How to Be your own boss

How to Be your own boss by Amber Rolfe So you want to be your own boss…Whether you’re keen to manage your own time and enjoy more freedom, or you just like the idea of answering to nobody but yourself â€" self-employment has many benefits. But that doesn’t mean it comes without hard work.If you’re interested in working for yourself, here’s our step-by-step guide to help you become your own boss:  Identify an opportunity Not only do you need to pick something you’re passionate about, you also have to ensure you’ve got the skills needed to thrive in your chosen industry.Whether you use your work-based expertise and interests to build your own business, or you’re keen to fill a gap in the market â€" there are many places (and reasons) to start when it comes to becoming self-employed.Additionally, you need to think about the type of business (e.g. franchise, consultancy, sole trading etc.) that suits you â€" based on your ideal workload, responsibility, and costs.Once you’ve done your research and you’re sure of what you want to do â€" it’s essential to build a business plan. Start by identifying your target audience, coming up with objectives, and creating an action plan to help you reach your goals.Is self-employment right for me?Five self-employed jobs you could be doing right now  Figure out your finances Planning your finances effectively is the key to guaranteeing success.From start-up costs to ongoing operation â€" it’s vital to understand exactly how much money you need to sustain your business and provide yourself with a realistic income.This might involve starting small, and working alongside another job.By running your business part-time, you’ll be able to track costs (and profits) whilst building up a client base â€" making it much easier to organise and maintain your financial situation.You’ll also be able to figure out if you need to factor in any additional costs â€" whether it’s carrying out further training (e.g. taking a business man agement course) to develop your abilities, or hiring an employee to fill a skills gap.Market your product It isn’t just about creating a great product â€" you also need to get it in front of your audienceFrom social media and PR, to blog posts and emails â€" there are many ways to advertise your business in an engaging way, not to mention share your company’s values.But it’s not just customers you need to interact with. If you want your business to become well-known, networking is key. Gain a group of supporters, partners, advisors, and vendors by regularly attending events, joining local business groups, and connecting on social media.Not only will you become recognised in your industry, you’ll also be able to get valuable advice that could contribute to your success.Set up a workspace Once you’ve covered the how, it’s time to figure out the where. Aside from ensuring your workspace (whether it’s your own home, an office, or a shop) is certified for business use, youâ €™ll also need to consider taking out a suitable insurance plan.It’s equally important to choose somewhere that’s set up for productive work. If you’re working from home, make sure your office space is quiet and distraction free â€" with enough space to store whatever tools you need to get your work done.And to ensure you’re fully focused, give yourself set working hours.Because although being your own boss means you’re free to decide when you work â€" it’s still important that you actually do work. How to: Work from homeGive yourself a good work-life balance Running your own business isn’t easy.Although you’ll have more freedom going it alone, you’ll also have a lot more responsibility â€" and the heavy workload (with less people to share it with) might take its toll on your wellbeing and/or energy levels.So how can you avoid burning out? Actually take time off, and make sure you give yourself regular breaks on the days you do work.Even though working non-stop mig ht feel productive, it’ll only cause you to burn out faster. After all, there’ll always be more work to do â€" and if you don’t take time off when you need it, it’ll only cause issues in the long run.Five benefits of work-life balance  Track your progress Self-employment requires a large amount of self-motivation. And without someone else telling you what to do, it might be more difficult to stay on track.To make sure you’re always in line with your objectives, it’s absolutely essential to think of proactive ways to track your progress â€" and ultimately measure success.Regularly check back on your finances, assess your outgoings and income, and make sure your actions are aligned with your end goals. Failing to monitor your progress will not only risk you going off track, it could also mean you’ll be less motivated to do a good job.After all, each goal you reach will give you a positive sense of achievement.Have a backup plan Unfortunately, things don’t always go to plan.Even if you do everything right, unforeseen circumstances could get in the way â€" whether it’s a cut in funds, missed deadlines, or an objective you just can’t seem to meet.That’s why it’s essential to come up with a plan B. This could be anything from revaluating your goals or adjusting your timeframes, to tackling your business idea at a different angle or gaining some new skills. It’s also a good idea to keep it on good terms with your previous employer â€" just in case.With other options available, you won’t be tempted to give up at the first sign of trouble â€" and your business will have a better chance of succeeding.Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be us ed in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Getting Started Self-employment What job suits me?

Skills Section of Resume Writing

Skills Section of Resume WritingSkills Section: The skills section is the only area in resume writing that can be completely removed from the resume without negatively affecting your final draft. You should take a second to consider this as you are writing your resume. Take time to determine if a particular skill will be appropriate for you.Example - Skills listed in the resume that would not be appropriate for you to include 'Computer Literacy,' which is a skill that is not appropriate for someone with a job that requires extensive computer usage. However, the skills listed in the resume can include 'Interpersonal Skills,' which is fine for someone who works with people frequently.Another example would be Skills for a Social Media Specialist, which would require a person to know how to research, create websites, and use social media. The skills for the skills section are a great starting point when developing your resume. The sections that include your skills are called 'Themes' and they are separated by a line or two to further delineate which skills you are placing emphasis on.Themes For Skills: Themes for skills section of resume writing can include those skills that are common to every resume. These are skills that are required and also skills that are not mandatory, but add flexibility to your resume. Themes for skills include academic aptitude, organizational skills, communication skills, personal skills, interpersonal skills, and logical skills.Themes for Skills: Themes for skills section of resume writing can include those skills that are common to every resume. These are skills that are required and also skills that are not mandatory, but add flexibility to your resume.Examples - Examples of skills include verbal communication skills, academic skills, and organizational skills. Examples for skills can include the following: organizational skills, communication skills, and academic skills.For example, you might place an emphasis on skills relating to w riting and creative writing. You could also place an emphasis on 'writing' skills and simply use the term 'writing skills' as a generic term. Examples for skills include technical writing, writing for the internet, and Internet writing.Additional Examples of Skills Sections of Resume Writing: Writing is a very important aspect of life, but learning to write and communicate can be tricky. Those who have never written a word of print or web content will find this section helpful as a place to list what they do for a living and how they apply that skill.

The value of corporate team building activities in business

The value of corporate team building activities in business Team building is a fantastic way to improve your business, and it can help to boost morale, motivation and productivity levels. Experts can put on all kinds of excellent team building events and activities, all of which will be great fun and designed to improve the chemistry between your employees. In order for any business to be efficient and successful, the employees must work well along side one another. Employees are your most important asset, and you can improve the way in which your company operates when you take steps to encourage your employees to communicate and work as a team. By encouraging your employees to develop team cohesion and trust one another, it can help to boost morale, motivation and productivity levels. This can all, in turn, help your business to become more successful than ever before. On top of all this, creating a team based mentality also creates an enjoyable working atmosphere that can be felt throughout the entire organisation. All the top companies around the world will have a team of employees who get on with each other and enjoy coming into work each day. They will have achieved this through regular team building events and activities held throughout the year, and importantly this will also be an on going process. Team building is a proven method to improve the way in which an operation is run, but it is often overlooked by businesses. When carried out by professionals, team building can be hugely valuable and worthwhile, as well as good fun for everyone involved. It will need to be carried out by specialists for the best results, and they will also be able to put on a wide range of events and activities all designed to promote team cohesion. These corporate team building activities could include breaking a world record, cookery, music challenges, treasure hunts, races, building challenges and plenty of other fun, interactive and highly valuable activities. The top companies that can put on team building events and activities will also be able to provide you with an in depth report that highlights areas of development in your team, and this enables you to measure the success of the activities and identify areas where your team should be improved. Although it should be seen as an on going process, after just 1 of these activities you will immediately notice the positive impact back in the workplace. When your employees work well together, they have trust in each other, can easily communicate and feel like an important and valued member of the team it can do wonders for your business. It will improve motivation and productivity, all of which will boost the efficiency of your operation and help you to succeed. Not just this, but it also creates a positive atmosphere throughout the organisation which everyone can enjoy and benefit from. This can be achieved through team building events and activities, when carried out on a regular basis this can transform your business.

How to Stay Motivated When Work Doesnt Feel Like a Priority

How to Stay Motivated When Work Doesnt Feel Like a Priority Today’s post is by Sarah Fudin, who works in community relations for the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education’s online programs.   Having trouble staying motivated at work? You arent alone. Feeling a lack of motivation on the job is a common problem, and one that can lead to job dissatisfaction and even greater unhappiness. There are many reasons why people suffer from a lack of motivation on the job: Perhaps your work is not challenging, or perhaps it is not the job you had dreamed of; maybe you have a boss who micromanages you, or perhaps it is hard to get passionate about the work you are doing. Whatever the reason, finding a way to motivate yourself to do your job well is possible. Here are some tips to stay motivated at work: Neutralize your negative triggers As simplistic as it sounds, if you surround yourself with negative people and things, you will feel that negativity seep into everything you do, including your work. If you find yourself spending a lot of your time reading negative articles (and lets face it: the media is full of negativity these days) or listening to friends or coworkers who consistently complain to you about their lives, their jobs or your mutual work environment, it will be much more difficult to find motivation to complete a project or goal at work. Neutralizing your negative triggers can be as simple as changing the language you use to describe something unpleasant â€" using the word dislike instead of hate when it comes to describing a task â€" or avoiding social media sites that will stir or create negative feelings while at work. Maintain a positive attitude This tip goes hand in hand with neutralizing your negative triggers and may sound a little like that old proverb, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” That being said, maintaining a positive attitude is one of the most important things you can do to stay productive on the job and motivate yourself to do well. It can be as simple as making a list of positive affirmations you repeat to yourself while at work when you first get to work, when you are in the middle of your shift and when you have only a couple of hours left in the work day. Positive affirmations like, “I am lucky to have a job that provides for me and my family,” or “Today, I am going to do my job better than I did it yesterday,” or “I know I can complete this project on time” can all really make a difference. Whether or not you believe the affirmations you repeat to yourself is of little consequence; its a psychologically proven fact that positive affirmations have a positive effect on attitude. Do only the work that matters Another way to say this is work more efficiently. Often times, we get bogged down by work that is not necessarily a priority and end up dragging out the work that is actually more important or that has a more impending deadline. This also means that you do not take on extra work that is not necessarily your responsibility or work that will not provide a positive outcome for either you or the company you work for. If a project has no clear benefit for you or those who employ you, it most likely falls into the category of work that does not matter and should typically not be voluntarily taken on. Stop caring so much This is a great tip for anyone who works in a large or corporate company. It is far too easy to get caught up in company policies or changes to the system you are a part of, and even easier to allow yourself to care about decisions that are made at the top of the chain of command that are not your responsibility. If you can adopt an attitude of apathy surrounding the things that are not within your control or territory, you will be much happier at work and able to maintain a much higher motivation to do a good job. This does not mean you should stop caring about the work you do or the people involved. It simply means that you limit your care to the things that you have direct contact with and allow everything else to take care of itself. Take care of yourself Self-care is a skill that seems to be lacking in all levels of employment in the United States. Whether it be making sure you get the necessary six to eight hours of sleep each night or taking your vitamins or hitting the gym three times a week, self-care is important. If you arent taking care of yourself, your motivation to work will be one of the first things that begins to slip. If youve had a hard day at the office, the last thing your body and mind need are to come home and work some more. Find ways to disconnect for a few hours before bed each evening. Whether it be taking the time to cook a homemade meal, an hour to sit and catch up on your favorite television program, or 30 minutes soaking in a bubble bath, its important to let your mind detach from the stress of the day before sleeping and beginning the next day. After getting your working motivation back, take some time to explore what changes might make you happier. Are you looking for a different job altogether? If so, you can explore sites like Classy Career Girl, which offer tools that will allow you to discover what job you might excel at. In the end, you and no one else determine your motivation. Do what it takes to learn how to be motivated now, and later it will come naturally. How do you stay motivated when work doesnt feel like a priority?

Writing About Philosophy On Resume

Writing About Philosophy On ResumeWriting about philosophy on resume is a wonderful way to show that you are an interesting person with an interest in that particular field. While it may be tempting to include a biography of yourself on your resume, curriculum vitae that is just about you and your experiences is not very appealing. Here are some things you can do that will make this type of resume appear more impressive.First, make sure you know what kind of career you would like to pursue. If you are a business professional, don't include information about a job you did as a salesperson or at a factory. If you want to take on the responsibilities of a philosopher while working for an employer, that is fine. But keep it relevant to the job you are applying for. Also, consider having a paragraph that discusses the different areas of philosophy you have studied in college.Second, be as brief as possible. Try to write about one aspect of philosophy that pertains to the job you are apply ing for. Curriculum vitae about a study of ancient Egypt would not be very effective if you are applying for a job as a lifeguard. Another important rule of thumb is to make sure you are focusing on a subject that relates to the job you are seeking. For example, if you are applying for a position as a professor of ethics, do not include information about philosophy that pertains to math or physical sciences.Third, always include a signature block that says 'Written by' on your resume. This gives the reader a sense of who you are and that your writing is actually your own. Unfortunately, most resumes do not include this type of block. Instead, you will find the resume header underneath the header of the resume. Therefore, the reader will not know who you are unless they scroll to the bottom of the resume and check the rest of the document.Fourth, get the writer's name of the organization. If you are applying for a position at a college, it is important to include the school. If you a re applying for an assistant professor position, state the title you are seeking. This will give the reader a better feeling of connection with you.Fifth, make sure you do not use slang or outdated terminology in your work. Many students do not understand the differences between classic and contemporary philosophy. It may be too difficult to explain in writing. If you use terminology from the late 20th century, the reader will have no idea if you are talking about ancient Greece or contemporary America. Even if you used an archaic term in your introductory chapter of a book, do not use it in your resume.Sixth, write from a place of knowledge. Let readers know that your work is based on your academic background. Do not give a history of your academic career. Instead, tell readers about the areas of philosophy that are interesting to you. If you are a teacher of philosophical theory, let readers know you have done a great deal of research in that area.Writing about philosophy on resum e should be interesting, but it also should reflect your own experience. Remember, the reader does not want to read about you. Make your own impression, rather than read about it. The resume should be eye-catching and catchy, but the main goal is to impress the reader. So, learn about the major works in philosophy, but make sure you do not overdo it.

Change Your Career in 5 Easy Steps

Change Your Career in 5 Easy Steps Recently a friend told me her philosophy on life: “Life has no remote control. You have to get up and change it yourself.” This is very applicable to your career. It would be nice to just press a button and land in a new career that is fulfilling, pays more than our current job, and has a shorter commute. As we are very well aware, life just doesn’t work that way. If we are unhappy or unfulfilled in our career, we need to work to change it. A career change can be like deciding to lose 20 pounds. We wish it could happen overnight and painlessly, but that wont ever happen. Here are 5 steps to help you make the career change you want: 1. First we have to evaluate what is not working in our current job. This might mean assessing if your job is un-fulfilling, or too demanding, or the environment is not positive. 2. Now that we know what isn’t working, we can decide on a plan of action on how to change our current situation. For a job change, this can mean evaluating positions that interest us, review and update our resume, pulling together some collateral on work that we have accomplished, identifying job search sites and networking groups and so on. This plan includes creating small and achievable goals that we can accomplish each week. With weight loss, we might plan small goals like exercising two days for 20 minutes the first week, three days for 20 minutes the second week, 3 days for 25 minutes the third week, etc. Those goals can be obtained. We wouldn’t give ourselves a goal of exercising 7 days for 60 minutes each day in week one if we haven’t exercised in awhile. That would be setting ourselves up for failure. Setting a goal of making changes to a resume or identifying 2 networking groups in week 1 are small enough to be effective and keep us moving in the right track. 3. We also have to hold ourselves accountable for achieving the small goals. Meeting the small goals each week will lead to a much bigger change. It is much easier to accomplish a series of small goals rather than trying to make a large change all at once. 4. Remind yourself that change can take time. Some individuals have a goal of finding a new job within 2 weeks. That is an aggressive goal. It can be done, but so many things have to fall into place, that it is unlikely. Make sure you give yourself a feasible time frame to achieve your goal. 5. Making progress toward your goal can continue to motivate you. When losing weight, you will notice that your clothes begin to feel looser well before you hit that goal weight. With a job search, finishing a resume or making new connections or landing an interview will help keep you motivated during the search. If you are hoping to change your career, I encourage you to begin taking some small action steps to make that change. It might feel slightly uncomfortable. It might seem a bit overwhelming at first, but the key to the change is action. The first one should be to print the steps above and review them regularly! Contact Wolfgang Career Coaching for a free 1/2 hour consultation!

Word of Mouth

Word of Mouth Weve all done it- checked out a new restaurant because a friend said the food is excellent, gone to a new mechanic because he is good and honest according to people, purchased a magazine because a family member recommended it was great reading. We arent looking for this advice or these recommendations, they seem to appear out of nowhere. For some reason, we are motivated to test it out. Could it be that subconsciously we are listening for a solution? The dream of every business is to have an excellent reputation. One that will drive business (money) through the door. Think Wegmans. People will drive great distances for the Wegmans experience. What will drive jobs into your hand? An excellent reputation for something. It isnt justself proclaimed excellence, it has to be validated by others. Who are the people who can vouch for your excellence? Initially, it will be those that know you. Your dream is to have even those who dont know you so well speak of your reputation for excellence. Build the reputation. Perform your excellence. Demonstrate your excellence whenever you have a chance, or can create a chance to do so. Listen for the window of opportunity. Become heightened-ly awareof the possibilities to help others. There are groups, forums, andassociations that need assistance. You could help. Be near the window. Make sure your message iseasy to understand. You never know who will hear it or who will pass it along, so keep it simple. It isnt enough today to just be good at what you do, people have to know about you. Let your word of mouth reputation for excellence precede you!