25 Jan 12 How To Improve Your Job Prospects
When you are employed it is really easy to get complacent about job prospects. You settle into a nice routine, you get used to how things work and the only time you ever seriously think about your career prospects is when you are thinking about applying for a new job. Then suddenly you find out that everyone else has so much better prospects than you do and you are very much at the bottom of the pile. So the time to actually think about improving your job prospects is now!
There are lots of things that you can do to make you stand out from your colleagues and be that little bit more employable. Voluntary work is a great way of picking up new skills, showing that you have a sense of community responsibility and that you are not afraid of hard work.
Studying in your own time can also really improve your career, even if the subject matter isnt wholly relevant (although the more relevant, the better) studying helps sharpen your analytical skills and helps you to become much more confident in general.
New skills can also be something that you can help your CV stand out. These could be organisational skills or learning how to manage, in different settings etc. So being in charge of a group of Scouts or Brownies certainly shows that you can be in charge, lead and (probably) that you have the patience of a saint. So dont discount learning new skills, even if they dont seem to be directly related to your work.
In the workplace, whether you are permanently employed or a temp working for a recruitment agency, make sure that you are flexible about work, as efficient as you can be and that you are always willing to take on new challenges. Adopting a Can Do attitude will also boots your job prospects.
Tags: Analytical Skills, Attitude, Better Prospects, Boots, Brownies, Career Prospects, Challenges, Colleagues, Community Responsibility, Cv, Job Prospects, Little Bit, New Job, Organisational Skills, Own Time, Patience Of A Saint, Recruitment Agency, Subject Matter, Voluntary Work
26 Dec 11 How to get Through Your First Week at Work
Anyone starting a new job is really bound to feel a sense of apprehension. Going into the office on your first day, especially if you are in a relatively junior position can seem a daunting experience. After all, you dont even know where the toilets are, or where to make yourself a drink, so the first day and even the first week can seem quite slow and lengthy.
But there are some things that you can do to help yourself and make the settling in process a little bit quicker. Dont be afraid to ask. If you dont know how to do something or where something is, then ask, but try not to ask the same person all the time, or they may grow a little tired of it.
Dont be too forward on your first day. If you come in and try to change things too quickly, people may resent you. So just adapt to how things are done and dont keep telling people how your last employer did things: they probably wont be interested.
It is always important to be friendly but do not attach yourself to a particular individual until you know what is what in the office and understand the dynamics of the workplace. It is really easy to alienate people by inadvertently saying the wrong thing. Remember that these people are colleagues, not necessarily your new best friends.
If you are temping for a recruitment agency, then you probably will get used to settling into new work experiences very quickly, but you should still ensure that you dont rock the boat too much, whether you are temping or there on a permanent basis. Changes in the workplace often need to be handled sensitively and many people may be wary of a new person joining the team, so simply be yourself, but be slightly reserved until you start to understand how things work and what the office is really like. That way, settling in should be no trouble at all and you will soon be a valued member of the workplace.
Tags: Afraid To Ask, anxiety, Apprehension, Bound, Changes In The Workplace, Colleagues, fear, first week, help, Junior Position, Little Bit, Many People, New Best Friends, New Friends, New Job, Recruitment Agency, Rock The Boat, Settling, Starting A New Job, Toilets, Work Experiences
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08 Dec 08 How To Improve Your Job Prospects
When you are employed it is really easy to get complacent about job prospects. You settle into a nice routine, you get used to how things work and the only time you ever seriously think about your career prospects is when you are thinking about applying for a new job. Then suddenly you find out that everyone else has so much better prospects than you do and you are very much at the bottom of the pile. So the time to actually think about improving your job prospects is now!
There are lots of things that you can do to make you stand out from your colleagues and be that little bit more employable. Voluntary work is a great way of picking up new skills, showing that you have a sense of community responsibility and that you are not afraid of hard work.
Studying in your own time can also really improve your career, even if the subject matter isnt wholly relevant (although the more relevant, the better) studying helps sharpen your analytical skills and helps you to become much more confident in general.
New skills can also be something that you can help your CV stand out. These could be organisational skills or learning how to manage, in different settings etc. So being in charge of a group of Scouts or Brownies certainly shows that you can be in charge, lead and (probably) that you have the patience of a saint. So dont discount learning new skills, even if they dont seem to be directly related to your work.
In the workplace, whether you are permanently employed or a temp working for a recruitment agency, make sure that you are flexible about work, as efficient as you can be and that you are always willing to take on new challenges. Adopting a Can Do attitude will also boots your job prospects.
Tags: Afraid To Ask, Anxiety, Apprehension, Bound, Changes In The Workplace, Fear, Junior Position, Little Bit, Many People, New Best Friends, New Friends, Posi, Recruitment Agency, Settling, Starting A New Job, Toilets, Work Experiences, Workplace Colleagues
26 Nov 11 How to Get Referrals from Warm Contacts
You may find it hard to use networking to find a job if you cant rely on
your warm contacts to give you the information you need. At times,
you would have to ask your warm contacts to refer you to at least two
people that they know who will be able to give you the information you
needed.
However, there are times that your warm contact, particularly those
who dont know you well, may not readily provide you with the
information. Some of your warm contacts may feel reluctant about
vouching for you to their other contacts.
Because of this, you may find it difficult to use your network. To make
networking and getting referrals an easy task for you, here are a few
tips.
* Nurture your warm contacts.
Before you even need your warm contacts or before you even
ask for help, keep in touch with your warm contacts. You may
send notes or greetings from time to time, call to catch up on
them, invite them to lunch, be interested or help in their
business or do anything just to cultivate your connection with
them.
In this way, by the time you need help, they can remember you
and can more readily give information about their other contacts
that will be able to help you.
* Be polite.
Since you might not have close personal relationships with some
of your valuable warm contacts, it is inappropriate to just give
them a call and ask them for information about your field of
interest.
Sometimes, sending a note in advance, or asking to meet them
for lunch is a better way to ask for their help.
* Listen to them.
Most of the time, even if your warm contact knows little in the
field where you are trying to find a job, they might offer you
advice. Be polite and interested in what they are saying. Who
knows, the information that they are giving may be valuable to
you in the future.
There are times that your warm contacts may be telling you tips
on what manner will work best when you talk to the persons to
whom you are being referred. Your warm contacts may also
imply what qualities and qualifications the person is looking for.
* Ask for at least two referrals.
Before you ask for referrals, make sure that your warm contact had
said everything that he or she can say about your field of interest.
Even if they know little about that field, it is impolite if you cut them
short while they are speaking to ask if they know somebody who will
be able to help you.
If they werent able to refer you to at least one of their contacts,
thoughtfully ask them why they couldnt do so. They may give you
answers that may include indirect comments or suggestions. They
may also indicate a lack of confidence in your work strategy. If this is
so, you may have to make follow ups with them to prove that you are
indeed credible and match their requirements.
However, there are also times when they cant refer you to their
contacts because they just dont know anybody who might have the
information or might be interested in the product.
In this case, ask them to keep their eyes open for opportunities that
you might be interested in. You can also leave with them copies of
your resume.
* Just ask for two referrals.
Two referrals are enough from each warm contact. This is to have
another option in case the first one didnt work out. Asking for more
than two referrals could be impolite as it can take much time from
your warm contact. Also, that will make your warm contact feel that
you are relying mostly on him or her for your job search. So, unless
they volunteer the information, dont ask for more than 2 referrals.
* Contact referrals as soon as possible.
When your warm contacts give you referrals, there are times that they
also call these people personally to give more information about you.
On the other hand, when you contact the people to whom you were
referred, your referrals may call your warm contacts to verify the
information or to ask more information about you.
Either way, you have to contact your referrals soon enough that these
people can still remember their conversation with your warm contact,
or your warm contact can still remember that you have talked.
At times, after your referrals were called by your warm contacts, they
anticipate your call and even prepare questionnaires and exams for
you to take. Do not waste this opportunity by delaying follow-up on
referrals.
Keeping these tips in mind will be able to help you in asking for good
referrals from your warm contacts.
Tags: Contact, Contacts, Find A Job, Find Job, Greetings, How To Get Referrals, Networking, Personal Relationships
27 Sep 11 How To Earn Money With A Public Speaking Job
Sell what you know
Your knowledge and expertise in a specific field will make them come, so make sure to build your base in that area through a variety of different mediums and formats. You can reach a lot of people if they are familiar with your works, books, CDs, or audio tapes. They could recognize you easily and instantly know what it is you are an expert at. You could get hired without difficulty and be conveniently invited to various speaking engagements. This could instantly translate to a thriving business as well as numerous speaking engagements.
Try Corporate Sponsorship
You can attempt to get companies to sponsor your fees when you speak by being in touch with those organizations who might be interested to be associated with whatever is the message of your speaking engagement. There are a lot of opportunities to be creative. Think of any specific group or company that would be a perfect audience for your subject and propose your concept to that corporations PR Department.
Try Speakers Bureau
What this type of organization does is to actually locate speakers for their clients. This bureau earns a bit of a percentage from whatever is the speakers fee. Usually the percentage ranges between fifteen percent up to thirty percent. Although having a speakers bureau hire you would be a lot easier if you were a celebrity or already have a record of proven success in the public speaking field, it wont hurt if you try them out. It is also highly advisable that the materials you have for promotion do not include your contact number but the bureaus. This is done so that any client who is interested in booking you again will contact the bureau and not you. The more fees you earn, the higher their earnings. So the benefit works both ways.
Do Seminars in Public
The idea behind this is simple, you do a speaking engagement in public and people buy tickets to that engagement.
Or you could also inform several corporations of your public seminar and any interested employees that they may have will buy the tickets to your speaking engagement.
You could do your own promotions through your website or through mailing lists.
Do Seminars on the Phone
Yes Virginia, it is possible. An inexpensive telephone bridge line could be requested or a more expensive conference call. Would-be participants then call and once connected, the seminar is delivered over the telephone line. It saves a lot of travel expenses for everyone. Any visual aids needed may be had via your website so participants should have ready access to a computer.
Tags: Audience, Benefit, Celebrity, Contact Number, Corporate Sponsorship, Corporations, Earnings, How To Earn Money, Job, Mediums, People, Pr Department, Public Seminar, Seminars, Speakers Bureau, Speaking Engagement, Speaking Engagements, Specific Group, Thriving Business, Works Books
28 Aug 11 How to Earn Big From Paid Online Surveys
First of all, let us see why do we get paid for taking online surveys? Paid survey companies do conduct researches in the field of marketing on behalf of their clients for analyzing consumers attitude and interest towards a particular product or service. The online surveys help in acquiring the valuable feedback from consumers and offer them cash and prizes in return to their time spent on taking surveys and giving out opinions. There are even companies which offer you sample products and pay to conduct evaluation of certain products.
After understanding the concept of why do they pay the consumers, we can now discuss about how much money can a person make out of taking online paid surveys?
The earning potential of a person who is taking online paid surveys depends on how frequently he gets surveys, type of surveys and the time spent on completing them. All these facts depend on the companys needs. Normally, it takes anywhere between 10 minutes to one hour to complete an online survey which purely depends on number of questions to be answered.
The compensation for a paid survey ranges from $1 to $50 or more for each and ever survey being completed. Some paid online survey companies provide the consumers who take surveys with points which can be redeemed for cash or prize after a cut off mark normally by making 1000 points minimum which will equal to $50 minimum to exchange with cash or prize, some may ask to enter sweepstakes for cash or prizes. Certain surveys are offered to only focus groups who are specialized in the field of the survey to be taken which will take more time than the normal survey and also offer more pay than the normal ones.
The next step is to have knowledge of what should one expect from online paid surveys and know when it is happening?
When the agency that conducts online paid surveys, is in need of your opinions on a specific product, service or a new concept it will then notify you by e-mail with a set of questionnaires. The link given in the email will list for the surveys you are entitled for, the points you can earn after successful completion of the survey. Most of the surveys will have screening questions to find out if you are eligible to take the survey as it might be according to the factors like age, gender and income. if you arent not eligible to take the survey, you will be offered minimum points or entry to sweepstakes.
To get maximum number of surveys one can enroll with two or more online paid survey companies rather than sticking with only one as this increases the flow of surveys. By filling up profile surveys the research companies learn a lot about you so give you the surveys, which would suit your educational, background, income, age and gender. Although profile surveys are not paid, it increases your presence. This will also give an impression of a committed survey taker. The free online paid surveys are recommended than the paid online surveys, as there is no risk involved regarding the genuineness of the company offering surveys. Finally it is very important to have a unique account where the money will be deposited.
Tags: Attitude, Cash And Prizes, Compensation Survey, Consumers, E Mail, Earning Potential, Enter Sweepstakes, Feedback, Focus Groups, How Much Money, Knowledge, Marketing, Online Paid Surveys, Online Survey, Online Surveys, Paid Survey, Questionnaires, Researches, Survey Companies, Taking Online Paid Surveys
29 Jul 11 How to Determine the Quality of an Online Nursing Program
How to Determine the Quality of an Online Nursing Program
The process of accreditation is not mandatory for nursing programs, but it is desirable. Accreditation is a voluntary program that schools can use to make sure that their program is on par with other schools across the country. While there may be many fine schools that are not accredited, accreditation should give you confidence in an online nursing program. Another reason to choose a school with a valid accreditation is that many schools will not take transfers or allow continuing education from a school that is not accredited.
There are two groups that accredit nursing programs in the United States. They are the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission, or NLNAC, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or CCNE. By choosing a school that has the seal of approval from one of these agencies, you should feel confident that you are enrolling in a quality program.
Styles of Learning
Once you are comfortable that your school meets national standards, you must determine whether it will work for you. Online classes are becoming increasingly popular, which is both good and bad. The rapid growth in popularity of online classes has made it difficult for some schools to turn away students. Consider it from the schools point of view. An online course normally costs the same as a regular course. However, the online student does not need a seat in the classroom, does not need to fit into a class. Many colleges do not restrict the class size for online classes. While this may not be a problem if you really understand the coursework and are able to work well independently, it can cause a problem if you need extra help or find yourself falling behind.
One way that many online classes work is by collaborative learning. It is not unusual for the instructor to divide the class into smaller groups and provide assignment for each small group to work together on. Depending on your group you may find yourself spending a good deal of time in online discussions that you had not counted on when planning your time.
Other classes provide little to no interaction between yourself and other students. You will check a class message board for assignments and receive your grades in an email and have little interaction with anything other than the text book.
While it is helpful to discuss the styles of classes before you settle on a school, most teachers within a school have their own style of teaching, and you will have to adapt to each method. The most important factor when considering an online nursing program is the availability of the teachers. In even the smallest classes, if the teacher is unavailable or less than timely in returning graded assignments it will be hard to get the most from your classes.
Hands on Training
In a nursing profession it is important to receive hands on training. You will have to count on a certain number of class hours to be clinical, or hands on. The number of hours and how they are accumulated will vary by school and degree program. Someone studying for the registered nurse, or RN, degree will spend a great deal of time doing clinical work, while a student completing their Bachelors of Science in Nursing that already is an RN and has worked as a nurse will require few, if any, clinical hours.
Getting Your Questions Answered
An online nursing program, like any other online degree program, is only as good as the people running it. It can be more difficult to determine the quality of the teaching in an online setting, but by paying attention and doing your research you may have find some clues. When you contact the school initially, how are you treated? Are your calls and emails returned promptly? Are your questions answered in a clear manner? The treatment you receive before you are a registered student can be indicative of the treatment you will receive through your time at the school.
Does the staff seem generally knowledgeable and available to answer your questions about financial aid, transferring credits, and other factors that you must consider before committing to one school? While everyone is an individual, you may discover that a helpful and administrative staff often works in the same places as supportive teachers.
The bottom line when shopping for an online nursing program is straightforward. Check that the program is accredited, make sure that there is a system in place for you to receive your clinical hours, and consider the attitude of the staff before you enroll as a student.
Tags: Ccne, Choosing A School, Collaborative Learning, Colleges, Collegiate Nursing Education, Confidence, Continuing Education, Coursework, Groups, Nlnac, Nursing Accreditation Commission, Nursing Programs, Point Of View, Popularity, Quality Program, Rapid Growth, Seal Of Approval, Small Group, United States, Voluntary Program
29 Jun 11 How to Create a List of Warm Contacts
Usually when you are looking for a job, you would ask for help from
family and friends. You would contact these people to ask for
information on current job openings, business opportunities and tips.
Your family, relatives and friends belong to your warm contact list.
The warm contact list is the list of people with whom you have or had
some personal association. A former classmate, officemate or
neighbor may belong to your warm contact list.
Who may be included in your warm contact list? Here are a number of selections.
* Relatives and Friends
These people are always willing to help you in your job search or
business venture. They will be able to provide you information if they
have some, or refer you to trustworthy people who will be able to help
you. If they will introduce you to some of their contacts, they can
surely provide honest information to you regarding the person you are
going to associate with.
* Members of the church, political party, social club or fraternity or
sorority
You probably did not expect it, but people who share the same faith,
beliefs or hobbies may also help you with finding a job. You may have
a different career from theirs, but they might know somebody who is
in the same field or will be able to help you in your career.
Tags: Business Opportunities, Business Venture, Classmate, Contact Information, Contact List, Faith, Family And Friends, Family Relatives, Finding A Job, Fraternity, Hobbies, Job Openings, Job Search, Looking For A Job, Neighbor, Officemate, People Information, Personal Association, Sorority, Trustworthy People
30 May 11 How To Bulletproof Your Career
In the not-too-distant past, ascending the corporate ladder assured management professionals of a bigger office, a stronger compensation package and a more secure future. But today, executives are being told: Dont get too comfortable in that corner office, and dont buy that fancy new car or boat youve always dreamed of because your job is just as vulnerable as everyone elses. Evidence suggests that the higher up the ladder you go, the more precarious your position may become! The attitude toward executives and the roles they play within companies have drastically changed in recent years. Ive seen executives who have been with the same company for 20 or more years. Theyve worked their way up the corporate ladder and felt that they had proven their value then they were unceremoniously dismissed from their positions as if they had just been hired as an entry-level worker. As a Career Consultant, its my job to re-instill the clients confidence, identify his or her strengths, and re-package that individual for the current job market. But, to navigate effectively through the career transition process and ultimately make your career bulletproof, you must first be informed about whats really going on in the work-world. I see several important trends taking place with regard to executive-level job stability and security, including:
TODAYS CHALLENGING EMPLOYMENT TRENDS
Job Market Trend 1:
More and more positions, even at senior levels, are now being offered on a contract or temporary basis. The position, in these cases, lasts only as long as is needed to fulfill the employers contract with their client. This requires job seekers to think differently more like an independent consultant who works on assignment rather than as a permanent employee. In many business sectors and industries, it could be said that the permanent, full-time job no longer exists as we knew it. This trend also puts the responsibility on the part of the executive to consistently promote and market himself or herself for the next opportunity and the one after that!
Job Market Trend 2:
Companies are still very cautious and careful about making any hiring decisions of high-paying, senior management positions. Executives seeking such jobs must now sell themselves more than in the past. They need to demonstrate just how they will enhance the companys productivity, efficiency and profitability or they probably wont get the offer. This means that the job seeker really needs to learn how to effectively present and market himself or herself. Just having the right job titles on ones rsum, or having the appropriate technical skills for the job, are no longer enough.
Job Market Trend 3:
Executives are receiving smaller career transition programs than ever before from the large outplacement firms and many displaced professionals are getting no career transition programs at all. This means that greater numbers of executives are seeking-out help from smaller, more personal career consulting firms and career support groups.
STRATEGIES TO BULLETPROOF YOUR CAREER
Although the transition programs mentioned above do offer important career management techniques, let me share with you the most important activities you should always be doing to overcome the challenges outlined above, and bulletproof your career for the future:
1. Keep all your success documents up to date
2. Put time aside every week for active networking
3. Join and take leadership roles in appropriate associations
4. Write articles or do presentations in your area of expertise
5. Continue your career education, including new credentials
6. Research and be aware of the competition
7. Offer to help people in your network on a regular basis
8. Look at new jobs and investigate other opportunities
9. Always ask yourself, How can I contribute more?
10. Practice your networking, interviewing and negotiating skills
If you want your career to be truly bulletproof, youll need to educate yourself on topics you probably thought youd never have to worry about again like self-marketing, networking, interviewing and negotiating. To master these skills, many management professionals are also discovering helpful online resources and free audio seminars.
And heres the GOOD NEWS: If you seek-out the right support and leverage vital resources like those mentioned above, you may actually be thankful for the experience of going through transition ultimately finding a career or landing a job that will be a much better fit than those youve previously had.
Tags: Attitude, Business Sectors, Career Consultant, Career Transition, Compensation Package, Confidence, Corporate Ladder, Employment Trends, Evidence Suggests That, Executive Job, Executive Level, Full Time Job, Independent Consultant, Job Market, Job Seekers, Level Job, Management Professionals, Market Trend, New Car, Regard
