How Job Hopping Affects Your Resume

How Job Hopping Affects Your ResumeHow Job Hopping Affects Your ResumeAlthough the state of the job market has made job hopping mora acceptable, there is still a certain amount of stigma attached to it. How job hopping affects your resume, though, is truly dependent upon the hiring company.While sticking with a job long term, as long as you are growing professionally, is hardly frowned upon, job hopping is a completely different story. In an ideal world, sticking with a job for roughly one to two years would show more professional stability and less risk to those reviewing resumes. While there are negative connotations that come along with job hopping, there are a few advantages that can help make your resume stronger.The Downside of Job HoppingA resume that exhibits the characteristics of job hopping can, to HR professionals, show a lack of stability or commitment. Since hiring and training is a true investment for the company, it is in their best interest to find candidates that ar e willing to stay and provide a return on their time and money.While a resume that has several short-term jobs or projects is not necessarily going to mean rejection, it can make hiring managers look a bit closer at the candidate. Additionally, when it comes to interview time, there will probably be questions surrounding your work history.A Positive Spin on Job HoppingJob hopping can be equally beneficial if used to keep developing and growing professionally. With a larger and more diverse work history, despite short-term projects, there comes more experience and an increase in varied skills for constant job seekers.For those with multiple short-term projects or freelancing work on a resume, if the experience and skills are similar, they can be combined under one job title. This is an option to provide more space on your resume, as well as condense similar work to eliminate a negative impression.Job Search Tips for Job HoppersWith freelance and project-based work available more than ever before, job hopping isnt necessarily going to continue to be stigmatized the way it has in the past. While HR professionals may look at your resume a bit closer and ask questions about your work history, job hopping or project-based work isnt going to get you an immediate rejection.Create your resume in a way that flatters your work experience and skills. Additionally, prepare yourself for the questions you may face in an interview about your work history. If you are prepared and qualified, you can keep yourself in the running for any job you apply for.Readers, what are your thoughts on job hopping? Do you have any tips for those who do prefer to change jobs frequently? Share your tips with us below

Package Designer Job Description and Salary

Package Designer Job Description and SalaryPackage Designer Job Description and SalaryWhen browsing the shelves at a local store, whats the first thing you generally notice about a product? Maybe the colorful box it comes in or the informative plastic wrapping? The right packaging can boost any products appeal, and designing that packaging can make for an inspiring career.Package designers are responsible for drawing the customers attention while relaying important information and giving the item its purchasing power. But a package designer needs more than just savvy design skills. Collaboration is key to their job. They work closely with clients and absatzwirtschaft teams to ensure the companys product and brand are well represented through the packaging materials. And to create prototypes that are cost-effective, sustainable and geldschrank for customers, they need to team up with accounting professionals, engineers and consumer safety stakeholders to ensure all needs are met.Heres a look at the typical job description and salary expectations for a package designer.Package designer salary benchmarksAccording The Creative Group 2018 Salary Guide, the midpoint starting salary for a package designer in the U.S. is $54,000. Of course, salaries can differ wildly in various parts of the country, and our Salary Calculator can help you determine fair compensation for a product designer in your city.Package designer duties and expectationsA package designer guides the design process from beginning to end. They conceptualize, design and execute a prototype for attention-grabbing packaging materials, using design elements such as shape, color, graphics and typography to create packaging that is functional and appealing to customers.In most cases, the following responsibilities can be expectedLeads the design process for packaging materials for products, including brainstorming, sketching and creating prototypesWorks with clients to understand their needsEvaluates consum er and market trends for packaging materialsCollaborates with marketing and creative teams, especially graphic designers and copywriters, to create eye-catching designsPresents designs to clients and stakeholders using sketches and design software ensures successful representation of clients brandsRedesigns prototypes based on feedback from clients, engineers and consumer safety groupsSEARCH PACKAGE DESIGNER JOBSProfessional experience and skillsIt goes without saying for any design role, employers want someone with a good design aesthetic, strong technical chops and the ability to think conceptually, says Karin Katselis, a senior vice-president of The Creative Group. Thats no different when it comes to the world of package design. Hiring managers seek designers who can think dimensionally, bring a concept to life and tell a story.Experience with package design, including creating dielines and prototypes, is a must for a package designer position. This person must have a strong port folio with a variety of samples that demonstrates their creativity, attention to detail and knowledge of market and consumer trends. Familiarity with different packaging materials is helpful. A bachelors degree in graphic design or industrial design may be preferred, and successful candidates have a strong knowledge of creative tools, including Adobe Creative Suite, 3D software programs and photography.Due to the nature of their work, package designers must be very organized and able to meet tight deadlines. They must also have strong problem-solving skills to quickly identify and rectify mistakes. Package designers also require input and assistance from several different groups, so strong interpersonal abilities and project management skills are helpful. This combination of skills allows a package designer to create functional, yet creative and unique materials that engage the customer.Hiring a package designer? We can help you today

Promissory Note FAQ - Ireland

Promissory Note FAQ - Ireland Promissory Note FAQ - Ireland DefinitionsWho is the Borrower?The Borrower is the individual or corporation that receives value (money, property or some service) from the Lender on the condition that the Borrower will pay the principal amount plus any interest to the Lender at sometime in the future. Who is the Lender?The Lender is the individual or corporation that gives something of value (money, property or some service) to the Borrower on condition that the Lender will be paid a certain amount in the future. What is the Principal amount?The principal is the original amount of the note that is owed by the Borrower to the Lender on the date the Promissory Note is signed. Once the Borrower has started to pay back the note, the principal refers to the amount of money still owing to the Lender at any given moment in time. What is interest?Interest is an amount charged to a Borrower for the use of the Lender's money. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the amount borrowed and is calculated at a specified interval over the course of the term of the Promissory Note. The interest rate is the annual interest rate. What does compounded mean?Compounded refers to how frequently the interest is calculated and added to the principal amount of the note to arrive at a new balance. The more frequently the interest is calculated, the more interest the Borrower will end up paying to the Lender. What is a demand promissory note?The balance owing in a demand promissory note does not need to be paid until the Lender demands to be repaid. In other words, the note is repayable 'on demand'. There is no fixed end date for the repayment of the note. Upon demand, the Borrower is given a certain period of time to repay the outstanding balance of the note. What is the difference between a Promissory Note and a Loan Agreement?Both contracts evidence a debt owed from the Borrower to the Lender, but the Loan Agreement contains more extensive clauses than the Promissory Note. A Promissory Note is designed to be a shorter and easier document evidencing a debt. What is the Term?The Term is the time length of the note. At the end of the term, the Borrower must repay the outstanding balance of the note. Promissory Note DetailsDo I have to charge the Borrower interest?No, the Lender can choose whether or not to charge interest. If the Lender decides to charge interest, they can pick how much interest to charge. However, there may be consequences to the Lender or Borrower if interest is charged but it is not a reasonable rate. What are the payment options available?There are four options for the method of repayment. Specific periodic amounts - the Borrower will make a certain payment to the Lender on regular intervals. Lump sum payment at the end of the term - the Borrower pays nothing to the Lender until the end of the note term, at which time the Borrower repays the entire note in one payment. Interest only - the Borrower makes regular payments to the Lender that are put toward paying off the interest on the principal amount only, with no portion of the payment going towards the principal amount itself. Interest and principal - the Borrower makes regular payments to the Lender that are put toward paying off both the principal amount and the interest as it is compounded. At the end of the term of the Loan Agreement, there will be no outstanding balance to be repaid. Should the Lender require the Borrower to provide security/collateral for the note?If the Lender does not take collateral, and the Borrower defaults on the note, the Lender will have to take the Borrower to court in order to recover the money, and the judgement can only be enforced against certain assets of the Borrower. However, if the Lender does take collateral for the note, then the Lender may be entitled to seize and sell the collateral if the Borrower fails to repay the note. Does the collateral need to be equivalent in value to the note amount?No, if collateral is given for the note, it can be for any amount. If the Borrower fails to repay the note, and the collateral is worth less than the note, then the Lender can seize the collateral and sue the Borrower for the remaining amount of the note. If the Lender recovers more than the outstanding balance from the sale of the collateral, any surplus amount would be returned to the Borrower or his other debtors depending upon the situation. Signing DetailsI do not know when the Promissory Note will be signed. Can I fill in the date later?Yes, by selecting 'Unsure' as the date the note will be signed, a blank line will be inserted into the contract so that you can add the correct date after printing the document. Do I need witnesses to sign the Promissory Note?Generally speaking, there is no requirement for a witness or notary public to witness the signing of the Promissory Note. However, depending on the nature of the note and the governing law of the jurisdiction in which you're entering into the note, you may be required to have witnesses or a notary public witness the Promissory Note. Even if it is not required, having an objective third party witness the signing of the note will be better evidence when you need to enforce the repayment of the note. Signing the note in front of a notary public is the best evidence that the Borrower signed the note. Who should sign the promissory note?In general, at least the borrower should sign the promissory note. Depending how much the parties trust each other, you may also wish to have the lender sign as well AND get the signatures notarized.

Is Workplace Rudeness a Kamikaze Tactic

Is Workplace Rudeness a Kamikaze Tactic Is Workplace Rudeness a Kamikaze Tactic Yet it’s a risk that all too many employees will run, even though it’s a safe bet that the frequency of organizational and corporate rudeness doesn’t even come close to matching how often incivility is displayed on city sidewalks, express lanes, online rant-blogs and on some talk radio. The question is why would any employee use rudeness as a work tool on a job (s)he wants to keep? Calculated Spontaneity as a Tool I say “tool” because seemingly spontaneous emotional rude outbursts are, in general, as calculated as the precisely calibrated cool narrow-minded incivility of the uppity sneering at “those people”. Rudeness that is not the result of meds- or mood-induced temporary insanity is like a hammer: a tool (repeatedly) used to further one’s ends without injuring oneself in the process, unlike the stinger of the kamikaze honeybee. Yet, like the behavior of the attacking honeybee, workplace rudeness, in many instances, indeed seems occupationally suicidal. What employee would, on or off the job, dare be rude to a pack of beefy, helmeted Hells Angels bikers, either in retaliation for some perceived transgression, or more stupidly, with no justification whatsoever? No, even the emotionally overcome and fed-up know which fights to pick by being rude and when not to- unless they have completely lost touch with physical reality, including the physical damage biker brass knuckles can inflict. Bottom line: Despite appearances, much “impulsive” rudeness is a crafted and staged performance. Granted this perspective, what kinds of calculations enter into the decision to go ahead and be uncivil and outright rude, instead of neither risking it nor seeing any benefit whatsoever in being rude? The Missing “RAA” Buffer Start with why most employees will not be rude: In my analysis of the phenomenon of “testosterogues”, I argued that the mix of “responsibility, authority and accountability” (“RAA”) does much to inhibit workplace aggressive incivility.  Given that authority can satisfy ego and id needs, while being responsible and accountable can keep them in check, blatant rudeness will have no place in many jobs featuring RAA. But it seems RAA is not always sufficient or present, since everybody has stories about rude rogue employees treating others in uncivil, impolite, discourteous or worse ways. To make the analysis that is to follow concrete, let me cite and dissect my recent encounter with what seems to have been a rude rogue employee: a bus driver. Bus My Chops I got on a bus a couple of weeks ago, without exact change. When I indicated to the driver that I hoped to make change among the passengers, something that her regional headquarters supervisor subsequently reassured me was a perfectly normal thing to do, she bellowed at me, “This is absolutely unacceptable! Move to the back of the bus!” Thinking it was some playful prank, I replied, “You’re kidding. Right?” She roared a second time, same words, prefaced with “No. I’m not joking!” Not wanting hostile charity foisted on me, I tried to get change for my $5 bill (eventually, from a very sympathetic couple also aghast at the driver’s behavior and who, besides change, offered their contact information as witnesses).   But, worse happened before that. Mostly a bicyclist, I’m somewhat unfamiliar with the bus systems back in the city I’ve left, but which I will, as I did on that day, visit on occasion. When I questioningly looked at the driver, bill in hand hovering over what I took to be the cash slot, I said, “I’ll absorb the loss on this” and inched the cash toward the cash box. Overpayment means free money for the bus company, right? And I cease to be free-loading free rider. Right? Wrong. The driver went apoplectic: gratuitously assuming I wasn’t from out-of-town or unfamiliar with the bus system, she bellowed, “You should KNOW better!! If you do that, you’ll jam my machine!!! And I will CALL SECURITY!!!”. Yep, have me surrounded by black-uniformed, probably taser-armed security, maybe detained…who knows, tasered? For what? Offering to overpay for my ride and for being unfamiliar with the latest coin-only technology on her bus? I guess my flagging her down with my bike in hand just before she left the stop really ticked her off, since it forced her to wait for another traffic-light change to let aboard a number of others who were also dashing for the bus. After all, making money for the company can be an annoyance if it forces you sit and squirm through another red light or dings your schedule. (The aforementioned company supervisor was both apologetic and puzzled- by how such routine events could elicit her reactions. He assured me that the driver would be participating in a review of what happened and requested the sympathetic couple’s contact information. In a recent follow-up conversation, he informed me that the driver offered an apology.) Rude-Employee (Mis)Calculations Using this incident as a case study, what could possibly motivate the kind of employee rudeness that not only shocked the older couple, but that also made other heads turn, eyes roll, jaws drop and expressions of surprise to be voiced? As explanations, consider the following possibilities as alternatives to or enabling factors in what otherwise would be described as a mysterious and bizarre employee “meltdown” and “a bad day”. Note how seemingly rational calculated risk-taking and assumed immunity to repercussions, rather than purely spontaneous kamikaze insanity, explain the rudeness: The   employee RAA (Responsibility/Authority/Accountability) links were (imagined to be) broken or non-existent: One possibility is that even without assuming that approved bellowing at passengers is part of the bus-driver training,   somehow she imagined she was, despite being responsible, not also accountable for her rudeness. (Being responsible means having specified duties; being accountable means, among other things, having to explain or justify why you didn’t fulfill them when you fail to- and having to pay the price.) Big mistake. As the supervisor, himself formerly a driver, told me, drivers “never know who they are dealing with. That person could be very powerful and important.” - said without any apparent intent to diminish the importance of each and every passenger. This is especially true in an age in which casual dress is the West Coast norm for everyone from Spielberg (who loves to film stories of injustice) to the unemployed, unknown student film-maker (who might become a Spielberg with a story like this one). (Note to bus driver: Think of passengers casual dress as camouflage, not as a bulls-eye.) As a minimum, it is also safe to assume that every passenger knows how- as I do and did- to file a formal complaint. Every driver should know that much about everyone (s)he deals with. The employee perceives customers, clients, etc., as a soft-target out-group: This is simple Sociology 101. With the exception of institutionalized and approved “in-group” teasing and mock insults, genuine rudeness is reserved for out-groups, even though, on the hopeful face of it, it is not clear why out-groups should be targets, outlets, temptations or opportunities for rudeness just because they are outside the in-group. But, once perceived as such, they are far more likely to be targeted. This employee (mis)perception can be addressed by management reframing or reaffirming of the relationship between the company’s employees and their clientele, to make the perception more inclusive- without requiring anyone’s being on the receiving end of a wartime blitzkrieg to promote a sense of solidarity, or at least the rudiments of civility. The employee believes the cultural-social matrix will allow, ignore or even encourage rudeness: While on a different trip, in a quaint tourist town in Eastern Europe, I approached an adult salesperson in a mall pet shop whom I politely asked, “Excuse me, is there a washroom nearby?” What was her response to me, obviously a tourist and maybe some pet-owner’s friend? She looked at me with utter disgust and shooed me away. That was “hot” rudeness, like the bus driver’s. Elsewhere in the same, otherwise lovely town, there were pockets of “cold” rudeness, e.g., unsmiling, inattentive staff, whose behavior was, however, amply offset by some nice politeness in other shops and sites and by the dismay of my local host. My take on this, which I explained to my host, was that the store staffer’s response was a calculated response. Unlike the attack of a kamikaze honeybee, the rudeness was thought to be unlikely to be self-damaging in any way, because, despite being the exception, rather than the rule, it was behavior that the local town or mall culture obviously, in her perception of it, did not rule out. (Afterwards, it was suggested to me that she probably was the manager-owner, which would, in that case, make her behavior more closely resemble that of the self-destructive attacking kamikaze honey bee.) As a contrast, think of how utterly impossible it would be for an employee to imagine that wearing combat fatigues into a board meeting and blowing a whistle in the ear of a bank CEO would be OK, even once, if not twice (if you even got through the door the first time). Absolutely not allowed, ignored, permitted or encouraged in that corporate culture. In every (sub)culture there are things that simply will never happen, because the cultural matrix will not allow, tolerate, ignore or encourage them. (Indeed, cultures can usefully be understood and classified in terms of what they allow, forbid, encourage, tolerate or ignore.) Now, compare the bus driver with the pet shop staffer: Both behaved in   ways that suggest some entrenched belief and calculation that their behavior would not set off cultural, organizational, social or business community alarms (at least in virtue of being very bad for tourism). In the case of the bus driver, her urban cultural milieu is steeped in incivility, however offset by the many kind and courteous others. These days, there is rudeness that is not only cold, but also considered cool in many subcultures, e.g., in most pop-culture depictions and perceptions of tough-guy “testosterogues”. In the real world, there are the likes of the temporarily glorified and very uncivil Vancouver hockey rioters, who had their fifteen minutes of flame. Even though a driver may estimate that the broader “culture” will let the rudeness pass, that calculation will fail to factor in the whistle-blower bus passenger (like me) who can tap into company channels and policies that trump broader cultural laxity and weirdness. The employee believes in rough “ear-for-an-eye” justice: Whether stressed out by the job or not, an employee may be inclined to interpret some job events or conditions as “injustices” and, accordingly, feel justified in retaliating in (un)kind(ness)- verbally, as well as through glances and gestures. This can then manifest itself in the ways that the pursuit of vengeance always does: 1. Target the real culprit; 2. Target anyone associated with the real culprit; 3. Target anyone who represents a “soft target”, even a random anyone. The psychology here is typical of anyone seeking “revenge”. Toss a little or a lot of stress into the mix, e.g., pressure to keep to a tight bus schedule, having to wait through another signal light change or impossible mortgage payments, and the “ear-for-an-eye” response (e.g., the fearful earful I got from the driver, for what the latter saw as “bad behavior”) will seem more natural and just. When this kind of demand for justice motivates rudeness, that behavior can be seen as being more like the result of close judicial deliberation than as an unreasonable spontaneous kamikaze bee attack. What will raise the risk of rude employee vengeful behavior is his or her perception that there is no form of immediate redress possible, other than rudeness. Hence (mis)perceptions of injustice can be compounded by demands for immediate gratification of the desire to address it. To reduce the risk of employee rudeness, eliminate the (mis)perception of injustice or the demand for immediate justice. In situations in which the employee believes there can be neither immediate nor later redress, very little emotional wiggle room remains before (s)he is likely to wig out. In such cases, the best advice to give an employee (or even oneself) is that when forced to deal with a truly rude or disrespectful passenger, client or customer, imagine you are a mirror. …a mirror that, in reasonably and politely reacting, reflects who and what the passenger should be, not what, for the moment, (s)he is.

Elon Musk opens up on mental health and unrelenting stress

Elon Musk opens up on mental health and 'unrelenting stress' Elon Musk opens up on mental health and 'unrelenting stress' Elon Musk, a self-made billionaire and CEO of three companies, is a visionary leader who plans to colonize Mars,    stop the A.I. apocalypse, and make self-driving electric cars go mainstream in his lifetime. These are superhuman, daunting goals that Musk has never backed down from.But on Monday, he acknowledged that his uncompromising drive for success has come at a high cost to his mental health.When a person on Twitter asked about his “amazing life,” Musk replied honestly that what the public saw on social media wasn’t the whole story.When another Twitter user asked if these symptoms of “great highs, terrible lows and unrelenting stress” meant he had a mental health condition, Musk suggested he might.Bipolar disorder is a condition that’s characterized by extreme mood swings between the lows of depression and hopelessness and the highs of euphoria and mania. Musk later clarified that he wasn’t sure if this was the exact correct diagnosis, but that he struggled with d eep lows when “bad events” overtook his life.But it did not appear that Musk would be changing his ways of “getting carried away.” Musk said that this was the price he paid for buying a “ticket to hell,” suggesting that he knew the devil’s bargain of overcommitting to work.Musk’s advice to fellow founders dealing with his kind of unrelenting stress? “Take the pain” and endure it. Musk knew that there are “better answers” but he remains uncompromising in his solution.Musk knows he is shaping the future with his companies, Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink. He has previously said that leaving the Earth better than how he found it is what drives him. He has also acknowledged that he is haunted by his previous business failures, which include being ousted by PayPal, investing in bad ideas, and having his companies go on the brink of bankruptcy. That stress has clearly never left him.“I feel a bit like my grandmother. She lived through the Great Depression and some r eal hard times. Once you’ve been through that, it stays with you for a long time. I’m not sure it ever leaves really,” Musk said in a 2015 biography of his life.“So, I do feel joy now, but there’s still that nagging feeling that it might all go away. Even later in life when my grandmother knew there was really no possibility of her going hungry, she always had this thing about food. With Tesla, I decided to raise a huge amount of money just in case something terrible happens.”How to deal with ‘unrelenting stress’What may work for Musk now is untenable in the long-run for most people. Responding to Musk’s tweets, venture capitalist Fred Wilson said that “unrelenting stress” is the “life of an entrepreneur.” In Wilson’s opinion, managing that stress so it doesn’t “eat you up and mess up your relationships” meant “workouts, eating and drinking healthy, having a coach, and most of all, having a spouse who keeps it all in check.”Managing stress also begins with looking inwards at the causes. You learn to appreciate what you have and stop asking ‘what if?’. You learn to label and let go of bad feelings through meditation and mindfulness. By practicing these daily rituals, you can manage your anxiety and have the best of both worlds: success in your professional work and the peace of mind to enjoy it.

Alan Cummings secret to work success Smother people with kindness

Alan Cumming's secret to work success 'Smother people with kindness' Alan Cumming's secret to work success 'Smother people with kindness' Alan Cumming is one of those much-beloved stars who can do it all: sing, dance, act, and win a Tony. But for all the glamor, Cumming’s rise is instructive for anyone in an office: he knows the value of skill, a good attitude, wit and staying power.The Scotland native has done it all in the entertainment field over the course of three decades, starring in hit movies like “X-Men 2”, “Goldeneye” and “Spy Kids” as well as his Emmy-nominated turn in the hit CBS series “The Good Wife.”  He’s also a Broadway vet on legendary shows like “Macbeth” and “Cabaret,” the latter of which won him a Tony Award.With all of this cross-platform success, we looked to Cumming for thoughts on how we can grow our careers with such zest and positivity after so many years.  I recently chatted with Cumming briefly and we talked about why he can’t stand being bored, how kindness really is the best way to get through any situation, and above all, to always be yourself.  You’ve been able to have such longevity in your career and do so many different aspects of it so well.  Where does that drive come from?I have always been eclectic and had eclectic tastes.  I’ve been good at multitasking I suppose, and I get bored real easily.  So I always have a lot of things planned at once, and within that I’m just inspired by people and really enjoy life.  Just today, for instance, I left my house to go get my hair colored and there was a taxi right there.  And I thought, “How exciting is it that I live in a city where you can do that?”  I don’t ever think, “Oh god, I wonder when that cab is coming”, or something like that. It’s very exciting, so that sort of spirit I dig into my work as well.What has been the toughest hurdle in your career and how did you overcome it?There has been certain things or people that I have been like, “God, what a jerk you are”, or jerk-type experiences, and in those situations, I just smother people with kindness and love.  Even people I don’t like, because I think that is the best thing to do.  My mum said there is no situation in life that won’t go better for you with kindness.  My dimples help sometimes, but I really do think in anything in life I do it with respect and kindness. Also, even when people are being crazy and badly behaved and a mess, if you just say “What’s wrong?” instead of being scared or put off by them. Don’t let them dictate your own experience.What’s the biggest piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to have a successful career like yours, in any capacity?Just be yourself and have fun.  Don’t try and become a generic version of yourself - it’s as simple as that.

Riding Your Bike to Work

Riding Your Bike to Work Riding Your Bike to Work Whether you want to help make the world a greener place, or simply want the exercise, bicycle commuting is an appealing idea. Think about it: You start your day with a pleasant, leisurely bicycle ride to work. You arrive refreshed and energized. Youve gotten your daily dose of exercise, your blood is circulating, and now you can start your day. For some working mothers, bicycle commuting is a great option for these reasons. However, if the mere thought of pedaling all the way to work makes you tired, then bicycle commuting may not be for you. If youre wondering whether bicycle commuting is the right option, weigh the pros and cons. Pro: Bicycle Commuting Is Good Exercise Whether its two blocks or one mile each way, bicycle commuting allows for a good cardio workout as you travel to work. Con: You Get Sweaty Depending on the shape youre in and how long your commute is, a long bicycle commute may cause you to sweat to the point where you need another shower. Youll have to leave early to allow for time to freshen up before starting your workday. Pro: Bicycle Commuting Helps the Environment By not driving a car or riding a bus to work, youre helping the environment. Bicycle commuting doesnt contribute to the harmful emissions that pollute the air. By bicycle commuting to work youre making your contribution to a greener community. Con: Bicycle Commuting Restricts Your Work Wardrobe You cant wear your work wardrobe of a skirt and heels on your bicycle commute to work. In fact, youll need to bring a change of clothing, and that presents yet another issue: theres nowhere to hang a suit on your bicycle. Pro: Bicycle Commuting Allows You to Enjoy the Outdoors Whether its a breezy fall morning or a sunny spring day, bicycle commuting allows you to take advantage of being outdoors before having to be inside an office building all day. Bicycle riding to work allows you to enjoy the scenery, smells and sounds of your community. Con: You Can't Bicycle Commute in Inclement Weather When its snowing, raining or very cold your bicycle commuting needs to be put on hold. Even if its sunny in the morning, you may walk out of your building at the end of the day to pouring rain. Theres no guarantee the weather forecast wont change. Your commute home may not be as pleasant as it was in the morning. Pro: Bicycle Commuting Can Be a Social Experience If you choose to bicycle ride with a buddy, you can enjoy a friends company on the way to work, engage in socialization and share all the pluses of bicycle commuting with that person. Con: Bicycle Commuting May Involve Traveling Over Rough or Dangerous Terrain If your only route to work involves highways with no bike lane or narrow or bumpy roads, bicycle commuting can get dangerous. For this reason, its always good to map out alternate routes, especially those that include bicycle lanes. Also, be conscious of bicycle safety when riding in traffic.