How to Network Like Crazy

How to Network Like Crazy Today I had a chat with the popular career blogger and speaker Tim Tyrell-Smith. He shared his insights on interviews, social media for job seekers and how to network like mad to get results. What is your day job Tim? My current daytime role is vice president of marketing for a food company located just north of San Diego, CA What is your background? I have been a marketing guy my whole career specializing in product and brand management. I started my career with Nestle and continued with smaller, more entrepreneurial companies in the food, computer and automotive industries. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area (California, USA), got an undergraduate degree in English and then completed an MBA a few years later. I now live in Mission Viejo, CA with my wife and three kids. Tell us about your blog Tim’s Strategy? I started Tim’s Strategy (originally called spin strategy) in September, 2008. It was about 7 months after completing my own job search. I have always loved to write and combined that with my desire to give back to the local community. So I started sharing my strategy and ideas to help others through their own journey. I brought to life and shared the tools and templates I used to prepare me for interviews. Or to otherwise get my search organized and efficient. Those are all available on the free downloads page. I also have a career expert directory and my Watchlyst (a tool to keep track of the needs of my network). And much more on the way! What’s the Tru Focus resumes and cover letters? I launched the TruFocus templates a few weeks ago because I saw so many people struggling with their resume and CV format. Too many pages, poorly written accomplishments and no key data in the top 1/3 of page one. The original resume template post includes a tutorial to walk you through each section. A few weeks later, readers started asking about the cover letter. While I am not a big fan of cover letters (they often are not read and can be a negative if poorly written), I wrote a similar post and template. And I freely share my versions of both templates with anyone who asks. How important are resumes and cover letters? They are becoming increasingly less important with the growth of social media and networking. But they are still (at least in the US) a required document asked for by everyone in the hiring process. More and more, job seekers are being found on LinkedIn, XING and other social media sites in advance of the job seeker applying for a job. So since you need one, it is crucial that they quickly get your relevant experience, strengths and accomplishments across to the hiring manager. Should job seekers rely on recruiters or go it alone? Recruiters should be a part of the job search strategy, yes. But relying too much on recruiters or any other resource is a poor choice. It is said that recruiters represent only 8-12% of the available jobs. The percentage is higher at the executive level. My strategy: get your resume or CV in front of them, follow-up from time to time and then wait. If a new search matches your experience, they will call you. Any more communication and you risk becoming a nuisance. What are you top 3 interviewing tips? 1. Be yourself. If someone hires the real you, it will likely make for a successful job for years to come. If you try to be someone else to get the job, you may find yourself unhappy in the job or out on the street looking for another role sooner than you’d like. 2. Tell great stories. Everyone likes a great story. Full of rich details, passion and energy. With good stories, you capture the attention of the interview team and give them a good reason to support your candidacy. 3. Be prepared. That way you can walk into the interview room relaxed and ready. Ready to discuss your relevant experience. Prepared to talk with specifics about the challenges your target company is facing in the market. And confident enough to deliver a strong first impression. With a smile. Where should a job seeker be seen online? The answer is “everywhere”. And I’m afraid that if you are nervous about your personal information being online, you need to change your way of thinking. You should have a profile on LinkedIn, Monster, Google, Facebook, Twitter and other relevant sites in your part of the world or industry. And include a nice, professional looking picture. It is absolutely essential that you be visible and with a strong, well-written summary, key strengths and work history. People are being found online now more than ever. Is social media a big waste of time? Sounds like a trick question  Of course not! But like any other activity in job search, it needs to be managed. Four hours on Twitter or Facebook can go by very quickly. And can be very ineffective if not done as part of a plan. You can use social media to build new relationships with target companies, recruiters, career coaches and even us friendly bloggers. It is a big part of the way networking happens today. And can be a great way to build on a relationship from a networking event. What is the biggest tip you would give to job seekers today? Get out of the house and network like crazy. Anywhere from 60-70 percent of the job leads are first found while networking. And many of the people you meet can provide introductions to key employees at a target company. Much better than hoping that your resume will catch the employer’s eye on its own. At least half of the job seekers I meet with each week are not networking enough. Instead they are relying upon old methods (resume blasting and job boards). They are wasting valuable time. What is one thing people can do for you? You know I really appreciate a referral. If someone likes what I write or has success with a template, tool or e-book I’ve created, sharing with others is greatly appreciated. What has Tim got in the pipeline? I am really excited about what is coming next for Tim’s Strategy. First, I am days away from the launch of a brand new logo and website re-design. Second, I have a number of really fun speaking events coming up here in Southern California. And third, I just launched my third e-book (this one on the benefit of taking action on your ideas). Further down the road I hope to get a book published the old-fashioned way and to move aggressively into digital media to deliver my ideas (podcasts and videos). Final word of wisdom? Since you can’t reasonably look for a job 12 hours a day, I’d love to encourage everyone to find time for two things during transition. First, help others. And, in so doing, build a lifelong network. One that cares about you and will be there when you need them. Second, take advantage of this period of your life. Spend quality time with family and friends. Tackle a few big projects in life (run a marathon, learn to play guitar, write that novel). And, if you have one, pursue a dream. Be sure to check out our follow-up interview with Tim: Looking for a new job? Get out of the house! Tim Tyrell-Smith is the founder of Tim’s Strategy: Ideas for Job Search Career and Life, a fast growing blog and website. Tim is also the author of: 30 Ideas. The Ideas of Successful Job Search. Download the book and other free tools at @TimsStrategy

Essential Equipment For Your Time As A Fashion Student

Essential Equipment For Your Time As A Fashion Student Art Materials So this is going to be a very very long post! Before you start uni, you’ll no doubt receive a letter advising you what equipment to buy for the course but if you want to be prepared before that, here’s what I found to be most useful throughout my time at university. Sewing A sewing box My advice is to buy two, a cheap large plastic one for all your non-essential and spare items, such as threads and spare scissors, etc. Then also buy a smaller one that you can easily take to university and fill it with all your essential items. Make sure you keep both your boxes organised. Its such a pain in the backside when you really need something and you’ve left it at home. Untangling threads and tape measures when you need to be sewing is never fun. Fabric scissors What people normally say is: invest in a good pair, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an expensive pair. I bought my pair of scissors from Boyes and I found them good to work with and they only cost around £10. But if youd like to shop around, by no means give it a go. And never ever cut your paper with these scissors Paper scissors Just buy a cheap pair and keep them in your art materials box rather than your sewing box so you don’t mix them up. Small sewing scissors  Keep in your sewing box and use them to trim all your threads and fiddly little bits. Pinking shears (The ones with the jagged edges) These are used to keep your fabric samples nice and neat around the edges. In all honesty you’ll probably use these more for presenting you illustration work, etc. Not essential sewing equipment, but very useful to have. Put these in your big sewing box. Always make sure you either write your name or do something else to make your scissors recognisable to you. The amount of times Ive misplaced or mixed up my scissors with other peoples was silly, all because I forgot to write my name on them. Stitch unpicker Buy a lot of unpickers. Although you’ll hate using them, they will save your arse many a time. And they always seem to mysteriously disappear. Buy in bulk, always keep two in your main sewing box and a couple in your big sewing box Tape measure Buy a couple of these because they always get lost. Keep a few in the big box and one in the little box.   And don’t bother buying the fancy ones that wind themselves up, they break within two days and it’s really disappointing when that happens. Tailors chalk Don’t bother with fabric marker pens or pencils they either don’t work or stain. Invest in some got old-fashioned tailors chalk, it works a lot better and is better value for money. And always remember to use it on the wrong side of the fabric! Threads When you start off its best to buy a basic set of colours; then as you work your way through uni buy specific threads as you need them and add them to your collection. Buy a couple of black, white and cream threads to ensure you have them when you need them as they are the colours you are most likely to use, especially in your first year, when you’ll probably be working with calico and not actual fabric. Shop around online and you’re likely to find special deals on buying boxes of different threads. Also buy a thread box or a spool organiser, so they don’t get messy. Hand needles Buy two packets of these, as you can find them fairly cheap in Boyes. Pop one in each box. Also, if you study machine knitting at your university it will be worth buying a darning needle. Pins Buy a couple of boxes, as they disappear very quickly! Over the course of three years I managed to lose all my pins, mostly in my carpet. Then I stood on them all again, it was very painful! If you can, buy a magnet so you can clean them up easily if you knock them over. Pattern master It’s pretty expensive but worth it, and if you take good care of it, it will last you for years. Make sure you put your name on it somehow and I would advise you to keep it in your portfolio case. Pattern masters have a habit of going missing when you need them the most! Pattern paper, Calico and interfacing Most universities will have a system where you pay a certain amount of money at the beginning of each year and then you can use their supplies of these items. However, if this is not the case, I would advise you to buy a roll of pattern paper and medium weight calico, as you will use so much of it, and buying in bulk will save you a fortune. I bought my roll of pattern paper in the first year and it’s now the end of the third year and I still have half left. As for interfacing if you’re going to buy a roll I would advise medium weight. However, this may be worth buying as you go as you need different weights for different parts of clothing. Art Materials The first things I will say about art material is: don’t rush out and buy lots of different materials. When I first received my equipment list for university, it had things like charcoal and pastels on it. I bought them, used them once and that was that. Don’t be bullied into buying media you are not comfortable using just because it’s on the list. If you can experiment with lots of different media, then decide what you are most comfortable using. After all, you’re the only one who will be using it, and if everyone used the same, it would be very boring! Another point to make is: dont assume that just because a media is expensive it is better. The media is only as good as your work. After spending lots of money on art equipment in first year, half of which I never used, I learnt that very quickly. The works is quite cheap and the art materials are fairly good quality if you are after pencils, sketchbooks, etc. If you want to buy a media you know you will use often, it might be worth spending a little more money on it. For example I use watercolour paints in nearly all my drawings, so I would spend a little more on these and less money on sketching pencils. It’s all about what you want to work with, and if you feel it’s worth spending the money on it. Don’t buy things just because you university tells you to. Media you may like to work in: Water colour paint Acrylic paint Gouache Paint Pastel Chalk Marker pens Sketching pencils Coloured pencil Oil pastel Fine liner pens I’m sure there are many other different types of media you could use, these are the ones that seemed to be the most popular among my course mates. Each one produced different but amazing results. Sketchbooks The best advice I can give with this is: don’t bother buying expensive ones. Chances are, as mine did, the tutors will tear out pages, stick them back in, draw all over them and maybe ever crumple them up. I bought a lovely pink pig one in first year that cost around £15 and really wish I hadn’t bothered. Now I buy all my sketchbooks from the Works for around £4, and they are just as good, if not better. Portfolio Case An A3 one is standard within the industry. It’s worth spending a bit of money on a good quality portfolio case. It looks a bit more professional and it will inspire you to fill it with lots of amazing work. A3 carry case Its up to you if you want to spend a lot of money on one of these or not. I have a lovely one from WHSmith which I put all my work in to take back and forth. Or some people preferred to buy cheap plastic ones from Wilkinson’s and then put different projects in them. It’s up to you. Glue sticks Make sure these are good! Rubbish glue sticks can ruin your work. Fine Liners Buy them depending on how much you think you will use them. I only use mine occasionally for adding detail to drawings so I only have a small tipped one, but if you like using these, you may want to invest in a couple of different thicknesses Pro markers I would advise everyone to buy a set of skin toned Pro markers they range from very pale to brown and are really good, and save a lot of time trying to get the right skin colour for your model. These can be quite expensive, but again they are worth it. Try searching the internet to find a pack within your price range. Pocket sketchbook This isn’t really essential, but the amount of times I’ve had a good idea while I’ve been out, and not been able to draw it, then forgotten what it was is unbelievable just buy a small one for your handbag and you’ll never lose a good idea. Art box To store all your materials in, get one with a handle, so it’s easy to carry. Stanley knife These are useful to neaten up edges and cut out things all nice and neat. Not essential, so buy one from the Works, but useful to have around. A fabric sample book I just used a small a5 sketchbook for mine. Keeps all your fabrics organised and you don’t end up losing any down the back of your desk draws! Other useful art equipment: Pencil sharpener Eraser Pencil case Paintbrushes Double-sided tape A pack of bog standard pencils Pens (I never seem to have one when I want one) Other bits you may want to splash out on A domestic sewing machine Mine cost around £250 and was an early birthday present. But is the best investment ever. And let’s face it at one point you will need to be up all night sewing. Been there, done that, and buy plenty of machine needles to go with it! They will break at the most inappropriate times. Normally deadline days. A mannequin This is a really good investment, although wait until you find out the standard side your uni uses before you buy one. A personal organiser This will be a lifesaver write everything in it. Addresses and contacts, important dates, deadlines, etc. I even keep a tube map in mine you’ll find that you become well acquainted with London doing Fashion. If you want something pretty, try Paperchase they have some lovely organisers. A pretty (and large) handbag. To keep your organiser, mini sketchbook and other things in. Make sure its uber stylish so you can use it every day and not have to constantly change bags. A bag for all your uni equipment Just a cute canvas bag big enough to carry your sketchbooks, sewing boxes, etc., and very very sturdy. A suitcase or a little trolley No, I’m not joking. When you get to the third year you will be using this on a daily basis. Trust me, it’s a lot less painful than carrying 2 portfolio cases and several bags into uni. After reading this rather long list, your jaw has probably hit the floor and you’re freaking out over how you’re going to afford it all. The best advice I can give is: buy a little at a time. Also, start saving up asap! Fashion is expensive and will probably have you out of pocket for most of your university life, unless you managed your money very well. And don’t be surprised when you start to put fabric costs and travel before food money! But if you make sure you take care of all your equipment, it will definitely last you through uni and beyond! I hope this was useful to everyone, and please feel free to email me at lauracbrandon@yahoo.com with any comments!

Do this for your career right now Start a company and sell it for a dollar.

Do this for your career right now Start a company and sell it for a dollar. This is the column I wrote for BNET. Usually I keep my best ideas for my blog, but after I posted this on BNET I thought: Hold it! This is a great idea! Everyone should be doing this to make their career great. So heres the post. If you want to make yourself stand out as a top candidate for almost any job, try this approach: start a company and then sell it for nothing. This is a lot easier to do than you may realize, especially if you think of entrepreneurship as a career-building tool instead of a bank-account building tool. Are you thinking this sell-for-a-dollar thing is a waste of time and effort? Its not. Here are five reasons why its a smart career move: 1. Entrepreneurial types are in very high demand in the workplace. The most sought-after employees in the recruiting field are self-starters, people with tons of ideas and lots of confidence and people who get a rush from working all the time. Unfortunately, these are also the people who start their own companies. They dont really want to work for someone else, and they almost never pick up the phone to listen to a recruiter pitch a job. So the entrepreneurial type who is willing to work for someone else is a rare find, and in high demand. 2. Doing wacky things makes you more attractive. Sometimes start-a-business types are crazy and impossible to get along with. No one can work with them ,and they end up being mad scientists in their basements. Or, they are so nuts that they cant even manage to get anything done. These are not the kind of people you want to be like. Obviously. But heres a great article in the New York Times that explains why the best entrepreneurs are just a little bit off kilter. They are just on the manageable side of crazy. And, the New York Times describes why these are the people in very high demand. They are fun to work with but impossible to find. 3. Most entrepreneurs want to quit their companies. My favorite VC-slash-blogger is James Altucher, and he explainsthat everyone is always trying to sell their company. Which I think is true. Often the entrepreneur has given it his all and he is, simply put, sick of the company. Its not that the company is a failure, per se, but its that the entrepreneur doesnt want to work on the company anymore. The company is worth something, but not a lot, and there are not really any buyers. This situation happens a lot. So no one will be surprised if it happens to you. Even if it happens after only six or eight months. 4. Selling your company, even for nothing, will impress people. To be honest, you still look pretty good, compared to the rest of the world, if you say you started a company and it failed. Because the gumption and intelligence to start a company is flattering to anyone. But you will look really good if you say you sold the company. Even if you get someone you know to buy it for a very small amount of money. I have a friend who sold his company to Microsoft for millions. And you know what Microsoft did? Closed down 90% of the company. My friend still walks around bragging about how he sold a company to Microsoft. No one asks him if it was a real sale. What is a real sale, anyway? Its when someone gives money to someone else. So your sale is when you get money. It can be a very small amount. Maybe a $100. Google this phrase sold for an undisclosed amount. Thats BS Silicon Valley speak for the sale price sucked. When its a sale price worth bragging about, someone does. Otherwise, its simply undisclosed. Thats what yours will be. You can tell people its a contractual obligation to not reveal the price. Which is almost always is, anyway. And there you go: You are an entrepreneurial type who sold a company. Say that to a recruiter and theyll pay attention. Read the rest at BNET.

What would you have done in Nazi Germany

What would you have done in Nazi Germany I ask myself this question all the time: What would I have done if I had lived in Nazi Germany? I am Jewish, so I ask myself if Id have left early on. Early enough. When I could have left. I watch lots of movies and read lots of books about life in Nazi Germany. For example: This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen is a phenomenal, eye-opening  memoir from a Polish, Christian boy in a concentration camp. Most memoirs are from Jews, who were trying to not get killed. But the Christians in the camps could stay alive as long as they would do the most disgusting work: this Polish boy had to pull children from their mothers upon arrival at the camp, so the Nazis didnt have to do it. Prisoner workers had rank among each other by how long they had survived at the camp. Whoever had the lowest number tattooed on their arm had the highest rank. I read these books and watch movies and I wonder what makes someone speak up. What makes someone say, This isnt right, even if they are not yet the target of discrimination. I am more able to put myself in that position of the powerful race if I go back to the slavery debates in the nineteenth century United States. Would I have kept a slave or would I have kept a stop on the underground railroad? Would I have paid a black person a too-low-t0-live-on wage and felt self-righteous that I was paying anything at all? My obsessive thinking makes me prepared when I see something happen. For example, I had a boss who, during meeting said, She was a good candidate, but shes gay and I hate working with gay women. I said, What?  I cant believe you just said that. The CEO was in the room as well. And he said, Well, yeah, whatever. But its true they suck to work with. Like sexual harassment, any type of discrimination is very difficult to prove, and its usually harmful to your career to say something about it. This is why the EEOC recommends treading lightly. Heres their advice on how to deal effectively with discriminatory behavior: Assume good intent and explain impact Ask a question Interrupt and redirect Broaden to universal human behavior Make it individual Say ouch! The reason we should tread lightly is that most people dont know they are being offensive. Mark Seery, a sociologist from University of Buffalo says, “Most of the discrimination people face in modern society is ambiguous. It’s a situation that is important to address because it’s easy for observers to miss.” Once I had more experience, and once I had been fired one too many times for not getting along with people at work, I started taking a more delicate approach. So when someone told me a black guy was probably interviewing for a warehouse job and could I get him out of the lobby, I said, Why do you think hes interviewing for a warehouse job? Subtle usually works pretty well when people dont realize theyre being racist. But now Im faced with something new. Theres an obituary in our local newspaper that says, among other things, The joys of his life were his three blonde-haired, blue-eyed children. Am I being extra sensitive here? I realize that here in the midwest we are the last great holdout for blond hair and blue eyes. But the way the obituary is written, I cant help but think its the same as writing, The joys of his life were his three light-skinned negro children. Maybe I am extra sensitive, because when we first moved here, a local doctor recommended that I change my kids last name from Rodriguez to something else so they get treated better in the community. And later, we were asked to leave a homeschooling group because we are not Christian. So maybe I am too jumpy about discrimination in my community. But you know what? Thats what every person says at work when they hear something discriminatory. They say, Maybe I shouldnt say anything. Maybe Im too sensitive. But I also know research  shows that the people with the highest self-esteem are the ones who are most likely to call out the discriminatory behavior. So I want to be that person. Cynthia Estlund, professor of law at New York University,  shows that discrimination is best combatted within clear structure and rules. The bonds people create at work are significant because they are diverse enough to enable discriminatory behavior to bubble up to the top, but the relations are structured enough so there is scaffolding to enable effective discussion. This is why Estlund concludes that the workplace is a great  environment to deal with discriminatory behavior. I feel better calling out my neighbors for not noticing the discriminatory ways of our community. And hopefully this post will make some of you more brave to do the same thing, probably more effectively, in your workplace. After all, we will never really know what wed have done in Germany, or in the US during slavery, but we do know who we are now, and what we do continues to define that.

What Is a Section of a Resume?

What Is a Section of a Resume?One question that many people ask is 'What is a section of a resume?' This is often an area where applicants do not put enough thought into the way they will use the information they have. For many job seekers this leads to the confusion about how and what should be included in a section of a resume. There are some things that you can put into your section of a resume to increase your chances of getting a job.o Personal information - Include some personal information. This may include any other hobbies or affiliations. It may also include information about your educational history. If you have applied for any jobs before, include this. The more personal information you include the better.o Education- The more you know about the institution you went to, the better off you will be. But that does not mean you need to include every detail about the school. One example of this is taking some classes online. A college or university will not mention any type of details, but the web schools are better because the information is less likely to be found.o Work Experience- There are many things that an employer may consider, and while this is not necessarily a necessary part of a resume there is no doubt that it is considered by some employers. This includes job experiences that happened when you were still in school, during summer school, during graduate school or while you were looking for a job. It could also include jobs that you did while you were attending college. As long as it is not something related to your field of study it should be included in your section of a resume. While this may not seem like something that should be included in your section of a resume, keep in mind that employers are looking for specific things and this information could help you get hired.o Hobbies- While most people are taught to put all their hobbies on a list in their section of a resume, they should not. While they may be good at them and may even sho w their interest in them, it does not mean that a resume reader is going to think so. Instead, hobbies should be something that you do personally or that you enjoy doing. It can even be something that is not related to your field of study, but it should be something that is personal and something that is fun to do.o Educational and Work Experience- These are not the only items that an employer looks for. In fact, there are many items that they look for and this can be a confusing point for applicants. The employer is not looking for things that you do, they are looking for many different things. So if you are looking for a job in your field you should not put the same education and work experience you have been known for. In fact, it might be better to show that you have gained these things through your education and the work experience that you have.o References- One thing that you should include in your section of a resume is your references. Most employers will also require a ref erence from your references, but again they are looking for something else than this. Make sure that you take care of this and make sure that the references are sent to you so that you can provide them with the best information possible.Having a section of a resume you may be asking yourself, 'What is a section of a resume?' While it may not seem very important at first glance, these are items that will help you get hired. With the right type of information you should be able to land a job and improve your chances of being hired for the position you want.

Introducing The Career Mastery Challenge

Introducing The Career Mastery Challenge Looking back over my 24-year investment banking career, most recently as COO of Morgan Stanley Europe, I’ve come to realize that it was great preparation for what I am doing now:   sharing what I’ve learned to help smart people succeed in their careers (as they define it). I went into the business because it was a fast-paced, intense environment working with lots of smart people where I was constantly challenged.   I loved doing deals and covering some of the most discerning clients on the planet, and we were rewarded and recognized for our results. Even though I was not a “natural” for the business (my family is filled with doctors and academics, making me the proverbial “black sheep”), I somehow figured out how to adapt, navigate and succeed â€" more on this later. Most of all, I was having fun being in the thick of it and doing business in one of the most competitive industries in the world.   But 24 years was enough and any more would have been “too much of a good thing”, so I left to seek my new era of meaningful work. This is what I’m really good at Most people are underachieving and can do much more Five years and much soul-searching later, I realized that what I’m really good at is helping smart people do more, be even better and feel great about themselves.   More importantly, I get huge satisfaction from helping professionals succeed in their business and their careers. At the same time, I discovered that most people are underachieving and can do much more.   In fact, most people want to be and do more, but it’s not always obvious how to achieve this, and it’s definitely hard to do on your own. That's why I've chosen this new era of meaningful work where I can help professionals to succeed (as they define it) so they can go on to have an exponentially positive effect in the world. And now, I’m setting my own yardstick for success:   the number of people I help to be better, to achieve their goals and operate at their full potential, and to be who they are meant to be in the world. By the way, I’m thinking that number is 1 million over the next 10 years. Helping you to be the best you can be Right now, my focus is on helping you master your career challenges, and to be the very best you can be.  And, of course, to have loads of fun while doing that! I've come to realize that the best people to learn from are those who have struggled with something, and then ultimately mastered it. That's because they’ve had to study and work at it, and create a system or method that works.   And a system is something that can be taught and learned. I had to work hard at it in order to achieve my goals.   I was not a “natural”.   Fortunately, I took good notes and have now created a framework and model for how to approach your career and master the inevitable challenges. I call this Career Mastery, and it’s about helping you make this Mission: Possible. The Career Mastery Challenge Requires just a small amount of time with the potential to reap big rewards If you're like me, you're pressed for time and reluctant to take time out to invest in yourself, even though you want and need to be successful professionally as well as personally. If only you could find something that requires just a small amount of time with the potential to reap big rewards at just the perfect time of year. And so, I decided to create bite-sized chunks of hands-on advice based on my own experiences as well as those of successful friends and colleagues, which is how the Career Mastery Challenge concept was born. For people who want to raise their game The Career Mastery Challenge is for professionals who want to learn, grow and perform at their best. Learn more about the Career Mastery Challenge and sign up now It’s designed for people who want to raise their game and are willing to invest in themselves to get and stay at the leading edge. Every day for 30 days, you’ll get my best actionable tips and tools to help you raise your game and advance your career in 2014. While no one can guarantee career success, it’s always helpful to learn from those who have gone before us and to share what we’ve learned.   That’s what this is all about. The Career Mastery Challenge is based around the 12 roles that you need to play in a successful career.   The tips and tools helped me rise through the ranks of Morgan Stanley to become COO for Europe, and now I’m sharing them with you â€" free of charge â€" to help you succeed and master your career. Start the New Year off right The Career Mastery Challenge kicks off on Monday 13 January, 2014. Get full details here and sign up now I’ve already heard from many people who are excited to learn more and participate â€" fabulous!   I’ll incorporate as many of your suggestions as possible (thank you), and look to cover the rest in future blog posts and programs. And because it’s so important that you actually experiment with each Career Mastery tip right away, I’ve included incentives to help you do just that and to stick with it.   That’s right, there are prizes, including one-on-one coaching with me on Skype (priceless!). Who said navigating your career couldn’t be fun?   And a confidence building, learning and growing experience? Get full details here and sign up now to join me and many others in what will be a fun and, most importantly, hugely rewarding experience to kick off the New Year and to set the foundation for a successful year ahead. I’m determined that you get the best shot at knocking the cover off the ball professionally this year, and if I can help you, I will.   I’ll be right here helping you along the way, answering your questions and comments as they come up, so be sure to participate and post your progress. It’s free to participate in the Career Mastery Challenge, and there’s potential to reap big rewards.   So what are you waiting for? Let’s make 2014 your best year yet! Sign Up Now

Stop Using These 5 Excuses Not To Start Your Own Business!

Stop Using These 5 Excuses Not To Start Your Own Business! Throughout your formative years, you were fed a common fallacy. You were told that if you worked hard, applied yourself, got good grades and paid your dues, your endeavor and tenacity would pay off. You’d ascend the career ladder and land a job that’s well paid, fulfilling and rewarding. Unfortunately, your experience on the traditional career ladder varied wildly from what you were told in school. Your education didn’t prepare you for the vast competition for every single job. Your college degree didn’t prepare you for the harsh realities of working in your chosen industry. The campus prospectus didn’t say anything about all the humiliating unpaid internships and soul crushing entry level positions. You’ve reached the conclusion that the career ladder isn’t a ladder at all, but a greasy pole that you keep sliding down no matter how hard you try to climb. However, your salvation could be sitting in your desk drawer. On your notepad where you scribbled down the idea for a workable small business of your very own during a particularly tedious meeting. Yet, for too long, that idea has remained just that… An idea. You keep on using those same old excuses not to put it into action. Every time you consider it, your cautious nature takes over and prevents your potentially awesome idea from being unleashed upon the world. Quite frankly, it’s time to take a leap of faith in yourself. Stop using these common excuses not to start your own business I don’t even know if my business idea is any good That’s okay. Nobody does, for sure. But if you have faith in it and can imagine people getting excited about it, that’s an encouraging start. Of course, you can (and should) qualify your bullishness by carrying out tireless market research to establish quantifiable interest in your chosen industry for the kinds of products and services you offer. Broadly speaking, if you can spot a gap in the market, can prove that there’s an audience for what you’re offering or you can identify an area in which your potential competitors aren’t fully catering for the market, there’s a chance that your business could find success. Where will I get the money? Funding your business will depend on the nature of your idea and the potential overhead costs that it represents. In the digital era, many have built thriving businesses from the comfort of their own laptops with virtually no startup costs. If, however, your business plan requires a physical presence and employees, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to spend a significant amount of money to get it off the ground. Fortunately, there are more opportunities out there than ever when it comes to securing business funding. Banks are still an option, although in the post financial crisis landscape they can be reticent when it comes to startup lending, especially if you have little or no prior experience of managing your own business. However, if the banks slam their doors on you, that does not mean that you’re out of options. Check out https://www.working-capital.com/ and you can find the right lender for your business within a minute. You’ll find that there are a plethora of products available to you with flexible terms and appealing rates. Some of them even have no minimum credit score so may be available to you, even if you have never taken out loans, credit cards etc. in the past. I don’t know if I can do it on my own That’s completely understandable. Entrepreneurship is a daunting prospect chiefly because there is no training program or educational path which can prepare you for it. Still, that doesn’t mean that there’s no guidance. There are business mentors who can lend you the benefit of their industry experience to help you navigate the everyday pitfalls of operating your own business. They can advise you on strategy as well as providing you with practical tips to improve your operational efficiency, reducing running costs and making your operation more profitable. Needless to say, there’s also more help, guidance and support online than you can shake a cash flow analysis at. There are no shortage of business blogs which can be a constant source not just of inspiration, but of workable practical solutions for your daily operations. Here are some of the top business blogs for entrepreneurs in 2019. How can I get ahead in this competitive industry? No matter what you’ll be doing, or who you’ll be doing it for, there’s a good chance that your business will face stiff competition. While this may be intimidating, competition should always be welcomed. Competition can help you to be at your best. It prevents you from getting complacent and encourages you to keep finding ways of making your operations more efficient and delivering better value and quality to your clientele. Looking closely at your competitors can define operational parameters upon which you can expand and improve. Quite simply, your competition is the box you need to think outside of to get ahead in your chosen industry. The only way in which competition is damaging is when you choose to turn a blind eye to it. There’s an argument to be made for keeping your eyes on your own work, to be sure. But when you bury your head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge the importance of competitor analysis it rarely bodes well for your business. The moment you take your eyes off the competition is the moment you allow them to get ahead of you.   What if I fail? Finally, fear of failure can be crippling to would-be entrepreneurs. Everyone who has started their own business remembers their personal journey in overcoming this (completely understandable) fear. Failure is always a possibility. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t at least try. If your business fails it could go into administration or receivership and you may have to shut it down and liquidate your assets. On the other hand, if you don’t take a leap of faith in yourself, you could continue to waste away in your current job for years or even decades. Which of the two is worse?