The easiest and most reliable way I have found to create an Alias (shortcut for Windows users) on a Mac is to open up two finder windows, one with the file/folder that you want to make an alias of, and the other where you want to place the alias. Then click (and hold) on the file/folder that you want to make into an alias and press Command+Option on the keyboard and drag the folder (you will notice that the icon changes to an alias icon while you are dragging it) into the location where you want to place the alias. Let go of the mouse and yay its done.