Managing Your Finances

Managing Your Finances Lately Ive been on a bit of a Dave Ramsey kick.  Ill pick up my kids from play practice (they are doing Peter Pan) around the same time Daves radio show comes on. Because of my own experience as a speaker, author, etc. I listen to him from two angles: First, as a business person, in awe of how he runs his business and interacts with his guests who call in.  Second, for questions he gets, and the financial advice he dishes out. I had heard about him for years but only recently have I started to get into his material. As I think about what he talks about, I think about YOU I realize that most of us are on JibberJobber to make money, or make more money. What if we had a better handle on how we spend money?  Is how we spend money any less important than how we make money? Im reminded of a guy I had lunch with after a speaking engagement he was in a nice house, had a very nice car and was in transition.  He made the comment that most people in the job club I spoke to had not managed their finances (living paycheck-to-paycheck), and their level of stress was off the charts.  He, however, had managed his very carefully, and he wasnt stressed at all. Imagine this scenario: you lose your job, but you are not weeks or months away from being completely broke! What a cool concept. This would happen if we kept our expenses in check, and had the right savings.  These are elements of Dave Ramseys teachings. What are YOU doing to manage your finances?  What financial advice do/would you give to others? Managing Your Finances Lately Ive been on a bit of a Dave Ramsey kick.  Ill pick up my kids from play practice (they are doing Peter Pan) around the same time Daves radio show comes on. Because of my own experience as a speaker, author, etc. I listen to him from two angles: First, as a business person, in awe of how he runs his business and interacts with his guests who call in.  Second, for questions he gets, and the financial advice he dishes out. I had heard about him for years but only recently have I started to get into his material. As I think about what he talks about, I think about YOU I realize that most of us are on JibberJobber to make money, or make more money. What if we had a better handle on how we spend money?  Is how we spend money any less important than how we make money? Im reminded of a guy I had lunch with after a speaking engagement he was in a nice house, had a very nice car and was in transition.  He made the comment that most people in the job club I spoke to had not managed their finances (living paycheck-to-paycheck), and their level of stress was off the charts.  He, however, had managed his very carefully, and he wasnt stressed at all. Imagine this scenario: you lose your job, but you are not weeks or months away from being completely broke! What a cool concept. This would happen if we kept our expenses in check, and had the right savings.  These are elements of Dave Ramseys teachings. What are YOU doing to manage your finances?  What financial advice do/would you give to others?

A Beginners Guide to Pitching Like a Pro

A Beginners Guide to Pitching Like a Pro No matter what industry youre in, there will come a time when youll need to win some new business or impress a potential client or customer. Youll have to rock them with a pitch that not only blows them away, but also shows that you can provide the answers to the questions theyve been trying so hard to work out. So what are some ways you can really impress with your presentation? Heres my list of things to keep in mind  when youre pitching for  a new project, client or customer. 1) Humans win humans When you meet any potential clients, its easy to  get bogged down in the specifics of what you would  be doing. But humans win humans, so make sure you remain personable and human through out the pitch.  When youre pitching, let the audience know your own personal skills, as well as the individual skills that individuals within the team possess.  Its also important to remember that no one wants to hear a presentation or pitch from a robot, so have personality and try to be yourself as much as you can! Be human when presenting. Dont be perfect. People want conversations; not actors on a stage.#publicspeaking @MagneticSpeak James Greenway (@NerdCred) May 15, 2015 2) Crystal clear When pitching to a client, its very important that you know exactly what they need and want from you. Make sure you have as much information as you can get about the task at hand and details about the client. From here you can create a bespoke pitch that will tick all the boxes, without beating round the bush with information thats fluffed-up and unnecessary. https://twitter.com/thevantee/status/706716560354717696 3) Speak in plain and simple language Throwing in buzzwords and lingo wont make you sound any more convincing than your pitch actually is. So when writing your notes,  make sure you use language that everyone can understand, and not just industry terminology. You  can never  be completely sure of the backgrounds of the people youre  pitching to; someone could be an outside source who has been brought in at the last minute, or someone in there might be from a different department. You dont want to alienate people for their lack of understanding. Use plain English. The #language must be simple, clear and direct. So don’t use agency speak when presenting. pic.twitter.com/Bilt01u7wJ Bram van den Boom (@BestPrezz) March 6, 2015 4) Ask questions When youre going to a pitch, its important that you make sure you fully understand the person/company/brand that youre a pitching to. Its similar to an job interview it shouldnt just be one-sided, but rather a two-sided discussion. Make sure you have questions prepared in order to find out more about who  the process, project, client, next steps and anything else youre unsure of. https://twitter.com/jbwshh/status/719964498661097473 5) Show passion with anecdotes This again relates to a previous mention of robotic pitching. Avoid this style at ALL COSTS. Pep up your pitch with personal stories, anecdotes and jokes. This will keep your audience interested, engage their interests and avoids making them want to shut off. Its also useful to add in some friendly chitchat (when appropriate) in order to get to know them on a more personal (not just professional) level. Just getting our delegates to be creative by helping them to tell stories and anecdotes when presenting. It keeps the audience switched on Mike Ode (@Mike_Ode) February 22, 2012 Main image credit: Shutterstock

Video CVs yes, no or maybe

Video CVs yes, no or maybe Traditional recruitment methods still hold sway in the job market: most recruiters use online applications or the CV/cover letter combo to assess and select suitable candidates. Is there room for a less conventional, more creative approach or is the video CV doomed from the start? The case for A VCV can be a really powerful and dynamic way to brand and sell yourself. Its really difficult to stand out in such a crowded job market, particularly at the start of your career when your profile (experience, qualifications, skills) looks similar to your peers. If youre studying a degree with little or no technical content, a VCV can help you showcase your aptitude with technology and new media. Its easy to lay claim to excellent communication skills on paper; we can all be articulate and engaging from the safety of a keyboard. Theres nowhere to hide on camera, so it can be a great way to show recruiters up front that youre a confident communicator. It can demonstrate your capabilities beyond the traditional CV format and open a window to your personality. Of course, you need to be aware this could backfire! The case against Employers are time poor and a VCV adds an extra burden to their workload. Assuming most candidates create 2 or 3 minutes worth of film, that is a huge investment of time for recruiters. Video CVs favour the charming, creative and charismatic. Unless your presentation skills are top notch and you can really draw the viewer in you may simply leave yourself open and exposed. Most of us arent naturals in front of the camera even the YouTube generation. Were visual creatures and respond positively to aesthetic cues nice painting, great photo, attractive face.  In other words, does a VCV open the door to potential discrimination? Why risk it? Consider the presentation rule: people typically remember 10% of what they see, 20% of what they read and 80% of what they hear. Theres every chance your message will get lost. Maybe? If youre looking for high energy, creative roles where innovative thinking is a reality, not a cliché, then a VCV could get you noticed. This approach might bear fruit in the world of PR, advertising and digital marketing. Possibly even sales after all, if you can sell yourself in two minutes of film the chances are you can sell anything, anywhere! A word of caution however, dont assume that creative companies will necessarily welcome creative applications. If you send a VCV to replace, not complement, more traditional methods you are taking a risk. Weve all heard of graduates wearing sandwich boards or hiring billboards    in their desperate bid to find work, sometimes with success: Adam, star of his own billboard campaign, EmployAdam, received 60 offers and now works for KEO Digital. Theres clearly a space for the unconventional and resourceful job seeker, and I can see that a well-made VCV is more enticing that a standard speculative email. Im still somewhat sceptical about the scalability of the VCV as a recruitment and selection tool but it could work well for the risk-taking, boundary-pushing, sparky grad who likes the spotlight. And if that sounds like you, heres a great infographic to show you how. Thanks to the creativity of Alex Townley from Inspiring Interns: Source: The Ultimate Guide to Video CVs

Creating Championship Performance in Small Business Workplaces - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Creating Championship Performance in Small Business Workplaces - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The spring is a great time to be a sports fan in the United States as: March Madness crowns the annual collegiate basketball champion. Professional basketball and hockey leagues start the most interesting segments of their seasons with their extensive 16 team playoff tournaments in the NBA and NHL. All Major League Baseball teams are in first place as April’s Opening Day kicks off the quest to become this year’s World Series Champion. As the focus moves towards crowing champions in professional sports its perfect time to look inside your small business work environment to assess if your team of employees is performing at a championship caliber. For small business workplaces to generate championship caliber results their are of five traits the leader of those small businesses should expect from their employees and workplace teams, while also incorporating the same five traits within the overall context of the workplace culture and their own behavior. Those five traits spell the word C.H.A.M.P.: C = Commitment: It takes a deep commitment from every team member to consistently perform at the highest level every day to win a championship. Are the employees in your small business committed to achieving that level of success, and is an inspiring “championship game” vision in place to foster that commitment? (What is your small business’ World Series, Super Bowl or Stanley Cup?) H = Humility: Humility is a trait that is often in short supply in small business work environments. Small business leaders must foster the trait of humility within their company’s culture, and lead with it themselves, so that team members are also open to feedback, always looking for ways to improve. Athletes know they have to get better on the path towards the championship as the competition continues to get tougher every step of the way. A = Accountability: The only way championship caliber performance is created and maintained is through accountability. Individual team members must be open to being held accountable to their performance and the small business leader must create a culture of accountability with systems in place to make it work. M = Motivated with High Morale: Championship caliber team members are motivated for all the right reasons that include both personal and team rewards and want to contribute to a high morale team. Championship small business owners understand that rewards for team success must be part of the incentive package for achieving results that take a cohesive group or team effort and have in place processes that maintain high levels of morale. P = Proactive Positive: Team members committed to contributing to a championship effort know they must be proactive in fulfilling their role because their role impacts all others on the team, and the group’s ability to achieve desired results. Because they understand that high morale is important, all team members show up with a positive mindset and approach that supports the teams collective efforts. Imagine if the employees in your small business brought the five traits of a championship team member to the work environment every day. Make it an expectation of everyone on your staff, and commit to it yourself to be the role model, and you and your employees will achieve great things together. If you’d like other tips to transform your company, including my latest white paper report “The Missing Ingredient to Improving Employee Performance” go to www.WorkplaceCommunicationExpert.com/missingingredient

5 Reasons Your LinkedIn Profile Isnt Working - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

5 Reasons Your Profile Isnt Working If Isnt Doing Much For You, Your Profile May Be the Problem

Its Time To Step Up Your Career - CareerAlley

Its Time To Step Up Your Career - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If youve been stuck at the bottom of the line in your career, and youre just getting fed up with the monotony of daily life, then it might be time to step up your career. Were so bad at sticking with what we know, rather than exploring all of the options we have out there. Were so bad at enduring long days at the office, sitting in front of a computer, doing a job that we dont even like. But youve got to think of it like this. Growth is not about shifting to a funky new resume format or subscribing to the latest exclusive job website. Its about having the right mindset, taking your career seriously and doing a whole bunch of little things, day in and day out, to ensure you stay highly connected, current and marketable. University of Washington Youve probably got around 30+ years until you find you hit retirement age. Thats 30 years of doing the same thing over and over. That is unless, you decide that its time to step up your career, and you follow the advice weve got below to make sure you do just that. Image Source Do Something You Love Life is for living, so you might as well live it doing something you love! Theres plenty of careers out there that will be able to accommodate for this, you just need to figure out what your dream career is going to be! For some, its a career that they have a trade-in, or have educational qualifications towards. So, in school, you might have absolutely looked cooking class, and it might have manifested into a love for home baking. So why not see if you can go down a career in this line of work. source Even if you just have to get some experience to begin with, at least youre doing something you really find interesting. Baking was just one option that a select group of people will have. Your likes and dislikes will be unique to you, so see if there is anything that you love in your personal life, and see if you can make a career from it.

Resume Writing For Moms

Resume Writing For MomsTo be successful with resume writing for moms, your target audience should be 'working mothers'. If you don't meet the criteria, keep looking. You might have an ideal applicant who will fit your resume perfectly, or you might need to learn how to go about training a professional for resume writing for moms. For those who don't have a specific audience in mind, consider these characteristics as a starting point:Moms who hold degrees have educational level that is more advanced than working mothers, as they will be working in the field for longer periods of time. On the other hand, working mothers who don't have degrees should also be included in the list of potential candidates. In a perfect world, all working mothers should be included in the document, but unless they have experience relevant to the position, they should be excluded. In case the document is going to be sent in for selection, it's best to have a specific person or agency review it.The resume sho uld also address special skills and abilities. A professional resume writer can customize your resume for your unique needs. Working mothers with children at home may have other areas of expertise, such as taking care of a pet or caring for the elderly. Special skills and abilities include, but are not limited to: culinary arts, teaching, or creative writing. Remember, too, that if you don't belong to the specific skills and abilities category, you still have opportunities for your candidacy to be evaluated on that basis.In order to ensure the highest level of success in your resume writing for moms, it's important to know what you need to include in your profile, and then to put in that information without exaggeration. Not all of your background information should be changed in order to increase the likelihood of your candidacy for the position. In some cases, changing your background information can result in your candidacy being disqualified due to invalidating information. Be s pecific, and be sure to note the status of your education. In addition, use common sense when making any additions, deletions, or changes.Your resume should include a summary of your education, including information regarding training courses, awards received, etc. Be specific about how much schooling you have completed, but avoid using technical jargon. Educate yourself. A professional resume writer will help you in this regard.Don't include your qualifications as something that is relative to your current position, as your resume will be reviewed before it is accepted. Employers need the assurance that you have the skills, the qualifications, and the abilities to do the job. Your qualifications should only be there as a list of skills and abilities, and not as a reference for what you already know.Make sure you fully disclose your education, so that your prospective employer knows you are serious about getting a good job. Include every single course, certificate, degree, etc. in y our resume. This will help establish that you are serious about getting a better job, and it can also help your resume to be seen as an impressive document that represents your greatest and best assets.While a resume is intended to list your achievements, it should also provide some insight into who you are and what you have accomplished. Moms who know their way around the kitchen are going to have a very different resume from one who owns a computer. It's not realistic to expect that everyone will have the same resume, but remember that a professional resume writer can customize your resume for your unique needs.