Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Why You Probably Need More Training, Not Less

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Why You Probably Need More Training, Not Less In my work as a business and workforce consultant, I’ve observed that in times of change and uncertainty, some organizations stop spending money â€" and especially money that goes to employee training and development. However, given the future work trends of cross-functional teaming, workforce-wide digital fluency, and an emphasis on uniquely human skills, this may be a short-sighted approach. Let’s look at these one by one. Cross-Functional Teaming I’ve noticed that employees are starting to move around organizations with greater speed, and so they may need to know more skills than were required in the past. Even if they received a solid university education, employees might well be moved to a role in which nothing they learned in their degree program applies. For instance, it’s not unusual for someone trained in finance to end up in marketing, and vice versa. And, even those schooled and working in marketing often find it beneficial to have cross-functional expertise in finance. My hunch is that employer training might not be able to keep up with the reskilling and upskilling requirements of cross functional teams, and this is why there are gaps. And, in the Career Advisory Board’s 2018 survey, Talent Activation, the Employee Experience, and Skill Development, 77 percent of respondents agreed with the statement:In my organization as a whole, I am concerned about employee skills gaps. In the study, the greatest skills gaps were observed in the areas of technology/digital fluency (cited by 62 percent of respondents), communication (56 percent), business acumen (48 percent), diversity and cultural awareness (46 percent), and customer service (42 percent), and skills gaps affect employees at all levels. And, when asked about barriers to closing skills gaps, our respondents cited a too-small training budget most frequently. If anything, it’s my opinion that cross-functional teaming requires larger training budgets, not smaller ones. Workforce-Wide Digital Fluency In theCareer Advisory Board’s 2017 Job Preparedness Indicator survey, we defined an applied technology skill as a skill that is needed by employees to leverage the right technology to do their jobs. It’s another way to talk about digital fluency, and the research indicated that a majority of employers is now looking for these skills in new and existing employees. Training existing employees in applied technology skills is a major challenge, in part because current professionals did not receive this type of instruction via traditional education paths. In response, many survey respondents are ensuring that their workforces continuously train and retrain on applied technology skills through the development of internal courses (40 percent), internal trainings (38 percent), tuition reimbursement (35 percent), and external trainings (31 percent). Only one-fourth said their organizations are taking no actions to develop this skillset. As discussed above, however, developing skillsets can be expensive â€" especially when one round of training isn’t enough. So, in my recommendation, employers should have a specific and ongoing budget set aside for applied technology skills alone â€" in addition to other training requirements. For more where this came from, check out the DeVry WORKS website.

How to Write a Business Manager Resume

How to Write a Business Manager ResumeBusiness managers are in demand, and they need a business manager resume to get noticed. There are two types of resumes: academic and non-academic. The latter is often seen as a requirement for a business manager position because it gives the employer a better idea of your skills and knowledge. A business manager resume will be very different from an academic resume, but the employer may still get a glimpse of your skills by reviewing your academic resume.The basis of your business manager resume will be a standard curriculum vitae format. You can customize it however you like to suit your needs. First, you must remember that the curriculum vitae is not just about the course of study you completed. It is also about the aspects of your academic and work experience that are unique to your own unique career experiences. This is where you make a first impression on the employer and they can only get a good impression by seeing all your relevant exper iences.When you were a student, you might have been the president of your class, or the most creative member. This person may be called upon by your boss to give a talk during an upcoming meeting. Your boss will want to know more about this person's skill set, and this can be a perfect opportunity to make your curriculum vitae about the most professional thing you have done that would convince the employer that you are indeed someone that is a good fit for his or her organization. This will help you establish yourself as someone that the company can hire and will need.Students do not usually choose their occupation and education background right away. After they graduate, they get their job interview. In this process, employers will want to see a portfolio of your various tasks and accomplishments, and the business manager resume is your first opportunity to show them what you can do with your skills.The business manager resume is designed to be straightforward and short. It should tell the employer what you did at your current job and what kind of management position you want, not how long you have been there. To impress the employer, it must be short and to the point. It must also show your skills in writing well and your organizational skills.When you are going through your curriculum vitae, make sure that you are also learning about the elements that you should include on it. They include the name of the employer, position, address, phone number, and e-mail address. In addition, this document must clearly show your educational background. Here, you need to list all the college courses you have attended, all your certificates and diplomas, as well as any graduate courses you have taken.You should also include in your curriculum vitae details about your previous work experience. Your duties in that position can vary depending on the company you are looking for. You can also add up the positions you held with other companies. Include a description of the role you played in each one. You can also tell them why you are a good fit for this company.As you are reading your curriculum vitae, remember that you have to take into account the company's requirements in order to come up with a candidate's capabilities. This will ensure that you are getting the best impression possible on the employer.

Could Buying Your Next Business Premises Be a Smart Move -

Could Buying Your Next Business Premises Be a Smart Move - If you’ve gone from being a fledgling start-up to a more established business then it could be that you’ve started to outgrow your current business premises even if, to date, these have only been a home office. When the time does come to expand, many business owners’ immediate inclination is to look around for rental premises first. But  there is a great deal to consider when renting and they could be missing a trick if they don’t also consider the option of buying a property. Yes, renting does provide a certain level of flexibility in that you’re only tied to the term of the lease but it’s money that you’ll never see again. On the other hand, buying a property is an investment â€" although not a surefire one â€" that could work out better for you in the long run. However, before you do take the plunge into buying your own business premises,   there are certain things to consider carefully. Choose the right mortgage It’s a given that you’ll need to put up some capital of your own if you intend to buy and the balance will generally have to be raised through a mortgage. Obviously, the better the rate you can secure the lower your repayments will be. So consulting an online free mortgage broker like Trussle should be one of the first moves you should make. That way you’ll get advice on  how much you may potentially be able to borrow. Even more importantly, you’ll be able to compare the monthly repayments required by different lenders. Choose the right location It’s true of homes and it’s equally relevant when it comes to buying business premises. You should always carefully choose your location so it has good communication links, is somewhere you would be happy to bring clients to visit and which will be appealing to your employees too. If possible, you should also consider moving to somewhere that has been designated as a growth area by the government as there are likely to be a number of initiatives running, as well as possible grants, designed to attract other businesses too. Get in at the right time and you could find that value of your property increases as the demand grows for the area. Choose the right property Again, like house hunting, don’t just decide on one of the first premises that you see and like. Have a proper look at everywhere that’s available and within your budget and then draw up a shortlist. You’ll have to take into account how your business’s needs are going to change over time and whether the property will be able to be altered to meet them. It’s also essential to have a full survey carried out, especially on older properties that may have hidden issues such as asbestos. If these are discovered at a later date it could mean huge expense and inconvenience as an experienced contractor resolves the issue. So hopefully this advice has given you some food for thought and alternative to renting. And now it’s time to start the search . . .

April Newsletter for Masters Students University of Manchester Careers Blog

April Newsletter for Masters Students University of Manchester Careers Blog The Romans called April Aprilis.   No one is sure the exact meaning of the word. Some scholars think that it may be related to an old Italic word meaning “the following, the next”, in a sequence of events. Old folk interpretations link it to the Latin aperire (think ‘aperture’ on a camera the bit that opens to allow light into the lens) “to open”   referring the opening of buds and blossoms in Spring. Either interpretation is apt at this stage of your career: you will be thinking about what’s “next” or what will “follow” your taught programme, you’ll also be on the lookout for “openings” and opportunities.   Careers Fairs The Grad Fair 2017 Thursday 4 May 2017 10:30am 4:00pm The Armitage Centre, Fallowfield, Manchester FREE ENTRY:  Register to attend now! Postgraduates often wonder why there are generally no careers fairs focused particularly on them.     To understand, it’s helpful to understand the events from employers’ point of view. To make it worth everyone’s while, employers need to make sure they have enough job opportunities for their target audiences.   It may be the employers’ have so many opportunities or that the niche nature of the work makes it challenging to attract enough good candidates.   Attending fairs is expensive for employers; there is the cost of a stand, promotional materials, staff time, the work not being done whilst staff are away, and travel costs â€" employers need to be assured that enough people from their target audiences are going to attend the event. Generally, jobs targeting postgraduates are specialist roles that can be advertised at any point during the year. Careers Fairs can still be helpful to postgraduates, depending on what you want to do, think you might want to do, or if you have no idea.   Check out the Careers Service’s handy “How to” guide to find out more about making the most of careers events. http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduates/howtoguides/makethemostofcareerseventsasapostgraduate/ Special event for SALC PGTS Tuesday 25 April, 1.00-1.40pm,  Room C1.18 (conference room), Ellen Wilkinson Studying a Masters within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures and looking for a job for when you graduate?   If so, come along to this informal lunchtime session â€" no need to book. Louise Sethi, lead careers consultant for SALC, is running this session for SALC PGT students in advance of the Grad Fair on 4 May. She’ll let you know which employers will be at the fair and will introduce you to the Manchester Graduate Talent Programme which offers a range of paid opportunities.   You can have a chat about the kinds of jobs that interest you and where to look for vacancies.   Any queries, please email louise.sethi@manchester.ac.uk Find jobs with smaller and medium sized employers It could be easy to believe that all the jobs out there are with big graduate recruiters.   In the UK, in 2016 Small- to Medium-Sized Enterprises employed 15.7 million people, accounting for 60% of private sector employment (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/business-population-estimates-2016). Perhaps most significantly,   small businesses accounted for â€" wait for it â€" 99.3% of all private sector businesses.   One point three million SMEs employ staff.  Aspiring entrepreneurs are not alone: 4.7 million SMEs did not employ anyone apart from the owner â€" so maybe it’s time to find your niche, and start a business or a social enterprise? The small- and medium-sized nature of these organisations â€" generally 250 people or less â€" means they don’t have the same recruitment budgets and demands as the more familiar “big recruiters”.  For you, the job hunter, tracking them down can be tricky and time consuming. Here are a few helpful hints to find an SME that might be right for you: The UK Small Business Directory https://www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/ Guardian SME jobs: https://www.uksmallbusinessdirectory.co.uk/ Knowledge Transfer Partnerships:  http://ktp.innovateuk.org/     These are projects that businesses and universities undertake in partnership.   Occasionally these may lead to a higher qualification such as a PhD or a professional qualification, e.g., project management, or a structured programme of professional development activities. On Careers Link, you can search organisations by size: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/careerslink/ Manchester Graduate Talent programme may have opportunities with SMEs available: http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/findjobs/graduatejobs/mgt/  Use Linkedin to search for organisations http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/findjobs/networking/linkedin/ Do research into specific industries, jobs, products, services that you interested in.   Where are the organisations employing people doing the things you want to be doing? Target them for job searching of speculative applications. And on that note â€" speculative applications are an important way to access opportunities in SMEs: https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/applications-and-cvs/271429-making-speculative-applications-for-graduate-jobs Working for an SME in other countries Im afraid I cant do every country in the world.   The trick is to look for resources similar to the ones above and carry out similar sorts of research.   You can talk to the Careers Service Information Team or book an appointment to speak to a careers adviser if you are struggling with getting started or progressing in your job hunt.   We are the experts on job huntin strategies and approaches which you can use to help you develop your own personal expertise in looking for work with SMEs in your target country or countries. Dont miss! This just in: Expert Panel Event on Opportunities in the West in China over the next 10 years Please note the venue is now Theatre B, University Place Event: Expert Panel Discussion Time:  17:00-19:00 Date:  Wednesday 26th  April Introduction Relations between China and the UK have never been better with a shared commitment to building a global comprehensive strategic partnership at a higher level. Cross-cultural communication, exchange and business interaction have been increasing, most notably in education. Over the next ten years, Chinese graduates will face new challenges entering the job market and realising their potential to start their careers in top-tier global companies. Objectives The purpose of this high-level panel discussion is to gain insights into the challenges facing Chinese graduates in the UK and the need for their transformation into global citizens and life-long learners. Companies need to attract the right people, with the right skills and experience, to help them achieve good governance and performance for their future sustainability. What challenges will Chinese students face starting their career and what opportunities await them? Chair Mark Patterson â€" Non-Executive Director and Senior Adviser to a number of internationally focused enterprises; Formerly at Standard Chartered, ANZ Investment Bank and Deutsche Bank Speakers Carrie Waley â€" CEO and Founder of Mandarin Consulting; Previously worked in a variety of industries including hospitality, public relations and media sectors in Hong Kong and the UK David Peckham â€" Former Price Waterhouse (now PwC) and PA Consulting Group Management Consultant; Now, Director of Mandarin Consulting Patrick Reid Consultant and Coach; External supervisor and academic with University of Manchester, University of Warwick and Robert Kennedy College; Formerly a director with AstraZeneca, with some 20 years’ experience spanning IT, Marketing and eBusiness Brian Renwick â€" Head Coach and Head of Programme Management at Mandarin Consulting; Formerly, Head of HR at HSBC, plus 20 years in Management Consulting All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate career planning Careers fair job hunting

Fill in the Blanks Skills to Writing a Resume

Fill in the Blanks Skills to Writing a ResumeFill in the blanks skills to writing a resume is a guide for individuals who are just starting out or who need to fill in the blanks on their resume. There are many different parts that are necessary in order to complete the whole resume. By learning how to write a resume, you will be able to stand out from the crowd.Filling in the blanks skills to writing a resume is an introduction to each section of the resume. One of the first things that you should consider when writing a resume is the title. Your name will show up in the resume and as such it needs to be as professional as possible. Your title should contain your name, present company, title, and a short description of yourself and the position that you are applying for.After you have written your resume, you should also consider the style that you are writing. There are two types of resumes. The first type is a chronological resume and the second type is a functional resume. Chronol ogical resumes are a type of resume that contains chronological information while functional resumes are a type of resume that is composed of all of the necessary information for the position that you are applying for. Chronological resumes contain the dates and most often times the time zone information while functional resumes contain information about previous employment.Depending on the job you are applying for, you will be either required to send a functional resume or a chronological resume. Both types of resumes are required to be prepared before hand but some employers will require a chronological resume while others will not. This depends on how organized the employer is and how much information is needed to get the job done.Once you have filled in the blanks of each section of your resume, you should now take your resume and start trying to fill in the blanks. For example, you may be listed as a cook, but it doesn't really matter what you actually do. Your resume can say t hat you cook at home and may even state that you cook hamburgers, steaks, or chicken.Now that you have finished the important sections of your resume, you can now proceed to the more personal ones. You can list your hobbies and shows that you have attended. This will make your resume stand out and be less boring to look at.The last thing to remember when filling in the blanks for your resume is to always include some sort of information regarding your educational background. Including college and university attendance will help demonstrate that you are well educated and a hard worker. Being able to cite a few jobs is something that is usually needed to get an interview and as such it is important to provide this data to prove that you are someone who will fit the company.Fill in the blanks skills to writing a resume is a basic guide that will help you with completing the resume that you want. If you are still having trouble, you can always use a professional resume writing service. Their experience and expertise will ensure that you get the perfect resume.

How to Use Free Customer Reviews to Get A Professional Resume

How to Use Free Customer Reviews to Get A Professional ResumeHaving a professional resume written is important, but the most important factor of all is having an easy to read resume that looks great. There are several methods you can use to make sure your resume looks professional and is well written. However, there are simple, effective steps you can take to ensure you have one that will help you land the job you want.The first step in creating a professional resume is choosing a professional resume writing service that understands how to write a professional resume. You can research these services by doing a Google search. After doing your research, contact at least three of the companies to see if they offer a free resume consultation. These steps will allow you to get a feel for what services you will be receiving.If you have a professional resume written by a professional resume writing service, you will still need to do some of the work yourself. If you choose to hire a third p arty, make sure the services you choose offer customizable resumes. This means that you can customize your own resume by changing words or phrases. Customized resumes make your resume look like it came straight from the person who wrote it. Most professional resume services can offer this type of service.Professiona provides a free resume consulting service to its clients. This means you can request a professional resume be sent to you with pre-set features. This will allow you to begin filling out your application without having to edit the resume.However, you should not hesitate to contact a professional resume writing service that offers customizing your resume. For example, you can change the beginning and ending dates, change the placement and qualification of a specific career objective, and even add additional contact information. Professional resume writing services that offer this kind of service will save you both time and money. Professiona offers different forms of custo mizable resumes. These include customized cover letters, custom resume specifications, and custom resumes with no attachments. These are just a few examples of customizations available on some of their custom templates.Professiona is a company that is recognized as an industry leader in creating quality templates and supporting clients. In fact, their resume services are sought after by many professional resume writers. This is because, the professionals understand how to create custom resumes that look great. This is because the company offers more than just a list of details about your education, work experience, and other aspects of your background.Professiona also has a free resume writing service available to their clients. This is the perfect way for those who do not have a lot of money to create a great resume for themselves. Using this free service, you can create a professional resume that is impressive enough to impress your employer.

Summary Sunday Job Search Help and Tips

Summary Sunday Job Search Help and Tips Everyone needs job search help and tips. But theres a lot of information out there and it can get confusing. Not to mention you feel all alone. Thats why youre here.   Why arent companies  responding to my  job application, how do I write a networking email, is LinkedIn really helpful, and what should my resume look like? These are just some of the questions answered in this weeks roundup of popular posts. JOB SEARCH 6 Ways To Make Your Next Job Come To You by  Jillian Kramer, Glassdoor | Business Insider Instead of applying for jobs online and waiting for a responsetry these 6 things instead! Get your friends involved. Turn Facebook into a portfolio. Talk ‘shop’ at social events. Show off to your bossâ€"or a future employer. Check out the article to see the other 2! What Is and Isnt Normal During Every Single Part of the Job Process by Olivia Gamber | The Muse I found this to be a very helpful list of what to expect during your job hunt. From waiting to hear (anything) from the employer or recruiter to talking salary. There are so many weird rules in job search and this does a good job helping you understand what to expect and what to do. LINKEDIN LinkedIn Adds Extra Insights to Profile Views Data, Including Keywords Used to Find You by  Andrew Hutchinson | Social Media Today LinkedIn has made some changes. Now you can see more data on how  people are discovering your profile. Without the premium, I can only see where the searchers work and their role, not the keywords used to find me. This is still valuable for job seekers. Maybe you should check out the jobs and people you know who work for those companies that searched for you.  Take some time and go play with some of these new features and see what value they offer! New LinkedIn Features: Reconnect with a Colleague, See Who’s Searching for You, and Fine-tune Your Profile by  Julie Inouye | LinkedIn Blog And theres more! LinkedIn lets you  change the order within work experience, education and volunteer work. This means, if you hold multiple jobs or roles at the same time, you can switch the order (within those sections only). And check out the quick reply message options. You may find it saves you some time. NETWORKING How  To Write Networking Emails That People Cant Ignore by  Brian Balfour, Founder/CEO of Reforge (formerly VP of Growth at HubSpot) I want you to read this entire post! EVERY WORD. Dont just skim down to the templates at the end. This is the process and logic you should use when sending email messages to network with people. There are so many important lessons, like what to put in your messages subject line (and keep it short). RESUMES The Single Most Important Consideration for your Resume by Job Search Bible I NEVER write about resumes or share posts that mention resumes. There are enough people doing that already. Im kinda anti-resume anyway. But this collection of tips from expert resume writers will help you write a better one, especially if its been awhile since your last version.  (OK, and yes, I did contribute to this article) from Job Search Bible Ill be taking a break from social media and writing next week, but Ill be back! Happy 4th of July!

Interview Tip - Create Your Five Key Point Agenda - Hallie Crawford

Interview Tip - Create Your Five Key Point Agenda Youve heard it before, you need to prepare for the interview. Research the company, find out who youre interviewing with, and review the typical interview questions people tend to ask. These are important and you should prepare further. Go beyond this basic interview prep. Here’s one way to do this: Think about the 5 key points you want to get across during the interview. You may assume that the prospective employer runs the show during an interview. Most people think that’s the case, but it’s not 100% accurate. You get to drive the agenda of the meeting more than you think. Don’t be passive about prepping for your interviews, trying to guess what they might ask you. Be pro-active and consider the 5 key things you want them to know about you! Write down the answers to the following questions: Why would you be the ideal candidate for the job? What are your best qualities and accomplishments that are relevant to this position? What unique talents and abilities do you bring to the table? Then be pro-active during the interview. Make sure you communicate your 5 key points by giving specific examples that illustrate each one. On the day of the interview, two things can potentially happen. One, the interviewer will ask you specific questions where you can simply slant your responses around the points you planned to mention. Or, two, youll end up talking about other things but when the time comes that they ask for your questions or thoughts, you can use this opportunity to make your points. Write them down and have them in front of you if youd like. Theres nothing wrong with that. Remember, the interview is a two way street. You are also interviewing them to make sure the job is the right fit for you. Do you need more interviewing help? Join us for our next Job Search Teleclass “Stop Spinning in Your Job Search: 3 Ways to Get Ahead of the Traffic” on Friday July 17th at noon ET. Click here to learn more: www.halliecrawford.com/jobsearch.html Certified Career Coach