically on a speed date session with several different companies. It’s not much different than other types of interviews, but all eyes are on you the entire time you’re there and you have limited time to make a good impression. Keep your professional demeanor the entire time you’re at the fair because you have no idea who will see or hear you.

Remember those companies you picked out before you came? Work your way through them, making sure that you work your way up to your top pick. This gives you a chance to work out the kinks in your interviews. Take a business card from every single person you talk to because it will help you make contact afterwards. You should also try to speak with representatives of businesses you might not have considered initially. You never know who you can and will make a connection with and if that connection will lead you to a job.

After It’s Over
Wait two days after the job fair is over to follow up with your contacts. You can either send them a nice thank you email for their time, or a card in the mail if you have their address. Remember that these guys met tons of people at the event. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure that you mention the date of the job fair and add something specific about your interaction to help them remember you. Keep in touch with them so that they can keep you in mind for opportunities, but don’t hound them, nor should you contact them once and expect some sort of hookup or handout.

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By Blair Bedford

As a career woman, being prepared for almost anything is key to landing the job you want, keeping and growing in the job you have, or moving on to the next job of your dreams. Another key to career success is putting everything around you in perspective, from the company you keep to the items you keep with you on a daily basis that can be last minute life savers.

What’s in your purse might seem like a personal matter, but making sure you are prepared professionally could begin and end right with what you have in your tote, satchel, hobo, bucket or shoulder bag. Things like your cell phone, keys and wallet are essentials in your purse for your everyday life, but keep these items in mind when you put your career success in perspective.

Business cards

Business cards are a necessity for any professional to carry around at all times. Whether you are hitting the gym, the office or even the bar after work, keeping your professional business card on you wherever you go (and plenty of them) helps you network successfully whenever the opportunity comes across. You never know when someone will surprisingly ask you the question outside of a networking event: “Do you have a card?” If your company doesn’t have the option to order business cards for you, many websites help you design and create your own for easy networking-on-the-go.

By Blair Bedford

A “bucket” list, as many might recall, is a list of accomplishments and encounters to experience before passing away. From skydiving to visiting a new country, bucket lists are complete with goals that round off the complete picture of living life to its fullest.
Create a bucket list for your job to help you reach certain goals, make moves, and make your work more about making it to the top and enjoying your job rather than just about getting paid. You might have a few goals in mind for how you want to conquer your latest career move, but here are a few other professional objectives to include on your bucket list to maximize the experience in your career and your resume at the same time:

I’m grateful to have had some kind of steady employment since the age of sixteen, and with the job scarcity that exists in the present day of this country, people no longer have the luxury of jumping from one job to the other. For this reason, thousands of Americans are overworked, underpaid and filled with a daily anxiety of having to report to a job that they truly despise just to maintain their lifestyles. Hopefully a few small changes can make the difference between you getting your bills paid and not losing your mind. Check out a few ways to cope with a job you can’t stand.

(NY Times) — If Kevin Bacon had a Twitter account, he would most likely be within six degrees of separation from nearly everyone else on the site. Just as everyone in the world is thought to be connected to one another within six steps (and the prolific movie star is linked to just about every other actor in the trivia game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”), data from the social media consulting firm Sysomos finds that the same holds true for Twitter users.

Read More…

(Inc) — Since joining Fentress Architects two years ago, CEO Agatha Kessler has emphasized that character matters as much as competence in effective workplaces. Employees who work together well are especially important for the firm, a Denver-based finalist on this year’s Top Small Company Workplaces list with $104 million in annual revenue and 155 employees. Fentress is working on a mammoth project to modernize Los Angeles International Airport. Kessler explained her views on team building and a process she calls mutual mentorship to Inc.‘s Leigh Buchanan.

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