Taking the skills you have in your hobbies and turning them into a profession is no easy task. Some may be happy simply to express themselves for fun and earn a little spare cash, but if you want to take your skills to the next level, the world of cosplay has some helpful tips.

Stuck in a rut and want to get more out of your day than sitting at a desk, punching keys and drinking lukewarm coffee? Hate reading those dull self-help books that are just a stream of 'do this thing and you'll be fulfilled'? Well, good news - we've lined up seven books that will help you get your crap together and take your career, personal life and leisure to the next LEVEL.

Here they are.

Google pulled off something few companies have managed recently - releasing something unexpected. While their new smartphones were expected, they added a bunch of stuff few people saw coming.

Negotiation is a messy, stressful process. But redditor B1aze688 breaks it down into three fundamental elements: The deal you want, the deal you'll accept, and what you'll do if you can't get either. Never enter a negotiation before you know all three.

As a freelancer, one of the hardest things to do is to tell potential clients what you're about and why they should hire you, AKA your elevator pitch. It isn't just about what's in your spiel, but it's also about the why that can really make people care.

So you want to learn a second language to help advance your career, but you have no idea which one would benefit you the most. If you were to ask an economist, this is probably what they'd tell you.

People often make purchasing decisions predominantly based on the brand. That is, they may pick one product over another based on a company's brand reputation, even if the quality of the offerings are the same. That's why brand value is important. So which Australian companies are deemed to be the most valuable in terms of brand? Here's the top 10 list.

We are living at a time of unlimited potential. Never before have we experienced such a rapid growth in the number of young entrepreneurs who've begun working for themselves. From app developers, to freelance writers, business consultants, creative producers and startup founders, there's no shortage of people willing to take large calculated risks in the name of sculpting their own self-employed dream careers.

While employers like seeing coding experience on any applicant’s resume, you can further set yourself apart from the competition with some extra marketing and business data expertise. One great resource to this end? The three-course Business of Programming Bundle.

Not everyone is fit for the 9-to-5, but we live in a time where it’s becoming easier to make it as your own boss. The Silicon Valley Tech Startup Launchpad Course & Certification can help you build your own tech business to do just that.

MBA training is invaluable, whether you’re an entrepreneur or someone looking to climb the career ladder. And having skills in finance, business writing, and leadership are essential for success.

The costs of global terrorism on business go beyond the destruction caused in the attacks, to impact the value of brands and supply chains for products, new research shows. It can also give a competitive edge to some companies while destroying others. In the 15 years since the September 11 terrorist attacks, terrorism and its tragic consequences have become transnational in nature and in impact. Terrorism moved from an unquantifiable uncertainty to a risk, with an ever-increasing frequency that exceeded 70,000 attacks within the last 15 years. The cost of these attacks on human lives is alarming and devastating. But today, we step back and take a closer look at the impact of terrorism on businesses.

It's exciting to work for a startup. You can become part of a team that disrupts the market -- be true pioneers in a particular industry. But not all startups are created equal and there will be misguided entrepreneurs who you definitely want to avoid because they're either up to no good or are just bad at what they do. But how do you identify them? One ex-employee of a dodgy startup shared her experience and red flags to watch out for.

I have met many brilliant and entrepreneurial people in my life who have had grand ideas for a businesses. They enthusiastically give me details about their ideas and some actually go through with them. I can see they're determined to succeed and yet I've seen many of them fail. It's often the ones who don't know much about the ins and outs of running a business that stumble. Here's why.

When you're giving a presentation, a little mystery goes a long way. If you want to grasp your audience's attention, start off your presentation with some visuals that get them thinking.

The traditional advice to "not take it personally, it's business" can be kind of problematic. It suggests you should just chalk up your experience to the perils of professionalism, rather than process or learn anything from it so you can grow.

While it can be a rewarding experience, striking out on your own to start a business can be tough and daunting as it comes with a lot of uncertainty. The potential instability of not having a steady stream of income is what usually scares people away and yet there are many driven individuals determined to be their own boss. So what makes people want to do it? Here's what we know.

A lot of meetings end up being a complete waste of time, but that wasted time also means wasted money. This calculator will show how much an unproductive meeting really costs.

Building a real professional network is a valuable way to get ahead and you can do it without being sleazy. One key way to do that: don't just "network up" to people above you.