Career

Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Do More than Expected to Get Ahead

One of the best things you can do to increase your career advancement opportunities where you work is to do more than expected.
It's often not enough to just do a fine job and expect promotions now and then based on longevity. So find opportunities to show you can handle more responsibility or different duties than those in your job description.
Here's one example from my own personal experience. I had a great job as the executive assistant to the general manager. But I often didn't have enough to do to keep me busy. I hate being bored, and I enjoy writing. So I began writing articles and submitting them for the employee newsletter, even though none were solicited. 
The editor liked what I wrote, and every article I submitted was accepted and published. Readers even began looking forward to my articles.
One day the editor left for a position with another company. Having already demonstrated my writing talent, I was asked to apply for the job. I had to go through the standard hiring process and compete with other applicants, but because I had volunteered to write articles, the hiring manager had first-hand knowledge of my capabilities and I was hired. Not only was this a promotion, it was a move into a position that I found much more challenging and rewarding. 
So look around and take advantage of opportunities to do more than expected. You'll enjoy more job satisfaction, help others, and -- just maybe -- get rewarded for your efforts!


Monday, December 6, 2010

5 Steps to Finding Your Dream Job

The successful job search all boils down to one word -- synergy.
Synergy is defined as "the interaction of two or more agents so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects." 
Synergy explains the difference between John, Paul, George and Ringo (individual musicians) and The Beatles (a magical combination).
Most job seekers apply for positions haphazardly--sending out an email resume for this opening, a printed resume for that one, sometimes following up and most often not. >vacancy
But you'll get far better results--and create synergy--if you first write out a job search calendar, to schedule your efforts over the next 60-90 days. Then, follow your plan and systematically use as many tactics as possible for each job you apply for. Organizing your efforts this way will focus your job search, like sunlight through a magnifying glass.    

Here's how to create synergy and job search magic, in 5 easy steps.
Step 1 -- Choose your target job You can do so by picking a job title (example: Sales Manager) or skill set to shoot for (example: sales, marketing, management). No target job = no results in your job search. Because you can't score if you don't have a goal.
Step 2 -- Choose your tactics There are many. Among the most effective is networking with your personal and professional contacts. Let people know you're in the job market and tell them what you're looking for. Then ask this question: "Who do you know that I should be talking to?" This one question can double or triple the size of your network. Other job hunting tactics include submitting your resume to online job postings, the newspaper classifieds, recruiters and temp agencies. But try to spend 80% of your time networking.
Step 3 -- Plan your work Create a job search calendar. Any calendar will do, so long as there's room to write brief notes for each day. Map out the next 30-90 days with specific goals for every day, such as visiting 5 web sites, calling 10 networking contacts and mailing 7 resumes. Post your job search calendar prominently. Then ...
Step 4 -- Work your plan Devote at least 3-5 hours a day to your job search if you're currently employed, and 5-8 hours a day if you're unemployed. Recognize that your job search is a job in itself, the most important one you have right now. And that means you look for work EVERY day, Monday through Friday. Because just one day skipped per week equals a 20% loss in output. You can't afford that.
Step 5 -- Fail your way to a new job As you follow your job search plan and contact all those people every day, you're going to hear one word more than any other: "No." Learn to embrace failure like Thomas Edison, who "failed" 10,000 times before inventing the light bulb. He said: "Every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." Every "no" you hear in your job search is another step closer to the one "yes" you need to get that position you really want. It's simply a numbers game. Take heart in this fact.
By following this five-step formula, you can create synergy, magic and the job offer you're dreaming about. 

10 Steps to Getting Maximum Benefit from Job Fairs

Many job seekers tend to overlook job fairs. They are crowded, busy, competitive and sometimes confusing events. But where else can you visit dozens of potential employers on the same day and in the same place? And you know what? Job fairs can help you land a job! 
Here's how to get the most out of these events: job vacancy indonesia
1. Do advance research. You don't want to wander around dropping off resumes at every booth. Your goal is to target the most promising employers at the job fair. To do that, you need to know who those employers are and what they offer. Usually, the promotional materials for job fairs list participating employers and the general types of jobs they have open. 
Get online and search for information about the companies you are interested in. Knowing more about the companies than the other job seekers who visit their booths will help you make a memorable impression. The more you know, the better. vacancy
2. Bring enough résumés. Bring enough clean, crisp copies of your résumé for the employers you targeted in Step 1, plus about 5 extras (more if it's a large event) in case you decide to apply to other companies on the spur of the moment.
3. Be prepared to fill out applications. Most companies will not accept a résumé instead of an application. So even if you provide them with a nice résumé, you'll probably be asked to fill out an application form, too. Be sure to bring a pen and a "cheat sheet" with the information you'll need to complete job applications on the spot. This is better than taking the applications home and sending them back later, as most job seekers will do. You'll beat them to the punch!

4. Dress for success. First impressions are important, even at job fairs. Just because they tend to be friendly, informal events, don't be too casual. Dress and act professionally, be enthusiastic, and remember to smile.
5. Arrive early. Pick up a booth-location map and plan your route. By arriving early, you may be able to get in and out before it gets too crowded. Visit your targeted companies first, then "shop around" for other possibilities and do some networking.
6. Think "Quality" over "Quantity." Some job seekers think they will improve their odds of landing a job by increasing the number of places they apply. But at a job fair, it's much better to spend quality time talking with a few, well-targeted employers who are looking for your specific skills, than to run around tossing out your résumé at every booth you see.
7. Be prepared for interviews. Some companies may want to do short, on-the-spot interviews at the job fair. Be prepared to talk about your best selling points, the assets and skills you will bring to the company. Doing research, as suggested in Step 1, will help you to prepare and practice answers that meet the company's specific needs. As the interview is wrapping up, remember to ask what the next steps are in the hiring process.
8. Keep track of where you submit your résumés. Collect business cards and make a list of the companies you apply for. Jot notes about conversations you have with representatives or topics discussed during interviews. This will help you when following up later.
9. Send thank-you letters. Send thank-you letters within 24 hours to each of the companies/representatives you spoke with. Even if there was no real interview, doing this will help you to stand out in their minds among the hundreds of job seekers who visited their booth during the job fair. Tell them how much you appreciated the time they took to talk with you and answer your questions. Mention the name or location of the fair and the positions you discussed, and reiterate your interest in working for their company. 99% of job fair attendees will not do this... you'll have a huge advantage over them if you do.
10. Follow up. Depending on their answers to your "what are the next steps in the hiring process" question (see Step 7), follow up appropriately with the companies for which you applied. employee


Thursday, October 28, 2010

Business Coach Training - A Successful Business Coaching Company

By Rafael Tassini

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Employee, Vacancy


When a business leader is choosing a coach in business, they may be overwhelmed with the choices available. Some coaches in business are simply former business owners who want to share their experiences. The best coaches in business, however, have completed a business coach training course and are certified as having passed the qualifying exam. This helps prepare business coaches to deal with multiple situations and areas of business instead of just going off their own limited experiences. This certification is a sign that a coach has been trained in the best practices of the field of coaching in business. They learn how to assess the parts of a business and the company as a whole.
The ability to see how a whole is broken down into parts and what areas are slowing productivity is important in the coaching career. Keeping each portion of the company efficient and effective at what they are assigned helps the whole company to be more profitable. The purpose for hiring a business coach is can be different for each business owner. Some need a fresh pair of eyes to assess the business for the slower department and procedures. Some need to raise capital and need advice on how to get there. Others are looking to improve marketing strategies or implement newer technologies and desire guidance in those areas. Business coach training prepares business coaches to work in all these areas.
Certain processes, tools, and models have been used successfully in multiple areas of business all around the world. In coaching training, students learn these methods and how to apply them to different industries. Great coaching is based upon a relationship the coach builds with the business leader client. Interpersonal skills and good coaching relationship structures are also taught in the training course. These are key components to the success of a business coach. The clients are leaders who have little experience taking advice from others. They are often reluctant to see the failings in their own businesses even though this is the first step to fixing the problems.
Laying the groundwork of respect and relationship can ensure a business coach's success. In addition, a business coach training course teaches coaches how to find and acquire clients to build their own business. Successful systems for getting and retaining clients can help someone grow their coaching business into a lucrative company. Joining this unique field of coaching in the business world can start with a specialized training course.

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Monday, October 25, 2010

Get A Solar Contractors License In California

By Fida H

job, jobs, career

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Solar energy has consistently grown 33% in the past thirty years within 1979-2010. It is projected to be over 40% for this decade. With an estimated 32 GW of solar power installed globally, 7.2 GW was installed last year alone, according to John Addison, publisher of the Clean Fleet Report.

Solar energy is becoming more marketable by the day, and now represents a large portion of new construction related jobs. If you are a contractor or interested in becoming a contractor, be a part of this rapidly growing industry by getting your solar contractors license.

The basic steps below highlight how people with solar training can get a solar contractor's license in the state of California. It is important to understand that processes slightly differ from state to state. Thus, Licenses acquired in the State of California may not be recognized in another state.

Step 1 - Go to State License Board Website

Visit the California State License Board website at cslb.ca.gov.

Step 2 - Confirm License Classification

The classification for a Solar Contractors license is Class "C", which is for specialty contractors. According to the California State License Board, there are 41 separate "C" license classifications for contractors whose construction work or primary contracting business requires specialized skills, building trades, or crafts. The exact "C" license for solar is C-46. C-46 is the license classification that should be applied for to obtain a solar contractors license.

Step 3 - Be Qualified

Make sure you qualify. The state of California requires journeyman level experience through apprenticeship training or college education, and an actual business entity. Without prior solar training and experience you will not be considered qualified.

Applicants should have at least four years of experience in solar. Nonetheless, the California State License Board may grant up to three years of credit towards the four year requirement for completed education and/or apprenticeship programs in the solar specialty. Education can include a Bachelors degree, certificate, and credited solar courses. Thus, if you don't have any prior experience in solar, you may begin by taking solar training.

Step 4 - Thoroughly Complete Application

Complete the appropriate application form and submit it along with a nonrefundable application fee. Application forms must be fully complete! Incomplete applications will be rejected. Wait four to six weeks for your application to be processed. Once processed you will be sent an examination date. In some cases it can take much longer than four to six weeks. Completing and accurately filling out all the requested information within the application form helps reduce the processing time. The application form can be printed at the California State License Board website.

Step 5 - Wait & Prepare

Generally, it takes approximately four to six weeks before your application is processed and a notice is sent to you to appear for examination. Use the waiting period to refresh your knowledge through study tools, or even attending related review courses and additional solar training.

Step 6 - Take the Test

Once approved you should receive your examination date and location. Testing locations are distributed within eight cities. These cities are: San Diego, San Bernardino, Buena Park, Inglewood, Ventura, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno. You will be assigned to the nearest location of your business address.

If this is your first contractor license examination, you will have to take two exams. The first exam is the general law & business examination and the second will be the trade examination. In this case your trade will be solar. The examinations will each be given two hours and thirty minutes to complete, making it a total of five hours.

Failure to show up will result in a $50 rescheduling fee. You are granted eighteen months after the approval of your application to achieve a passing grade. Within this time period, you can take the exam as many times as necessary until you pass.

Step 7 - Wait for Score

Wait to receive your score. If you failed you are provided with a breakdown of your percentage score for each section of the examination and can reschedule to take the examination again. If you passed, you are simply told you passed in the letter. A certificate and your license number will then be sent to you.

In conclusion, experience plays a major role in qualifying for a Solar Contractors License. If you do not meet the required experience but you're interested in getting a solar contractors License in the state of California, start with a certificate program. There are great renewable energy institutions that offer solar training certification. As mentioned earlier, education in your trade can be credited towards the four years of required experience. Don't waste anymore time, register to a solar training certification program today!

Getting Your First Job - Interview Tips For Teenagers

By Steve Humphreys

job, jobs, career

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You can prepare for your first interview through practicing with friends and family. Don't get discouraged if you don't pass the real interview when it comes up. Often, employers will do phone interviews to screen prospective applicants out.

You will learn what to say and what not to say with each interview. It just takes a little practice and confidence in oneself. It has been said that it takes about ten interviews to land one job. This may or may not be true for you, depending upon the job you want to get into.

As a teen, you are presented with many challenges. The biggest challenge though, is in getting to know what kind of person you really are. This will come through time, through your own growth. People usually don't change personally, but some of their interests will change as they get older.

For example, a career chosen as a teen may not serve him well in later years, because he will have matured. That same career may then not be as interesting. Then, it may be time for a change of careers. Many who are working do not like their careers, but may not know what else they want to do for a living.

Teen Quizzes can help you locate a field of interest. To be happy in a career, one has to be interested in it, and have a passion for working in that job. If one knows which careers he has an interested in, all he needs to do is choose one that fits his personality, natural abilities, and aptitude.

Signs That You Are Being Bullied

By Larry Icabandi Nabiong

job, jobs, career

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In every 10 workers, one of them has been bullied in their career.

Yes, in every workplace there are bullies who victimize other workers simply because of their false belief to maintain control or status quo, or when they are feeling" threatened" of a smarter neophyte, or simply because of some psychological problems they may have been suffering since childhood. Just like children bullies, these professionals whom respected by their peers and subordinates alike have this aberrant behaviors which should be checked asap by their superiors or managers before it could wreck havoc to the company.

A victim of bullying must say foul! and do the necessary steps to vindicate him-her/self and have the bully faced the consequences of his/her acts. However, if the company has a culture of tolerating bullies for one reason or another, better for the victim to leave the company asap and seek one with sane principles and live a life sans the presence of a pest bully.

Bullying is a form of an abuse. A victim suffers tremendous psychological and physical harm. In fact, a study reveals that some health-harming manifestations such as high blood pressure, heart attack, depression, etc. are common scenario to bullied individual where as a victim he/she suffers tremendous emotional torture, especially if is what we call " mobbing" or simply put, a group of bullies picking on one victim till the he/she opts to resign.

The author had to walk the plank once due to "mobbing" and now trying to share wisdom from the said experience. Thanks to my bullies; however, sorry to disappoint you guys, am back in the arena and wiser not committing same mistake again.

Common signs that you are being bullied, as what I experienced then:

1. You dread Mondays... you do not have the energy to go to work. You feel sick...as if you did not have a good night sleep, too lazy to move and worse, you feign sick just to evade your tormentor even for a day.

2. They yell at you -- in front of other people--during meeting as if you were a slave and they were your masters.

3. They exclude you in meeting and other activities giving you feeling isolated as if they were against you... for no apparent reason at all. Well, this is the price to pay for being young or smart or kind --sort of you are cursed for being given such enviable characteristic.

4. Always the last person to know about changes in the company's policies, etc. making you look naive at your co-workers' assessment.

5. Your tormentor spreading rumors discrediting you, say assaulting your reputations and in the process, gain control over the social environment for his/her own advantage, thus giving him/her the feeling of superiority and the like.

6. They are talking behind your back ( means you are two steps ahead ) and when you are present, they have innuendos, etc. aimed at you.

Subtle ways of bullying someone is giving a victim a feeling that he/she is nothing compared to the tormentor by giving one condescending or insulting look, and sans giving other people around a hint that bullying is happening. Well, others are just clueless, or simply naive about it. And they will be surprised when the victim opted a resignation than prolonging the agony of being bullied sans seeking help from indifferent co-workers.

Bullying is a kind of cruelty; sometimes, the tormentor does not know that he/she has been a bully to someone, sometime, somewhere... lest he/she is a psychopath bully; no remorse or a tinge of guilt is seen from him/her. Beware of this kind of bully; a snake clothed in a man's suit ready to devour an unsuspecting victim in the workplace.

Would you rather be a victim or a witness to bullying? Which would you prefer?

Leader Productivity Vs The Fatigue Demon: Six Steps to Keep Fatigue From Eroding Your Productivity

By Geraldine Markel, Ph.D.

job, jobs, career


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Fatigue plays a critical part in the performance of current or aspiring leaders: it impairs leadership effectiveness, inhibiting productivity and excellence. If the leader of an organization functions without energy and enthusiasm, she or he is not a good role model. Any negative effects of the leader's performance can cascade down through the organization.

Fatigue operates as an insidious barrier to leader productivity. Like a mysterious and demonic force, Fatigue saps the energy required to engage in critical leadership functions. Leaders need stamina, mental energy, and enthusiasm to:

• Spark their creativity: to think out of the box, see the big picture, and gain long-term perspective.
• Engage in analytical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.
• Become lifelong learners. Who can read, remember, and apply information when they are too tired to focus and concentrate?
• Persevere under stressful conditions and be resilient when a crisis strikes.

Is the Fatigue Demon undermining your ability to be a leader? Has Fatigue teamed up with some of the other Demons of Distraction in your life, such as Technology, Stress, Illness/Medication, Others, Activities, Spaces or Unruly Mind?

The most common cause of fatigue is poor sleep or lack of sleep. There are between 50 and 70 million Americans living tired lives, with about 40 million of those reporting some type of sleep disorder. Unquestionably, exhaustion has a negative influence on attention, memory, mood, safety, and general performance. For example, driving under the influence of fatigue can be as devastating as driving under the influence of alcohol-and you can't be inspiring at work if you don't make it there safely.

Fatigue can also be related to leader burnout, a particular problem in the "new normal" climate of technological and economic realities. For example, there are estimates that 247 billion emails are sent per day. How many of these are delivered to a leader's mailbox? Receiving hundreds of messages each day is overwhelming and often leaves no down time. The artificial sense of urgency generated by message technology further erodes the amount and quality of sleep. One study reported that over 65 percent of respondents answered email in bed, while over 45 percent placed devices (cell phones, for example) on their nightstands--and kept the audible message alerts switched on all night long.

Regardless of the reasons underlying fatigue, feeling tired makes you more vulnerable to other Demons of Distraction. For example, the more tired you feel, the more vulnerable you are to stress and its effects. This can leave you more apt to procrastinate or avoid a tedious task, causing even more stress. Therefore, any improvement in sleep will help reduce your vulnerability to stress, and any improvement in stress management will help you be more energized and focused.

How do you know if the Fatigue Demon has become a serious threat to your leadership abilities? Due to the "24/7 Warrior" mentality in the business world, leaders may not even be aware of the extent of their fatigue and its effects--but there are telltale signs. Family members or co-workers may be the first to notice:

• Poor emotional regulation as seen with irritation, impatience, or angry outbursts
• Rigid thinking as seen in an all-or-none, now-or-never mentality
• Physical signs including slouching, walking slowly, yawning, or holding your head
• Work slippages including inaccurate, incomplete or missing work
• Forgetfulness, disorganization, inattention, and poor time management

Whether you seek others' input or they volunteer observations on your behavior, don't shoot the messenger. Denial and defensiveness won't help you regain your leadership edge-but the following steps will.

Six Steps to Stop the Downward Spiral of Leader Performance:

Step 1: Increase awareness. Ask, "How often am I running on empty? Is fatigue interfering with creativity, motivation or memory?" Keep a sleep journal; identify any problems such as insomnia, snoring, sleep apnea, etc. Ask, "What is sapping my mental energy?"

Step 2: Take action. Reorganize your sleep routine so you can be better rested. Make sleep a top priority: get to bed earlier. Consider setting an alarm an hour before bedtime as a signal to stop activities and wind down. The bedroom should be a "No Fly Zone" for electronic devices such as email alerts that unnecessarily interrupt sleep.

Step 3: Stop the constant state of overwhelm and stress. As a leader you have the legitimate power to impose the rules; say no nicely, be ruthless about delegating, and take a break or two during the day. Leaders need quiet think-time to analyze and solve problems. One strategy is to impose an electronic lockdown; a specific period of time during which technology does not distract you.

Step 4: Stop multitasking. Don't buy into the myth that it helps you: recent research indicates that it's ineffective to do two things at the same time. It drains your mental energy and leads to inaccuracies.

Step 5: Consider fatigue and safety. When fatigued, don't drive, use power tools, or undertake risky activities such as climbing ladders.

Step 6: Increase the use of exercise and stress management strategies to bolster physical and mental energy, endurance, and resilience.

Sometimes, the simpler a suggestion sounds, the more difficult it is to do. Start with one thing at a time. Even the smallest change can yield positive results.

Opening a Yoga Studio - The Process From A to Z

By Lisa Jenkins

job, jobs, career

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Many yoga teachers love practicing and teaching yoga so much that they decide they want to open up their own practices. While their intentions are positive, the decision to create a new yoga studio in the community is one that requires a great deal of careful consideration, planning and support.

Business Plan

A business plan is the best first stage of planning when deciding to go down the entrepreneurial path. A business plan is a document that includes your vision, as well as the financial, marketing, staff, sales, hiring, bookkeeping, start-up and maintenance aspects that are involved in building and sustaining your dream.

Setting Goals

When writing a business plan, the vision statement is the crucial first step. You must decide what the purpose for your yoga practice will be, as well as the type of clientele you would like to serve. It is important to narrow this target clientele as narrowly as you can to take the next steps to attract this group of people.

Record your goals for your studio as part of the visioning process. Write down specific key measurable results you aim to achieve through running your own business.

Determine the strategies you will have to use to financially sustain the studio. Hosting workshops, teaching yoga classes, having retail and online sales, private clients and teacher training programs are all potential income generating ideas.

Assessing Available Resources

At some point during the business planning process, the question of your available resources is certain to arise. Some practitioners decide to have investors get involved in financing their studio, while others refinance their own home to do so. Still others get part-time jobs to save the funds necessary to start a yoga operation, or seek small amounts of money from supportive friends and family members. Some people hold garage sales or do bake sales and other creative fundraising events.

It is helpful if owners can rent space in the location they wish to create a studio in, as this can save a lot of time and money. A place that used to serve as a yoga studio or fitness center is ideal, though it is also possible to use a space that was once an office or store. In the case of using a space that was not used before for yoga, it is important to take into consideration the tremendous potential costs of renovating the place to make it suitable as a studio.

Figure out how many classes, workshops or teacher trainings you will have to teach per year to cover your annual and start-up costs. Make sure you do not overestimate these figures, as they are very important in the planning and fundraising process.

Naming a Yoga Studio

Once you have written a thorough business plan and assessed that you have the necessary resources available to manifest your yoga studio vision, it is important to consider naming your studio. It is best to contact a trademark attorney at this point to see if your desired name is available. If you are unable to afford an attorney, you can see if anyone else is using the same name you have chosen by searching online.

Trademark Process

If you find that no one else is using the name you have selected for your yoga studio, you can visit the website for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Check if anyone has a pending application or federal registration for the name you plan to use.

After doing this, visit your state's trademark database to make sure that your desired name has not been taken by another yoga business, fitness or wellness center.

When going to file your business name online, be ready to pay approximately $335 to register your trademark. It is helpful to work with an attorney on this process to try your best to prevent receiving trademark application rejections.

Though opening a yoga practice is a challenging process that requires a lot of patience, persistence and commitment, many entrepreneurs will tell you that running a studio is well worth the effort it takes to create one.