Without even knowing it, there are things that we do that hurt our chances at advancing in our careers or even getting into the right fields. Here is a list from Kiplinger with seven of the worst offenses when it comes to your career:

1. Procrastinating. Putting together presentations and lectures at the last minute may have worked in high school and sometimes in college, but it won’t work out so well for you in the workplace.

2. Having a sense of entitlement. You can’t step into a job and expect to be the big cheese. According to the article, many young workers feel as though they should be promoted more often and have a sense of entitlement due to their level of education.

3. You just settle into your job description; you really have to go above and beyond to advance. You need to be able to see and take the opportunity to show your talents when the time arises. It will show your boss that you have initiative and that you can handle more responsibilities.

4. You completely avoid office politics. Sure, there’s gossipy and catty things that can go on in an office environment, but you shouldn’t avoid everything. You have to build relationships with your co-workers so that you have support from them. You need to show that you’re not just all work.

5. You aren’t a team player. You need to be a team player, but not so much that the things you do individually don’t get recognized.

6. You don’t ever look the part. You have to actually make yourself presentable and dress the part of your career. If you want to be a professional, dress professionally, brush your teeth, and smell good. However, make sure you dress like those around you…you don’t want to go to work in a suit and tie when everyone else looks like they’re going to the Bahamas.

7. You have to network! Networking is the biggest tool that can help you find a job. You need to be able to maintain the relationships you make when you network. Networking doesn’t have to be a daunting task either, you can join an online community through groups.google.com.

Source

It happens sometimes; we lose our jobs or end up not having enough money by some other means. Sometimes this ends up on top of the already daunting task of entertaining for a group of people. Whether it be a small group of friends, or a party, here are a few tips to help entertain a group of people when you’re on a budget:

Decorations and Decor – Candles are a good way to make a room feel luxurious and it does create a certain kind of softness around the room. You can get candelabras at Target or other home stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond for a centerpiece. Smaller candles can then be placed around the base of the centerpiece and along the table. Candles can be very inexpensive if you start collecting them while they’re on sale.

The mood of the room can also be manipulated through music, and that can easily be done through a mix on an iPod. You don’t need one of those iPod players either; simply get a 3.5mm male to male stereo jack and plug it in to your existing sound system.

One tip is to mix and match dinner plates and glassware, but this is up to you. You’re the only one who knows about the kind of guests you will be entertaining and if they will appreciate mis-matched dinnerware.

Drinks - It may seem tacky to some, but having guests bring their own booze can be a very simple way to save a lot of money. Most guest end up bringing a bottle of wine as a house gift for a party, so instead of storing the wine, use it for the party. There are many different flavors of vodka now available also, you can try to mix up martinis or other fruity drinks using flavored vodka. Since a bottle of vodka will also last much longer than a bottle of wine, this could be another option depending on your guests.

Dessert – You can make your own chocolate covered strawberries. They seem very expensive when you go to a candy store and they cost $3-$4 each, but they are actually very inexpensive and easy to make. Simply go to the grocery store and go to the baking section, there should be all kinds of “melting” chocolate available. Some of it you can even put in the microwave. Then, buy some fresh strawberries, go home, and cover strawberries until you’re out of strawberries or chocolate.

Things you can do without – You can eliminate or cut back on fresh flowers because they are going to be very expensive and won’t last. This comes back to the decor, but you can decorate with things you already own. The source suggests a house plant, but that’s entirely up to you.

You can use these tips as guidelines when trying so save some money on a party. Good luck!