How to Get Ahead in Your Career

 

Spencer Schar is an experienced entrepreneur who studied for his master’s degree while simultaneously working full-time, gaining a 3.85 grade point average across the two years of his studies. This article will look at getting ahead at work, providing pointers for professionals to thrive by constantly learning, growing, and challenging themselves.

Getting ahead at work is an ongoing process. Rather than hinging on securing a specific opportunity or role, the foundations for a successful career are created by putting in the groundwork day to day. Forward-looking coworkers relish opportunities to learn, demonstrating dependability and commitment and gaining a solid reputation as a team player. The attached PDF contains tips and pointers to help colleagues improve their coworking skills.

There are always new strings that professionals can add to their bow in the workplace, be it learning to use new computer software or pursuing a professional development qualification. Workers who are keen to advance in their career are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to improve themselves, impressing employers with their commitment to personal and professional development and self-improvement. The embedded video provides an overview of some of the most desirable traits for business leaders in 2024.

Gaining knowledge and expertise in a specific area can help colleagues to stand out from the crowd, particularly where they have acquired relevant skills or knowledge from a previous role and can share that expertise in their current position. Supporting colleagues also helps to create a positive workplace environment, making coworkers more inclined to return the favor when the need arises.

Creating a comprehensive network of connections exposes professionals to new and enhanced opportunities as well as providing valuable support and advice throughout their career. The attached infographic looks at mentorship, providing some interesting statistics about its popularity and effectiveness for entrepreneurs.

Modern workers need to be flexible and adaptable, recognizing that roles, businesses, and industries are constantly changing and evolving. Employees can best position themselves for these shifts by identifying and building upon their core strengths and skills, leveraging them across various business functions and roles.

To reach their true potential, professionals need to be open to new opportunities. Just a decade ago college graduates could expect a secure job for life. However, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a powerful lesson against complacency, devastating businesses and turning entire industries on their heads. Today’s forward-looking professionals are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities, with research from CareerBuilder revealing that a staggering 74% of workers are either actively seeking new employment or open to the right offer.

 

 

Best Classic Films of All Time

Entrepreneur Spencer Schar is a keen moviegoer, having developed a passion for films at an early age. This article will provide an overview of critically acclaimed classic movies that not only captured the imaginations of audiences of their time but continue to inspire and enthrall generation after generation. The attached infographic incorporates some interesting statistics about moviegoing in 2023.

Coming to America (1988)

Starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and James Earl Jones, Coming to America is both a love story and a hilarious comedy. Murphy plays Akeem Joffer, Crown Prince of Zamunda, a fictional African nation. Joffer travels to the United States with his best friend and personal aide, Semmi, with the hope of finding a wife. The story follows their adventures living in Queens, New York, renting a squalid tenement under the guise of poor foreign students. The embedded video provides an overview of other popular 1980s comedies.

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Directed by Billy Wilder and staring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon, Some Like It Hot follows the story of the lead singer of an all-girl band, played by Monroe. As her band tours sunny Florida, the protagonist chaises her dream of wooing a millionaire. When two new musicians join the band, she does not realize they are men in disguise on the run. The attached PDF contains more information about Marilyn Monroe's iconic movie career.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

To Kill a Mockingbird follows the story of Atticus Finch as told by his daughter, Scout. A smalltown lawyer practicing in the rural South, Atticus Finch defended a wrongfully accused black man in this award-winning adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic novel. Staring Mary Badham, Gregory Peck, and Robert Duvall, and directed by Robert Mulligan, this coming-of-age legal drama crime movie gained overwhelmingly positive reviews from both the public and critics at the box office, earning more than six times its budget.

Casablanca (1942)

This renowned black-and-white movie is set in in the Moroccan city of Casablanca during World War II. Played by Humphrey Bogart, the protagonist, Rick Blaine, is a nightclub owner whose establishment becomes a safe haven for refugees, despite repeated warnings from the local authorities. When an ex-lover and her partner appear on the scene, they bring with them a challenge that Rick is forced to confront. An unforgettable love story, Casablanca is one of the best-known Hollywood romances of all time.

 

 

 

Qualifying for the Golf Event at the Paris Olympics 2024

Entrepreneur Spencer Schar enjoys playing golf in his spare time and keeping up with the latest golf news and events. This article will look at the Paris Olympics and how men and women golfers are racing to qualify for the event. The attached PDF explores the history of golf as an Olympic event in more detail.

In golf, qualification is determined by ranking. Qualification for the Paris Olympic Games 2024 is limited to the top 60 men’s and 60 women’s players according to the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). The attached video takes a closer look at the OWGR and its history.

The OWGR System runs over rolling ranking periods, with eligible tournaments from leading professional golf championships, tours, and competitions included in OWGR ranking. Players competing in eligible tournaments and playing the same measured course receive ranking points in line with their finishing position. Players are rated according to their average points across the relevant ranking period.

The top 15 players listed in the OWGR automatically qualify to play in the Olympic Games, although no more than four golfers from a single country are permitted to compete in the Olympics. After the top 15 men’s and women’s players, the Olympic Golf Rankings (OGR) includes the top two eligible players from each country, provided that country does not have at least two players in the top 15.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have exclusive authority to represent their respective countries at the Olympics. Athletes’ participation in the Paris Olympics will therefore depend on their respective NOC selecting them to represent their country at Paris 2024.

Golf was first incorporated into Summer Olympic Games programming in 1900 and 1904, although the former event was not officially recognized as part of the games at the time. The sport was reintroduced to Olympics programming in 2016, with the International Golf Federation serving as the sport’s governing body at the Olympics.

As the proud host of the 33^rd Olympic Summer Games, Paris will stage the Olympic Golf Competition at the worldclass Le Golf National resort from Sunday, August 4 to Wednesday, August 10, 2024. Consisting of 72 holes of individual play with separate men’s and women’s events, scores are cumulative from round to round, with the player with the lowest aggregate score claiming victory.

Le Golf National, one of Europe’s top golf courses, will welcome some of the world’s most accomplished golfers to compete in the highest levels of international competition at this innovative yet beautiful location. The attached infographic features some interesting US golf statistics.

 

 

 

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

Entrepreneur Spencer Schar is an avid reader in his spare time, counting Malcolm Gladwell among his favorite writers. This article will look at Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book, which explores the concept of using intuitive judgement to make snap decisions that ultimately lead to positive outcomes.

In the book, Gladwell describes a process called “thin-slicing,” which essentially involves using limited information from a narrow period of experience to arrive at a conclusion. Thin-slicing is a term used in the fields of psychology and philosophy to describe the process of making quick inferences about the characteristics, details, or state of an individual or situation by weighing up only minimal amounts of information. Research suggests that snap judgements based on thin-slicing can be just as precise or even as accurate as judgements formed with the benefit of much more information.

The part of the brain responsible for making snap decisions is known as the “adaptive unconscious.” Research suggests that humans can process complex data in as little as two seconds and potentially much faster than that, with some scientists suggesting that the human brain can complete this process in as little as 25 milliseconds. Certain key factors are necessary to enable people to make these judgements correctly. Improving focus on these factors paves the way for enhanced decision making, Gladwell’s book suggests.

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking argues that intuitive judgement is developed through training, knowledge, and experience, explaining that prejudice operates at an unconscious, intuitive level, even in individuals whose conscious attitudes are unbiased. One example cited by Gladwell is the halo effect, where a person with one salient, positive quality is deemed superior in other unrelated aspects.

In his book, Malcolm Gladwell references numerous examples of thin-slicing, illustrating the human brain’s capacity to provide answers to complex yes or no questions quickly. Nevertheless, Gladwell theorizes that this process starts to break down when questions are presented unbounded.

In Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell suggests that spontaneous decision making can be just as effective, if not more so, than carefully considered choices. To reinforce this notion, the author draws on a wide range of examples from a variety of different fields, from science and medicine to sales and advertising to sports and military war games. Malcolm Gladwell also references individual experiences of thin-slicing from regular people, discussing humankind’s instinctive ability to mind-read, gauging an individual’s thoughts and emotions simply by looking at his or her face.

Exploring the Key Differences Between Canoeing and Kayaking

 

Entrepreneur Spencer Schar enjoys kayaking in his spare time, traversing the lakes where he lives, fishing for bass, and immersing himself in the spectacular scenery. This article will compare canoeing and kayaking, exploring the key similarities and differences between them.

Similar in appearance to the untrained eye, canoes and kayaks are both types of boats that are powered by paddling. For the uninitiated, it can be easy to get the two types of vessel mixed up.

A factor that differentiates kayaking and canoeing lies in the way that the paddle is used. While in canoeing the participant uses a single-bladed paddle, kayakers generally use a double-bladed version, culminating in very different paddling techniques between the two sports.

In canoeing, single-bladed paddles are used for long and stable propulsion, minimizing short, sharp movements, making this mode of transport appropriate for families seeking to explore tranquil lakes in comfort. When paddling in a canoe, participants use alternate strokes, placing one hand on the grip and the other on the paddle shaft as they push the blade through the water to propel the vessel forward.

In kayaking, on the other hand, participants use double-bladed paddles, sitting lower than a canoe in a seated position. The double-bladed paddle helps to boost maneuverability, enabling kayakers to zigzag and travel faster through the water than is possible in a canoe. Also ideal for families and friends, kayaking enabling participants to enjoy a range of games with an added element of competition, racing against each other.

While canoes have an open-top design with the rower kneeling or sitting and using a single-bladed paddle, kayaks have a closed deck, with the kayaker seated inside and their legs stretched out in front of them. It is for this reason that canoes are sometimes likened to a people carrier and kayaks to a sports car. While a canoe is ideal for meandering gently downstream, a kayak is more suited to challenging water and competitive conditions.

In terms of clothing and accessories for kayaking and canoeing, there is some overlap. While canoeists tend to wear collared lifejackets, kayakers typically prefer a buoyancy aid that offers enhanced freedom of movement. Both kayakers and canoeists may need to protect their hands, wearing paddling gloves that come in a variety of different weights to suit different water and atmospheric conditions. Whichever discipline the paddler follows, they will need to dress appropriately for the paddling environment, taking into account their likelihood of falling in.

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

 

In addition to enjoying reading, outdoor pursuits, and travel in his spare time, entrepreneur Spencer Schar has been a movie buff since childhood. This article will provide an overview of some of the most hotly anticipated movie releases of 2024.

The Zone of Interest

Loosely based on the novel by Martin Amis, The Zone of Interest follows the holocaust from the perspective of a camp commandant and his doting family, who live next door to the concentration camp. Having been show in a limited number of US cinemas on December 15, 2023, the movie has been hailed as a masterpiece. Directed by Jonathan Glazier, the auteur behind Under the Skin and Sexy Beast, The Zone of Interest deliberately shocks, unsettles, and challenges viewers, confronting them with the “banality of evil” in an entirely novel way. The movie was well received by critics, with The Daily Telegraph acknowledging that “horrors gnaw at the edge of every shot,” while Steven Spielberg rated the movie as the best Holocaust film made since his own, Schindler’s List.

Dune: Part Two

Having been delayed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, Dune: Part Two is the follow-up to Denis Villeneuve’s gargantuan sci-fi epic. The long-awaited sequel follows the epic journey of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, and also stars Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, and Christopher Walken. The story follows Atreides and the Fremen as they battle to reclaim their land before it is too late. Tipped to gross at least $65 million in the US alone, this action-packed epic war movie received encouraging early reactions prior to release.

The End We Start From

An eco-survivalist thriller set in post-apocalyptic Britain, The End We Start From is based on the award-winning novel by Megan Hunter. The movie’s protagonist is played by Jodie Comer, who portrays a new mother forced to flee with her baby from the horror of a flooded London. As England is engulfed by flood waters civilization starts to collapse, with faltering supply chains triggering a semi-feral competition for resources. Directed by BAFTA Award winner Mahalia Belo, the movie is a gripping survival drama that depicts a world gradually falling apart, then disintegrating all at once. Tight in both budget and focus, The End We Start From is far from disaster cinema reveling in the grand spectacle of destruction, instead looking at the human condition and inviting viewers to consider what they would do in such peril with no moral guidance.

 

 

 

 

What Does a Videographer Do?

In the first part of his college career, entrepreneur Spencer Schar worked as a videographer, shooting, editing, and distributing videos for various clients. This article will look at what the role of videographer involves, including an overview of key responsibilities and aptitudes.

A videographer’s work can be broad and varied, with many different potential specialisms. In essence, videographers capture video content for clients and brands on either an ongoing or project-to-project basis. They may work alone, under a producer, or as part of a small team, capturing footage for anything from a TV advert or short music video to a sporting event or long-form documentary.

Videographers specialize in shooting different events and editing high-definition videos to make them presentable to clients. They usually have their own video equipment, which they are responsible for maintaining. Videographers work closely with the clients they serve to establish a creative brief and project deliverables.

There are several different types of freelance videographers, including:

·       Camera Operators

·       Corporate Videographers

·       Documentary Videographers

·       Independent Videographers

·       Travel Videographers

·       Real Estate Videographers

·       Video Editors

The role of videographer may include scouting potential shoot locations, organizing transportation, and setting up video and other equipment required for the project. They may also be responsible for assisting with set preparation, staging, and lighting, as well as recording, editing, and distributing footage.

Videographers are required to film videos on set or on location, ensuring that all necessary equipment is present and liaising with the client and creative team to plan the shoot. They often edit footage post-production, as well as directing other camera operators to ensure needed footage is acquired.

Generally hired to shoot high-quality and relevant video footage, professional videographers often support a producer, working alongside a production team. The role involves executing a concept through to completion, following the original project brief.

A great videographer must be a skilled camera operator and adept at operating multiple cameras and lenses of all types and sizes. They need a strong understanding of video editing software such as Adobe Premier Pro or Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Other important competencies include communication skills, attention to detail, and strong storytelling capabilities.

Although there are a variety of different routes into the role, many videographers start their career by taking a degree in Media Production or Media Technology. Computer literacy is a must for the role, as are excellent interpersonal skills, proficiency with camera equipment, and a relative level of fitness and stamina to work the long hours that are often involved.