 Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay It is important to make sure you have career goals as much as possible, and there are a number of factors to consider when you are looking at a new career path this year. The coronavirus pandemic is something that has impacted all of us in so many ways, and there is a lot to keep in mind here. Try to make the most of this, and use the uncertainty in the world right now as a chance to take charge of your future and set career goals for 2021.
It might be time to consider a change of career this year, and there are a lot of options you can consider that will help you to make the most of this right now. Try to come up with ideas that will allow you to achieve the best possible career path this year, but it is also important to make sure you have realistic goals in order to make sure they’re easier to achieve. And these are some of the key factors that you need to consider when it comes to making the most of this. Think About Your Interests Thinking about what you are interested in is really important, and there are a lot of elements that play a role in helping you to develop a career path you can be proud of. Make sure you think about some of the best ways of achieving this right now, and there are so many factors that you should be making the most of right now. If you can pursue a career path that links or relates to things you are interested in, then this is one of the best options for you. So many people wish they could do a job they really love, and it makes it so much easier to get out of bed in the morning if you are going to a job you love. Improve Your Experience There are a lot of things that you should be looking to make the most of, and it is vital that you look at being able to focus on this as much as possible. Try to come up with ideas that will allow you to boost and improve your experience, and this is something that you should be looking to make the most of right now. There are plenty of online courses or qualifications you could be taking in order to improve and boost your experience and help you to be more qualified for the job at hand. Start Looking for the Right Kinds of Jobs You need to make sure you start looking for the right kinds of jobs that will help you to improve the way you look at being able to do things like this. There are a lot of ideas that will play a role in helping you here, and it depends on what sort of thing you’d like to do. For instance, there are so many opportunities if you are looking at getting a job in the public sector. These are some of the things you need to be considering when it comes to looking at some of the best ways of improving your career prospects. You have to make sure you focus on being able to improve your ideas when it comes to assessing this right now. Choosing the right career prospects and making the right kinds of changes is something you need to make the most of right now.
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 Image credit: Spacehuntr If you’ve ever organised a trip to the pub or a quiet lunch between friends, you’ve planned an event. If you found just the slightest thrill from this organised fun, then this article might be of interest to you.
Corporate event planning is something that people get paid to do. It’s big business and, folks, it’s never straight forward. This is hard work that takes a broad skill set. But boy, is it rewarding. Can you manage ideas, people, dates, numbers and everything else while all the pieces are at odds with each other? If yes, this might be the role for you. Spacehuntr has the ultimate guide to corporate event planning. Take it, run with it, learn from it. You can even print it out, make notes on it. You do you. Now let’s get to it!  Image credit: Free-Photos from Pixabay Building the best team, isn’t all about the compensation you provide them for the work they do. There is much more to it and set your team up to be successful comes down to intellectual, emotional, and physical support.
The best thing you can do is create a positive work environment where they can thrive and feel valued. Let’s have a look at the ways you can do this: Prioritise Training When it comes to creating a positive and high-performing work environment, you can’t just hope for the best after recruitment. You need to make both initial training and ongoing training are a priority. You should aim to provide a minimum of two weeks of onboarding training, where new staff have their first weeks planned out in full. If you can provide an ongoing training programme, you are more likely to see successful employees. Create A Comfortable Work Space The workspace you provide should empower your employees to do their best. But this isn’t all about physical comfort, it’s also about providing a space that suit’s workers’ cognitive and psychological characteristics too. Providing standing desks, well-positioned computer screens, and using a commercial electrician to install natural lighting can not only make your employees comfortable, but it can also have a positive effect on their emotional wellbeing, promoting focus. Check-In On Your Employees People who like coming to work and feel valued actually do better at work. Part of providing a positive workspace includes having regular check-ins with your employees. Nothing complicated, just checking how they are feeling, how they are finding the work they Just stop off at their desk and ask how their day is going, or if you have a remote team drop them an email or informal message. You may be surprised by how these little gestures boost productivity and team morale. Encourage Communication And Collaboration It is your job as an employee to make sure both existing and new staff never feel left out. Of course, it may not always be possible for you to be there to make sure this doesn’t happen, but you can establish efficient and effective communication. A few things you can do include:
A positive working environment starts with management. If you want to build a happy, productive team you need to create a positive working environment. The tips above should help you to get started. Do you have any other tips that help to achieve this? Please share some in the comments section.  Image credit: Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels The last year has been hard for a lot of people and a lot of businesses. Some businesses have closed some of been close to not being able to reopen and others have had to adapt very quickly to make sure they are able to trade throughout the lockdown period. As things start to ease and restrictions start to become less and fewer businesses are taking the opportunity to get back on track and continue to thrive going forward looking forward to a fantastic summer. There are a few different things businesses will need to be doing to make sure that they can continue to grow and keep their customers coming back as well as attracting new ones over the next couple of months.
Cleanliness Is Key One of the things that a lot of people will be concerned about is the cleanliness and safety of going back into the world and back of the shops and businesses. Showing your employees and your customers That you really care about their safety we’ll encourage them to come back time and time again. What of the things you can do is have a branded hand sanitiser station at the entrance of your shop or office so that when anyone comes into the premises they will now have readily available hand sanitiser as well as potentially a mask station where they can get a mask if they don’t have one and have their temperature checked to make sure that they and everyone else is as safe as can be. It will create a safe workspace in the post-pandemic era. It will also promote good hygiene levels throughout the business as a whole and having a branded hand sanitiser available is now the first point of safety for any business. Keep Creating Content Throughout lockdown, a lot of businesses have been trying to improve the digital content in lockdown. If they’ve not been able to trade, keeping active online has been one of the top priorities to make sure that people don’t forget about them. It has also given businesses time to improve the quality and type of content they are posting on their social channels and looking to help increase their following and engagement. Social media is important for any business and post-pandemic is just as important as it can help people decide whether or not they want to go to a particular restaurant or shop as they will look to see if these places are obeying the rules and looking after their customers. Use Influencers To Your Advantage Bloggers and influencers are a great way to get your message out to a wide audience and we have as well as getting a trusted and reliable voice to share their views and experiences they have with your business. Using them post-pandemic and while things easing is a great way to showcase the safety measures you’re putting in place to make shopping or working with you is safe and easy I will not put anyone at risk. If you aren’t sure where to start on work and bloggers or influences there are loads of agencies that have databases full of people who are great to work with.  Image credit: Hivan Arvizu from Unsplash Corporate events are a fantastic way for businesses to connect with customers and clients. They can range in size and scale, be formal and informal - making a nice change from your business’ day to day work.
But as corporate events can cost a lot of money, you need to make sure that the corporate events planned by you are effective and successful. Effective planning is a must to ensure the smooth running of your event, and if you want to know more about planning successful corporate events, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some tips to help you make a success of your corporate events. Set clear aims and objectives Corporate events should have aims and objectives to help them deliver something for your business. From generating interest in a new product or service, to encouraging new business from clients, you should have a clear idea about what your event is setting out to achieve. Focusing on why you’re having an event and what you’d like the outcome to be will guide your planning to help you deliver the most appropriate type of event. Be meticulous with your planning Planning a corporate event is no easy task. Having detailed plans in place will help you to cover all the key elements such as your venue, catering, entertainment, etc. It can help to work backwards from the date of the event to ensure you have key dates in place to engage with suppliers and secure confirmations. Working from a checklist can be an effective way of planning your event, while corporate events planners can be very useful for arranging large-scale events. Think of new and exciting ideas How can you make your next corporate event different to the rest? If you want to make an impression on your guests and secure a positive outcome for your business, then thinking of new and exciting ideas can set you apart. There are all kinds of corporate events ideas you can use to connect with different types of audiences, helping to make a lasting impression. Use each event as an opportunity to try something different to stop your events becoming stale and uninspiring. Connect with your guests after the event Following up with guests after the event is important for your business. It can help drive sales and interest in your business, and keeps your business on their radar. Investing in branded merchandise for corporate events can make sure guests take something away with your name on, while follow-up communications to thank attendees for coming can add a more personal touch. Be ready with your email marketing strategy to follow up with attendees to help generate new leads even after the event has ended. Corporate events can give your business some great results, helping you connect with customers and clients in a way that’s not possible through other communications channels. The right planning can help you make a success of your next event, ready to help your business make a lasting impression.  Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Studies suggest that around 4.5 billion people in the world use the internet regularly. It’s a truly wonderful resource that allows people to discover new information, connect with people, and do more than they ever dreamed would be possible just a few years ago, and certainly within our lifetimes.
If you run a business and you’re not online, you’re missing out on a considerable number of potential customers. Although all 4.5 billion internet users aren’t going to be interested in what you have to sell, some of that number certainly will be. To show them what you have for sale and the kind of company you are, you’ll need a great website. Gone are the days when a simple page of text and a few links were enough; the consumer is much savvier in the 21st century, and you’ll have to put more effort in than that. Read on to find out how to build a better website for your business. Professional Web Design There is so much that goes into creating a good website, one that people want to explore and return to and, most importantly, buy from, that it would take the average person many years to learn it all. When you add this amount of required information to the fact that, as a business owner, you are going to have plenty of other important things to occupy your mind, it will often become clear that a professional web designer is needed. Although it will cost more money than doing it yourself, hiring someone who knows the ins and outs of web design, such as expert WordPress developers and designers, will give you a much better end result than if you tried to do the work yourself. It will be quicker too, and your site will be up and running and attract customers quickly. Added Extras If you want your website to stand out in a crowd of millions, you’ll need it to be remarkable. One way to do this and ensure you have a better website is to have added extras included. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, as long as it’s a bit different. You might have a login area for customers, for example, with extra discounts once you’re inside. Or perhaps you want to include more information about not just your own business but the businesses you work with too. You could have a chatbot on your site to help customers in a much more direct way. No matter what you choose, having these extra features will make your site much more interesting and different from many others, particularly if you have something designed especially for you. Your website will be better for it. Original Content Something that you can’t get away from these days is content. It’s a crucial part of any business’s marketing campaign, but it’s more than just about selling – it’s about letting people know who you are and what your business ethics are. With this in mind, if you can create original, interesting content that makes people return to your site and share that information with others, you will have a better website than many others. Content can be in the form of blog posts, videos, and plenty more. Once you’ve decided how you’ll present it, you simply need to be consistent, and you should have a better website.  Image credit: Campaign Creators from Unsplash Email is by far the most effective marketing medium. It enables you to track, measure, and analyse responses. When it comes to email marketing, these responses are the number of emails opened, how many unique clicks and raises you receive on the links, how many times a customer clicks on another's link, etc.
However, there are rules to email marketing: 1. Have a proper subject line The title of the email is the most important part of it. It is where you market your company. You have 90 seconds to create a sensation with your title, and for some this sensation is achieved by doing a perfect job. Therefore, you should have your company name or company logo in it. Remember that the first impression of your company is with the recipient. 2. No SPAM Your email must be a proper marketing medium that encourages that you allow others to opt in and you do not solicit business. One of the best ways to do this is by asking those that would like to receive your newsletter opt in. There are many other things that you must do, but they are beyond the scope of this article. 3. Track, track, and track Your recipient has only 90 seconds to process all of the information and form an opinion about your email. Therefore, you must have a way for them to track your campaign and for that you have to have tracking and statistics tools. * The most simplest way is by using a form * The most advanced is by using tracking and statistics * All of these are very easy to use and they allow the recipient to form an opinion. As a result, they have to do nothing but to click on the link that they receive in the email. Finally, you must also be prepared to deal with the consequences of your actions. It is important to be upfront and honest with those who would opt in. Remember that the consequences of not opting in are the loss of any credit that you might receive, the possibility of having your domain blocked, and the possibility of having your email server blocked. These are all problems that may prevent you from building a substantial database of email addresses.  Image credit: Ono Kosuki from Pexels An essential part of making any business more efficient is taking a look at your budget and seeing where you’re spending too much money. There are a lot of potential problem children to deal with here but a common trend amongst businesses that use company cars is that they can often spend way too much on them. Here, we’re going to look at how you can cut the costs while keeping the wheels your business needs.
Reconsider your ownership First of all, you should take a look at your roster of cars and consider selling any that don’t get driven as often. You should only keep as many as you need on the regular. However, you should also consider different ownership structures like contract hire and leasing if they could be more cost-effective than buying the cars outright. Help drivers drive more efficiently You could potentially be saving a lot of money on fuel costs. You can, for instance, swap your existing cars for more fuel-efficient models, as well as buying fuel cards that can help you top up more cost-effectively. You can also teach drivers to lose bad driving habits, such as speeding, idling, and braking too hard, all of which can reduce the fuel efficiency of a car, meaning you’re spending more on them. Take care of the cars If you fail to maintain your vehicles properly, you’re going to be paying for repairs and replacements more often. It’s most cost-effective to pay a little for the right servicing, but make sure you got the right team to help you keep on top of your cars. If you have a fleet of BMWs, you should have BMW specialists servicing them. Work with those who know the specific cars that you’re driving and they’re more likely to help you avoid the types of malfunctions most likely to affect those cars in particular. Utilize the right tech If you’re running a fleet of delivery vehicles, then effective routing to get to A to B matters. Cutting journeys times not only helps you save against fuel costs and wear and tear; it also enables you to potentially fit more stops into every trip. Take a closer look at some of the telematics systems out there that allow you to more efficiently route your vehicles. Mind your insurance costs Be mindful when you’re shopping for vehicle insurance, that business vehicle insurance can be more expensive, especially if more than one person is driving the car. As such, it pays to take time to compare different insurance offers. If you have several company cars, then you should look at fleet insurance instead. Make sure that you are deducting insurance costs and other vehicle costs from your business taxes, as well. It’s easy to miss this. Take a good look at your company cars, ask if you need them and, if you do, ask how you can cut the costs of them both in the short-term and the long-term. The tips above can help you find some answers.  Image credit: Content Pixie from Unsplash We all have days when things don't look like they're going to work. Days when the sky is falling, and the universe is punishing you.
The day that feels like a fluke is the day that you have to stop, pause and re-evaluate the plan of attack. If the day didn't feel like a fluke, then you are in no position to make changes to improve your prospects. As a solo entrepreneur, the fluke will always be fluke. However, it is a sign that you are approaching a place where you can start tweaking and changing the way you do things. The one thing that you must be able to do is to look at your current plan and ask yourself, "is this still a viable plan?" If the answer is no, then re-consider your options. If you are alone, then you must make yourself a Board Room. For those of you who don't know what a Board Room is, they are an expert witness (kind of like an attorney, except they sit on the Jury). It is a small room with comfortable leather chairs, where you sit across from the expert witness and ask him/her questions. In essence, the Board Room allows you to get a third person, a neutral third party, to look at your case, objectively, as if you are sitting across from a judge. At the end of the Board Room presentation, you will have learned all you could from your presentation in an environment where you were able to ask intelligent follow-up questions. This may not be the answer you were looking for, but it is the answer you need to get you back on track. So, ask yourself: do I have a plan? If you don't, why not? If you do, is it viable? Can I afford to take the risk? And then, ask yourself: will this plan change if I have a Board Room?  Image credit: Mentatdgt from Pexels If you want to start a business, you’re going to need to find a way to get into that entrepreneurial mindset. Getting into the right mindset is key, whatever it is you want to do. Any great business owner will tell you the same thing. If you’re not sure that you’re in the right mindset yet, below you’ll find some pointers that will help you get into the entrepreneurial mindset in no time. Read on and see what you can do:
1. Find Mentors Find mentors who can inspire you. How do they act? How do they think? You may not be able to pick up on it all right away, but continuously trying to learn from them can help you to adjust your own actions and mindset. They can be people you know in real life who you admire, or people like Tony Robbins. You don’t need to spend a fortune to go to their seminars, unless you really want to. Reading up on their free material and watching their talks online can help you in a myriad of ways, and it won’t cost you anything. 2. Read Books The more books you can read on the subject, the better. Of course, some will resonate with you more than others. Try to read at least one book per month so that at the end of each year you have gotten through 12 books that have helped you to expand your mind. Books like Think and Grow Rich and Automic Habits are amazing places to start. 3. Get Clear on Who You Need To Be Your self image can have a lot to do with how easily you are able to get into ‘entrepreneurial mode’. You can do lots of reading and learning, but if you don’t change your self image, you’re unlikely to actually get to where you need to be. So, get clear on who you need to be to achieve your dreams. What do you need to believe? Who do you need to spend time with? How do you spend your days? Really immerse yourself in this new vision of yourself and then try to become that version of yourself each day. Soon, you won’t need to try and your goals will come to you far more effortlessly. 4. Set SMART Goals Setting vague goals rarely helps anybody. Setting SMART goals can help to give you goals that you can actually measure. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. This way, you know exactly what you must do, can see whether you’re getting to where you want to be, and have a deadline to keep you focused. 5. Work on Your Limiting Beliefs Limiting beliefs are often deeply ingrained in our subconscious, and play a huge part in how we act and what we believe we can achieve. In a way, it ties in with our own self image. Figure out what you believe deep down. You may consciously believe you can be a business owner, but what about subconsciously? If you don’t think you’re smart or cunning deep down, then you may not get to where you want to be. Get to know yourself inside out. 6. Figure Out Your Budget A budget will help you to see what you need to focus on when you get started. You’ll also be able to approach suppliers and start building relationships with them, which can further help you get into the right mindset. Whether you’re looking at a company to provide a carbon steel butt weld or a company to outsource your accounting to, make sure you consider this carefully. You will need to be frugal with your budget to begin with. 7. Stop Being Self Centred A good business owner in this day and age is always people-focused. This means remaining focused on both your customers and your team. It’s time to stop thinking about yourself and how you can benefit and instead think about how you can provide value to the people around you. This is what makes an effective business that can stand the test of time. 8. See Failure As A Step Towards Success Failure doesn’t need to be the boogeyman of business. It can teach you so much about what works and what doesn’t, and should be looked at as a valuable lesson. You aren't going to make it through life without making a few mistakes. Make sure you appreciate these mistakes and learn from them. Don’t dwell on them! 9. Always Keep Your ‘Why’ In Mind Entrepreneurs have a very clear idea of what their ‘why’ is and what they would like to achieve. If you forget your ‘why’ or your personal mission, you could easily fall out of your entrepreneurial mindset. Before making any decision, remind yourself of your why. Write it down so you can see it every day. Making sure you keep it in mind will inform you in many positive ways. 10. Stay Flexible Flexibility is key as an entrepreneur, too. You might be able to get into the right mindset fast, but that mindset might not benefit you forever. Things are changing, across all industries, and they are changing faster than ever. Make sure you’re always prepared to learn and do new things, whatever it takes to be successful. A flexible attitude and way of working is a must in 2021 and beyond, so don’t allow rigid thinking or an inflexible way of running your business. Getting into the entrepreneurial mindset fast might not seem possible to some, but with determination and SMART goals on your side, you should be able to do it in a week or less. This doesn’t mean you’ll never need to work on your mindset again, just that you’ll be in a much better place to start your business venture. It could even be worth changing your idea of what ‘entrepreneur’ means. It doesn’t have to mean a suit wearing, fast decision making, cut throat person who is cut off from their emotions. Anybody can start a business in this day and age!  Image credit: Dominika Roseclay from Pexels Successful marketing can transform your business and lead to unprecedented success, but the wrong campaign can have the opposite effect. When marketing mistakes can damage your brand and alienate your target audience, it’s critical to avoid them. With this in mind, take a look at these five marketing mistakes you’re probably making – and what you can do about them: 1. Focusing on Website Traffic Generating more website traffic can be a viable marketing goal, but it shouldn’t be your main objective. Increased traffic doesn’t necessarily equal increased sales or profits, which is why conversion rate optimization can be far more important. With a higher conversion rate, you can achieve more profitability, even with a relatively low volume of traffic. By making increased conversions a top priority, you can ensure you’re focusing on the goals that will bring you the greatest financial success. 2. Sending Mixed Messages Every piece of content you publish tells your target audience something about your brand. If your social media posts are at odds with your company articles, for example, it’s going to confuse your audience unnecessarily. Your tone of voice, style and design are all important components of your brand, so use them wisely. When you deliver consistent marketing messages across multiple channels, you can ensure that your target audience receives clear and reliable content at all times.  Image credit: Pixabay from Pexels 3. Using Generic Content
As technology evolves, marketers have the opportunity to deliver personalized content to each and every member of their target audience. Not only does this show that you care about your potential and existing customers, but it also gives you the opportunity to personalize their customer journey and influence their subsequent actions. Fortunately, executing personalized marketing campaigns is easier than you think. By using a digital marketing content platform, for example, you can personalize and automate marketing campaigns to maximize results. 4. Not Monitoring Results If you want to get the most out of your marketing campaigns and increase your ROI, it’s essential to monitor your performance. By tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), such as specific metrics, you can determine the efficacy of your campaigns. Furthermore, accessing data analytics allows you to tweak campaigns while they’re still running, which gives you the opportunity to optimize results straight away. 5. Failing to Segment Your Audience Unless you’re running a very niche business, it’s likely that your target audience consists of multiple segments. If so, using the same marketing content and techniques is unlikely to engage every element of your audience. To overcome this, conduct in-depth research and create buyer personas to reflect every segment of your target audience. From there, you can create effective campaigns that are tailormade for each segment. Maximizing Your Marketing Success Effective marketing can drastically improve your commercial performance, which is why it should always be a top priority. By working with experienced marketers, embracing the latest technological solutions and avoid common mistakes, you can take your marketing strategy to the next level and use it to drive your business forward.  Image credit: Diego PH from Unsplash It is not uncommon to encounter a lot of people who are looking for a business that they can start with little money. There are many small businesses that are booming today and tomorrow.
One of the best businesses you can start with little money is the one that is selling goods and services. The goods and services you can be selling are the ones that make life worth living and give you satisfaction. It does not matter though if your business is making money or not - all that matters is that there is a need for your goods and services. When you think of your business, what comes to mind? Perhaps it is something that you can sell with little money - like handmade bracelets with sentimental value. What about a service like babysitting? You can be a babysitter for children and adults. How about being a personal shopper and selling fashionable clothes? As you think of your business, you might even come up with ideas for it that go well beyond what I mentioned - like being a wedding planner or a wedding planner consultant. You could sell services like designing logos or logo development or logo writing and print development, or even help people create websites or store websites. So let me ask you a question. Is there a business that you could start with little money that would give you satisfaction and a reason for living? I sure hope that you can answer yes! "There are no limitations on how much money you can make as a business owner" "You can earn money doing anything that doesn't jeopardize your health, safety or the lives of others" - but of course if there were boundaries that would prevent you from earning money doing things that you like, there would be no need for entrepreneurs! The bottom line is that you have to develop your own business idea. I have already explained why this is a good idea but you have to do more. You have to do research on it. I have given you some hints as to where to start but I have gone further into details on this, including some of the steps that you have to take. You need to do all of this, and more, to learn the lessons that you have to learn in order to become a success in your own business. It will help you become a successful entrepreneur in your own way, but please don't stop there because your own business idea is only half of it. Now I would love you to answer the question. What business idea do you have? The most important thing that you can do to ensure that you have a business idea that will give you the greatest chance of making a profit is to do your research. This means that you have to do two things: First, learn as much as possible from other successful entrepreneurs who have already done what you want to do. Second, learn as much as possible from those who have failed before you, so that you can learn from their mistakes and avoid making the same mistakes. There are some great sites to find out more about these lessons and the mistakes of others. I would recommend that you join the CEO community, as this is where I started and have been learning from others who have already been successful in their own business. I hope that this helps.  Image credit: Rodnae Productions from Pexels It is now been just over one year since the UK government announced a total lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s been a funny year. The world has felt like it has both sped up and slowed down at the same time. Everything looks different now.
You can’t go shopping unless it’s for essentials, lots of people haven’t been able to spend time with their friends and family, and when you do go to places you have to sanitise everything and wear a mask as protection. The saddest thing of all is that people have lost loved ones and their jobs as a result. Lots of people are feeling incredibly hopeless right now, and when there may not seem as though there’s a light at the end of this long, dark, tunnel--it is still worth thinking of planning towards your future- especially if you have lost work. Look at Your CV There’s going to be a lot of competition for people applying for work right now. Recruiters will be busier than ever making their way through all of the CVs that come to their inbox supporting an application for a job that they have advertised. You don’t want yours to be at the bottom of that big pile. Find someone to look at your CV and ask them to tell you honestly what it says about you as a potential employee. Would they employ you based on your CV? Chances are that this interview ticket is selling you short. If necessary, hire a professional CV writer to write yours for you to help you to put your best foot forward and get you that interview. Consider Changing Career Path If you’ve lost a job then the first thing you’re going to do is to start looking for jobs with the same title. However, why should that always be the case? If you’ve had several years of experience in one industry, the chances are that you’ve developed some pretty impressive transferable skills that can be used all over the place. Changing career path is not an easy thing to consider, especially in the current market--but now is as good a time as any to do just that. Discuss your previous experience with recruiters and let them do some of the hard work employment matching for you. Use This as an Opportunity to Upskill During the first lockdown, lots of course providers started to provide their content online. This is great news as it means that there’s plenty of opportunities for you to learn more skills to make you more employable. One of the benefits of this is that you can complete the work in your own time and at your own pace. So whether you’re interested in doing either coding, business administration or health and social care courses, there are plenty of options for you. The best news is that being out of work is the perfect opportunity for you to reassess and take the time to figure out exactly where you want to be in life.  Image credit: Photo by David Rangel from Unsplash Finding a job is not an easy task in today’s saturated markets. Unemployment has been on the rise for years and it seems to be slowly sinking into the red zone because of Covid-19. However, there is still a way to achieve your career goals. When finding a job, you have probably already looked at all the websites that promise to offer the best jobs in your city. Perhaps you have joined groups and social media sites that help you find suitable positions. What else can you do to assist yourself?
Don’t limit yourself When applying to a job searching company, do not necessarily give a limited job definition that you can perform. If you have a wealth of skills, apply even for jobs that may be quite different from each other. Also, do not hesitate to challenge yourself and ask for job offers as well that seem to be less likely to be accepted. Be sure to emphasize your benefits and abilities and what you are willing to give and invest. Tell employers how you can benefit, and what your contribution will be to their business. And always, do preliminary (not necessarily long) research on the intended employer. Find out what the corporate culture is, what characterizes the company. When you come to an interview with prior knowledge and with clear answers to questions, the chances of finding a job even faster rises miraculously. In addition, learn to use the smart tools that can be found within job search sites. With these tools, you can better focus on the jobs that interest you. By job definitions, by geographical areas, by the type of flexibility you want. Using these tools will allow you to spend less time searching because you will find a job much easier - even in these turbulent times. Look at your current skills and see what may need to be improved on. If you want to work in technology then perhaps you should consider a course in computer technology or a niche area. If you want to move into garden landscaping, you should consider looking at ways to learn how to become a tree surgeon. Once you have these skills in black and white, you will have the confidence to talk openly to the employer about what you can offer them in return. Stay on top of opportunities by receiving email notifications about suitable jobs. This will cut down the time you spend trolling through every page. It is very important to be updated on a daily basis on the site as the supply of jobs varies from day to day and you will not want to miss the opportunity when interesting and new jobs emerge in your region. The use of social media sites helps prospective employers look at your track record which is why you should use LinkedIn and other sites to cultivate a great image. Keep information professional, including your email address. Show you’re serious and willing to find a great position and you will surely stumble upon the ideal job.  Image credit: Brad Neathery from Unsplash It is not the number of hours that we have available to us, but how we use our time that counts. You have only so much time, so think about what you can do in the available time. Most of us are so busy that we cannot spare the time to do some of those things that we like to do and which are important to us. You have to be selective about what you do with your time. You cannot afford to do everything. I know some people who are always on the computer playing games, watching videos or chatting on the internet. They spend their time away from work. What this person fails to understand is that without the internet, their work would not be possible. These same people would not be able to afford a video games, they may not even have a video games as they would not have the money to buy the games, so they would be using the time that they do have doing the minimum amount of work that they have to do. They also fail to realise that by doing those things that they are doing, they are also taking away time from other things that they could be doing.
If we want to use our time wisely we have to realise that there is only so much time in a day. How we utilise the time we have and utilise it well is how we will be able to achieve what we want to achieve. You cannot waste time. We have to use our time well. "You must have a clear, definite, intense, and productive aim in your life. Only thus can you avoid all lapses and all waste of time. If you aim at nothing, you will merely drift on without doing anything, and drift on without noticing the passing hours and hours."  Image credit: Copper and Wild from Unsplash I've been working with online entrepreneurs for well over a decade now and in that time (and especially during this time) I have learned many interesting lessons and tips of the trade. One of those lessons is the power of having a vision for your business growth and success.
Many of us would much rather "wait and see" what happens than take steps toward our dreams... especially when they're small (like building your own website) and grand (like taking your business from the comfort of home to millions of people looking at your site everyday). In this day and age where there is more information than ever before, you would think that we would rather listen to someone who can show us HOW to build our business and what tools and resources we need but the sad truth is that too many entrepreneurs listen to someone who has all the knowledge... and quit when they discover that they don't know how to do what they want. One other very important factor in getting your business started, is having a mentor. This is not just any old mentor though; in my experience you want someone who has done exactly what you want to do, and exactly how you want to do it... so they will be your sounding board as you learn the skills necessary to get your dream of building your business... going from a hobby into a profitable business. You want a mentor who knows exactly how your business should sound, and exactly how you can get to that point. You want a mentor who knows exactly which tools and resources will be the best for your business. You are going to spend many, many hours working with your mentor and we don't want to find out that the skills and techniques we invest in during our time with them is not what is needed... and you're going to be frustrated because you spent too much time with the wrong tool or technique. So make sure there is someone who lives your dream as much as you do and has gone beyond what you thought was possible! So many entrepreneurs waste their precious time in an effort to "perfect" their business instead of concentrating on creating a business that can flourish without them. And you don't need to spend a fortune to get yourself a great mentor... one of my all time fave's are Mike Friesen (author of "Rich Dad" series) and Jim Collins (author of Bestseller... "Lights Out") These guys are great teachers because they get you working in their business day in day out, not just a one time course where you leave feeling like you've got it all under control. 5. Your passion - what really drives you to become a successful entrepreneur. I want to tell you about a friend of mine who wanted to be an entrepreneur so bad that he would do anything to achieve that dream. And you know what, he's become one... as well as many other entrepreneurs we know. So his passion is real, it's not just something he creates to earn some extra cash. There should be something you absolutely love and then there should be something that drives you to become an entrepreneur. Like wanting to do something that is beneficial to everyone and something that gives you a rush just thinking about it, getting you excited and ready to take on the world. That way you'll get through the first 5 steps easily and then you'll be able to focus on achieving your dreams in the third step. Now get going and create your business today!  Image credit: Fauxels from Pexels A reputation can be easily broken if your business fails to do basic things and support obvious causes. Every single business on the planet should make active strides towards supporting workplace equality. A very common issue is that many companies claim to do so, but it's purely used as a branding ploy. You think that claiming you support equality will paint a positive picture for consumers, and it might work temporarily. However, actions speak a lot louder than words, and if your business is caught not doing anything to promote equality, people catch on very fast.
You can't just post a Tweet about equality and think that's all you have to do. No. There are many things a company can do to support equality in the workplace - and here are three very simple ideas to build upon: Provide equal pay An easy place to start: provide equal pay for all your employees. No matter what gender or race they are, your employees should receive the same pay for the same jobs. You'll be stunned at how many businesses still don't do this, often paying women less for the same job that a man does. The problem is that it goes unnoticed as employees are unlikely to talk about their wages. So, you can change this by being more transparent and publishing people's wages, showing that they do indeed get paid the same. Support key causes/movements As a business, you have a lot of firepower to support important causes that aid the fight for equality. Sometimes, it can feel as though causes and movements do more harm than good. However, scholars like Adam Elliott-Cooper have gone on record to say how important things like Black Lives Matter are for wider society. Causes like this raise awareness about serious issues and fundamental equality problems in society. If you actively support causes like this, it shows your business is trying its best to lead the fight against inequality. It also helps your employees feel like they have an ally. If you have black employees and they see you actively taking a stand against racism and supporting charities or movements, it makes them feel like they're not alone. The same goes for any other causes relating to equality. Make diverse hires The previous two points are good, but one of the best ways to clearly support equality is to make diverse hires. If you offer equal pay and support movements, yet your entire team is full of white men, it has an air of 'just doing it for show.' Having a diverse team of men and women from many cultural backgrounds demonstrates that you clearly want the workplace to be an even playing field. More importantly, hiring women or people from ethnic backgrounds in positions of power is so crucial. You see many companies claim to have lots of diversity on their books, only to see that the middle-aged white men are still holding the management positions. Bringing in people from different backgrounds is also a smart business decision as it often means you have different ideas and thoughts circulating at all times. This helps you conjure new ideas, pushing your business in the right direction. The key takeaway from this post is that you shouldn't just make statements about equality and leave it at that. It's time to actively take a stand and let your actions do the talking!  Image credit: Geralt from Pixabay Accepting risk is a part of being an effective entrepreneur, and it is one that is hard to square with the idea that business success is all about making the right decisions. Let’s acknowledge here and now that even beginning to run your own business is an endeavour that is wrapped up with risk. You are putting money on the line with no guarantee of success - because that can’t be guaranteed - and hoping that you won’t be one of the 60% of businesses that fail in their first three years.
It’s tempting to think that you won’t be one of those businesses, because you won’t make the mistakes they did. When you face a problem, or a fork in the road, you will simply apply intelligence and make the right decision. This is a comforting thought, and intelligence is certainly a vital part of doing business the right way, but is it foolproof? Let’s look at some home truths about business that tell us what we need to know about how - and even whether - you can think your way to business success. Intelligence isn’t just about what you know If business success was simply a matter of knowing things, then - naming no names here - some of the richest people in the world would never have passed the first hurdle. An important part of achieving business success is not assuming that the world will behave in the way you expect it to. We’ve just spent more than a year in a pandemic having a crash course in the concept of “unforeseen circumstances”, but some people don’t yet realise that not only does the world not act according to rules, it also doesn’t always react in the way you would expect. What you know is less important than how quickly you adjust to new realities. It’s not about what should work, it’s about what does work To make the analogy of business as sport, we can all think of teams or professionals who play the game in a beautiful way. Exciting to watch, constantly innovating, and usually losing in the long run to teams and players who are less beguiling to watch but more efficient. If your goal is business success, you will need to be more like the latter. This means that evaluating your strategy isn’t about reading and digesting the works of Sun Tzu (or even Vince Lombardi); it’s about knowing how to set OKRs and achieve those targets. If you’re producing a healthy balance sheet, by all means you can quote all the great philosophers you want to - but don’t assume that the latter will necessarily beget the former. You can never completely eliminate risk Some people hold the impression that business is a series of binary decisions, and if you just pick the right choice at each interval, you’ll eliminate the threat of things going wrong. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid risk in business by leaning away from it. Nor can you face it head-on and make it submit - you simply need to accept that it is there and work on ways to minimise it; repeat the things that are working until they stop working, and avoid the things that never worked to begin with. Perhaps most importantly, you should be looking to get far enough ahead of the curve that you can afford a few mistakes - because mistakes will happen, no matter how much planning you do. Success in business isn’t just about having the master strategy; a lot of it comes down to adaptability, humility and - in some cases - sheer good luck. It’s useful to know a lot, and to think a lot, but sometimes just recognising you can’t know everything is even more important.  Image credit: energepic.com from Pexels Stocks, forex and crypto are some of the most effective ways to grow your money. But just which of these investments is right for you? This post explores the pros and cons of each - and what you need to get involved.
Stocks Investing in stocks involves buying shares of companies, waiting for them to increase in value and then selling them. You can make a lot of money by investing in the right companies. You can also lose a lot of money if you invest in the wrong companies. You can reduce risk by diversifying your portfolio. This involves investing in a range of stocks in a range of industries. The most stable stocks to invest in tend to be long-established companies - these stocks tend to gradually increase in value over the years. Newer companies tend to be riskier, however they can offer some of the highest and fastest returns. Anyone can invest in the stock market with as little as $1. There are free trading apps that allow you to buy parts of shares on your phone. Alternatively, you can hire a stockbroker to invest your stocks for you. This involves paying fees, however you could reduce the risk of loss by having an expert invest your cash for you. It’s worth researching into companies before investing in them. By understanding the industry and the company, you can make good predictions as to whether a stock will rise or fall. Forex Forex involves trading foreign currencies. By buying a currency that is rising in value and then converting it back, you can make a profit. Buy the wrong currency and you could lose money. As with stocks, you should always diversify your portfolio by buying a range of different currencies. Some currencies are likely to be more stable than others - the more stable ones are less risky but will offer slower and smaller returns. To invest in foreign currencies you need to use a forex broker. To create an account, you’ll generally need to place down a minimum deposit of $100, although there are some brokers that allow you to invest with less. Fees are charged on every transaction. Currency prices can be affected by political events, travel popularity and rate of trade. By educating yourself in these matters, you can more accurately predict when a currency may rise or fall in value. Crypto Cryptocurrencies are digital currencies. They include the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin. The principle is similar to buying a foreign currency - you buy a currency, wait for it to rise in value and sell it. Cryptocurrency however can be more volatile. This can result in much bigger potential returns, but also much bigger potential losses. As with forex and stocks, you should buy a range of cryptocurrencies to spread the risk. Certain cryptocurrencies are likely to increase at a much greater rate than others. You can look into buying ETH with Swyftx or another cryptocurrency exchange platform. Minimum deposits and fees can vary depending on the platform you use. When buying large amounts of crypto, it can often be worth using a digital wallet to keep your currency secure. Cryptocurrencies rise and fall in value based on demand. These rises and falls can be a lot harder to predict than with stocks or crypto however there are still ways of educating yourself and spotting trends.  Image credit: Christina Morillo from Pexels A lot of people dream about the concept of being able to go self-employed. After all, it means that they have the freedom as well as the autonomy to be able to work on their very own terms. The growth of the sector alone has been very well publicised over the years and this means that there has bever been a better time for you to take the plunge. If you want to make sure that going self-employed is the right decision for you then you can find out whatever you need to know, right here. You Know your Product or Service If you want to go self-employed then you don’t need to have a final or even a polished proposition. You do however need to make sure that you know your product or your service. If you don’t then you may find that you struggle to know whether or not your idea is feasible. You also need to make sure that your product solves a definite pain point, so that you are aware of how best to address your customers. You’re Ready and Willing
Even though you may be an expert in your field, that doesn’t mean that you can easily deal with all of the other aspects that are involved with running a business. If you want to come out a success then you need to make sure that you are able to deal with your sales, marketing accounts, technology and even legal team. The main problem with being self-employed is that you might not be an expert at everything and you probably can’t afford to outsource either. This is normal, but it does mean that you need to get your head around the basics if possible. If you want to get the best result out of your self-employed experience then eventually it may help you to look into remote onboarding at a later date. You Want Control If you are at a point where you feel like your ideas are just not getting the appreciation that they should, then this may indicate that now is the time for you to go self-employed. It may be that you no longer want to be told what to do, or that you just want to be more rewarded for the work that you are putting in. Either way, going self-employed gives you the chance to call all of the shots you need. You’re Ready to Talk about Money You have to be comfortable with money if you want to be self-employed. Undercharging is a huge issue for freelancers so you need to make sure that you pitch your services and your products at the right time. Some signs that you need to think about your charges include if your tasks are taking longer than they should be to get done, or if you find that you are continually trying to undercut your competition. It will take some trial and error, but if you take your time then you should be able to set the right prices.  Image credit: Start Up Stock Photos from Pexels The fact is that when you first started your business, you most probably didn’t think that you would ever end up in a position where you had a team of employees to manage. You most probably hoped that this would be the case but you may not have thought that it would be the case, after all getting your business to a place where you need and can afford a team of employees is an amazing place to be at and not many business owners manage to get to this point. Now that you’re in a place where you need to take on a team, you are most probably feeling somewhat stressed out and overwhelmed. After all, there’s a lot to think about and consider when it comes to taking on new team members. It’s not just a case of identifying the fact that you need some support, there’s a lot more to choose to employ people than meets the eye; there’s a lot that you need to think about and consider. It’s incredibly exciting to be at the stage that you are at now, but the fact is it can also be extremely daunting as there’s just so much that you need to think about and consider; it’s not just a case of taking on team members, you need to think about all of the ins and outs of running a team. Bearing all of that in mind, there’s a lot to think about and consider. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be an overly stressful experience, it’s just a case of knowing how to go about managing things, that’s all. To help to make the process of taking on your first employees a little easier to manage, below are a few tips and suggestions to have a read and take note of. Have a set screening process in place
First things first, let’s talk about employee screening. How do you ensure that when it comes to selecting a new employee that you’re choosing someone who is a good fit for the role and your business? The truth is that you can never be 100% sure but there are steps that you can take to make the process easier, such as utilising HR support to help ensure that every avenue is looked into. You can also ensure that you ask for references and follow up on those references, to ensure that what a potential employee is telling you is the truth. It’s also worth nailing the interview process by creating a list of questions that not only look at the candidate's potential fit for the role but also for your company ethos and work setup. Master payroll A tricky aspect of managing a team of employees can be payroll; whether you are taking on two employees or 20, you need to master payroll. Payroll is not always something that it’s easy to do or manage, especially when finances aren’t your strong suit. The good news is that there are plenty of resources that you can utilise to make managing payroll a little easier, such as using payroll services, for instance. Learn to be a leader As an employer, you need to find the perfect balance between being a boss and being a friend to your team members. You naturally want to have fun with your team but you also need to ensure that you remain the authority, and that your team members look up to you and respect your choices. It’s also important that you act like a leader, rather than a traditional boss. What does this mean? Well, a traditional boss tells their team members what to do, whereas a leader is part of the workload and leads their team in every task. This is a fantastic quality to have, and something that will help you to be an amazing employer. Create the ideal working environment If you want your team members to be happy working for you, it’s essential that you create the ideal working environment for them to work in. The right work environment can impact how productive a team is, and so it’s important that you think carefully about the kind of space you create for your team. Not sure how to create the perfect workspace? Get inspired - look online, talk to other business owners, speak to your employees. There you have it, everything that you need to know about taking on your first team members and succeeding as an employer.  Image credit: Anna Shvets from Pexels If you’ve integrated remote working options that have been used since March or April of 2020, it’s amazing to think we may have been using those systems for almost a year now.
Of course, in some respects this might become the norm for your business from here on out, ensuring that you always have a possible approach to keeping flexible and always online if necessary. That said, some form of normality will return in the future, and that can mean in the long run, we are given the chance to consider what needs improving in our office, what workflow we should curate to make this daily process easier to handle, and what lessons we have learned. It would take many deep investigations and reports to figure out just what changes have been made and what effects have been felt thanks to this change in our working capacity, so we’re going to stick with the most pertinent advice, and show how it’s useful in order to inspire you to action: Integrating Communication Platforms It’s overwhelmingly likely that your business has been using a range of programs that are external to your business, in order to make sure your staff can communicate with one another. It could be that fully integrating better and more prominent services based on what you have used and what you haven’t could be important. For instance, it may be that upgrading to a VPN with unlimited plans and the means to log in securely with a security key can offset those that require you to keep updating staff with numbered logins that they forget and keep having to respect. Integrating a VOIP phone system can work wonders when returning to the office. In this context, we become better at helping our team collaborate with one another. The Format Of Your Office Now could be a great time to sell your office furniture and pick up newer, more health-conscious ergonomic models. Why is this? Well, many businesses are downsizing at the moment, or shutting up shop. That’s a very sad state of affairs, but it also points to the fact that we can make use of many of these sales, even if it’s just in the form of a large meeting desk, by scouring these sales and helping those businesses liquidate their stock. IT equipment, office furnishings, it can all make a difference when upgrading your utility and helping the office space seem new upon a return. Dedication To Your Values Remember that now is the time for visionary leaders to collaborate with their team, but also to inspire them. In this mindset, it can be important to remind your staff of your values and just what company history they are contributing to. Setting up training that helps you understand these measures once more can help you refocus and reorient your vision. It sounds unnecessary, but you’d be surprised how inclusion to this degree can inspire your staff to renewed effort, and can refocus your dedication to them. With this advice, we hope you can make the most of your business and level up, despite the inconsistent working expectations of the last year.  Image credit: Edward Jenner from Pexels The pandemic has hit millions of businesses around the world, causing them to make major cuts in employment, budget, and for some, permanent closure. If your small business has managed to make it this far, then you’re probably looking for ways to work smarter, decrease expenditure, and appeal to your target audience more than ever. Thankfully, even though the pandemic is still at large, many restrictions are being lifted, which is allowing businesses to continue trading. However, staying smart and vigilant is essential to help your business stay on track. Here are some amazing tips on how to work smarter during the pandemic. Outsource marketing
Cutting back costs in 2020 might have been a priority for your business, and if you had to cut back on marketing costs and begin tackling it yourself, you’ll know how much time and effort it takes. However, you can have the best of both worlds! While a permanent in-house marketing team would be ideal, if your budget doesn’t stretch that far then you may run into issues. Outsourcing marketing allows you to let an experienced professional create and run your marketing campaigns - but only as and when you need them! Paying a freelancer say, once a month, rather than for every day of the month will save you money and prevent your marketing from falling down the drain. Look bigger than you are One of the downsides of being a small business is that quite often, customers would rather entrust their money with larger businesses because they think larger businesses are more trustworthy. While this isn’t necessarily the case, making your business look like a larger corporation may help you attract more customers. You can do this by:
Sell COVID-friendly products or services Finally, we’re living in an age where anything to help survive the pandemic is something people will want. Find ways to incorporate COVID-friendly products or services into your niche. Whether it’s a branded face-mask, an app to help cure boredom, or even hacks to help stay safe, people will be interested in buying from a company they know and love. Appeal to the COVID market and you’ll notice a considerable improvement in sales!  Image credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels Are you exploring new ways to grow your business and strengthen your brand? If so, then you should think about the best ways to use the power of your clients and customers. These are a few of the possibilities that we strongly recommend you consider. Use Their Opinions
First, you should think about whether you can use the opinions and thoughts of your customers. They might be able to explain to you the best ways to move forward with your business. Don’t forget, when you’re looking to improve your company it’s important to move in directions that your customers want to see. No one knows what directions these are more than your customers themselves. You might think that customers aren’t going, to be honest when you interact with them. While this might be the case, there are ways to skirt around this issue, such as by using Mystery Shopping experiences. Here customers get a product to review but don’t know what the brand is and deliver honest feedback. Use Their Content Next, you should think about whether you can use content from customers to your advantage. User-generated content can be helpful because it allows you to connect with that individual customer. It will also help you reach their followers. Don’t forget, that customers are far more likely to trust the word of other clients rather than your brand. User-generated content also makes your business seem more accessible and that’s always going to provide a tremendous benefit. Use Their Reviews Next, you should think about using reviews in your business. Do note that a mixture of positive and negative reviews is far better than zero reviews for your business online. That’s why you should make sure that you are encouraging customers to leave reviews. You should do this after the completion of a sale. Business owners often assume that it’s going to be difficult to get customers to leave reviews. However, this is not the case. The reality is that they will drop reviews if you ask the right way and provide some client aftercare instead of just abandoning them once a sale is complete. Use Their Reach Finally, you might also want to consider using their reach to gain more customers and clients for your business. One of the best ways to do this is through promotional merchandise. The right sponsored merch will be worn and used by your clients. This means that they can effortlessly spread the word about your business. You just need to spend a little time ensuring that the merch is attractive and stylish enough that clients want to use it. You might even want to consider using popular brand items to promote your company in this way such as Nike or Adidas sportswear. We hope this helps you understand some of the key ways that you can use your customers and clients to your advantage. By taking the right steps here, you’ll find that your customers can become your strongest asset and help you grow your business, even in a short period.  Image credit: Chris Montgomery from Unsplash Back in March 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people around the world began commuting to their kitchen tables and makeshift home office nooks, few believed they'd still be there now, nearly a year later. And yet, here we are.
The big question looming in many employees' and leaders' minds alike is, what does it all mean for the future of work? Some argue that the great work-from-home experiment of 2020 will lead to the end of offices forever. Others say the last year, in fact, proved we need offices for the collaboration, the creativity, and simply the excuse to get out of the house they provide. You can find the five top tips we learnt about remote working over at Inc... |
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