The Importance of Reflecting on Your Achievements Building Your Future Now

The Importance of Reflecting on Your Achievements Building Your Future Now Sometimes its important to look back on your achievements and accomplishments. Its so easy for the days to slip away from usfocusing on our jobs, careers and just plain being busy. But it is vital for us to take stock on our pasts and what we have done to get to where you are today. It might be tough but it might be a good idea to take a few moments in a day and look at your achievements. Is it the children you raised? The book you wrote? The addiction you kicked? It might have been some time after you have actually thought about your achievements so reflecting on them and mediating on them can be an uplifting and positive experience. These achievements made you who you are today. They are also signs that you have failed as welltaking the good and the bad. Building your experience comes from reflecting on those times you havent been at your best because those times give you a platform to rise and be your best. Image: Free Photos

Job Hunting Ace Your Next Interview!

Job Hunting Ace Your Next Interview! If you’re hunting for a job, you know the routine: apply, apply, apply, then hope for an interview. Whether you apply on line, on paper, or (most effectively) through a connection your first interview is your chance to really differentiate yourself from other candidates. How can you move from the first interview to the next, and next, and finally the job offer? Here are 6 tips, based on years of interviewing and being interviewed. Do Your Research Before the interview, learn whatever you can about the company, industry, role and people you will be meeting. Don’t just look at the company website; investigate industry groups, competitors, stock market filings, and LinkedIn. Use your network! Ask friends and colleagues what they know about the company, product, position or people. Go into the interview knowing more than just what’s in the job listing! Know Your Value Proposition What’s special about you? What makes you the best person for the job? Be able to articulate it quickly and crisply, and back it up with examples. Practice saying this over and over until you feel comfortable with what you are promising Have Star Stories ‘Star Stories’ are short examples you use to answer questions. Whether the question is ‘tell me about a time that….’ or ‘what’s your greatest weakness’ you should have a brief, real-life example that shows your abilities. Keep it under 2 minutes, focused on what you did to make a difference. If others were involved, give them credit â€" but keep yourself and your accomplishments at the center. Know Your Red Flags The interview is a chance for both you and the company to test the fit, so know what you need and can’t tolerate. Everyone has something that they must, or must not, see in a job or workplace. The only question is whether yours and the company’s match up. Know what your non-negotiables are. It might be a location, or the lack of flexible hours, or an amount of travel. Explore these topics with open-ended questions (‘how much travel is involved?’) Have prepared answers and be able to state your boundaries calmly and without being defensive. Ask The Right Questions Your research should give you questions about the company to ask: about the competitive environment, new entrants, threats…and be prepared with your own thoughts. They might ask you these questions too! Ask about the normal day-to-day office routine, how people work together, what are the team’s strengths, where are they looking to improve. Ask open ended questions not yes or no ones. You will get much more information! Is this your first interview with the company? Save the questions on salary for later rounds. Ask For the Job At the end of the interview, ask yourself: Do I want this job?. If the answer is a firm ‘No’ it’s OK to thank the interviewer for her time and say that it’s not a good fit. Give a concrete reason (‘I am looking for a role with direct managerial responsibilities’). If you do still want the job, or you aren’t sure yet, re-state your interest. Ask what else you can share that will help them decide to hire you. Ask what the next steps are. Send a thank-you note after the interview, too. I am always amazed at how many people don’t do this, and what a difference it can make. Whatever happens in the interview, stay calm. An interview is a conversation, and it’s good practice for all of the other interviews you will have in the future. Keep practicing, stay positive keep trying to move forward. And when the right job comes along, you will ace the interview!

Fact Checking for Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Fact Checking for Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Word-of-mouth marketing is an amazing way to ensure your chances of success at anything you do. With the advent of modern communication systems and instantly accessible online knowledge repositories, most communicators need to walk an increasingly thin line between the thrilling script and bitter reality. One of the most powerful tools used in story telling and your personal brand is the humble fact. While the definition of fact can be amazingly vague, we all know it for what it is. A fact is a simple truth that can be verified with impartial references. The problem is, most facts being thrown around these days dont even fit the most basic definition of that term. The challenge of the interesting storyline Lets face it though. We arent in 1980’s anymore. While communicators are often faced with the challenge of coming up with an interesting storyline to fit them, they also face an increasingly knowledgeable audience that can sometimes cut in and question their facts, as anyone with any kind of knowledge in word-of-mouth marketing will tell you. That sort of thing spells disaster for someone trying to build a reputation. Since reputation is key to any kind of word-of-mouth marketing approach, anyone who misuses or distorts facts runs a serious risk of harming his entire future in the process. Some people are really fond of saying, its a proven fact that 90% of facts quoted are made up on the spot. The irony and the cynicism of this particular fact demonstrates in detail why an unchecked fact can spread fast and be amazingly damaging at the same time. Most made up facts used in word-of-mouth marketing and posts, updates and tweets are used to sell a concept, an idea, a service, or a product. Selling yourself at all costs? In an instance where something is being sold, facts are invented and paraded around as genuine even when everyone can see that its patently false. While a falsified fact can pique the interests of many people, it offers only a temporary increase in interest until the audience figures out that you lied or sensationalized the information. Interestingly, your credibility nosedives beyond this point to depths it can never recover from. When you use falsified facts, you risk everything you have and you risk much more than you could ever hope to gain. Nothing remain unverifiable In this age of mobile internet devices, nothing remains unverifiable. This spells doom for those engaging enthusiasts that rely on made-up facts. These days, people can fact-check you instantly. If you take the risk of quoting an unverified or false fact, theres a good chance that dozens of people will “out” you and the challenge of rebuilding your reputation is quick to become a priority. Worse, some people will immediately search for your fact and prove you wrong on the spot. To avoid such circumstances, here are some tips to check your facts and verify them before you go public with them. Fact check resources The internet is the best tool that you have at your disposal when youre looking to verify facts. There are a number of websites that let you check facts. When you intend to use some facts in your speech, get them checked on websites like: • factcheck.org • snopes.com • hoaxslayer.com • truthorficiton.com If youre looking at facts in a very specific niche, its better to read up a lot on the background of the story or verify the facts with an industry expert and quote them along with the fact youre mentioning. Facts keep updating all the time with changing scenarios. With this approach, you can at least be sure that your facts are as accurate. You can never be 100% sure that no one will dispute the facts you quote. Its best to have solid evidence and knowledge of the origins of the fact youre quoting so you will have complete control over the discussion and be prepared when someone challenges you. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucks.com  â€"  a word of mouth marketing firm.   She helps create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is co-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.

Media and Magic and Blue Peter! University of Manchester Careers Blog

Media and Magic and Blue Peter! University of Manchester Careers Blog Two great opportunities to share with you today! Do you want a behind-the-scenes look at how a TV show is put together? Channel 4 are currently filming a new prime-time show on Magic Illusions and require participants to take part in one of the amazing tricks planned for this Saturday 9th March! Sounds like fun but also a great opportunity to see how a TV show is filmed.   If you’re interested email magic@magnumtv.co.uk  or call Tiffany Moore on 0207 151 0131 If magic isnt your thing, how about being a Blue Peter presenter? Come on, who hasnt fancied a go  at that!? Later this year the BBC  will be running    an original new series, So You Think You Can Be A Blue Peter Presenter, where some of the countrys best new presenting talent will compete to join Barney Harwood and Helen Skelton as the third member of the Blue Peter gang.   In a first for the worlds longest-running childrens TV show, the next lucky presenter to join the Blue Peter team will compete through challenge-based heats to reach a final where the winner will be chosen by the CBBC audience.   Click here for more info and details of   how to apply.   If you make it through, I want a BP badge! All Media

How to Prepare For a Business For Sale

How to Prepare For a Business For SaleIf you are looking to start a business for sale, it is imperative that you begin your preparation right away. Whether you want to get in the business for sale industry or you are an actual buyer, you should focus on your preparations for the coming weeks and months.The first thing you need to do is get organized. Make a list of all the assets you own, including any debts you have, and list them as well. Next, you need to determine how much money you need to make in order to open a business for sale. You can begin this estimate by utilizing the internet to your advantage.Using online calculators, you can determine the amount of money you need to generate before you buy or lease a business. Calculate this amount based on the demand for that type of business on the market today. When you are done, divide your estimate by the number of months you plan to work with the business. This will ensure that you will not be spending more than necessary on wor king capital.After determining the amount of money needed to purchase or lease a business, you need to determine how much time you will spend managing the business. Do you want to own the business or do you want to work with a third party? If you have your own ideas on how to manage the business, you can do so.In addition, you can choose to hire a third party to manage the business for you. However, if you are selling a business and do not have experience in this area, you should work with a reputable person who already has experience in the area. The best way to select a seller is to use a professional business broker who will look for the best business for sale and provide you with the right information and services to ensure that you will be successful with your purchase.Once you know which assets you will use to sell your business, you need to establish a plan on how you will market your business. You can begin by contacting your existing clients and see what they think about yo ur new services. You can also enlist your friends and family members to promote your business for sale on your behalf.You can also offer to write for the local newspaper about the benefits of your services. When you advertise your business for sale, you can get more clients by conducting business with others. One of the most important aspects of your marketing plan is the promotion of your business for sale, and you should continue doing this every day until you are able to open your business for sale.By doing all of these things, you will be successful in your business for sale by utilizing the process outlined above. Once you have all of the tools to get started, you can get started on the important part of buying or leasing a business. With all of the tools and support available, you can succeed in this endeavor.

How to Use Pop-up Stands to Your Advantage

How to Use Pop-up Stands to Your Advantage Do you frequently head out on the road to attend exhibitions and conferences to promote your business? If so, then you will definitely be in need of some great marketing materials that will help you to stand out from the crowd and draw people in. Pop-up stands are one of the easiest ways in which you can achieve this as they are both affordable and convenient. Here, we are taking you through some of our top tips for how you can use a display stand to your advantage at your next exhibition event.   Why Use Pop-up Stands? One of the main reasons why pop-ups are so popular for businesses to use at exhibitions and conferences is because they will help you to create a presence. Space is often limited at these types of events and they are also extremely expensive! Purchasing shell space can cost you thousands of pounds and so you will want to make sure that when people are passing, they see your company in the very best light. This is where pop-up stands come in and can be used to your advantage.   How to Make the Most of Your Stands The great thing about pop-up display stands is that they help to create a welcoming environment for visitors passing your stand. If you have ever been to one of these events, you will know that it can be quite intimidating to walk up to a stand, but you will make this easier for people with pop-up stands that create a welcoming environment. You should use your stand to your advantage as they are a great way to decorate your shell space and your sales team can stand nearby them so that they are on hand to answer any questions that people may have. We would recommend that you try to have all of the vital information that you want to get across clearly visible on the stand as this will allow people passing to get a good idea of what it is you offer and they are far more likely to have their attention grabbed and come over and learn more about your business. Finally, having these pop-up stands will make it a lot easier to introduce follow up questions and discussions.   Think About Design When creating your pop-up stands, you will need to put a lot of effort into creating its design. It is important that you follow a few key points however. Always ensure that your brand’s key message is clear and can be seen from a distance. You will also want to use colour and graphics as this will help you draw more attention to your stand and generate more leads. You can view this guide to find out the different types and sizes of stand that are available.     Invest in Quality When you are purchasing pop-up stands, you will want to ensure that you are investing in high-quality ones from companies such as Marler Haley as these will provide you with a long-term value for your investment. Constantly having to buy cheap pop-up banners will quickly add up and you will gain a lot more from investing in your brand by purchasing high-quality stands. High-quality stands are light weight and really do not have as big a price tag on them as you may once have thought.   Create a Professional Setting When you use high-quality pop-up stands, you will be creating a professional look for your company and this will help you to set a good first impression. Pop-up stands that are a little more expensive will also be quick and easy to set up which is exactly what you want as you don’t want to waste your day trying to set up your stall.

The Controversial Dress Code at Work A Love-Hate Dilemma

The Controversial Dress Code at Work â€" A Love-Hate Dilemma The controversial dress code at work A love-hate dilemma Poor Newsweek. They’ve just been snared in the trap that makes most companies nervous. Newsweek employees just leaked a new internal dress code manual and the press is having a field day. We could replace “Newsweek” with virtually any company name but here’s the gist of the new policy: “Denim jeans, sweat suits, low-rise pants, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, halter tops, camisoles, baseball caps, sweat suits, t-shirts, tank tops, micro mini-skirts, shorts, or anything else that is deemed unprofessional or excessively distracting are inappropriate business attire and should not be worn to work.” On social media platforms comments on the leak range from “…adults working in a professional environment should dress professionally” to “I think dress codes for adults are just stupid…” There is no dress code that will make everybody happy but they are important. Let’s take a closer look. #1 The intent is positive. You, as an employee, may feel that a dress code is restricting. I have heard, “My company says they are open to diversity yet they want us all to dress alike.” Actually, your company IS open to diversity so they want to avoid anybody or anything from offending someone else. It is not only things we say can that can be offensive; so can the things we wear. We work for globally diverse companies and many things can be offensive to various cultures. For example, some people don’t want to see undergarments of any kind, cleavage, often-unkempt toes, etc. As for casual attire (sweatpants, baseball caps), wear those at night and on weekends all you want. Work is called work for a reason. It is the place that compensates us to work in THEIR environment, abiding by their values, rules, policies, and helping them build THEIR brand. If certain elements of your company’s brand are the color of the paint on the walls and how people dress, that is their decision. You may elect to not work there if the requirements are not comfortable for you. #2 Dress code challenges are NOT gender or generation-specific. As a manager, I have had to have dress code conversations with men and women baby boomers (born 1946-1964), Gen X-ers (born 1965-1976) and Millennials (born 1977-1992). Within each generation there is a wide continuum of conservative to liberal attitudes and as many interpretations of the type of dress that is appropriate enough or professional enough. I’m sure there are some senior executives who are equally challenged with the new dress code. #3 More clothing choices are appropriate and professional than are inappropriate and unprofessional. There is a very wide range of clothes that are acceptable, while still letting individuals express their creativity and uniqueness. Just look around you. There are colors, fabrics, combinations, styles, and accessories that bring out a sense of individuality while still providing appropriate dress for work. A wardrobe can be low-cost, second-hand, or vintage and still be very acceptable. #4 Your attire doesnt make you less cool, less creative, less important, or less interesting, anyway. First impressions are truly lasting, so why be labeled before you even show your talents? Like those required at some grade schools and highschools, I often wish we wore a uniform at work so we would be judged (and compensated!) on how we meet or, better, exceed, our job requirements. Period. In today’s new era of work, I believe the number one career word “choices.” We are all empowered to make choices, that is, when we have choices. You can choose to work for a technology start-up that says, “Wear whatever you want.” Or you can work for a company with a brand that requires a certain level of dress standard. Or you can start your own business and wear whatever you want! What is your opinion? We want to hear it! We look forward to your comments!