This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

It goes without saying that competition for jobs is getting tougher by the day. Those who choose to can easily earn degrees from home. With a wealth of innovative uses of technology in education, Rossier and the MAT@USC program gives you the flexibility and, best of all convenience, of furthering your education all through studying online.

USC has a 100 year history providing education for teachers. They are an “internationally renowned research institution”. When scouting training online, it is always best to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the school you choose is legitimate. USC’s School of Education sits in the 22nd position nationwide (United States), and is 9th as a private university (statistics courtesy of US News and World Report).

Our son currently takes his classes completely online. For our family, and the state in which we live (Nevada), tightening belts has become the norm. Many families across the country face similar situations. Therefore, combining “highly interactive online learning with field-based experiences in your local area” is one smart move.

If money is a worry, don’t. MAT@USC graduates receive a tuition reimbursement that has been called “groundbreaking”. It is designed specifically for graduates of MAT@USC.

Few opportunities come along where the right balance of convenience, excellence in education, and financial reimbursements blend as well as they do taking courses online through the USC Rossier School of Education’s MAT@USC program.

Enrolling in their program, each person has the identical, complete benefits, and status as if you were on campus. These benefits include commencement ceremonies, along with your very own – and free – lifetime Alumni Association membership.

Explore your options! Discover how to advance in this highly competitive world we now live in. Your chance to “become part of the elite USC Trojan Family” is just a click away.

It’s easy to find out more. Just click program information to find out how easy a qualified degree can be to obtain from a prestigious institution.

I will be the first one (okay maybe not the very first one, but…) to tell you that commenting on blogs is an excellent, free way to potentially expand back links to your own website. Not every blog gives out “link love,” but those that do (like this one) I salute you. Those that don’t, depending on who they are and how they are doing, are still invaluable.

The reason is simple. People read the comments almost as much as they read the post itself. In fact, I’ve spend literally an hour or more going down through the comments of some posts totally intrigued on the back and forth that happens. Some truly strike my fancy, and I am apt to right click on a name (this way I control how it opens – in a new tab or a new window) just to see what that particular person is all about – what they are “into.”

Yet, logging into the admin area, there is also the inevitable spam comments. With good plugins, they are kept to a minimum, but on occasion the software doesn’t quite know how to classify the remark. Thus, the yellow box (in WordPress) tells me someone has said something and WordPress needs my hands on assistance to decide should it be posted or tossed in the trash. (more…)

Okay, based on previous posts, you know that Susan Boyle knocked my socks off this past year. With a voice of an angel, she’s realized her dream and her album is out.

All indications are it could be THE hit of the year.

So my hat’s off to Susan for sticking to her guns, avoiding pulling out all the stops and (deliberately) coming in at second place on Britain’s Got Talent.

In the long run, I believe this was a wise strategic marketing (and emotional) move on her part

Read: ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ could become bestseller of the year (video)

And Happy Upcoming New Year to All!

Whether you are currently employed or unemployed and wondering what to do, where to go, how to achieve positive results, these resources can help put you on the right path.

Let’s first start off with what you can be doing while you are unemployed since gaps in your resume can be red flags to potential employers, filling that “down time” demonstrates to anyone interviewing you that you’re doing your best to stay active – not only by doing worthwhile “things,” but also making contacts.

And here are several more areas to investigate. These include information you need to know, things you need to be aware of, places and occupations with the greatest potential, along with occupations that sound good, but are overrated.

My thanks to USNews:

Tech Jobs

2009 Best Careers

Careers That Are Overrated

How to Be Ahead of the Curve (2008 material)

“Best Kept Secret” Careers

As of August 2009, Best Places to Find A Job

Job Hopper? What You Can Do to Mitigate The Impact

What Not To Do – Ways to Not Annoy the Person Interviewing You

What You Can Do If The Person Interviewing You Is Doing a Poor Job

My thanks to Yahoo News:

How to Chit-Chat With The Person Interviewing You

Each of the above resources provides valuable information – more so perhaps for those unemployed seeking jobs – but worthwhile to all to help you keep your job.