Thursday, May 28, 2020

Thoughts you get when you are a first time content writer

Thoughts you get when you are a first time content writer Home Blogging Thoughts you get when you are a first time content writerBloggingcareerThoughts you get when you are a first time content writerBy Olivia Dhara - October 21, 201704005Facebook Image source: vsmart-solutionsContent writing, blogs and reviews can be great fun specially when you get to write on topics close to your heart. While some people start it early from their school days others often do it later. But there is a marked difference between writing for school or college magazines and writing professionally. Some say that it all gets fine with experience . However early bird or not there are a few things that goes through every first timer while jotting down their first piece.I hope even you will relate to these thoughts: Contents hide 1 I hope even you will relate to these thoughts: 2 1.“Finally I have bagged in my first assignment” : 3 2.“ I will do the best research ever “ : 4 3.“ Am I bragging ?” : 5 4.“ I should do more research …. “ : 6 5.“O god , I hope my grammar is correct” : 7 6.“ Damn punctuation !” : 8 7.“Thank God ! I have Spell check” : 9 8.“Good Job girl, good !” : 10 9.“ Finally they are going to get the best writing till date “ : 11 10.“ Why is he not sending the acceptance note?” : 12 11.“ I will surely not get paid this time “ : 13 12.“ Yes, I made it finally, Yes !” : 1.“Finally I have bagged in my first assignment” :The joy of getting your first write-up after so many applications and rejections is boundless. You will tend to relieve that the earlier applications were not actually worth your time and passion. Several thoughts will run through head as you get super excited to start.2.“ I will do the best research ever “ :Let whatever be the topic of your first write-up you will find it to be the most interesting one. You will find it to be totally ‘your’ topic. With that and a cup of steaming coffee and you will start with your research. P romising yourself that this writing will be your best ever.3.“ Am I bragging ?” :While writing professionally for the first time you will definitely get conscious in the middle of your writing. You will think whether you are actually writing something interesting and engaging or just bragging along. You will actually re-read your write-up time and again just check if you have ever used the same set of words twice.4.“ I should do more research …. “ :The more conscious you get the more you will tend to think that you are not doing extensive research work that you should be doing. So you will yourself to another cup of coffee and start browsing more.5.“O god , I hope my grammar is correct” :Let how much high grades you scored in your English language paper in school ; how many novels you have read, you are bound to get a panic attack for your ‘tenses’ and ‘persons’.6.“ Damn punctuation !” :Punctuation can be super confusing at times. You will surely get super irritated with the punctuation, specially when you can’t decide whether to use ‘ , ‘ or ‘ ; ’. You will definitely curse the person who invented these.7.“Thank God ! I have Spell check” :After all the cursing you will be super thankful to see the red line underneath any word. You be relieved to realize that at least you do not need to worry about your spelling.8.“Good Job girl, good !” :After extensive research work when you will find that you have almost read all possible data available you will start feeling confident about yourself. That’s not all . You might even pat your own back and praise yourself.9.“ Finally they are going to get the best writing till date “ :After you jot down the last word of your writing you will reach the epitome of pride and satisfaction. For you this writing will be the best ever. You might even be planning to send it to some official entries of awards. Super happy you.10.“ Why is he not sending the acceptance note?” :After all the hard work when you finally send the writing to your boss for approval. This will be the worst wait ever. On one hand you will be excited about all the praise you are expecting to get and on the other the time lag can take a toll on you. It will not only make you super grumpy but also restless.11.“ I will surely not get paid this time “ :The longer the time taken by your boss to approve , the lesser are your chances to get paid. This is the exact thing that will go on in your mind. Sometimes if your boss is super busy and kind of forgets about your submission, you might head towards the door yourself.12.“ Yes, I made it finally, Yes !” :Thank God, Thank mom ,Thank teacher ,thank everybody â€" this will be you the moment you get your salary after approval of writing. With that the next thought is “common its a big achievement, what will I be gifting myself? “New ventures are super exciting and simultaneously super tough. But the real fun lies in the process of lear ning and mastering the new role. It can be your profession or simply your passion. But every first time brings in a gush of new happiness and fears. I hope you could relate to the thoughts that crossed my mind when I wrote my price of web writing and had fun relieving you time

Monday, May 25, 2020

11 Excellent Ways to Grow Your Business With LinkedIn - Classy Career Girl

11 Excellent Ways to Grow Your Business With LinkedIn LinkedIn is often used for professional networking. Most people think its the site for human resource professionals, recruiters and job searchers. You may not think its for you if you are trying to grow your business. Think again. I have grown my business every month using simple and effective LinkedIn strategies. Once you understand the thousands of potential clients  who are  just a little message away from turning into your client, you will love LinkedIn as much as I do. Here are 11 excellent ways to grow your business with LinkedIn: Step 1: Create a headline. Make your headline a benefit-oriented headline. Show what you can do to help people. The past is the past; target what you want in the future. Step 2: Craft your summary. You have 2,000 characters to show people why connecting with you is the smart thing to do. You should tell people: -Who you are -Who you can help -How you can help them -How to get in touch with you. Use headlines and bullets and make sure everything is neat, concise and right to the point. You want to tell them why they should keep scrolling down your profile and contact you! Step 3: Show off your free gift. Link to your lead magnet in the website section of your LinkedIn profile. Step 4: Ask for skills and endorsements. Decide the prior work you have done that you want to be recommended for and whom you’ll ask. Create your own message instead of the boring message that LinkedIn provides. Don’t take shortcuts when you want to be recommended. In the request, tell them what you would like to be recommended for and refresh their memory with a few of the great things that you did! Step 5: Update your status daily. You can direct people to your latest blog post or to your lead magnet. You can even add a photo of your lead magnet to make it more appealing to click. Step 6: Join groups with your ideal clients and potential partners. Start participating in LinkedIn groups. Join 3 groups per week. Start a discussion in each group everyday for 5 days after you join them. If possible, your discussion should link back to your lead magnet but often this is frowned upon by site admins so you will have to check on this first. You can join a total of 50 groups. Take advantage of this to be active and get seen! Step 7: Start sending messages and connecting. Remember, don’t ask to connect until you know someone. But, you can send messages to people in the same groups you are in that you don’t know. Don’t be shy about reaching out to organizations or people on LinkedIn. That’s what it’s for. With that in mind, avoid doing a bunch of outreach all at once because people will pick up on the SPAMMY nature of it. Just pretend you’re at a party and reach out to people one at a time. Here’s a sample message I sent to people in a group I was in about a webinar: Hi Sherrell! Thought you might enjoy taking my free Love Your Work and Life Challenge! It starts Monday. Would love to see some familiar faces. More info here Here’s a sample message I sent to people to promote an event I had coming up: Hi Joleen, How are you? I saw that we were both in the same PLNU Alumni group and in San Diego so I wanted to reach out! I would love invite you to my female leadership development cocktail party this Thursday, February 27th. Details and registration can be found here.  Let me know! Hope to meet you soon! Anna Runyan Step 8: Create your own LinkedIn group. If you can’t find a group with all your ideal clients, why not create one! Inviting potential clients to your own LinkedIn group is a great way to grow your business. You can also promote your free events in your groups without worrying about site admins deleting your posts. Step 9: Find relevant people to connect with and potential partners. In the Google search bar, simply type in your string, which could be something like: site: www.linkedin.com AND “keyword ” AND (Seattle OR Tacoma). Hit search, and all the people on LinkedIn that match those conditions will show up. Step 10: Publish articles. Start educating your leads and provide more value and stronger relationships. Every time to publish a post, your entire network gets notified so it’s a great way to stay top of mind. Step 11: Research profile views. LinkedIn has a feature that shows you the people who have visited your profile. Someone who spent time on your profile is likely a lead worth reaching out to. I’d contact those people, if they’re a connection, by sending a message that says, “Hi, is there anything I can help you with?” If they’re not a connection, then do a bit more research on them, and send a note saying, “Hi, I noticed you recently visited my profile.” What are you doing to grow your business?

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Changes to visa regulations what it means for university students! University of Manchester Careers Blog

Changes to visa regulations what it means for university students! University of Manchester Careers Blog So there has been much panic and misrepresentation of the recent changes to visas for students. I have been heavily involved in pre-departure webinars at The University of Manchester and there is a reoccurring theme in the questions I ma being asked by new undergraduate students coming to study here next month. Can I work in the UK while I study at University? The answer is YES YOU CAN!  If you have applied to study a degree or postgraduate course at a University in the United Kingdom then under your Tier 4 visa you can work in the UK while you study for up to 20 hours a week. Some visas may have different stipulations on them depending on your country of origin so check your visa paperwork carefully when you receive it to understand how many hours a week you can work. The main changes that have come into effect for Tier 4 visas relates to students at publicly funded colleges. What this means in the UK is that students under a tier 4 visa studying at a publicly funded college (not university) cant work during their studies. In the UK the term  College  relates to the institution you attend prior to going to University to study  A Levels  or to study a vocational apprenticeship or course.  (Some colleges have partnerships with universities and if you have applied to do a degree in a college partnered with a university contact their visa team for advice.)   If you still have questions see an immigration lawyer. For more information see our webpages and understand how to make the most of your time in Manchester http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/international/workduringstudy/ All International International-highlighted international students visa working in the UK

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Should I Buy A Franchise - VocationVillage

Should I Buy A Franchise - VocationVillage Dear Dr. Civitelli,I would like to own my own business but I am overwhelmed when I think about starting one completely from zero. I have some money from an inheritance and I am thinking about investing it in franchise ownership, but I dont know how to decide if this is a good idea or not. The Web is full of stories of unhappy franchise owners. Are there any happy ones? Should I buy a franchise?Thank you, UndecidedDear Undecided,Your question intrigues me because I, too, have seen the horror stories about franchises but until I received your inquiry, I had not researched franchising. To answer your question, I interviewed a franchise consultant, Tom Scarda, and I asked him how people should decide whether franchising is right for them. Here are his suggested questions to help you decide:* In addition to the cost of purchasing the franchise, do you have sufficient money to buy the business and then to keep the business alive for the first year?Think about three things: initial capital, working capital, and home capital. Initial capital is everything that is needed to get the doors open and ready for customers. Working capital is the money needed to keep the doors open until a profit starts being generated. Home capital is the money need to pay the bills at home while the business in not making a profit. (Most new owners forget about this item).The time it takes to become profitable or hit break-even varies from business to business. Service businesses that operate out of a home or small office have a low overhead and can become profitable with in a few months. Businesses in a retail space, especially food concepts usually take a year or longer to become profitable.Because franchises have a track record, a prospective buyer can glean profitability info from franchisees who are already established.As you can imagine, the investment into a franchise also varies from concept to concept. A good rule of thumb is: With both initial and working capital included, service based franchises can be opened with $50,000 to $150,000. Simple retail operations usually start at about $150,000 and go up to $500,000. Complex retail, sit-down restaurants, for example, start at about $500,000 and go into the millions.* Do you have a glass half full personality? Any business will have bad days and you cant freeze up.  Are you a persistent person who does not accept failure?You cant see failure as a dead end, only as a sign that you need to go in a different direction to make your business is successful.* Do you know enough about the day-to-day reality of being a franchise owner so that your expectations are realistic?  Are you comfortable with the daily tasks that will need to be done?If the franchise you are considering requires outside sales and you are a middle manager who hasnt sold anything since a lemonade stand when you were a kid, thats probably a problem. The number one reason for business failure is burnout. If you hate what you are doing, regardless of the profits, you will end up hating the business.* How much business planning have you done? Do you know how many staff members you will need and what type? Do you know the hours that are required?Remember the Dunkin Donuts commercial: Its 4 amgotta make the donuts.* Do your values match those of the parent company?In picking the right company, one of the major pieces is like being sure you will get along with your in-laws after getting married.  I feel that it is of great importance that a prospective franchisee fit in with the culture and values of the company he/she is thinking about. The hitch is that you cant glean that info from a spreadsheet or a Franchise Disclosure Document. They best way  to tackle this part of a due diligence process is to actually talk with the franchisees about the relationship they have with the parent company. Through asking questions such as, How did corporate react when you presented them with an operations problem?or, Do you receive messages from the higher-ups via a Corporate Communications channel?, you can glean the companys “corporate personality.”Like in a marriage, although you’re marrying the one person, you’re really marrying the entire family!. In addition to obtaining Mr. Scardas advice, I searched for franchise owners who say they are happy with their decision to buy a franchise and I interviewed them about their experience. Their stories are here:Happy franchise owners from  Anytime Fitness, CruiseOne, Elevation Burger, Fetch! Pet Care, Golden Corral, and IKOR.Happy franchise owners from Kiddie Academy, Labor Finders, PCA, Primrose School, and World Adult Kickball Association.Hope that helps!

Thursday, May 14, 2020

5 Things to Consider for a Career Path in Construction CareerMetis.com

5 Things to Consider for a Career Path in Construction â€" CareerMetis.com Source â€" Pexels.comThe construction sector is booming at the moment and there are currently great shortages of qualified workers across the board. This is the perfect time for anyone who loves construction and would like to either work on or manage large construction projects.However, before you embark on this career path, there are some things you need to be aware of. Here are some of the things people thinking of starting a career in construction should consider.1) It Can Get DangerousevalIf you’re aware of the type of salaries that are being offered to construction workers, you may already know that they get paid fairly well. Well, part of the reason why they are paid so heftily is that there’s a certain measure of danger involved.evalConstruction workers are often near the top of the list for many work injuries such as electrocutions, collisions, and trip and fall accidents.However, these dangers can be mitigated by how good of a contractor you are or are working with. Cont ractors who follow safety regulations are much less likely to deal with injuries.They will also offer their workers good insurance coverage and have general liability insurancecoverage to deal with damage to their clients’ property or injuries to third parties.2) There are Many Career Paths that You Can Choose fromIf there’s an aspect of being a regular journeyman that you don’t really like, you should know that there are many career pathsthat you can take if you want to work in construction. And once you’ve identified a field that you like and complete your formation, you can start moving up the ranks as well.If you want to know what type of specializations are available, here are a few of them:BricklayerPlastererStonemasonLaborerCarpenter/JoinerConstruction Vehicle OperatorRoofer/TilerOnce you start working in any of these positions, you can then become a manager, supervisor, or even start teaching if you want to.Or if you really want to take it up a notch and pursue a col lege education, you could even decide to get a degree in architecture or civil engineering.evalYour previous knowledge will give you a leg up over other students and will give you a unique hands-on perspective that others may not have. A project or design might look good to some, but you’ll be able to see some technical issues others might not be aware of because of your experience, which can be a great advantage.3) You’ll Have to Start from the BottomYes, construction jobs do tend to pay very well and there are tons of opportunities around, but that’s mainly true for people with experience. If you want to get those high paying jobs, you’ll have to be prepared to clock lots of hours first.However, you shouldn’t see that as a bad thing, since this is where you’ll be able to hone your craft and make your first mistakes. You also shouldn’t waste too much time looking at unrealistic job offers at that stage.But the great thing is that there are tons of openings available t o people with little experience. There are plenty of apprenticeships to go around and you shouldn’t have issues finding a company that will give you apprentice work.evalDepending on how well the apprenticeship went, they’ll be more than happy to recommend you for better jobs later on.4) You Don’t have to Go the Apprentice RouteThere are also many other alternative routes you can take if you want to gain experience and don’t want to go for apprentice work. Apprentice jobs don’t always have the best pay and you might not always get to do what you really like.However, the experience is really not something you can get around in this business and most contractors won’t work with people unless they have a minimum of experience.One way you could get experience is by being a volunteer. Volunteering on a construction site is a great way to get some notches behind your belt and give back at the same time.eval5) You Can Get Work Abroad as WellConstruction skills are in high demand around the globe and with a solid formation, there aren’t many places where your expertise won’t be valuable.Places like Australia, for instance, are begging for tradespeople to fill positions. The country is building at neck-breaking speeds and needs more skilled construction workers than ever. The pay is very good as well. So, if you think that would be an option, you could serve some time in your home country and consider a job abroad after getting some significant experience.The construction sector is a very vibrant scene and great for people who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and have a genuine love for building. If you think that’s the field for you, then consider all the options available and choose the path that suits you the best.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

6 Ways To Assess Executive Job Opportunities and Education Programs

6 Ways To Assess Executive Job Opportunities and Education Programs Should you always go for the best? Whether we are talking about going back to school or a looking for a new executive job, the question is, “Should you always go for the highest ranking university or the most prestigious corporation?” Back in my parents’ day in China, all high school students took countrywide exams, the results of which determined university admissions. The higher one’s score, the more prestigious the school one attended. The ranking of each university as well as the scores of every student were known and matched so that the best performers went to the best schools. Decision-making back then was simple, but what about in today’s world with its abundance of choice? Unless you must “satisfice” across multiple constraints that require significant compromise (e.g., a highly desired position, in a highly undesired location), then conceptually, the answer must be yes: go for the very best executive job opportunity or university admission that you can get. However, by what standard does one determine what is “the best”? In my experience, whether you are choosing graduate schools or career enhancing jobs, there are six main criteria to consider in determining what “the best” means for us as individuals: three that matter while you are there, and three that matter when you are ready to move on. What matters while you are there: What will you learn and gain from being there? Make sure that the organization delivers on the content and experiences that you need to obtain during this part of your executive career. Early on, it may be better to join a larger organization known for its expertise in your field of interest to learn the subject area and gain contacts. As a more senior executive, you may get more out of joining a smaller organization with great aspirations and putting them on the map. Who will you learn it from? This applies to the senior executives/faculty as well as to colleagues/fellow students. The quality of the people around you matters, because this drives how much you will learn. Where is your best fit? Find the place that makes you feel at home and where you can be yourself while also being challenged. The people around you will be your tribe while you are there: make sure there are enough people who will lift you up and help you to achieve your aspirations. What matters when you are ready to move on: Who is in the alumni network? Only part of what you gain from a degree or an executive position is from the formal learning and training. Finding great future opportunities often comes down to leveraging your networks, and your fellow alumni and past colleagues may someday provide the important leads for your next moves. So when assessing a new executive position or further education course, ask about the backgrounds of your potential colleagues or classmates/professors â€" where have they come from and what do they hope to get from their current position or further study? You should also attempt to find out what previous colleagues or students have gone on to do once they themselves become alums. This may be difficult in an executive job scenario, so perhaps visit Linkedin and use the ‘advanced people search’ to find out where the alums are working now â€" fill in the ‘company’ field and choose ‘past’. What value does the organization provide as a “seal of approval” or pedigree? Look at the organization’s current reputation as well as its trajectory; make sure it is stable or, better yet, on an upswing. Also consider the optimal size and geographic reach: if you have international interests and want to work on complex issues across borders, then it is better to be part of a global organization with scale. What future flexibility does the organization afford for you? Recognize that every place you land is a stepping-stone to your next adventure. A school or company with a broad range of offerings provides you a bigger “toy box” for experimentation without having to make costly moves. Similarly, an organization with a broader reputation delivers more than one that is highly specialized â€" unless you only want to work in that specialized area. When it comes to obtaining a graduate degree, the upfront tuition can seem like a large sum. However, the rewards are reaped over ones entire executive career, with the potential difference in earnings power harder to quantify upfront when the decision is made. Saving $50,000 today by going to a lesser school may not be the best value proposition â€" it all depends on where your answers stacked up on the six criteria above. And in an environment of degree inflation, the schools with the better reputation will be more valuable. Similarly, a job at a smaller, less established company could be great if it becomes the next Google, but that riskier platform could also end up as the next Bear Stearns. Even if they offer “double the pay,” think hard about how many years they will be around to make good on that monetary incentive. Career interruptions can be costly, so try to put yourself in a position where they are mostly of your own choosing. The bottom line is that each candidate for “the best” situation must be evaluated on its own merits, with importance placed on finding a stable platform for your entire executive career. And remember, it’s important to have fun while you are going for your personal best.

Friday, May 8, 2020

How to Write a Resume in Paragraph Form

How to Write a Resume in Paragraph FormAs with all other types of resume writing, writing a resume in paragraph form is not an easy task. There are two main types of paragraphs: those used in resume samples and those which are used in resumes. In resume examples, your resume is viewed in a horizontal format, which means the entire text is read from left to right. Resume paragraphs, on the other hand, are written in a vertical format, which means the text is read from top to bottom.Most job hunters prefer to write resumes in a horizontal format because it allows them to include their personal information, which includes their skills, education, certifications, special talents, work experience, and more. Your resume should include the information that will best showcase your achievements. In most cases, it is helpful to have an organizational chart at the end of your resume if you want to make it more clear.One type of a paragraph that is commonly used is the 'career summary' paragraph , which highlights achievements that make you a suitable candidate for the position you are applying for. It does not matter what kind of position you are applying for, but in some cases, it is advisable to include your job responsibilities, personal history, and other information about yourself when writing a resume in paragraph form. These documents are commonly written in a matter-of-fact tone.There are, however, other ways to make your resume more professional-looking and appealing to potential employers and to enhance its chances of getting selected. If you are going to include a cover letter as part of your resume, use a professional cover letter writer to craft one for you.You may choose to use a professional font (or a typeface) for your cover letter, or you may opt to leave the font and size choices up to the professional writer. It's up to you, of course, but make sure that you have your resume in front of you so that you can tell the difference between a well-written lett er and a poorly written one.To complete your resume, all you need to do is to fill in the blanks of your resume with your credentials, which will show prospective employers that you know what you're doing. With this, your resume is ready to be sent out to job seekers.If you need any help with your resume writing, hire a professional resume writer to help you get started. Let him or her create the best resume possible, so that your resume is tailored to fit your needs.