Review: Brainbench.com

"I was requested by Edmund (my future employer... hehehe. I hope so...) to take asp.net 2.0 online test at brainbench.com and I think he paid some amount for this test because according to the site, this test currently cost $49.95. Hmmmm??? I got excited and got curious about what brainbench.com really does? Well, according to Edmund, it's an online testing site. Here's a review article about brainbench.com for everyone of us. Ok, got to go... I need to brush up my skills in asp.net now to be ready for the online exam... hehehe"

How Online Certification Tests can 

Improve Your Software Skills and Increase Your Market Value.

As the choice of software for knowledge workers increases, computer tests can help you stay ahead. Online education has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years - and Brainbench certifications will help you improve your software skills and provide you with tangible qualifications.

Brainbench has been a client of mine for a few years now, so I'm pretty familiar with what they offer. A turning point for me was when we started inviting our newsletter subscribers to volunteer to be interviewed. We include an interview in each issue, and what people have to say about their experience with Brainbench is fascinating.

Sure, there are all the IT workers who use the site and tests to brush up their skills in Java programming and a great deal more. But many other people use the tests (there is a choice of over 450 of them) to improve their expertise in simple tasks like typing, and everyday software like MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Explorer and Outlook.

Beyond that, there are tests for those other programs that many of us use like Photoshop, Pagemaker, Dreamweaver, FrontPage and more.

About the tests...

First of all, choose a test. Some are free, others have a price attached. (If you think you are going to be taking a number of tests, you're much better off buying one of their subscription packages.) Once you take a test, you will either pass or fail. But the best part is the detailed anaylsis they provide.

You'll know exactly where your strong and weak points are. And you'll know how you stack up against the skills of other Brainbench members. (The site has a membership of over 4.4 million!)

When you pass, you are certified. And these certifications carry a lot of weight. They are officially recognized by many of the largest companies on the world, like EDS, H&R Block, IBM, Manpower, Prometric, Qwest, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Verizon, Wells Fargo and hundreds of others.

And once you have a certification, add it to your resume, and mention it when applying for contracts, jobs or a promotion. (A lot more credible than simply saying, "Sure, I can use Photoshop.")

That said, taking a Brainbench certification isn't just about getting the piece of paper. It's also a great tool for helping increase you own productivity, standing among your colleagues and self-confidence.

Source: excessvoice.com

Running Your Homebased Business and Freelancing

"Just this year, I decided to do home-based freelance job. A little hard at the start since the competition is soooo high but with the help of my colleague I finally got the ball rolling. hehehe... To those who wanted to take a step forward in their career, believe in their skills, and want to start doing freelance jobs, here's a great article for you."

Running Your Homebased Business and Freelancing
Liz Roberts

A work at home business is a great opportunity to earn money especially for those who cannot afford to work full time like homemakers, handicaps, retirees, or even those having difficulty in finding an employer or has previously lost a job. By starting your own home based business you will acquire a profitable source of income for you and your family, and work at your own time and place.

In order to set up a home based business, most people started doing freelance work. Today, freelancing has become a very much feasible occupation since the demand for independent contractors has increased tremendously in recent years. Actually, most home based businesses run their business with the help of one or more freelancers.

What really is a freelancer? A freelancer is someone who is hired by a client to perform or accomplish a certain job needed either for a personal reason or/and most often than not, for business purposes. A freelancer works on a contract or per project basis and therefore does not require a standard salary like a regular employee does. Freelancers don’t require for employee benefits like social security, health care and others. However, he or she may negotiate with the client about how much is paid for a particular project.

Some freelancers may sign up a contract to one or more clients at the same time while others prefer to sell their finished work like freelance writers who sell essays, poems, stories, etc. to publishers.

The best advantages of working freelance is that you get to choose the task you want, you can set your own phase, and you can work at the comfort of your home.

The drawbacks is that you need to look for your own project and you need to take care of your own financial obligations like paying your taxes, providing your own health care, insurance and retirement funding. You are also responsible to provide for your own resources like the equipments and supplies needed for the job. You are also responsible to know and exercise your own rights as a freelancer as well as your obligations and limitations. If in case, you are sued due to legal claims or complaints, it is your duty to provide your own lawyer and get yourself out of the situation. Nevertheless, these drawbacks can be avoided by knowing your job, doing it right, being responsible, and playing by the rules.

If you have the skill and talent in any of those fields, why not try working as a part time or even full time freelancer? You might be surprised at how rewarding it could be for you. The most common and most lucrative fields in freelancing today include website designing, programming, content writing, editing, copyrighting, photography, encoding, illustration and book design, and other computer or internet related tasks.

There are hundreds of companies and home based businesses looking for a freelancer on the World Wide Web. Having a portfolio of your sample works will help you a great deal in landing great projects. At the start, you may have to prove your ability and competence but once you’ve done several projects that are outstanding and finished on time, you will start building a reputation for yourself. It won’t be too long before they seek out your services.

Don’t forget that written contract is best protection against any possible liability you might encounter. Your contract must clearly state the exact scope of your task, the time period covered, how much you will be paid, how you will be paid, and other points you and your client agreed on.

Lastly, your performance will either make you or break you. Being able to deliver your assigned tasks on time is crucial. However, don’t just do the job for the sake of completion. Be competent. Strictly impose discipline and diligence on yourself. Remember that each project you accomplish will be a reference point to your future assignments. And the more projects you get, of course, the better your earnings.

In time, freelancing work can be your stepping stone in starting your own home based business and by that point, it will be your turn to evaluate and hire your own freelancers.

Source : outsourcingtemps.com

The Last Goodbye

DARRYL – The Superman
This guy looks so mysterious. He looks so chic boy and yet he’s still single. I wonder why…. Hmmm, let me find some materials on this. Hehehe… But Darryl is a nice guy. He has a smile that can make the London Bridge go down (lol)… Not to mention that he has a good talking skill (is that a compliment? Hell, no! hahaha). According to someone, this guy is a Prince who wishes to experience the life of commoners so he went down to the palace and made himself low-profile that’s why he’s now working with us. But since he has to perform his duties in the palace, he never went out with us. But because of him, I was able to eat pizza from Pizza Hut for the first time. Thanks for that Swiper. He has lots of line I won’t forget as long as my memory can remember (toinkz). Too bad my memory isn’t that good. I even forgot the proper English grammar.

PAULA – The Indian Girl became Badjao
And then came Paulita, my grammarian. But she’s not here today so my English is still raw, as in a draft version. But then I’ll publish this post to let you know how bad I speak English. Paulita is my teasing instrument. She’s not human. She’s a talking mannequin. She’s tall, dark, and handsome. But she’s really nice. She will try to make me happy when I’m sad. But she never did. But I’m glad she tried. She has lots of talent and skills I admire. She danceS so well, she sings so well, she speaks English so well, she love so well, but her breast never swell. (toinks!...)

NOWY – The Businessman
This guy is so humble. He has he’s own business and yet he’s still working with us. And though he gained a lot of working experience, thus a lot of skills, you can really feel the respect that he’s superior deserves, so opposite of Swiper. He’s very prudent, thus ask a lot of questions. We didn’t have a lot of bonding moments because he doesn’t usually go out with us. Maybe because he’s busy with his monkey business (hehehe.. joke!).

JED – The Lover Boy
He’s the cutest among the guys. Though he already reached the age of 27, he looks as if he’s still 18 (choy!). I admire his being adventurous and being Boy Scout. He always scouts Rey. I think he’s in love with the alien (joke!). Jed and I were not super close, but he always made me feel better. Nobody tells me every now and then that I look thinner but him. I think he loves me. (hehehe). And though he looks so playboy, I think he’s a one-woman-man, so don’t worry too much Kristine.

BEN – The Alluring Daddy
While Jed is the cutest, Ben is the most handsome guy in the team. According to Davin, he’s delicious but sorry girls and gays because he’s taken and already had a very cute son with the sexiest and hottest woman that exists in Davao City. What I admire so much about him is his being so professional. I wish I am but that will come in due time. He’s an accomplished engineer and just like Nowy, he shows respect to his superior. He’s smart, fun to be with, and a very nice man.

REY – The Alien Rockstar
This girl is the adult version of Claire’s Pia and the undiscovered Marimar of Davao City. Why alien? Because she has her own world. She’s not an Earth’s creature. She has lots of ideas that only her can properly express and deliver. Especially her funny lines, nobody can make jokes the way she did. She’s really unique. And she rocks our lives. She sings rock songs, she rap, and she dance A LOT. And she’s really kind and super duper thrifty, as in capital K.U.R.I.P.O.T. If you want to go out with her, you have to treat her. But it’s worth it, because having her as a company is really entertaining.

AILEEN – The Kitty Cat
Dahl is a serene woman and looks so secretive. But she’s a fine girl, an example of a “Dalagang Filipina” and the most patient among us. Now I know why Daniela saw her as a cancer patient (lol…). She’s a one-man-woman, too bad her lover isn’t. But I always wish that a real man would come into her life and would really be faithful to her. If that day will come, I’ll be soooo happy for her. A better woman deserves a better man.

LYZEL – Ang Ibong Adarna
This petite girl has a very powerful voice. I wish that she join the “Pinoy Dream Academy”. She has almost everything – BBBV. I.E. Beauty, body, brain, and voice. Oh I forgot the other B – the butt (hehehe). She’s the perfect example of a big girl that doesn’t dry, because she’s always wet (hahaha). And now after I left, she became the Manager. After giving her my stone, the “Ibong Adarna” will now shout “Darna!”… (booom! Boom! Booooom!)

CLAIRE – The Shadow Woman
A lot of things I can tell about this woman. To summarize everything, she simply is a proficient project manager, the most jolly and happy person I’d ever met, and the smartest sex goddess alive. She is blessed with a wonderful family having a loving husband and a hyperactive daughter that can make everyone around happy. I know I’ll never enjoy LSI as much as I did if not with this woman. She brought joy to every one of us. What I like so much about her is her being so giving. She always shares what she has. She always shares her love and her happiness. That’s why when she’s happy, everyone is happy. :D

Aside from the above friends I have, former LSIers such as Ric, Davin, Bevs, Lyra, and Mami Jojie also became my friends at LSI, and also became a part of my life.

To all of you, thank you so much for bringing joy to my life. i enjoyed your company so much and you definitely partake in molding my persona. You’ll always be a part of me, and I’m part of you indefinitely (hehehe…). Hope this distance will have will not reduce our closeness and the fondness we have for each other. I’ll surely gonna miss you all. I love you.

Keep in touch!

I'm Flying Away

Time For A Smile

This was my photo during our Island Tour in Samal. This photo was taken at Vanishing Island where for the first time (at the age of 23), I saw and touched a real and alive starfish. Awesome experience but I’m kinda scared to touch it. It was always easy for me to smile at any picture-taking but this time my smile was forced.

I’m a girl who loves music, movies, story books, nature, computer games, internet surfing and blogging, jokes and quotes. I love to enjoy life and find ways to make myself, my friends, and my family happy. I have 3 elder brothers and 2 elder sisters and a total of 11 niece and nephews (one big happy family… hahaha).

I’m an easily-pleased person. When I saw my brother laughs because he saw something funny, that makes me smile. When I joke with my friends and they find it funny, it makes my heart smile too. When I realize that somebody cares for me, that makes me so happy and it will be visible in my face. And since my work is more of problem, solving one will definitely make me smile. Achievements, satisfaction, and love can make me smile also. And simply meeting a friend, an acquaintance, or someone who smiles at me along the way will let me smile also. That’s my simple way of expressing my “Hello” greeting. :)

I work as Software Developer. Though I really love what I’m doing, I don’t blog about programming because I found it a bit boring for my readers. My blog is about the things that interest me and things that make me happy. Most of my posts are jokes, quotes, thoughts, and lots of things I know will interest other people as well.

I decided to submit a smile to gain 50 entries in the Celebration of Smiles contest. Would you like to see your smile on Time For a Smile, just like me? Here are the submission guidelines.