The New American Dreamer—
Making Your Vision a Reality

When the Mega Million Jackpot hit more than $500 million recently, job-holders and job-seekers alike dared to dream. What would it be like to become a multi-multi-millionaire overnight, never having to worry about climbing that corporate ladder or looking for that next job?

Except for three lucky winners, all of us came crashing to earth the following morning. We could still chase our dreams, yet those dreams needed to be based in reality.

That’s what this column is all about, helping you, the New American Dreamer, reach your goals. If you are lucky enough to be working today (no small feat with so much of the population out of work), you may feel stalled. How do you rev up your career again? Your strategy may be simple, finding a new mentor, for example, or more complicated, actually switching careers.

If you are between jobs, then what do you need to do to stand out from the crowd? You may feel you have done everything possible, but there may be things you have overlooked. Together we will find out what those additional tactics might be and how you can employ them to your advantage.

Should you become an entrepreneur and start your own business? That depends on many factors and we will cover the topic in many different ways. Be warned: most new businesses fail in their first year. I’ll tell you why and come up with some ways you might avoid that fate.

Technology plays a huge roll in the workplace today, whether you want to work for an internet company or use the internet to advance your career and business. Everyone—let me repeat that, everyone—needs a presence on the web. You want to manage that image, not your employer, a friend, or someone who happens to snap your photo at a party. New instruments are now available to help you, but learning how to use sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and others takes some time and effort. Don’t worry. You don’t have to be 13. We will show you how.

Spring is here. What better time to get started on your new life, one that doesn’t depend on winning the lottery but in working hard to reach your goals. And isn’t that strategy really at the heart of reaching the American Dream?

Jason Veduccio is a hard-working entrepreneur following his dreams, and he wants you to dream, too. Drawing on his experiences working with companies on marketing, technology, hiring, and workplace issues, his regular column will demystify the job search process and identify strategies for moving up the corporate ladder. Founder of In1Concepts, Jason also knows the ins and outs of launching a new business. He welcomes your questions and can be reached at jason@in1concepts.com.