3 ways to stay calm when youre anxious about a big opportunity

3 ways to stay calm when youre anxious about a big opportunity3 ways to stay calm when youre anxious about a big opportunityDo you ever feel like when you volunteer for something thats out of your comfort zone at work or are approached about a startling game-changer for your career, your anxiety spikes until all is said and done? Does a sinking feeling set in, like the rug of comfort and familiarity is being pulled out from under you?Here are three things to do when you feel like youre spiraling out of control.Share your thoughts with a loved oneThis practice also goes hand-in-hand with embracing change in work and life.Talking to friends and/or family about whats been added to your plate can help ease the heavy burden - and their input can help you lift it, well after the conversation is over. All it takes it a little bit of encouragement from someone who sees you clearer than you do yourself to put things into perspective.Dont be afraid to let them in on how youre really feeling, and to ask for their advice. You might be surprised by what you hear in return.Do some heavy preparation beforehandThis way, youll be ready for most things that come your way, but youll also feel confident enough to handle the things you dont see coming. After all, lets face it life will always be unpredictable.Keeping this in mind, using your computer or a trusty notebook, make a preparation document with notes, questions and concerns. This just might help you get your bearings as time goes by, and change your mood for the better.Theres no use in sitting around worrying about whats to come without doing something to help yourself take that leap. You should seize the chance to empower yourself instead.Get as excited as you can about the possibilitiesThink about the fact that its not all bad.Sure, things could massively change for you, whether its because of a huge project, a coveted meeting with an industry leader ora jump to a new company. But think about how much youve wondered if you could make it to this career stage in the first place.Take a walk down memory lane. What did you want to be growing up? What had to happen for you to get to this new chapter? Its funny how eventually we realize that everything we go through professionally - whether its challenging or not - prepares us for the days ahead.So, try to shake off the impostor syndromethats clouding your vision of the future. You truly deserve the new opportunity thats coming your way, but how you feel wont change until you actually start believing it.

How to write the perfect thank-you note after job interviews

How to write the perfect thank-you elende after job interviewsHow to write the perfect thank-you note after job interviewsGratitude goes a long way, and you can never show too much of it in the workplace. Writing - or emailing - a thank-you note is a small but meaningfulway to acknowledge an employees work or a colleaguesdedication.This small gesture of writing a note leaves a lastingimpression. I know that I still keep certain thank-you notes that make me smile to look at long after I was sent them.But they dont just make you feel warm and fuzzy, theyre alsoa smart, tactical way to network - and in some cases, they can make all the difference in getting the job or getting promoted.Harvard Business Review uses the case study of Tim, an employee at a sales organization who didnt geta management promotion, partly due to not saying thank you in a CEOs email about his good performance. Some may say this is an overblown reaction, but knowing how to acknowledgeother people is a key part of becoming a manager.It doesnt take long to say thank you, but it does take caring, the HBR author Peter Bregman said in his defense of the CEO not promoting Tim to a management job. Not answering someones communication - text or email or phone call - is not an accepted norm, it represents a fundamental breakdown in communication about which I often hear people complain. Tim might be good at certain aspects of his job but hes not doing his work well, if hes not acknowledging the people around him.And more than helping you in your career, thanking and acknowledging the people around you is part of the job of being a good human.How to writea thank-you noteYou can dash off a I-received-your-email brief thanks of acknowledgement for administrative tasks, but longer notes around gratitude deserve more than two words.The Washington Posts Miss Manners recommends not starting out a thank-you note with an actual thank you, because it makes the personal gesture sound as generic as a Hallm ark card.Instead, she recommends starting with an emotional connection between you and the recipient Start with a statement of emotion - that you were delighted that they came to your party, or thrilled when you opened their present, she wrote. Then a friendly line about the donors (such as that you remember something they told you, or that you hope to see them soon). A line about your own plans - summer, college or work - is optional.Most thank-you notes for job interviews are an easy formula of four sentences The first one to say you were happy to meet them, the second to thank them for interviewing you, and the third and fourth to share some personal connection or refer to a non-work topic you discussed at the interview, so they can remember you as an individual.So a good thank-you note would sound something like this Dear Thomas, I really enjoyed meeting you and the rest of the team and sharing ideas on the future of the sales operation. Thanks for having me in, and its alway s great to meet another Wisconsin fan. Ill be at the game on Sunday and hope we get to see them win All my best.It doesnt need to be longer than a few sentences, but taking the time to write a thoughtful thank-youmakes a difference. There is always a scenario where thanks can be given, but its particularly polite and needed in situations where someone is doing you a favor.Someone took you out for coffee and gave you free career advice? Even if you never take their advice, thank them in person and thank them again in a follow-up note. And regardless of whether or not you got the job, always thank your references and let them know about the final status of your application.Sending a note is not only good manners, it also shows that youre gratefulfor the investment and time people have put into your continued success. That thoughtfulness is what separates self-involved employees from future leaders.

Common Mistakes Made at Job Interviews

Common Mistakes Made at Job InterviewsCommon Mistakes Made at Job InterviewsGet through your interview without the fear of making an avoidable mistake. Preparing for that upcoming interview can be difficult. You should be doing research about both the company you are interviewing for and the position you want. You want to be knowledgeable, if possible, about the person that will be conducting your interview. Youve probably gone over common interview questions and how you will answer them when the time comes. However, there is no way to be fully prepared. Its okay to make mistakes at a job interview- it happens to everyone. But learning about the most common mistakes that are made, can help you avoid these blunders during your own interview.Being too modest. You may have a hard time talking about yourself and your accomplishments- you dont want to come across as bragging. But this interview is the time to do exactly that. You want the hiring company to know all of your good qualities and what you can bring to the position. If you fail to talk about yourself and your skills, the interviewer may think that you arent qualified enough. Do leid be afraid to talk about everything youve done at your previous positions.Appearing too nervous or too confident.This is really a double-edged sword- and it can be hard to find the perfect amount of confidence and calm. If you are too nervous for a job interview, you are much more likely to flub answers to important questions. An interviewer will also see this nervousness and may think you arent confident enough for the job. However, being too confident, bordering on cocky, can also be a large turn-off for interviews. They may think that you arent taking the interview seriously enough, or that you wont fit in well with the rest of the team.Bad-mouthing your previous company.While you may have had bad experiences with your previous employer or co-workers, now is not the time to talk about it. You can sum up your experiences by s imply saying you didnt see eye to eye, or did not think you were the right fit. Interviewers see bad-mouthing as unprofessional and may think of you as a problem-maker.Making up answers.There are hundreds of questions that can be brought up during an interview. If youve taken the time needed to prepare, you probably already have a solid grasp of the types of questions that might come up and how you will respond. Still, there may be that one questions that throws you off. If this happens, do not try to guess or make up an answer. Your interview will be able to see through this. Instead, you can use tactics to gain extra time to answer the question, such as asking for the question to be repeated. If you simply dont know the answer, tell the interviewer.Underdressing.Showing up for an interview, one of the first impressions that an interviewer receives of you is the way you present yourself. This doesnt just mean with your clothes. No, you should not be wearing jeans. Even if the inter view is described as casual, you should show up in business-casual wear. You should also make sure that your hair is properly groomed and your nails are clean and short. You can easily sabotage your interview by showing up in clothing that is too casual. An interviewer may think you are not taking the interview seriously or do not feel the need to impress the company.Failing to ask questions.When you think of an interview, you think of getting the third-degree about your skills, previous work experience, etc. But another large aspect of the interview is turning the tables and asking the interview your own questions. These are questions that you should already have prepared before the interview. You should have at least three or four questions. This shows the interviewer that youve done your own research about the company and that you have an interest in the position.

Air Force Occupational and Aeronautical Badges

Air Force Occupational and Aeronautical BadgesAir Force Occupational and Aeronautical BadgesBadges of the United States Air Force are military awards that designate aeronautical ratings, special skills, career field qualifications, and serve as identification. Most are awarded at either basic, senior and command levels, across different skill fields.Aeronautical badges are awarded to pilots, andOccupational badges are awarded to Air Force personnel engaged in duties other than flying.Here are some of the Air Force Occupation and Aeronautical Badges and their descriptions. 01Acquisition Financial ManagementUS Air Force Gallery of Occupational BadgesOfficers Rated officers certified as pilotsEnlisted None

There is a new way to get fit without spending more money

There is a new way to get fit without spending more moneyThere is a new way to get fit without spending more moneyIt can feel impossible to spend the time and money it takes to get healthy. Gym memberships can be costly, and thats bedrngnis even accounting for the minutes you lose to a workout.But now, health experts are looking at fitness through a completely different lens after a major change to the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines last year. Their new perspective makes it easier to engage in physical activity, with virtually zero time commitment and no additional strain to your pocketbooks.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAll you have to do is keep doing what youre doingLet me explain.In 2018, The Department of Health and Human Services ditched a requirement in the Physical Activity Guidelines that said physical activity (PA) had to go on for at least 10 minutes in a row to count toward better health. Experts from across the world were seemingly enthused to see the change, as they claimed that the previous rule was not evidence-based.This opens new exciting opportunities to capitalise(sic) on sporadic, incidental in nature, PA to improve the populations health, academics from Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Norway wrote in an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.In fact, weve known for a while that high-intensity interval training isa popular and effective means of exercise. But even those time-saving methods still tend to make demands on people that some of the countrys unhealthiest residents are unwilling to fulfill.Starting and sticking to an exercise programme is challenging for most who are at risk of developing lifestyle-related chronic disease the most physically inactive, unfit, and overweight or obese middle-aged individuals, thatis, themajorityof the adult population, the editorials authors wrote.No pain, no gainBut what about the incidental physical activity such individuals do on a nearly daily basis? Climbing stairs, chasing kids, or even carrying groceries?Those bouts of vigorous intensity physical activity count, too, according to the authors. And as everyone rethinks what good health looks like, it may be time to restructure our lives so that we incorporate High Intensity Incidental Physical Activity (HIIPA) into our daily routines.The time commitment for HIIPA is close to zero minutes per day, and people could save even more time if their HIIPA involves brief walking sprints, or taking the stairs instead of waiting for the lift,Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor at the University of Sydney and one of the editorials co-authors, said in a press release.Its just about making good decisions like parking the car at the edge of the carpark and carrying shopping for 50 or 100 meters.According toStamatakis, those who partake in HIIPA through their everyday routines can also enjoy no costs for fitn ess and no need for equipment. In short, the HIIPA solution is one of the most efficient methods to promote wellness, especially among middle-aged people who could be healthier.The editorials authors said public health organizations and clinical practice could use messaging such as huff and puff regularly instead of relying solely on bigger asks, such as moving more. But for those who already know about the benefits of incidental physical activity, theres no need for a PSA. Its time to departure taking the stairsYou might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Unusual Article Uncovers the Deceptive Practices of My Resume Builder

Unusual Article Uncovers the Deceptive Practices of My Resume Builder A good cover letter is your opportunity to prove that you know the reach of the role and the businesss mission. You may even wind up making more cash. At the close of the day be confident you will receive a job that you dream about, congratulations You might find yourself sending the same resume to different job applications and although you may believe that youre saving time you are really lessening your probability of receiving an interview Take a look at our sample to find out what a good construction resume looks like. There are a lot of professional resume template that can be found on the internet from which you are able to make out some idea about how to construct a professional curriculum vitae using best resume builder websites. If your state isnt allowed the website will keep you from registering automatically. If you opt to click the links on our website, we might get compensation. You may notla ge locate your precise field in the primary list, but when you opt for the field thats the closest fit, youre likely going to locate a more specific, appropriate listing in the sub-field dropdown box. You are going to be asked to supply your email address and enter a password, but you dont need to confirm your email address so as to proceed. Your email address wont be published. Its possible to enter your social networking profile address for an extra point of contact. Be aware that the Quantifiable Point doesnt will need to come right after the help essay writing competition 2015 verb. Real estate is quite a lucrative industry so its obviously a competitive one. The area of information technology gets more important every single day. It is possible to add your photo and logos of organizations from your prior experience. You should also speak about past experience. There are big advantages of gambling online instead of live games at land-based casinos. The tool supplies a s tep-by-step guide to resume building which offers you total control over it and youre able to manage it in any manner you enjoy. The ResuM8 app makes it possible for you to draw the attention you have earned. You are able to use our resume building software to create your own from scratch. Award-winning software buy untraceable essays teaches you all you need to be successful. These tools help you in building your career path. Education For someone by means of a combination format, education is not as crucial. Our advanced technology will allow you to build your resume from one of our exquisite templates in order to truly feel confident youre putting your very best foot forward as you step in the job marketplace. My Resume Builder Can Be Fun for Everyone Possessing a strong resume will permit you find several great jobs. Possessing a crystal clear and professional resume is essential in the health care field. Youll be guided step by step to make your Curriculum vitae. Some one states that resumes are dead and it is necessary to have social media, but practice indicates that recruiters continue to find applicants resume, choose more relevant ones and just then connect with applicants. Youll have to think of ways to craft your resume for assorted openings. 1 advantage for employers to internet resumes is the substantial cost saving in comparison to traditional hiring methods. Youre now prepared to impress your potential employers. A growing number of employers are interested in creative talent that thinks outside the box. Whispered My Resume Builder Secrets Nowadays, its a lot simpler to create an ideal CV with the assistance of some relevant applications. Your resume will be better in the auffhrung that you know your abilities and the way they will help prospective employers. Chronological formats are usually more flexibleand helping be employed by applicants who have any amount of experience. Resume writing advice will help you to acquire more j ob offers. Resumes may be used for a number of reasons, but most often theyre utilized to secure new employment. They may be organized in different ways.

The 5 Big Fat Lies Recruiters Like to Tell Job Candidates - Spark Hire

The 5 Big Fat Lies Recruiters Like to Tell Job Candidates - Spark HireAs a child, hearing the magical stories about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the tooth fairy was like escaping to a dream world. Life was so much easier once you were in the story. Years later, as parents, aunts, uncles or just friends, we hear ourselves telling those saatkorn stories to the ones we love. We lie because we want to protect them as long as we can from the crucial reality thats out there. Sometimes recruiters do the same thing. They lie to their candidates because they dont want them to lose face or just hold off on the disappointment a little longer, although they already know that the candidate wont get the job. Storytelling for our children is fine, but telling fairy tales to our job candidates might leid let them live happily ever after.Here are the 5 most common lies that recruiters like to tell their job candidates1. Well keep you in mind for future opportunities.What they really mean Well keep you r resume in a dark box (virtually) together with the other 5,000 candidates that we didnt take.How to do it better Tell candidates upfront if theyre a good fit for any of your other current open positions. If not, you have two options Encourage training and development that will let the candidate re-apply with better chances or point them in the direction of another company and simply let them go. Honesty will highly increase the candidate experience.2. Well be in touch.What they really mean In about four weeks or so youll get one of those automated emails saying that you are not the right candidate for the job. And yes, were sorry. How to do it better Give a clear time frame on when the candidate will hear from you. The sooner the better. Remember that every job candidate is a potential advocate for your brand.3. Id give you the job right now, but were still interviewing.What they really mean Im really hoping that the other candidates will do better than you do right now. But if no thing better comes around, youll get the job.How to do it better Something is bugging you in this hiring process. Be a better recruiter and tell the candidate what the real issue is. Ask every question you have and tell them where they could improve. Sometimes you have to dig deeper to see the real potential of a candidate.4. Youre great on paper.What they really mean Youre not the right candidate for us. Or We really dont like you. How to do it better Tell the candidate that theres a problem with cultural fit and that he (or she) will most likely not be happy working this particular job or have an easy time settling into the company culture. Refer the candidate to another company if you can and streamline your talent process for the future so that you dont have people who dont fit the company culture make it to the interview process.5. What are your salary expectations? Theres really no set amount.What they really mean I have a figure in mind which Im not going to say. Also, there is really no margin to negotiate. So either your expectations match this figure or youre out of the picture. How to do it better Dont use the salary question to screen talent and thin out the talent pool. Dont hesitate to tell your candidate your salary range and see if the numbers match his (or her) expectations. Dont waste your (or your candidates) time playing games. Remember that you want your employee to be happy and satisfied with the job.Final Thought Honesty is the best policy. The candidates (and your) time is very precious and should not be wasted on unnecessary questions or answers that work against streamlining the recruiting process. Go for a superior candidate experience and do unto others as you would have others do unto you.Ever used any of the above lies? Share your perspective below and help others to be a better recruiterIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byDyanna HydeAbout the Author Mona Berberich is a Digital Marketing Manager at Better Weekdays, a Chicago-based company that has developed a platform to help HR leaders source, screen and develop talent based on job compatibility. She is a researcher and writer covering HR, career growth, talent management and leadership development.Contact informationGoogle+, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Steve Jobs Biography and Legacy

Steve Jobs Biography and LegacySteve Jobs Biography and LegacyApple is one of the most well-known technology companies in the world, and its popularity continues to grow with each passing year. The name Steve Jobs has become practically synonymous with the company he was the CEO of Apple, which he co-founded in 1976. Jobs led an interesting and eventful life as an entrepreneur, inventor, and designer. Early Life Steve was born February 24, 1955, in San Francisco, California, and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. He grew up with one sister, Patty. Paul Jobs was a machinist and fixed cars as a hobby. Jobs biological parents married and had another child, a daughter named Mona, and Steve knew nothing about his biological family until he was 27 years old. After graduating from high school in 1972, Jobs attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, for two years. He dropped out to visit India and study Eastern religions in the summer of 1974. In 1975 Jobs joined a group known as the Ho mebrew Computer Club. One member, a technical whiz named Steve Wozniak, was trying to build a small computer. Jobs became fascinated with the marketing potential of such a computer. In 1976 he and Wozniak formed their company, funding it by selling Jobs Volkswagen bus and Wozniaks prized scientific calculator. They called their new venture Apple Computer Company. Founding Apple Jobs and Wozniak sold their first computer, the Apple I, generating almost $775,000 in sales. They redesigned their computer with the idea of selling it to individual users, and the Apple II went to market in 1977 with impressive first-year sales of $2.7 million. The companys sales grew to almost $200 million within three years. Jobs and Wozniak had opened an entirely new market- personal computers. In 1984 Apple introduced a revolutionary new model, the Macintosh. The on-screen display had small pictures called icons. To use the computer, the user pointed at an icon and clicked a button using a device ca lled a mouse. This process made the Macintosh very easy to use. The Macintosh did not sell well to businesses because it lacked features other personal computers had. The failure of the Macintosh signaled the beginning of Jobss initial downfall at Apple. He resigned in 1985, though he retained his title as chairman of its board of directors. Jobs soon hired some of his former employees to begin a new computer company called NeXT. In late 1988 the NeXT computer was introduced at a large galaveranstaltung event in San Francisco, aimed at the educational market. The product was very user-friendly and had a fast processing speed, excellent graphics displays, and an outstanding sound system. Despite the warm reception, however, the NeXT machine never caught on. It was too costly, had a black-and-white screen, and could not be linked to other computers or run common software. In 1986 Jobs purchased a small company called Pixar from filmmaker George Lucas. Pixar specialized in computer ani mation. Nine years later Pixar release Toy Story, a huge box office hit. Pixar later went on to make Toy Story 2 and A Bugs Life, which Disney distributed, and Monsters, Inc., among other hits. In 2006, Pixar merged with Disney, and as a result, Jobs became the largest shareholder of Disney stock. In December 1996, Apple purchased NeXT Software for over $400 million. After more than 10 years away from the company, Jobs returned to Apple as a part-time consultant to the chief executive officer (CEO). Back at Apple Over the next six years, Apple introduced several new products and marketing strategies. In November 1997 Jobs announced Apple would sell computers directly to users over the web and by telephone. The Apple Store became a runaway success. Within a week it was the third-largest e-commerce site on the Internet. In September 1997 Jobs was named interim CEO of Apple. In 1998 Jobs announced the release of the iMac, which featured powerful computing at an affordable price. Th e iBook was unveiled in July 1999. It includes Apples AirPort, a computer version of the cordless phone that would allow the user to surf the Internet wirelessly. In January 2000 Jobs unveiled Apples new Internet strategy. It included a group of Macintosh-only Internet-based applications. Jobs also announced that he was becoming the permanent CEO of Apple. Apple also became a leader in the digital music revolution, having sold over 110 million iPods and over three billion songs from its iTunes online store. Apple then entered the mobile phone market in 2007 with its revolutionary iPhone. Steve Jobs Final Years In 2003, Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Initially, he delayed surgery, wanting to treat his illness with holistic methods, but eventually had an operation to remove the tumor in 2004. The surgery was deemed successful, and in following years Jobs disclosed little else about his health. Jobs health started to decline noticeably in 2009. In January of that year, he announced a six-month leave of absence, and in April he underwent a liver transplant, after which his prognosis was called excellent. However, a year and a half after the transplant, Jobs took another medical leave of absence. He announced his formal resignation as CEO on August 24, 2011, but continued to work as chairman of the board until October 4, 2011, the day before his death. On October 5, Jobs died of complications related to his pancreatic cancer. He was 56 years old. Jobs Legacy Following Jobs death, there were outpourings of support across the tech community. He was, posthumously, the subject of a film, an authorized biography, and a number of other books. Although none of the works covering Jobs life depict him as a perfect man, on one thing they agree Steve Jobs was a genius, and he died too soon.

Making Robots That Think, Part 1

Making Robots That Think, Part 1 Making Robots That Think, Part 1 Making Robots That Think, Part 1Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen made headlines last month when he announced plans to invest a $125 million via from his nonprofit foundation in what he calls Project Alexandria, a multi-year effort to bring fundamental human knowledge to robotic and artificial intelligence (AI) systems.In short, Allen wants to create machines with common sense.To make real progress in AI, we have to overcome the big challenges in the area of common sense, he told The New York Times. UC Berkeley Robot Learning Lab (from left to right) Chelsea Finn, Pieter Abbeel, Trevor Darrell, and Sergey Levine. leumund UC BerkeleyIt was a splashy announcement for a technical functionality that researchers have been working on quietly for some time. Robotics has come a long way since the turn of the century, with hardware and software available that enable machines to complete a variety of complex tasks s uch as assembling products on an assembly line performing delicate medical work and working underwater, in outer space, and in other inhospitable environments. But limitations remain. Robots excel at repetitive, assignable tasks such as tightening a screw over and over, but dont yet work well in situations where they are forced to work alongside others or think and plan actions for themselves.Allens research aims to address this shortcoming by developing machines that can do more of the same mental exercises that humans can and using that newfound knowledge to build smarter, more adaptable robots.Learn How Artificial Intelligence Can Actually Help HumanityTo make real progress in AI, we have to overcome the big challenges in the area of common sense. Paul Allen, MicrosoftThat is just part of the solution. Robotics engineers are also working on systems that help robots think beyond what tasks they are pursuing on a day-to-day basis the work they have been programmed to do and inste ad develop the forethought they need to learn and adapt to new challenges, effectively picking up new skills on the fly, independent of what humans teach them.This functionality is the basis of work being done by Dr. Sergey Levine, an Assistant prof in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the intersection between control and machine learning, developing, as he says, algorithms and techniques that can endow machines with the ability to autonomously acquire the skills for executing complex tasks.Levines most recent work in this area is focused on the concept of visual foresight, enabling machines to visualize their future actions so that they can figure out on their own what they need to do in situations that they have never experienced before. This is accomplished by using the robots cameras to visualize a set of movements, and then allowing their software to process those visual cues into ac tions that mimic those movements.What we were thinking about were some of the differences between how robots manipulate objects in their environment and how people do it, Dr. Levine says. A lot of the standard approaches to robotic manipulation involve, essentially, modeling the world, planning through that model, and then executing that plan using whatever control we happened to have.Part 2 looks at the different applications those advancements in robotic AI can target.Tim Sprinkle is an independent writer.

Definition of Web Spidering and Web Crawlers

Definition of Web Spidering and Web CrawlersDefinition of Web Spidering and Web CrawlersSpiders are programs (or automated scripts) that crawl through the Web looking for data. Spiders travel through website URLs and can pull data from web pages like email addresses. Spiders also are used to feed information found on websites to search engines. Spiders, which are also referred to as web crawlers search the Web and not all are friendly in their intent. Spammers Spider Websites to Collect Information Google, Yahoo and other search engines are not the only ones interested in crawling websites so are scammers and spammers. Spiders and other automated tools are used by spammers to find email addresses (on the internet this practice is often referred to as harvesting) on websites and then use them to create spam lists. Spiders are also a tool used by search engines to find out more information about your website but left unchecked, a website without instructions (or, permissions) on h ow to crawl your site can present major information security risks. Spiders travel by following links, and they are very adept at finding links to databases, program files, and other information to which you may not want them to have access. Webmasters can view logs to see what spiders and other robots have visited their sites. This information helps webmasters know who is indexing their site, and how often. This information is useful because it allows webmasters to fine tune their SEO and update robot.txt files to prohibit certain robots from crawling their site in the future. Tips on Protecting Your Website From Unwanted Robot Crawlers There is a fairly simple way to keep unwanted crawlers out of your website. Even if you are not concerned about malicious spiders crawling your site (obfuscating email address will not protect you from most crawlers), you should still need to provide search engines with important instructions. All websites should have a file located in the root directory called a robots.txt file. This file allows you to instruct web crawlers where you want them to look to index pages (unless otherwise stated in a specific pages meta data to be no-indexed) if they are a search engine. Just as you can tell wanted crawlers where you want them to browse, you can also tell them where they may not go and even block specific crawlers from your entire website. It is important to bear in mind that a well put together robots.txt file will have tremendous value for search engines and could even be a key element in improving your websites performance, but some robot crawlers will still ignore your instructions. For this reason, it is important to keep all your software, plugins, and apps up to date at all times. Related Articles and Information Due to the prevalence of information harvesting used to nefarious (spam) purposes, legislation was passed in 2003 to make certain practices illegal. These consumer protection laws fall under the CAN-SPAM Ac t of 2003. It is important that you take the time to read up on the CAN-SPAM Act if your business engages in any mass mailing or information harvesting. You can find out more about anti-spam laws and how todeal with spammers, and what you as a business owner may not do, by reading the following articles CAN-SPAM Act 2003CAN-SPAM Act Rules for Nonprofits5 CAN-SPAM Rules Small Business Owners Need to Understand