Category: Contributed Posts

Get Off To A Good Start When Studying For A New Career

Two focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and General Education. All careers require some level of study. When launching into a new career, you want to get off to the best start possible. The following contributed post is entitled, Get Off To A Good Start When Studying For A New Career.

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Image from Pexels – CC0 License

Studying for a new career, whether it’s your first career or you’re retraining, opens up new opportunities for you. It might be time-consuming and maybe expensive too, but it’s worth it if you want to improve your future. If you’ve chosen to study for a new career, you can choose to put in the minimum amount of effort to get the qualifications and experience that you need or you can try to do as much as possible to put yourself in the best position at the beginning of your career. When you are still learning and just starting out, here are some of the things you can do to find success.

Get the Right Tools

Having the right tools when you’re studying is a must. There are some things that you might be required to have while completing a course or attending lessons. However, even outside of formal learning, it can be a good idea to have some useful tools for self-led learning. As a dental student, buying your tools from dental equipment suppliers will ensure you have the right supplies to learn in your own time. If you’re learning to code, there are software programs and tools that will help you to practice.

Seek Out Work Experience

As well as learning in a classroom environment or by following educational material, it’s always helpful to get “real world” experience. Looking for work experience will help you to prepare for the world of work, once you have the required certifications and knowledge to get started in your new career. Having work experience will make it easier for you to find a job when you’re ready. You might find that there are internships available or shorter work experience days or weeks. Shadowing someone or being mentored by someone can help you to learn a lot.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

Make Connections

Knowing the right people is extremely helpful when you’re starting a new career. It’s much easier to get a foot in the door if you have some connections. You don’t need to know very powerful people, but it’s helpful if you start getting to know some people who are already established in your industry. They won’t necessarily give you a job opportunity directly, but you could know someone who can inform you of something that’s suitable for you, recommend you, give you a reference or offer advice on how to find a job.

Choose Your First Job Carefully

When it’s time to find your first role in your new career, it’s understandable that you might want to take the first opportunity that comes along. You might be scared that you won’t get anything better, even if you’re unsure about the role that’s being offered to you. However, you should be careful about finding your first job. While you can’t expect to step into your dream role, you should think about what you’re looking for and what you don’t want.

When you’re studying for a new career, there are plenty of things you can do to prepare yourself and get the best start.

What You Can Do To Increase Growth At Your Store

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When you own a store, you want to constantly think about how you can boost and maintain sales and profits. The following contributed post is entitled, What You Can Do To Increase Growth At Your Store.

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Running your own store can be very challenging and it can seem that you get to a point of success and growth but then everything seems to trail off and you start to go nowhere. It can be hard to know what changes you can make to really improve the store and make it carry on growing or start growing and gaining more success, you need to know what changes you can make and then implement them but this isn’t always as straightforward as it may seem.

If you are running your own store and you are unsure what you could do to help it grow and see more success then hopefully, these few tips should give you an understanding of what changes you can make to help your business grow further.

Source: Pexels

Customer experience

Businesses have always tried to pride themselves on customer service but this is now outdated, you need to be focusing on the whole customer experience from start to finish. It is easy to make sure they get good service once they ask for something in store or call up but making sure their experience from the outset is great can be tougher to achieve. This means making sure everyone is working in sync to help the customer experience this is sales, customer service, and even the overall cleanliness of the place.

Keep on top of your inventory

A major issue for some stores is making sure they manage their inventory properly. It can be a killer for your store if a customer is coming in and the product they are looking for is out of stock, so making sure you keep checking stock and ordering more in is really important for retaining your customers. Also make sure you are restocking shelves you can lose money because someone is popping in looking to just grab something quick and it is not on the shelf, they then have to wait for your staff to check out back and so on, this is not a good experience for your customer and can lead them to not want to shop there again and rescue your growth as a result.

Expand your store

Sometimes your success outgrows the store itself, maybe you do not have the shelf space to keep enough stock or you need more shelving to add new stock lines and expand you business. If you want your store to grow you need to open to growing the actually store itself with it, if you do not have the parking sayt for the amount of customers you want then you are going to end up losing customers so try extending you parking spaces, you can get in contractors like cjj services who can do new lines for your car park and help to extend it for you and in more spaces.

If you are looking to help grow your store and see more success but you are unsure where to start or what you can do then these few tips should help you to understand what changes can be made and help you get started.

Why Practicing An Art Can Help Your Math Skills

Two key focuses of my blog are General Education and STEM. While education seems to be more so now favoring the hard sciences, there is still an important role played by the arts. Not only do the arts make us ‘whole’ in a way, but they can also help with our education in mathematics and the sciences. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Practicing An Art Can Help Your Math Skills.

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Image sourced from Pixabay. CC0 License

Most things in life are numbers. Paychecks, TV channels, passwords, and shopping are just a few of the times we are faced with numbers. Math is at the basis for most things including the arts. Using the creative part of your brain is just as important as using the more cerebral (no pun intended) part of your brain. When you exercise both, your brain is more healthy, but the bonus is that your math and even science skills can be greatly improved by doing things like drawing, playing an instrument, and even dancing.

Here are a few artistic outlets you can try to balance your brain and improve your numbers game.

Take Up an Instrument

As entertaining as it is to see a musician feel the music and rock out on stage, music is really math. Each note you hear has a numerical value, and just like any scientific equation, the values all come together to make a melodious sound that is music to your ears. Notes have values like quarter notes, whole notes, and half notes that change value according to the time signature the music is composed in changing the beats and equation of the music. You will need some great math skills to be a good musician and playing music is also a great creative break from all your normal thinking.

Draw a Picture

Any architect will tell you that drawing is all inches and centimeters. To draw a great picture is all about perception and shapes, which will not only help your numbers game, but it will also help your geometry game as well. Knowing shapes like parallelogram, rhombus, or decahedron will come in handy when putting together your next great piece of art. Drawing is total perception, so knowing angles will help your artwork look like it should be hanging in a museum. Go to the store and get some art supplies and start flexing your numbers, your angles, and shapes before they get weak.

Let’s Dance

Athletes have been known to take dance because it helps them with agility and stamina on the field or on the court. Dance not only helps stimulate your physical agility, but dance can also stimulate your mental agility as well, especially in the realm of mathematics. Dance, as beautiful as it is to watch and experience, is all math. Every dancer keeps count as they dance in order to keep to the rhythm. Without music, a dancer can still perform and create a beautiful piece of art simply by using counting. By taking a dance class, you can release from the tension and stress of the world while using math to stay on the beat and move your body. If you have a science background in human physiology, dance is one of the best ways to feel the movement and workings of the body.

It may seem that art is for the artists, but little do they know, as a mathematician, without you there would be no art.

5 Tips To Manage A Construction Business

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Regardless of what’s happening in the world, there will always be the need for construction and likewise, construction businesses. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Tips To Manage A Construction Business.

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Managing a construction company is incredibly hard work. You’ll have plenty to focus on from finding talented staff to project budgets and time management. To help you to manage your construction company, pay attention to these five simple tips.

1 . Lead generation

To effectively manage a construction business it’s important to develop your leads pipeline. You need a steady flow of leads to ensure that you’ve always got new projects on the horizon. Lead generation is all about getting your business noticed. There are plenty of ways to generate leads such as:

● Boost local SEO.
● Revamp your website.
● Collect testimonials and reviews.
● Design quality content.
● Use social media.
● Work with a lead generation service.

2. Determine your niche

The construction industry is incredibly competitive, so how can you be sure that you stand out? Well, it’s a good idea to determine your niche, focusing on a specialist service. You might choose to focus on commercial construction, residential, or specific businesses like restaurant construction. Focusing on a specialist service can help you to remain competitive in a crowded market place.

If you don’t have an area of speciality, think about your unique selling point. What can you offer that other businesses can’t?

3. Project management software

Project management software helps businesses to organize their projects, and achieve the best project results. The software includes a wide range of features including quotes and billing, reports, Gantt charts, collaboration, scheduling and planning, team collaboration, and more.

In the construction industry there are specialist software tools that can support your project processes. For instance, construction document management software. The software can help you to share projects with ease. Construction companies use plenty of documents on a day to day basis, with the right software you can effectively manage your info.

4. Hire the right people

To develop a quality construction business, you need to focus on hiring the right people. From your contractors to your office staff, you’ll need to develop effective recruitment procedures. Conduct several stage interviews, obtain the correct references, and take advantage of digital hiring software.

Offer ongoing training, and help your team to learn and improve. Before you advertise your roles, think about your company culture. Consider the type of employees you are looking to attract, and what perks you could offer to attract them. When you keep your staff happy you’ll reduce costly turnover.

5. Improve your leadership skills

Running a construction business involves effective leadership. To lead your teams you’ll need to focus on organization, and assess your performance. Leadership means effective communication, from listening skills to strategic thinking. Strengthening your leadership skills takes practice, there are a number of leadership courses which can support your learning journey.

Managing a construction company is all about the customers, it’s about delivering the highest quality outcomes possible. To help you improve, ensure that you collect plenty of customer feedback. Your customers can provide lots of valuable info which can help you to improve.

Things To Consider When Renovating

Two focuses of my blog are Home/Living and Home/Property Discussions. If you own a home, one thing you will consider at some point is doing some renovations. The following contributed post is entitled, Things To Consider When Renovating.

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(Image Source)

When planning to renovate there is so much to think about and focus upon. You might have grand plans when it comes to making your home more aesthetically pleasing and forgets to consider final touches when it comes to updating your bathroom and other homely spaces. By considering these few points you can ensure that your home ends up being not only attractive but functional as well.

Think Ahead

When renovating it is important to plan this not only for the now but also for your future life within your home. Try to consider how your and your family’s needs will change as you all grow and develop and factor this into your plans. Not only will this save you further renovation time and cost in the future it will make the home more enjoyable for you all.

Know Where Your Items Will Go

Having a strong idea of the end result and where you are intending your furniture to go will help you be able to make a strategic plan as to where to best place things such as light sockets and plugs. It will also help you remain focused on the goal you are looking to achieve and will stop you from changing your mind throughout the process and ending up with more work to complete.

Have A Plan

By knowing what work needs completing you will be able to plan the most effective way to get it all done and set a realistic expectation when it comes to timescales. It will also help you plan and research the best route to get the work completed. For example, if you are going to change your roof, you will be able to spend time researching what is the best elastomeric roof coating? Prepping yourself and planning everything before starting is important. That’s why one of the most important investments you can make when it comes to renovating is a good quality air compressor. An air compressor offers increased safety for big projects, and its power and precision allow for precise changes and adjustments that add an extra level of care and refinement to any renovation project. With a suitable air compressor, the results of your project could be better than ever before!

Go Eco-Friendly

When renovating it is the perfect opportunity to review or make changes to make your property more eco-friendly. You may choose to upgrade and install smart technologies that allow more control of lighting and heating from smart devices such as mobile phones. This way you can control what energies you are using and can be more conscious of waste. Not only will this help with the efficiency of your property but small changes such as this can help the environment as well.

Think Flooring

It can be easy to get carried away thinking about the overall image you are looking to achieve. But, remember to think about how practical this will be for you and your family. There are so many options available so with some consideration you will be able to strike the perfect balance between something functional and attractive. For example, consider the benefits of hard flooring versus carpet when it comes to your living room. Carpet can add the effect of a cozy space however the upkeep of this may be harder if you have a young family and it makes be more practical to have hard flooring that can be cleaned easier and use a rug to make the room more inviting.

How To Take Up A New Sport In Older Age

Two focuses of my blog are Athletics/Sports and Health/Wellness. Just because we age does not mean that we have to give up competition and physical activity which are very beneficial health wise. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Take Up A New Sport In Older Age.

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More and more people are realizing the benefits of being active and playing sports as they get into older age. But for some, it still remains a daunting challenge, even if they were actively playing sports in their younger years. If you’re looking to get back into sports and enjoying the rewards that come with it, there are lots of different paths that you can take, and the tips below should help you.

Image Source – CC0 License

Stretch to Optimize Your Flexibility

First of all, you should get into the habit of stretching before you start any exercise. As you get older, one of the things you start to struggle with is your flexibility. If you’re not sure how you can improve your flexibility, yoga can help. But simply stretching more often will do the trick as well. So warm up before and warm down after every game you play or activity you do.

Choose a Sport That Builds Endurance

When choosing the sport that you’re going to start playing, it might be a good idea to choose one that builds endurance. This is true of most sports, but it’s not of some such as golf. Being active in a way that promotes cardiovascular activity will help you to endure more and get fitter over time as your levels of activity increase week after week.

Ensure Your Diet is Appropriate

If you’re going to be playing sports on a regular basis, it’ll make sense for you to also think about your diet. You need to be fueling your body properly when you’re increasing your activity levels. That’s true at all stages of life, but even more important when you’re getting older. There are also some sports supplements that you might want to try out to give you an added boost.

Use Your Brain Too

For many sports, the physical part of it is just one aspect. There are also mental aspects of it as well. You need to make sure that your brain is properly active and being worked out if you want to enjoy the maximum benefits that come with playing sports. Thinking tactically and outsmarting your opponent is all part of the fun. And it’ll help to keep your brain active into old age as well.

Make it Social and Fun

Sports should first and foremost be fun. So as long as you’re having fun, you’re doing something right. And if you’re not enjoying it, maybe it’s time to find a different sport that you might be better suited to. There’s a deep social aspect to amateur sports too. When you join a team, you’ll meet new people and make friends; that’s an important part of it all.

There’s certainly no reason why you should let your age stop you from playing and enjoying sports. It’s something that more and more people in your age bracket are looking to do, and there’s nothing unusual about it these days. And your body will reap rewards for it as well.

Saving Money With Proactive Maintenance For Your Office Building

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you own or are renting an office building as a part of your business a key consideration is its maintenance. Staying on top of the maintenance will save you money long-term. The following contributed post is entitled, Saving Money With Proactive Maintenance For Your Office Building.

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Office maintenance is a huge cost that businesses have to bear. But if you change the way that you approach it, you can make some big savings. A lot of companies wait until there is a problem and then fix it. That’s fine, but it’s usually cheaper if you can deal with issues before they come up. This is known as proactive building maintenance and it’s the best way to save money on office upkeep. You can also avoid downtime because you are constantly putting out small fires instead of letting them grow into big problems that shut the office down altogether. If you are concerned about your maintenance costs, here are some simple proactive maintenance tips you can follow.

Source – Pixabay CCO License

Invest In Protective Solutions

Investing more money on things that will increase the longevity of materials is the easiest way to save money further down the line. For example, if you apply a quality sealant to the asphalt in the car park (visit https://scsealing.com/sealing/ for more information) it will stay in good condition for a lot longer and you won’t constantly be spending money on repairs. Painting the outside of the building with high-quality masonry paint will protect it from the elements. Although these protective solutions may cost you more now, they will drastically increase the longevity of the building and prevent expensive maintenance.

Follow A Maintenance List

There are a lot of small maintenance jobs that need to be done on a regular basis. If these jobs are neglected, they will spiral and turn into expensive maintenance problems. Things like painting or cleaning gutters, for example, are simple jobs to do but they often get forgotten. So, make sure that you write a list of weekly, monthly and annual jobs. As long as you follow these lists to the letter, you can get into a good maintenance routine and keep the office in good shape. Visit https://www.coworkingresources.org/ for a sample maintenance list.

Get Systems Tested Annually

Small maintenance jobs are fairly easy to handle but there are some big problems that require expert assistance. Things like the plumbing and heating systems should be checked annually by a professional to make sure that there are no issues. People often avoid this because they think it’s an unnecessary expense, especially when there are no obvious problems. However, if you can pick up small issues now and solve them early, it will save you a lot of money.

Invest In Modern Fixtures

When you are making upgrades to your office, always opt for the most up-to-date option available. Eventually, these innovative fixtures and materials will become the standard and you will be forced to upgrade eventually anyway. For example, it’s a good idea to install fiber optic cables in the office because, in the near future, everybody will be using them and they will become a necessity. If you can future-proof your office, you won’t need to make as many expensive changes later on.

Proactive building maintenance is the most effective way to manage your office running costs, so think about changing your approach to office maintenance.

4 Ways Technology Has Completely Transformed The Way Your Brain Works

Two focuses of my blog are Health/Wellness and Technology. While all of our new technology has added to our lives, the question must be asked as to whether or not it has hurt us as well. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Ways Technology Has Completely Transformed The Way Your Brain Works.

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There’s no denying that technology has improved our lives in a lot of ways. The internet has given us access to more information than ever and connected people across the globe. Businesses have benefited from technology that helps them improve productivity and save money. But there are some big downsides to technology too.

Source – Pixabay CCO License

Over-reliance on technology has actually changed the way that our brains work in a number of ways. It’s important that we are aware of this so we can take steps to combat those effects. These are some of the ways that technology has completely changed the way our brains work.

The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)

The fear of missing out, or FOMO for short, isn’t a new concept but it’s one that has been made much worse by social media. In the past, if people spent a weekend sitting at home relaxing, they might have had some sense that they were missing out on some fun by not going out. However, they also enjoyed the time to recharge their batteries and relax. But these days, we are constantly bombarded with images and videos of people out doing things and having a good time. This leads to a lot of anxiety and guilt when people decide to look after themselves and spend a night in. Over time, this can contribute to wider mental health problems, so it’s a serious issue.

A Decline In Spelling Abilities

When you were at school, you were probably pretty good at spelling because you did regular tests and you were always writing by hand. But how good are you at spelling these days? A reliance on technology and autocorrect software means that spelling ability is getting worse. In order to combat this, you should try to write by hand wherever possible or consider turning spell checkers off to see if you can do without them. You can also improve your spelling by doing puzzles like crosswords, so consider getting a subscription (see more here) and doing them regularly. As long as you are proactive about testing your spelling skills, you can counteract the negative effect of technology.

Poor Sleep Patterns

The blue light emitted from phone and laptop screens can change our brain chemistry and make it harder for us to sleep. This is because it interrupts the body’s normal light cues, making it think that it’s still daytime. As a result, your body produces less of the hormones that cause you to go to sleep, and your natural sleep cycle is disrupted. This is a huge problem because lack of sleep does a lot of damage to your health. Improved sleep patterns are one of the biggest benefits of taking a break from technology for a while.

Phantom Vibrations

Studies show that our brains have been hardwired to be on the lookout for our phones ringing, even when they are not. Research into phantom vibrations found that many people experienced a sensation of their phone vibrating in their pocket throughout the course of the day when it wasn’t. Even though this isn’t a huge problem, it just goes to show how much impact technology can have on our brains.

If you want to develop a healthy relationship with technology, it is important to recognize the ways that it has completely transformed the way your brain works.

How You Can Protect Yourself In The Workplace

Two focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and Workplace Discussions. No matter which workplace you’re in, it’s good to know how to protect yourself in necessary. The following contributed post is entitled, How You Can Protect Yourself In The Workplace.

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Whether you have an employment contract or you are considering an ‘at-will’ worker, you need to make sure you know all your rights. They will be different depending on your employment status, however, when it comes to being fired, it is illegal to be fired for reasons such as disability, gender, race, and other types of discrimination, all are forbidden by law.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

How can you protect yourself in the workplace? Let’s have a look below:

Information Is Invaluable

Information is the key when it comes to protecting yourself. If you do find yourself in any sort of employment dispute, you will be thankful for learning the rules and information before you fight your corner. You cannot protect yourself if you don’t know you are in the position to do so. Make sure you read any employee protocols and read the information relevant to yourself such as talking to San Diego Disability Law Group if you are entering the workplace with a disability.

Make Sure you Keep Records

It can be easy to become overwhelmed or tired at work and not have a clear memory of important facts. This is why it is essential for you to keep contemporaneous records. You hold onto any letters, employment handbooks, pay records, employment agreements, and make sure keep a record of any conversations about unfair treatment or disciplinaries. If the conditions and terms of your employment change without justification occur you need to make sure you take action promptly.

Companies will always conduct performance reviews to evaluate employees’ performance and look at their pay and promotion. You need to make sure you have a copy of your written performance review and know how to handle feedback or any disagreements about your performance. If you do have a disagreement with any of the comments that you received, you should ask to insert your notes documenting your disagreement, this can then become an essential part of your performance review and your personnel file.

There is one way of keeping these, however, they need to be clear to see when and where each incident occurred, the parties involved, and any of the details of the incident. You should also show how it was resolved.

Talk To An Employment Lawyer As Soon As You Can

Last but certainly not least, it is essential for you to seek legal advice from an employment attorney as early as possible. They are able to help you assess whether an employer’s conduct constitutes a violation of employment laws and if you can think about legal action. They are able to run through many different options, whether it is to use the company’s internal complaint mechanism or handle things separately.

Many employees may feel as though it is a tough battle when they run into issues with their employer. But that doesn’t need to be the case. If you take the steps above and research properly, then you can rest assured you are handling things properly. Make sure you always look at all your options and get help when you need it.

How To Simplify Your Business & Grow As A Result

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Running a business can be complex at times. Simplifying it can actually increase your profits, productivity and results. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Simplify Your Business & Grow As A Result.

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https://unsplash.com/photos/V7dZJybxhgc

When it comes to your business, you’re always going to want to do anything and everything that you can to grow and stand out. But that doesn’t always seem that easy to do. In short, you may find that you are constantly worrying and struggling about how you’re going to get to where you want to be, but really, you just need to have a plan and take action.

When you’ve spent some time working out what you want to do and what needs to be done, all you have to do is get started. Even if it seems like there’s a lot to take on, moving forward with your plan can revolutionize things. And really, you want to be sure that you can simplify your business and start to grow.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can do that.

Don’t Overcomplicate Things

Firstly, don’t overcomplicate things. It can be as simple as stripping things back and making the process of your customers finding you easier. Through one social platform or marketing tactic, you could master it and find growth rather than trying to stretch yourself too thin.

Offer Different Options

From here, you might also want to make sure that you’re thinking about your customer first. As much as simplifying your business seems like it will be streamlined, sometimes that means offering more to make things easier for your clients. From delivery to pickup in store to online downloads, be sure to give them what they need from you, so they can access what you have in a range of ways.

Get A VA To Help

If you’re trying to do everything, it can be super hard. Instead, think about getting a virtual assistant to help you. You’ll be stripping things back, getting expert help in, and allowing yourself to drive the business forward.

Stick To Your Niche

Above all else, you have to hone in on your niche. Don’t worry so much about trying to please anyone. Instead, when you can narrow down on things so much more, it’ll help you to serve your audience and start to get noticed so much more!

Always Go Back To Your Goals

Finally, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re always going back to your goals that you have in place. Whether we’re taking financial goals or overall objectives, your decisions should feed back into that. Simplifying your business should definitely make the idea of achieving your goals easier. So if you’re not sure what move to make next, refer back to your goals. This could inspire action in you and allow you to achieve what you want.

Why it’s important to incorporate technology into your business

No industry or business can survive the test of time without constantly adapting to market changes. One way for organizations to keep up with these changes is by implementing technology into their daily operations. Technology hones in on businesses’ strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to stay one step ahead of competitors. Not only do technological advancements benefit companies, but they also positively impact workers, making business more efficient and helping people perform better at work.

If you know that you want to streamline things with your business and be able to stand out in the right way, it’s time to do something about it. Thankfully, you should find that these tips help you to do exactly that in no time at all.