These days, people need to very carefully consider what type of credit card they will carry in their wallets. There are so many options out there, and each individual has different needs. Some of us tend to carry a balance, so we need a low interest credit card. Others pay off their card each month and so don't pay any interest. They are more concerned with having a credit card that has no annual fee. These days, with so much competition between...more
Here's a newsflash: Cover letters work, plain and simple. This is why I'm intrigued by the fact that a) jobseekers rarely submit them and b) hiring managers seldom read them. As a result, I started asking questions. Specifically, "What's your problem with cover letters?" Here's what I found out.Jobseekers claim all the pertinent information is included in the resume. Translation: "I don't know how to write an effective cover letter so I just...more
Are you frustrated by the lack of growth in your firm, or the effort required to squeeze any up-tick in performance? Are inadequate policies and procedures a root cause? To find out, take this simple self assessment to see if this may be inhibiting real growth at your company.Q. Can you take an extended vacation without the company falling apart? A. If you answered "no" then you have a job and not a business. A business must have a system of standard operating procedures to ensure the work gets done correctly, even in your absence. Q. Can your company handle a ramp-up in sales and production?A. Hidden inefficiencies are often revealed when sales and production increase. If low turns on accounts receivable and inventory, long sales or production cycles starve your cash flow, then something is wrong. Your policies and procedures should document cycle times for your critical operating metrics.Q. Can you effectively add more people to your organization?A. Hiring people is simple compared to ensuring they know what to do and have the resources to accomplish their job. Policies and procedures provide the framework for a management system to oversee new employees and communicate who does...more
A common remedy for improving your time management is to develop the ability of saying, "NO." Since it is easier to recommend than to do, here are some tips on how to do it.1. Start with your own attitude. What is your self perception when you say, "NO?" Do you see yourself as a slacker? What about the perception of others, are you concerned about...more
Introducing new products or services, bringing new people on board, developing a new process or procedure, installing new equipment, change seems to be the one constant in business today and change always seems to drive a need for training. In conducting training needs analysis at any level, we need to understand that training may not be the...more
Consumer BorrowingConsumer borrowing in the UK has now crashed through the £1 trillion barrier. 80% of this is due to credit card borrowing, loans and mortgages. How are people managing to handle their debt and what effect is debt having on families today?The National Consumer Council reports that 6 million families in the UK are already struggling to make repayments towards their debt, and Citizens Advice reports that over the last 6 years, they have seen a 44% increase in the number of people seeking debt advice. This may be just the tip of the iceberg. There must be many families in the UK who have debt problems, but are not aware of the free help and advice available.Tackling DebtAccording to a DTI survey carried out in 2002, a household is likely to be over-indebted if: 25% of your annual income is spent on repaying Creditors 50% of your annual income is spent on repaying credit and mortgages You have 4 or more companies that you owe money to.People find it difficult to make repayments for a number of reasons. Generally, the underlying cause is some kind of change in personal circumstances such as job loss, divorce, illness or a new baby. In these instances some people may...more
What's REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager is public relations' ability to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors. And then, to persuade those key outside folks to the manager's way of thinking, and help...more
Day after day my in box, and I'm sure yours as well, fills with opportunity propaganda on how to make money. Do this, and poof, you're rich. Become an affiliate and sell my ebook, and poof, you're making lots of money. I don't know about you, but I...more
We must first emphasize that here we are talking about outsourcing CAD projects, which is significantly easier than outsourcing software development or IT services (earlier articles of mine have explained why).This article also assumes that selection...more
The notion that a business, non-profit or association manager can actually hold a big key to success in his or her own hands IS a thrilling idea! And it becomes more thrilling as the manager actually alters individual perceptions leading to changed...more
Every since serving a hitch in the military, I have been nagged by the question that's been hanging around leadership since time immemorial: How can some leaders persuade people to believe in them and follow them and other leaders can't? But it...more
Business cost for everyone can get out of control very fast. Here's ten simple yet POWERFUL ways to reduce cost that can have a GREAT effect on the health of your business.1. Barter If you have a business you should be bartering goods and services...more