Is Further Training a Worthwhile Investment

Is Further Training a Worthwhile Investment Training is beneficial and a worthwhile investment for both the employer and employee. The employee gets the opportunity to expand on their skills and knowledge, something that is  actually one of the top factors that job seekers look for in an a role; and the employer gains a skill professional who is equipped to excel in their job. The chance to learn new things and develop within the company can also be highly effective for boosting employee morale and productivity. This infographic created by  brightonsbm.com  looks into  the value  of upskilling and how individuals can make the most of their skill-set. Why upgrade skills? 57% of upskillers did so to increase their chance of getting a promotion with their current employer. 47% were seeking a better opportunity at another company. 42% were looking to enter a new field of work. 20% wanted to become an entrepreneur. What industries are upskilling? 28% of professionals working in maths are undertaking training or education to pursue a new field of work. 26% of engineering and IT professionals are completing further training/education. 25% of sales and security clearance professionals are also doing so. Does generation and country affect attitude? Gen Y are the most likely (63%) to be motivated by the prospect of a promotion with their current employer. Professionals in Americas and APAC are more likely to undertake training for a  promotion than those in EMEA. Is there a skills gap in Britain? 15% of British employers say that some of their staff are not fully proficient at their job. 7 out of 10 employers say that their skills requirements will change over the next 12 months. The top lacking skills (63%) are technical, practical or job specific skills. How  can employees go about upskilling? Allocate time for researching, networking and creating a career plan. Get networking and talk to people who work in your desired industry or have undertaken a course that may suit you. Do your research so that you know whats available to you and what the financial requirements are. If you are out of work Think positively about being out of work and use it as an opportunity to get on the right career path for you. Treat upskilling and job searching as a full time job. Be visible to employers. What are the benefits of upskilling? You will stand out from other candidates when applying for a new job. It can put you in good stead of earn a promotion. It makes it easier for you to change careers if you wish to do so. It has potential to increase your earnings. Find out more below! [Top Image Credit: Shutterstock]

Best Resume Writing Services In New York City

Best Resume Writing Services In New York CityIf you are looking for best resume writing services in New York City, then you need to look no further than the service providers. They offer you a lot of useful resume tips that will help you land that top job you always wanted.You can find these online services through search engines or by searching on your favorite search engine. They are capable of taking care of all your needs in terms of a resume. These services can include things like preparing a list of contact information, working with the hiring managers and even they can help you organize your resume for its presentation in front of the hiring managers.These services employ freelance writers. Their goal is to provide the employers with the best candidates to hire. They take care of all the aspects of the job you are applying for. Their writers will also have the ability to work within a specific project and provide you with a comprehensive resume outline that will surely impress the hiring managers.Resume writing services can also ensure that your resume is all in one and that it is not messy or irregular in format. The companies will also ensure that you submit the resume in time. They can be contacted 24 hours a day and all in all, these services can take care of all the details of a resume. It's just that they will take your time and efforts in getting things done.These services use the latest resume writing software which helps them meet the deadline. They use this software to ensure that you submit your resume as soon as possible after you receive it. They also make sure that you are able to submit a resume as soon as possible and in time.With these services, you can focus on other aspects of your career as opposed to trying to look over your resume. You can just use your focus to get things done and see how well your resume does. This will help you get a job and land the job you really want.When you find yourself at a loss for a time, always try and ensure that you have your resume prepared and ready to go. Remember that the hiring managers will only look at the contents of your resume. They will not waste their time looking at the contents.Once you are able to get your resume ready and submitted, the next thing you need to do is to work your way up. Take advantage of all the great resume writing services in the world and use your networking abilities to help you land the job you deserve. All you need to do is show them that you have what it takes to land the job you want.

The Balance Myth - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Balance Myth - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Being able to achieve a balance between work and personal life has gained much awareness recently. With more individuals seeking to create separation between a productive business profession and an enjoyable personal life, more individuals are looking to create a life that is meaningful to them, and that caters to their professional and personal needs. But is such a balance possible? Can you actually balance work and personal life effectively by simply following the right scheduling practices?  [tweet this] The truth is that at times, work will be a priority and at others your personal life will take precedence. Regardless of what your decision is, it is made based on what you determine is important in your life at the time. The value of the moment What you value at a given point in time is specific to you.   Your priorities are what matter to you   and are ultimately what will guide and keep you focused on finding the right balance at the time. The value of the moment decides whether you need to focus on personal or business matters. It is at such times that you ask questions such as: Does a given situation ultimately matter to your personal brand? Will a certain decision affect your ultimate goals and objectives? Is this important to you? Defining your own personal balance can only be determined by your own desire. And when you know what you want, it’s that much easier to decide which direction to take. No regrets Remember that time isn’t something you can get back once you’ve made use of it. Whether it was spent the way you wanted or not, the point here is to be able to move on without regret. If you find yourself looking back, you won’t be able to focus on making the right choices in the present time and future. Not regretting the time spent means you have to consider the opportunity cost by going in a certain direction. Will such a decision at the time set you back or move you forward? What word of mouth advantages will it achieve? Does your personal brand exude that you have your priorities well established- both personal and professional? These are all things you should think through as you make decisions that affect your personal and business life. Versatility Being more versatile in terms of skills, knowledge, and ability will mean more opportunities will come your way. Though we all have our specialties, and investing time to better professional skills can draw away from our personal lives, what are you willing to invest and what will it garner in terms of both personal and professional advantages. Finding balance in your life isn’t something that should be left to a weekly calendar/schedule. It isn’t a calculable equation that anyone can copy the answers off of. The perfect balance comes at the right moment. It’s about focusing on what’s important to move you towards your personal and professional goal at any given time. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.

A Single Incident Can Undermine Decades of Brand Loyalty - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Single Incident Can Undermine Decades of Brand Loyalty - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Brands are fragile; a single incident can undermine enthusiasm for a brand that took decades to build. Ive been a fan of one of Americas premier blues performers for decades, buying their albums, attending their concerts, and making it a point to visit their home base blues club on every visit to Chicago. Last year, however, the brand soured for meand it took just one employees ill-considered actions to undermine decades of loyalty. The incident underscores the importance of clearly-understood policies, employee training, and continuing vigilance for branding success. What could go wrong? The first night after arriving in Chicago, I invited my son to join me in an excursion to the performers home club, in its new, expanded location, a few doors down from its original location. Things started off on a high note. Although early in the evening, the club appeared to be operating at capacity. The performer, an acoustic blues soloist, was rocking the joint. The sound system was perfect; great impact and detail without destroying my hearing for the next 24 hours. Although located just a block from Lake Michigan Avenue, and significantly larger than the original location, the location had a gritty, but not overdone, ambiance. Down-home Chicago at its best! Soon, a spot opened up in the bar, and my son and I moved to the front of the room. We soon ordered, and received, well-prepared sandwiches and locally-brewed drafts while enjoying a close-up view of the performer Great music, great location,   and great food; what could go wrong? How not to treat the help At the end of the set, however, the performer approached the bar to receive his payment for his set, as well as a take-away meal which had been contractually agreed upon. Unfortunately, in plain view of everyone sitting at the bar, a disagreement arose between the performer and the club’s business manager. At stake? As far as I can determine, the disagreement was over whether or not a side order of sweet potato fries was supposed to be included as a side dish with the performer’s meal! Instantly, the whole experience soured. No matter how good the music, the sound system, or the location, the fun evaporated from the whole experience. My son and I left soon after. I didnt even buy the $30 sweatshirt I usually buy on my yearly visits to the club! Worse, when it came time to renew my subscription to the clubs free newsletter, which Ive been getting since the 80s, I didnt renew. The origins of brand disintegration Granted, in itself, my lost enthusiasm for the performers brand doesnt matter in the grand scheme of things. To hospitality businesses in popular cities that cater to touristsunlike self-employed professionals serving niche marketsI suspect it takes a lot of disenchanted patrons to make a dent in the bottom line. Yet, what are the lessons we can take away from this sorry brand-erosion story? Clarifying expectations. The problem probably originated in a lack of clearly-defined policies and procedures. As a result, the performer expected a side order of sweet potato fries, but the clubs management expected the complimentary meal to include a standard, rather than premium, side order. Discretion. Regardless of the cause of the problem, the discussion should never have taken place in publicespecially during a break in the music, when conversations can be easily overheard. Even if the performer was not entitled to the sweet potato fries, the business manager should have suggested adjourning to the business office, or the   back of the room, to discuss the situation. Long term perspective. Most disturbing of all is the us versus them attitude the business manager exhibited towards the performer. Observing it, I couldnt help thinking, If this is how they treat their performers, what do they really think about their patrons? 3 questions to ask As you reflect on the fragility of brands, and how quickly they can be undermined, ask yourself: How clearly do I explain exactly what clients can expect when dealing with me and my business? Do I have policies in place for handling misunderstandings when they occur? Are all who deal with my clients encouraged to take a long-term view of client satisfaction and my firms brand view? Most important, in view of how easily a single incident can undermine my brand, do you have systems in place to manage your brand by monitoring client and customer satisfaction on a continuing basis? One of the lessons from our forefathers was that Eternal vigilance is the price we pay for democracy. The same can be said for our personal brands. Author: Roger C. Parker encourages you to create an IdeaTracking content dashboard to learn from, and apply, the good personal branding ideas all around you.  Use his online form to ask questions about writing for brand building success.

How to Write a Corrections Letter

How to Write a Corrections LetterWriting a resume for corrections is one of the hardest things to do. You need to go over it with a fine tooth comb, and make sure that it will stand out from all the other generic resumes that you see. This is not an easy task.First off, when you are writing a corrections letter, you must make sure that you are coming across as professional. This means that you need to put together a resume that is not generic or cookie cutter. If your letter looks like every other letters that you see, there is no way that you will stand out. This will mean that you will only be getting short cuts, which will be seen as lazy.The goal here is to find ways that you can show your character and attitude, and tell a reader why they should hire you over someone else. If you get this right, then you will stand out from the rest of the masses. If you do this wrong, then they will never know that you even sent out the letter in the first place.To start with, try to think abou t the specific job that you are applying for. For instance, if you are looking for a position at the local post office, then you need to write something that says that you are someone who works well under pressure. This will show that you have done your research when it comes to handling situations that could go wrong. You will also show that you are the type of person that can handle any situation with calmness.One of the biggest mistakes that people make when writing a corrections letter is that they think that they need to 'word' it all wrong. If you read that, you know that it is completely true. In fact, if you write your letter badly enough, it may even get you fired. This is because of the nature of the jobs that people send to the post office.At the post office, a lot of the jobs are quite straightforward. However, some of them can be very complicated. In other words, they can be things like stamping postage. If you start your letter with a bunch of words that are not necess ary, then you will find that you will not be hired for the job at all.When you are reading this letter, you will see that it does look a little odd. However, there is no need to worry. The reason why you are writing a corrections letter is not because you do not have the ability to write, but rather because you just want to make sure that the person who reads your letter knows that you are tough. This is just one example of how to write a corrections letter. There are many others that you can use.When you are writing a corrections letter, you need to try and be as clear as possible. This means that you need to spell out exactly what you want the reader to know about you. You will be surprised at how often these letters end up being good interviews.

The Trouble with Wanting to Be Right

The Trouble with Wanting to Be Right Every leader has blind spots. Those things you don’t see from your perspective, but everyone else does. And like driving a car, it’s the things in your blind spots that can cause big problems. There’s one that’s common among smart, successful people which has far-reaching consequences in your career, business and relationships. But first, see if you’ve ever had any of these thoughts: I’ve done the research and made up my mind, so there's no need to change it or revisit my assumptions I like to be right People around me are often wrong When someone questions my ideas, it's not only irritating, but I have to defend my position I like to win arguments and usually come out ahead in debates It's important to have the last word Why doesn’t everyone else “get it” that my point of view is the best one, especially after I’ve explained it clearly? If you’ve had these thoughts, you’re in the good company of many smart, successful people because these are all attributes that can drive you forward in competitive environments. But you also may have just identified a leadership blind spot that you can address before it holds you back from achieving greater career (and life) success. Addicted to Being Right A common blind spot among high achievers, which shows up particularly as you take on leadership roles, is wanting and even needing to be right. It can happen to the best of us. Being addicted to being right is an easy trap to fall into because getting things right has played a large part in getting you where you are now. In school, getting the right answers on an exam led to praise and good grades. At work, being right in a meeting leads to greater respect. And society values leaders who are confident, decisive people who “stick to their guns” and (to quote Winston Churchill) “never give in”. Most of all, winning and being right makes us feel good. As Judith E. Glaser writes in her HBR article, Your Brain Is Hooked on Being Right, “When you argue and win, your brain floods with different hormones: adrenalin and dopamine, which makes you feel good, dominant, even invincible.” No wonder it’s so easy to be addicted to being right! But it can come at a cost to your career, relationships and organization as one of my former colleagues discovered. William’s Painful Lesson William (not his real name) was one of our smartest, most successful product managers and the market “guru” when it came to a particular family of financing products. Those of us covering corporate clients were surprised when we heard our clients raving about a new product from a competitor. One that we didn’t have. When we brought it to William’s attention and asked if he could design our own version, he replied, “We looked at that idea last year and concluded that it made no sense. It’s a dumb idea that will never work.” No amount of discussion or pleading changed his mind. Someone even diagnosed William as suffering from the “not invented here” syndrome where anything he hadn’t come up with was automatically a bad idea. Ultimately, he did design our firm’s version of the product, but only after our competitor had completed billions of dollars of transactions. William’s addiction to being right had cost us revenues and market share and allowed a competitor to make inroads with our clients and prospects.   At the same time, he damaged his reputation and relationships with colleagues and senior management. To William’s credit, he used this painful lesson as a wake-up call to be more open and a better listener. It took a while to recover, but he ultimately became one of our best senior leaders. Don’t Undermine Yourself William let his need to be right undermine his credibility, relationships and career, but he didn’t have to. And neither do you. By putting aside his ego, being able to listen and being open to other ideas, he could have side-stepped this painful lesson. The same goes for you and me. The key to avoiding the trap of being addicted to being right is to make the necessary adjustments now. Just think of what you’ll gain by truly listening and being more open to other possibilities, for example: Making better decisions and achieving better business outcomes because you’ve truly pressure-tested your assumptions and opened up a broader range of possibilities. Enjoying better relationships with (and performance from) people around you because they feel listened to, heard and trusted. Developing a better reputation because you don’t come across as argumentative, arrogant and difficult to work with and work for. Think of what you’ll gain by truly listening and being more open to other possibilities. What Will You Do? As human beings, we’re likely to have this “addicted to being right” blind spot in some part of our lives. The question is when and where it shows up for you. Is it when you’re with family, when you’re the expert, or when you’re with people from a different culture? Perhaps it’s triggered when you’re tired, hungry or talking about specific topics (politics and religion come to mind)? The key is to recognize when you’re displaying the less-than-attractive signs of being addicted to being right. Only then can you make a conscious choice about what to do. So, when are you most likely to fall into the “addicted to being right” trap and how will you keep it from holding you back from your next level of success at work and in life? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Using a Temporary Recruitment Agency - CareerAlley

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Using a Temporary Recruitment Agency - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. With employment at a record high, it is becoming a lot more difficult for businesses to attract the correct level of talent into their business and they are sometimes having to think outside of the box. Using the conventional way of recruitment is proving to be a lot more challenging nowadays to get the right level of skillset into some companies. Specifically, if you are looking to hire a specific niche that is not large in numbers within a specific location employers may find it difficult. Using a temp-hire recruitment agency may be the answer for a short term fix. There are many different advantages and disadvantages of doing this that we will outline here. Short-Term Hire If the company is looking to bridge a gap for a short period, a temporary staffing agency may tick the box as the people they employee wont have the same level of rights as a full-time employee will. Generally, you can let the individual go at pretty much no notice and they have no rights. For the employee, this is the risk that they take where they can be let go quickly. On the other hand, there is a risk to the business that the temporary employee can also break ties with the company very quickly and move on when they desire with no real notice or consequence. Using a temp-hire recruitment agency may be the answer for a short term fix. There are many different advantages and disadvantages of doing this Tweet This Range of Skills Looking at Corporate Job Bank as an example, who is a staffing agency in Phoenix, they have a full catalogue of people that are able to start at the drop of a hat. This covers a large skillset of people in many different sectors including banking, medical and engineering. Their temp services in Phoenix have literally thousands of people on these lists that have chosen to use this organisation to help try and find them work. If a company is struggling to recruit the right level of skills into their business and they need to get someone in quickly, it seems a no brainer to explore this as a viable option. Fees Included For a company using the temporary staffing option, they can normally find that short-term this is a little more expensive than using a full-time employee. What you must remember though is that the little more you pay via this method is compensating for the little rights the individual has and the fact that you can let him or her go very quickly. Temping may have been seen as a less attractive option than permanent work in the past, but the economic downturn of the last two years has re-shaped the job market landscape; while we continue to see growth in new jobs, companies are remaining cautious and temp jobs have started to overtake permanent roles in terms of popularity. 10 Benefits of Temping In addition to this, the staffing agency has done all the hard work on your behalf where they have allowed you to select from their list of registered people the right person for your company, when they will start and what the agreed rates are. This will cover the cost of recruitment. Your full- time employees will normally also be expecting some additional benefits that help you retain staff. This can healthcare which temps wont be eligible for. Make sure to consider the advantages and disadvantages before using one of these services. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search