Category: Contributed Posts

How To Simplify Your Hiring Process

Three of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Career Discussions. A key aspect of any business or organization is properly bringing on new talent and employees. The smoother this process is for both parties, the happier each will be. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Simplify Your Hiring Process.

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When it comes to hiring people to work for you, the process can be quite simple, but often business owners don’t really know where to start with the whole thing and can quickly find themselves a bit overwhelmed with everything since there are definitely some planning and steps involved – this can be especially true if they’ve never hired anyone before.

So, if you’re looking to start hiring either your first or next team members, then in this post we’re going to share with you some ways to really simplify your hiring process to make things easier and also help you find the best candidates for your business so that you can grow and scale accordingly.

Know what you’re looking for:

The very first step is to know what you’re actually looking for, so for example, you should get clear on the areas of your business that are a high priority to focus on growing right now. Whether that’s building a marketing team, hiring someone to manage the financial side of things, or whether it’s bringing on people to create a customer service support team for your clients. It really doesn’t matter which area you focus on first because it will always be about what works best for your business, but it’s definitely important that you’re able to identify what these areas are before you start hiring people.

Creating onboarding systems:

Like everything in your business, you should be looking to have as many systems and processes in place to make sure that things are organized and automated, so for example, you should create an onboarding system for people you’re hiring that will include various steps such as creating a video library where they can access all the important information and tutorials on how you do things, automatic contracts that get sent out upon hiring. You can use a hiring software to set up this system or you can create your own through something like Google Docs or Trello – whatever works best for you.

Have an interview process:

Having a clear and effective interview process is also essential in your business because this allows you to know what steps are going to be included so that you can manage things easier. So, for example, maybe your interview process will include something like a telephone or video conference and then a face to face interview or even some other steps to make sure you can have better chances of finding the right people for your business.

Do trial runs:

When it comes to hiring people in your business, one of the very best things you can do to make the process effective and efficient is to do trial runs and make sure you’re hiring people who are truly a good fit. Interviewing people is fine, but the best way to see if someone is a good fit is by actually working with them and a trial run allows you to do that without committing long term, and it’s also good for them since it allows them to see if you’re someone they’d like to work with long term. A trial run of a week or two should be more than sufficient to see if someone really fits well within your company.

What Works In The World Of Construction

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. The construction business is a world all in its own. There are distinct keys to succeeding and distinct keys to failing. The following contributed post is entitled, What Works In The World Of Construction.

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If you are thinking of starting your own construction business, there are a lot of things you will want to consider in order to make the most of it that you possibly can. In many respects, a construction business is like any other kind of business, and knowing that will enable you to focus on some of the major elements in the right way. However, there are also a number of things which are unique to construction itself, and which you will need to think about in order to ensure that you can make construction work as well as possible. In this article, we will look at some of the things that really work in the world of construction which you will want to consider for your own business in order to see that it is as successful as possible.

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The Right Tools

Something that can be said for running a construction business is that you need to know how to focus on the smaller elements as much as the larger, and in many respects these small things are the kind that you are going to need to look into most of all. One perfect example of the kind of smaller thing that really matters is the tools and equipment that your people are using. You need to make sure that everything, from the aerospace cutting tools to the plant you use, is as close to perfect for the job at hand as you can possibly get. As long as your employees have the right tools, everything will be considerably easier, and you will find that this has a strong knock-on effect for your business as a whole.

Connections

You can easily say that having the right connections is something that works well for any kind of business, and it is especially true when it comes to construction. One of your major difficulties is always going to be finding contracts, and that is just something that is so much easier if you are able to speak to as many people as possible within the world of construction itself. Hopefully, you have been a part of that world yourself for a long time, so you will already have some connections you can get started with, but you should aim to never stop networking either. As long as you can keep your connections going strong, you will find that it is much more likely you will get all the contracts you need to keep your business afloat.

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Safety

Without a clear focus on safety, running this kind of business is always going to be difficult to get right. Not only is it a legal concern, but it’s also a moral one – and ultimately, if you cannot keep your people as safe as possible then you will not be able to keep your business going strong either. So make sure that you are aware of all of the possible things you need to consider if you hope for your business to remain safe and legal at all times.

Nailing Your Social Media Campaigns

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. A good deal amount of business takes place online these days and thus it becomes critical to use social media effectively. Doing so could take your business to the next level, and not doing so could cost you. The following contributed post is entitled, Nailing Your Social Media Campaigns.

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Your business is going well, your team (or just you) are fantastic at what you do, you outsource where you need to. Virtual assistants, some social media management – the type that can even tell you about your social media footprint, and the occasional copywriter. But what about if you want to have a go at your own basic social media campaign?

After all, it pays for you to understand what goes into it, and how to do it in the future.

Learning and implementing a social media campaign might seem like a bit of a daunting task but gathering up hints and tips from respectable sites, chat sites, and joining facebooks groups will help you on your way.
For a quick reason as to why you should be making an effort – there are 600 million people on, and they are scrolling for hours a day. Your adverts should be something the right people see.

Here are some quick fire tips for tackling your next social media campaign.

Social, Social, Advert & Social

Or something like that anyway. Social media is about taking part, conversations, communications and interacting. When you are putting together your campaign, skip the boosting altogether. In all of your materials, from graphics to text posts have questions. Ask and be curious. Be authentic in your communications, hold your communities attention and post links to your products – sure – but weave it into more social posts.

Don’t Beg

Running a competition for likes and follows is fine. Posting every day for likes and follows can come across a little bit needy. Growing organically takes time and care. Of course, ask people to share the content that they enjoy with their friends too, why should they want to share and follow? Content focused – always.

Be There

Make it simple and easy for people to be able to find you on all of your social media platforms. On your website have a share button, so that people can do your advertising for you. When you post new content, you should share it across your platforms too. When you start pushing out content with a message about your new product or service, make sure that you follow up with people that respond and any questions that are asked.

Purpose

Through all of your interactions, you should stick to your goal. Have your text, images, and communications all focused on the message. If you have a sale, make sure that everything is focused on that.

Photo by Rahul Chakraborty on Unsplash

Money

Don’t be scared to put some money into your social media marketing. It is almost impossible to be seen now without paying the price. So spend it well. Go through your analytics and see what your most robust set of numbers? Spending there makes sense, or use the tools to build a similar audience profile to advertise to.

Your social analytics can give you a lot of insight into where your campaigns have been successful, on from that your google analytics can help you see where people arrive and the conversions too.

The Ultimate Guide Of What To Do Now You’re Retired

Two key focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and Health/Wellness. For those people who have planned to retire, an important consideration is what you’re going to do once you stop working. This could be the difference between a long and happy retirement or a short one. The following contributed post is entitled, The Ultimate Guide Of What To Do Now You’re Retired.

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Retirement is a chance for many to take control of their lives after years in the workforce. It’s a great time to take on all the things you wanted to do but never had the time or resources to accomplish. Here are some of the many fun and interesting things you can do to make the most out of your retirement.

1. Don’t Blow Your Budget
Make the good times last and don’t spend all your pension pot at once. While it may be tempting to splurge on fun and frivolous things, people are living longer than ever before. Create and stick to a firm budget or set your bank accounts to allocate a fixed income each month so you won’t be tempted to splash the cash. If you’re really having a hard time sticking to it and can see your hard-earned savings dwindling, seek out the advice of your bank for easy and convenient retirement savings plans.

Take A Trip
No more requesting time-off from the boss or working around school vacation time, you now have all the time in the world. Take trips to places you’ve never been before, weather thats a day-trip to a town a few hundreds miles away or a long-haul flight to some far-flung destination. The world really is your oyster now!

Travel By Motorhome.
Like the comforts of home while you’re on the road? A perfect solution is to buy a motorhome. Available new or used, it’s a way for you to have all your creature comforts while exploring the country.

Upgrade Your Home
Life can sometimes get ahead of us and retirement is a great time to tackle any home improvements you may have. Houses can accumulate huge amounts of clutter over the years- use this time to organise your space and donate things that you may no longer have use for. Alternatively take on a bigger project like an attic conversion or a conservatory to really add space and value to your home.

Relax

Yes, relax! You’ve earned it. Take joy in doing things that you really truly love. Start an entertainment blog like Judge Diane Ritchie , learn how to cook like a professional chef, or even start recording your daily musings and upload them onto Youtube. The possibilities really are endless.

Move To Pastures New
City life can be grinding especially as you reach old age. The constant hustle, bustle, noise and pollution can really leave you craving the peace and quiet of the country. Consider a move out to the country. Houses are a lot less expensive than the city and you will have time to take on rural pursuits such as chicken rearing or growing your own fruits and vegetables.

Start Your Own Business. Now is the perfect time to start a business with that amazing idea you’ve always had. Use your decades of career expertise to curate a business model that works for you or even get in to consulting to advise others with all of your expertise.

Get A Part-Time Gig. Not quite ready to give up the daily grind? Consider getting a part-time job. It’s a great way to create routine, keep an active social life and bring in a little extra income.

Volunteer. Use your time in retirement to give back to those less fortunate. . Churches and charity organisations are always looking for help and would more than likely love your inclusion.

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How To Plan For A Career Change Later In Life

A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions. There quite a few instances where people start one career and then decide that they want to do something else later in life. While it isn’t uncommon there are things to consider when changing your career. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Plan For A Career Change Later In Life.

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Unlike in the past when it was expected that people would go to college and study for a career that they would work at until they were able to retire, things are now changing and it’s becoming easier for people to change their careers – even after they’ve been working in them for a while, so if you’re currently feeling like you’d like a change of pace in your career, but don’t know where or how to start, then in this post we’re going to share with you how to plan for a career change later in life.

Decide what you want:

The very first step to making any big change in your life is by deciding what it is you actually want because in order for a goal to become reality, you really have to be aligned with it on an emotional level and not just pick something out of thin air that you think sounds goos, so really deciding what it is you want in terms of your new career is going to be the easiest way to start planning to make it happen.

Be realistic and flexible:

Of course, it’s all very well and good for us to tell you to just follow your dreams, and whilst that is something you should always be looking to do, it’s important to remember to be realistic, practical and flexible. Not the most sexy things to think of when going after what you’re passionate about, we know, but it’s going to make life a lot easier. So, for example, if you’re approaching retirement age, have been working as an engineer designing AdBlue tanks your whole life, but have always wanted to work as a DJ, then perhaps it’s not going to be the most viable career choice at this point in your life, so a better approach would be to maybe take this up as a hobby and take some classes so you can still have that as part of your life and have fun with it.

Look at your skills:

To follow on from the above point of being realistic, knowing where your strengths and weaknesses are in terms of what kind of career you’d like to have is also very important. That’s not to say that just because you don’t have skills in the area you’d like to work, it’s impossible to work there – you might just have to go and get some further qualifications and gain those skills, or instead look to focus in an area where you do have the skillset available already that you could apply or transfer from your exisiting career.

Start researching:

Once you’ve identified what you want to do and if it’s going to be a realistic option for you, then it’s time to start the research part of your plan – researching what you actually want to do and how you’re going to make it happen. Research will include things like looking at the job market, looking at what skills you’d require and what you’ll have to do in order to get them, and it can also include things like looking to see if you’re better to look for jobs in other countries or cities if the market in your home country isn’t the best right now.

Take action:

Of course, a plan is nothing more than a plan if you don’t take action to make it happen, so taking action is definitely crucial to making your goal a reality, and it’s important to know that although research is something that’s important to your plan overall, it’s not something you should be getting too caught up in because many people end up stuck in the research phase and never actually move beyond this, which is obviously not the point.

The idea is to research the essential parts and then take from that what you need in order to get to the next phase and bring the plan to life.

We hope that this post was useful in helping you determine what steps you might need to take if you’re planning a career change later in life, but also so that you can see it’s definitely possible and that you really only need to follow a few steps to stop yourself becoming overwhelmed with the process.

There’s nothing wrong with starting a new career from scratch later in life, and having a simple plan in place is really going to make the process a lot easier and faster for you so hopefully you can get started now and not worry about whether or not you’re ever going to be able to make it happen.

Let’s Talk: Ways To Communicate Better

A key focus of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Career Discussions. In any office setting communication is key, especially with use of the technologies we have at our disposal. Good communication comes in several different forms. The following contributed post is entitled, Let’s Talk: Ways To Communicate Better.

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It becomes apparent very quickly when in an office setting that communication is key. If the smallest pieces of information aren’t passed on to the right person, productivity is going to be slowed down and vital data could be missed, causing all sorts of trouble. That’s why when you work in an office environment, that you should be doing your part to ensure that everyone is communicating effectively. Check out these tips on how to improve your communication in the office.

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Actually listen

We’ve all been there before, where we’re being spoken to and our mind goes elsewhere thinking about our own tasks or even personal matters at home. However, this isn’t going to help productivity in the office. Learn how to listen properly and if it helps, take down notes or make reminders so that you don’t forget vital information.

Cloud voice

Sometimes communication lacks in other places than the office. Perhaps your team are in and out of the office all of the time, yet you’re struggling to communicate effectively? There are easy and effective solutions like Cloud Voice available that will allow you to move email, VoIP, video conferencing and even fax your colleagues with ease. Visit https://forsythes.technology/communications-collaboration/cloud-voice-unified-communications/ to find out more about how it can help your office communicate better.

Use notes to remind yourself and others

We’re all busy and it’s easy to become tied up in other tasks. However, this can lead to forgetfulness and of course, that’s not good for productivity. Use sticky pads to leave notes for yourself and your colleagues so that if you can’t help them out straight away, at least you’ve set yourself (or them) a reminder for later. This can be especially useful when you have to remember specific details.

Schedule meetings

If you’re in and out of the office, or you’re concentrating on your own tasks, then sometimes scheduling a meeting can be more effective because it allows everyone to voice their thoughts and help improve the way the team works together. Give everyone plenty of time to think of questions and topics to discuss and that way, you’ll bond as a team and communication levels will be at an all time high.

Work on your body language and tone of voice

Finally, your body language and the tone of voice you’re using can have a big impact on how people listen, understand, and also feel about you. If the whole team is struggling to communicate well, then it might be worth looking at ways in which you should address each other in the office to ensure that things remain professional and more importantly, everything gets done on time.

4 Ways You Can Save Water

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. A key resource that all of us need is water. Quality and safe water is not a resource that everyone has access to, and thus conserving it is of the utmost importance. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Ways You Can Save Water.

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Many of us don’t take the time to think about saving water and what a difference it can make if everyone was to changes a few things to help. Whether you need to save water because of a heatwave or are interested in saving money it’s definitely something to be mindful of and to try to make a little bit of a difference. Have a look at some of the easy ways that you could be saving water.

Only Use What You Need

Most people don’t over think how much water we are using with different activities such as making a cup of tea or cooking food however making a small change can make the world fo difference. Try only filling your kettle and boiling the amount of water that you are going to actually use rather than filling the kettle all the way to the top and see how much difference it makes. You can also take on this concept when thinking about watering your garden. By switching to watering by hand using a can you are significantly reducing the amount of water you are using compared to using a garden hose.

Cut Down Your Shower Times

Let us be honest, when we shower we don’t really think about how much water we are using we are preoccupied with getting clean. Fun fact though every minute your spend int he shower can equate up to 17 litres of water, now that sounds like a lot doesn’t it? Try setting a timer and cutting down the amount of time spent in the shower or switching to a more efficient showerhead, they should both help to save you water and cut down on your bills.

Store Rainwater

You really are making the most of your natural resources by catching, storing and using your rainwater and why shouldn’t you? Companies such as National Poly Industries supply and install water tanks, these are brilliant way and highly economical way of helping you to save water and money. You can use it to drink, water your garden and many other ways so it’s something you should be looking in to help take you in the right direction with saving water.

Change Your Diet

This might seem like a strange one to see on the list but there are ways that changing your diet can help you to save water on a much larger scale than you probably think. You could consider eating less meat as rearing animals for dairy and meat for meals uses a massive intensity of water. So by cutting down on the amount of meat you eating can reduce your water footprint immensely. When preparing vegetables you should also consider steaming rather than using pans of boiling water. With a steamer, you are using a considerable less amount of water to cook a larger amount of food.

Do You have any other tips for cutting back on water usage and helping to cut costs? Please share them in the comment section below.

Want To Run A Solo Business? Don’t Forget These Things

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re starting a solo business, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind as it can be a huge undertaking. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Want To Run A Solo Business? Don’t Forget These Things.

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Every day more and more people are deciding that the best choice for them is to walk away from a life of 9 to 5 employment and take their lives into their own hands by starting their own business. And this is pretty understandable. After all, the desire to take charge of your life and pursue something that you’re really passionate about is a pretty universal one. And the great thing is that thanks to the internet, doing so really has never been easier than before. Of course, that doesn’t mean that all of the challenge has been taken out of starting any kind of business. If you’re looking to start a business on your own, there are plenty of things that can make that difficult With that in mind, here are some essential things you need to remember if you’re looking to start a solo business.

The cost

There is no doubt that running any kind of business is one that will always come with at least some degree of necessary financial investment. From the cost of your equipment to the cost of outsourcing certain parts of your business that you’re not equipped to handle, you need to figure out where that money is coming from. Whether you’re investing in the business yourself or you seek investment places like Kickstarter, you need to figure out how you’re going to cover the costs of keeping your business running before you start to turn a profit.

Available resources

One of the best things about running a business in the modern world is how many resources are at your disposal to help you avoid spending too much. From things like social media that allow you to create a strong online marketing presence without spending a single penny to places online where you can get the equipment you need at a reduced price like 123inkjet Canon Cartridges. Being able to save as much money at the beginning of your business is one of the most important things about keeping yourself afloat in the early days.

Burnout

One of the most important things to be aware of as a business owner is that there is always a risk that you’re going to end up putting too much pressure on yourself and burning out. After all, no one can work every hour of the day without it taking some kind of toll on them. Make sure that you learn when to walk away from your business and take a break. Trying to put all of your energy into it is often tempting but is ultimately pretty destructive.

Of course, one of the most important things to remember is that there is no rule that says you have to do everything on your own. Sure, things like outsourcing can be incredibly valuable, but why not consider going into business with someone else. That can often bring about its own set of challenges but partnering up with someone else can be one of the best ways to create a really great small business.

Creating a Successful Business from You Art

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. The art business is a niche all with its own caveats and nuances. If you’re interested in this type of business, it’s important to know how be successful it its unique arena. The following contributed post is entitled, Creating a Successful Business from You Art.

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To build a business with your art there are three things you need to do. Of course, the most important is to be able to create work that people want, but you also need to be able to market what you have produced and put the whole thing on a proper business footing.

Create Appealing Work

This is the first thing you have to do as without any appealing work you will not make any sales. You need to make work, whether that is painting, sculptures or some other art form that people will be prepared to pay for and then you will have taken the first step.

Research Your Target Audience

Once you know the type of work you are producing you will need to do some research to find the audience that is most likely to buy it. There is no point in marketing to consumers that will not purchase items of art, as that will just be a waste of your time and effort.

There are also other things you need to be aware of such as how big is the potential market you will be aiming to engage with, and what competition are you up against? Information like this can affect your marketing strategy and the time spent on research will be well spent.

You also need to know the best places to show your pieces of work. Would that be in a public exhibition space, a commercial gallery or a studio of your own that consumers can have access to?

You can make it simple for fans of your work to connect with you by using the various social media platforms. Posting images of your work on the like of Facebook and Instagram can create a lot of interest in your products. Joining local art groups can also help to build a circle of fans that will hopefully become future customers.

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Develop A Business Plan

Businesses do not just happen; you have to work at them for success. You should start with a business plan to work out how much finance you will need when you expect sales to start to happen and how much work you need to produce each week to make the business viable.

There are other things to consider too, such as how will you move a piece of art to the address of the purchaser. There are specialist art movers that deal with these matters, but you need to have spoken to them and let them know that you may need their services in the near future.

Having Business You Love

It is really good to be able to turn a passion into a business and if you are prepared to work hard and plan every stage there is no reason why this should not work for you. Creating a successful business from your art is a great idea and one that you should start on now and not just leave it as an idea to be forgotten.

Common Mistakes Companies Make When Buying New Tools

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Depending on the type of business or company you’re in, there will come a time when you’ll need to upgrade you tools and technologies. Doing so properly will prevent any interruption in your operations, while doing it incorrectly can interrupt your operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Common Mistakes Companies Make When Buying New Tools.

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Buying new tools for your business? Here are a few common tool-buying mistakes to avoid.

Skimping on quality

When it comes to tool quality, you get what you pay for. Cheap tools tend to be less reliable and less efficient, especially if you’re buying used tools. As a result, you’re likely to pay more in repairs and replacements in the future. Such tools also tend to look cheap, which won’t do any good for your professional image.

Consider the factors that affect quality control before buying and research into these. If you’re buying a cutting tool for instance, consider the cutting tool material. You’ll generally pay extra for this added quality, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Splurging on gimmicks

Whilst spending a little extra could guarantee better quality, you should avoid splurging your money on tools beyond your needs. If you need to buy a printer for your office, consider whether you really need an industrial printer capable of printing hundreds of copies per minute. Make sure that you’re likely to use the tool to its full potential.

Buying single-use tools that could be hired

If you’re using a tool once, there’s no use in buying it only for it to gather dust for the remainder of its life. When it comes to these tools, use rental companies to hire them for a short period instead. You’ll save a lot of money by doing this. Just make sure to hire from a reputable company – the best companies will look after their equipment and ensure that it is top quality.

Using too many different brands

Whilst you don’t need to stay completely loyal to one brand, there are advantages to having several tools of the same brand. Firstly, it’s likely that such tools may have similar controls – a die cutter and a vacuum mold machine from the same company may have similar buttons and dials making it easier to learn the controls. There may also be a certain level of integration and cross-compatibility. Hand-held tools of the same brand for instance tend to use the same battery packs or the same chargers. Two types of software from the same brand meanwhile may be linked together so that you can easily move data from one to the other.

Overlooking energy-efficiency

This one applies only to electrical machinery, but it’s an important factor to consider. Machinery that uses up lots of electricity will cost you more in energy bills. Such machines tend to be older used machines – most modern machines are very energy efficient. You can usually find energy ratings for machinery online.