One hot summer day my daughter and I ventured to our local craft store with one mission in mind - purchase velvet covered coloring panels called fuzzy boards. Little did we know this simple trip would turn into such an adventure. The store advertised the boards on sale and offered a 40% discount coupon. My daughter excitedly selected two boards however I noticed different manufacturers produced them, so I asked her to select an extra board just...more
December is a month in which many organizations make plans for the coming year. Now is a great time for you to look at your marketing systems for attracting and retaining customers. Although front end systems such as advertising, public relations, press releases, direct mail, sales letters and promotional items are important, equally as important as what you and your staff do after you gain new customers. It never ceases to amaze me how companies...more
The notion that employers are only interested in where you have been and where you are heading is pure nonsense. Experienced hiring managers take into account both your experience and your character. After all, in the end, they are hiring a human being, not a robot. Still, many believe that personal attributes just take up space and make the resume "fluffy." After reading countless job descriptions that make it a point to mention personal characteristics and speaking directly with hiring managers on this specific topic, I've come to realize that it's not the inclusion of personal attributes that make resumes superficial. It's how the characteristics are presented that is the cause of concern. In this article, I will focus on the top three characteristics employers seek (good communication skills, honesty, and a strong work ethic) and discuss how you can seamlessly integrate them into your resume. Now let's get started.Print out your resume and take a look at it. If you find that you carelessly threw some of the characteristics mentioned above in your resume without making supporting statements to back them up, then the reader will question the sincerity of your claims. Here's an...more
I wish you a Happy & Prosperous New Year!This PVT is short, with a few links to help you launch your new year.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Can you answer these 10 questions to help you build your business dream?Listen to my informative 7-minute MBA. Turn up your speakers, and click on this link:...more
With interest rates at 40 year lows it seems difficult to find fixed income investments with high yields. Money Market funds are paying investors about 1.4% and Commercial Paper is only yielding 2.3%. For those willing to commit their capital for longer periods of time, a 5 Year Corporate Bond yields about 5%. How does an investor find a good,...more
How often have you heard yourself say, "I've got so many balls in the air I don't know how I can possibly keep track of them all". We may be managing to keep the balls in motion, but how good is our juggling performance really? Are our movements controlled and rhythmic? Or are we merely gritting our teeth and hoping to catch the next ball before it falls on the ground? Recently I was speaking with a colleague (we'll call him Craig) who is a high achievement-oriented and well-regarded senior manager. He was overwhelmed by how much was on his plate. In addition to handling his high-pressure career, he had begun pursuing a post-graduate degree while he was already enrolled in another certificate program. Furthermore, several projects at home also competed for his attention. In the midst of all this, Craig said that he was hoping to be able to continue to stick it out with the post-graduate degree, even though the workload was much more than he'd anticipated. To do anything other than persevere would be so out of character that it was inconceivable to him. In Craig's words, "it would mean giving up". As we talked, I asked Craig whether there might be a more positive way of viewing...more
You have this burning desire you want to be on your own. The temptation is so great that you want to quit your job. Enough is enough. You're sick of working for other people for a ridiculous pay.To be your own boss means controlling your own destiny,...more
When I ask why you don't start your own business, I always hear, "I don't have money to start a business." This is a common excuse people give for not starting their own business.There is truth in the statement. You actually need money to make money...more
Which is more painful: an audit or spending the holidays with Aunt Sally and her green Jell-O mold? Either way, your company audit still looms in your mind, but it shouldn't be that scary - quite the opposite. Besides, even Sally "audits" herself...more
For organisations to stay competitive, they must be willing to share knowledge with the public because the digital revolution has enabled information to move beyond geographical boundaries. The new rule of corporate survival is not just the ownership...more
How do you set up shop online? How about one that's top-notch, so that you can compete with the big guys, yet quick to set up, easy to maintain - - and cheap? And how can you affordably market your shop once it's ready to go? Questions like these are...more
Rod McHenry, the financial vice president of a document imaging company, thought he had great cause for celebrating. He had signed an unbelievable $370,000 lease proposal covering computer servers, workstations, software and other networking...more