How to Utilise Your Workspace for Success

How to Utilise Your Workspace for Success Working environment can have a truly monumental effect on employees engagement, motivation and productivity.  It may be one of the last things you think about when youre trying to boost your employees success, but it should be at the forefront of your mind.  There are numerous factors that can alter the way employees feel in their working environment, and Intuit  have provided this lengthy infographic on their top tips on how to improve working environment for success! Temperature: Peak temperature is between 20 and 22 degrees! Productivity can reduce by 10% from an office having an uncomfortable temperature. 33% of workers would say that temperature is the main problem in their workplace. Daylight and view: Workers with the best views tend to work  10-16% better than those without a good view. Interestingly, lighting in the workplace had very little effect on the productivity of the workers. Try and provide nice views and chances to work outside for your employees, youll see a boost in productivity. Environment and pollutants: Surprisingly, your environment and objects in your office can have a large effect on employees motivation. A study found that removing old fashioned computer monitors from the environment increased productivity by 16%. A well ventilated office can also boost productivity. Noise 30% of employees are distracted by the noise their colleagues make. Men are affected by noise more so than women. Employers should allow colleagues to wear headphones to block out distractions. Tools: Dual screen desk set-ups makes a difference. They can boost productivity up to 50%! Studies found that giving employees a laptop so they can work flexibly improved productivity dramatically. 69% of people agree that cloud computing has increased their productivity dramatically. Culture: 81% of companies felt that those without a high-performance culture would never go onto great things. Employers should consider how employees feel about their jobs. Employee and peer culture is also an important thing to nurture. Social media: 53% of workers waste at least an hour a day on social media according to a study. However, an alternative study suggested social media enhanced collaboration. Carefully consider your approach to social media, as you dont want to ban it entirely, but you do want to monitor your employees time on it. Time: You should remember that everyone has their own time for optimum productivity, and it will vary between employees. Did you know that productivity drops an average 20% during summer? Productivity is typically at its highest at 11am and drops off at 2pm. RELATED: What Office Design is Best for Creating a Happy and Productive Workforce?

Freelance Illustrator Resumes Templates

Freelance Illustrator Resumes TemplatesOne of the hottest topics in the recent past is the idea of creating your own freelance illustrator resume. Before I discuss that in more detail, it is important to remember that this is an art, not a science. You will not be able to create one for any other job than illustration jobs.If you are looking to start a freelance illustrator, then the best thing to do is to go to an illustration business to get advice on the best way to design a freelance illustrator resume. Why? Well, the reason is pretty simple. It is much easier to try to use a template for illustration work than it is to write a resume on your own.When writing a resume, the average prospective employer has very little time to look at your previous work and in some cases only looks at a portion of your resume. The idea behind having a template is that the information is laid out in a simple format that is easy to read and get around to reading. The template also helps to keep the i nformation in a manageable size and that is key to being efficient in communicating.There are many different methods of organizing a resume for illustration work, but one of the most popular is the portfolio which can be found online or on any of the larger home computer drawing software sites. Using a template, you can easily organize your portfolio with the words in an orderly manner so that they are easily seen by the employer.If you do have a portfolio, a good practice is to try to have all of your work published somewhere online. This is to give potential employers the ability to see all of your work without having to actually download it all. You can also place the full of information about yourself as well as a little bit about the company and what you have done in a small folder that is a part of your portfolio.The next step is to create a cover letter that describes the job you are doing as a freelance illustrator. This is very important as this is the document that is goin g to be mailed to the prospective employer in the hopes that they are going to hire you. With that said, you want to make sure that the cover letter and your portfolio are descriptive and gives as much information as possible about you.If you are going to be sending the letter, make sure that you have an opportunity for the employer to contact you by way of telephone, email or snail mail. This will not only let them know who you are and what you are doing but it will also allow them to verify that you live in the location they are posting you.These tips are just some of the steps you should take when writing a freelance illustrator resume and should be followed in order to create a great cover letter and portfolio. Remember, the type of work you are doing will tell the potential employer a lot about you.

How to Stop Damaging Confidence in Your Job Search

How to Stop Damaging Confidence in Your Job Search During your job search, do you ever start thinking, “My resume seems to brag too much!” or “There is no way that company will find me valuable!”If so, you are damaging your confidence in your job search. Worse, you are hurting your chances of getting hired before you started looking!This post explains how you can stop damaging your confidence during a grueling job search.Stop Devaluing Your Career Success on a ResumeStop focusing on the negative times in your job career and letting that spill over into your resume. Eventually, you will start to think of yourself as a fraud who does not deserve success.You will cheapen your resume by not adding your top accomplishments. Additionally, you will start explaining away your success, so no one sees the value in it.For example, we critiqued a resume at Find My Profession with the following sentence. We requested the job seeker remove it immediately. Read if you can understand what makes this resume content harmful to a job candidate' s chances:“Led a team of 50 during a successful $30 million-dollar merger with [this company]. It was never completed due to [this company] filing for bankruptcy.”The person essentially stated, “Look at this great success I am proud of and this is why it does not matter.”Do not devalue your career success by explaining why it was not that great to you.Stop Asking Yourself Random Negative QuestionsThese questions sound a little like these questions below:“Why do I even bother?” “Why am I not passionate about anything?” “Do I even have the relevant skills to perform this job?” “How do I keep up with all the changes?”You have no answer to these questions. The more you take action, the less you think about them.Stop Fearing Possible StrugglesIt seems like everyone else always knows what to do and what they want. They seem to always have it easy. Right?Wrong. Everyone goes through a struggle on the path to job success.Some hide their stress better than others when struggling while others pretend as if they knew what they were doing all along.That’s nonsense. Anyone who has ever bootstrapped a startup into a successful company knows the struggle to succeed is real.Fearing a possible struggle awaits you in a job search may just lead you to take a job you will eventually hate because it was a safe thing to do.Stop Being the Ultimate PerfectionistIf new technology, social media, and today’s job market have proven one thing, it is this:You do not have to be perfect to get ahead in your career.Everything is imperfect because times are always changing. That job which felt like a perfect career choice 5 years ago now lacks opportunity for new challenges.Staying addicted to being perfect hurts your ability to take risks, look into new careers, and communicate with others.Why? When you always fear that something is not a perfect job, you label the job as “imperfect” and stop learning about the job opportunities it provides.Stop Thinking Any So lution to Your Job Search Is ExtremeTrue success in your job search comes through achieving a balance.You want to be honest with yourself, but not to the point of saying no to everything.You want to be open-minded, but not to the point of appearing delusional or ending up in the first job that agrees to hire you.Stop thinking your job search has to be an extreme experience. It is merely the start of finding what you wish to do next.Start Following Your CuriosityContrary to what everyone in entrepreneur, career, or life coaching has said over the last 20 years, it is better to follow your curiosity before following your passion. Your job search will be better this way.Why? Curiosity is the root cause of all passion.No one knows what they want to do, all of the time. No one wakes up instantly passionate about something. They first became curious and next decided to investigate. Upon investigation and taking action, a passion was discovered.Start being curious and you stop beating your self up over what you do not know.Will you always have the relevant skills to perform a job? No. Some job skills may sound similar compared to 10 years ago, but the tools used to perform them have changed.Go be curious and find out how and why.

Tips for Finding the Perfect Student Accommodation - Career Geek

Tips for Finding the Perfect Student Accommodation - Career Geek If you have just secured a place in a college or a university, you will have to organise a place to live quickly, because, most probably, you will be moving to a new city or town. Finding student accommodation can be quite a hassle, but can be easy if you apply some theory into it. If you are in search of the perfect student accommodation or letting, there are many ways you can make your job much easier and the following tips will provide an insight into this. Tips on how to find the perfect student accommodation There will be an accommodation officer in your college or university, or you can get advice on finding accommodation from someone in your Student Services. Start by speaking to them. College campuses often have notice boards with notices advertising rented houses, offering lodgings and seeking flatmates. If you are interested in moving to a specific area, then check out the local newspapers. There is often a myriad of classified ads with rooms to let or houses. Since most students will be fighting to get the best deals, make sure you get a copy of the newspaper as fast as you can. When it comes to living space, we all have different needs. Before you start looking for student lettings, you will have to consider exactly what you are looking for. You will have to think whether you want a house to spend some peaceful time in, or to party, whether you prefer home comfort, or independence, whether you would like to live independently, or share with other students. How to look for the perfect student accommodation Student Accommodation Office As mentioned, there will be a dedicated student accommodation office at your college or university. The university usually has a list of trusted letting agents and local landlords, so if you get stuck, they might be able to help you look for student accommodation. Letting Agents Basically, a letting agent is a middle man between your landlord and you. Letting agents are paid by the landlords to look for tenants for their property. For the next academic year, letting agents typically begin advertising around January/February. Most letting agents also post an extensive list of their properties online as well. Keep in mind these accommodations are available on a first come first-served basis. Going Directly To Private Landlords You will not be able to find all houses via an agent, and using a letting agent means a certain amount of fees have to be paid. Another ideal way to save money is to go directly to a landlord if you can find one. You will find various private student lettings in the back of local newspapers and online. Finding Student Accommodation Online There are many websites where all the above resources are collated into a single easy to use location. There, students can register to look for accommodation, while landlords and letting agents can register to list vacant properties. Private student accommodation has its perks, and that is why you should start looking for one as soon as you are accepted in a college or university. Following the tips mentioned above will help you in your search for student lettings and help you find the perfect one.

Writing a Resume the Easy Way

Writing a Resume the Easy WayIf you're seeking a job in Perth and have never written a resume before, don't worry! Writing a resume is quite easy if you follow a few simple steps. As long as you stick to these simple guidelines, your resume will be in good shape and on the right track to making you the next employer's dream candidate.* Have a name-your-letter letterhead and resume cover-your resume. One of the easiest things you can do when it comes to writing a resume is, by simply having a title to go with your resume. Your resume should have a well-written introduction that tells the prospective employer a little bit about you and your career goals. Then you can talk about your skills and accomplishments.* Write your resume. First, get a pen and paper so you can write the contents of your resume. Next, make a list of all of your previous work experience. Finally, take out a piece of paper and write the names of your last three employers. You can also list any teaching positions yo u have held, your publications, awards you have won, awards you may have been nominated for, etc.* Do interesting things! This is probably the best tip you can get when it comes to writing a resume and finding your way around it. It's important to remember that the people who will read your resume are very busy people, and they'll just scan for your resume all day long, and if you use unique writing tips, you'll get noticed.* Make your resume as short as possible. While this may not seem like a good idea to you, people like to read longer resumes, and if you have a good idea for your resume, it may be exactly what they're looking for.* Askfor advice from anyone who can help you. It's really easy to waste your time writing your resume if you're just throwing things together and hoping they show up. When someone gives you advice about the best way to write a resume, take their advice.* Learn to ignore resumes that are not in your best interest. Be careful about the cover letters and a bout the emails that you send. You really want to make sure that you aren't sending out jobs that you'd be uncomfortable doing yourself, and avoiding this problem is the best way to ensure that you are only submitting jobs that are in your best interest.Writing a resume isn't hard, but it is, however, vital. You will only be remembered if you follow these simple guidelines. And your best chance for success is to find a professional resume writer who knows how to create good-looking resumes and you can use.

15 Characterizations to Describe Yourself During Job Interviews

15 Characterizations to Describe Yourself During Job Interviews In a job interview, robotic or generic answers don’t work anymore. You have to know exactly what you are saying, and you have to know how to tailor fit your personality and your skills to the needs of the business.In order to prepare for your interview, you can’t just market yourself aimlessly. You have to know how to market yourself in a way that your interviewer will be impressed and will want to hire you. Here are 15 key general characterizations to describe yourself during a job interview.10 General Ways To Describe YourselfevalPhoto Credit â€" Pixabay.com1. A VisionaryBeing a visionary isn’t just for leaders. Being a visionary is all about knowing that the company or business has room for growth, and you’re willing to advance your career along with it. This means that you’re willing to go the extra mile for the business even if it means helping on the things out of your job description.evalEmployers love this trait, and it is one of the characteristics that can easily land a job.2. A Goal Oriented IndividualOne other general trait that a lot of employers love would be a goal oriented mindset. Employers are especially attracted to employees that follow the common goal of the company or business which is to make it grow.An employer will definitely help with the career goals of goal oriented people.3. A Team PlayerOne of the things that employers cannot stand is conflict in the office. Conflict leads to counterproductiveness and also wasted time. Conflicts are usually started because of two or more individuals who can’t seem to have an agreement are stubborn to stick with their decisions.Making a business grow is all about teamwork; thus, it’s crucial that all employees are team players. If you project yourself as a team player, that’s extra points for you.Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.com4.A Good FollowerAside from being a good team player, an employee is also expected to be a good follower and knows how to take instructions well. Those who don’ t know how to take instructions or don’t want to take instructions are usually shunned by employers, especially if the job requires strict orders.5. A Detailed and Organized PersonThis trait would depend on what type of job you are applying for as not all career opportunities require an employee to be very organized or detailed This characterization is good if you are applying for positions such as admin staff, accounting staff, finance staff, or even a managerial position.6. A Versatile WorkerVersatility and adaptability in work are extremely important because when things get down to the crunch, a fast thinking worker is what the office needs. Although it’s not really mandatory to be a versatile worker, it does give bonus points.7. A People PersonOnce again, not every career opportunity needs this trait, especially in jobs that don’t require much interaction. However, if you are applying for a job that requires quite a bit of interaction If you want your career to soar, then you have to be a responsible worker. Whatever you do at work, you have to take responsibility for it and don’t try to keep on blaming others. If an employer sees you as a responsible worker, then it will bring you closer to getting your job.10. A Creative WorkerLastly, you have to be a creative worker. Creativity doesn’t necessarily mean thinking up artistic things that will be used for marketing purposes. Creative may also mean resourceful. Resourcefulness is a sought-after trait in employees, especially for businesses that are new and have limited resources.An employee that can think up of creative ways to make operations more efficient will give you some points.Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.com5 I Am’s That You Can Tell Your Employer1. I am someone who is after career growthIn general, employers would love to help their employees grow as long as the employees are willing to grow. This phrase will immediately give the employers the impression that you are after growth and is will ing to learn how to grow.Photo Credit â€" pixabay.com2. I am a workaholicIf the interviewer asks you what your biggest weakness is, you can say that you are a workaholic or in other words, you can’t stop working until you’re done with your tasks. While it may seem like a weakness, you are actually trying to market yourself by masking a positive trait as a weakness.3.I am someone who loves to learnPeople who love to learn are really coveted by employers because these are the people who will gain knowledge fast and will be an asset to the company. This is definitely something that you should say.4. I am a person with integrityIntegrity is extremely important to an employer because it will show whether or not you will betray the company or not. No one is going to hire someone who they think will pull a fast one over them.5. I am experienced in….Lastly, employers are always looking for work experience. Forgetting to mention about your school achievements and your grades because wo rk experience will trump all of that. If you want to really attract an employer, then you have to note that you are experienced in certain fields that you think can help the company.Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comWith these answers, you will definitely get an edge in snagging the job. One very important thing to remember is that 50% of the interview is what you say while the other 50% is about how you say it. If you want a 100% success rate in your interview, then you need to perfect both of these aspects. These tips will help you with that.

The Truth Behind the Open Job Market

The Truth Behind the Open Job Market Most job seekers rely on the open job market which includes job posting boards and help wanted advertisements in local newspapers to source job leads. While it appears on the surface that these search vehicles have an abundant number of job leads, the reality is that very few people secure their positions through these methods of search. Only about 5-10% of people in search find their jobs using these two methods combined.One of the main reasons it is so difficult to land a job through a job board is that the job seeker is faced with insurmountable competition and limited means to differentiate their candidacy. It’s not unusual for a hiring manager to receive over 500 resumes for one open position. With no personal relationship with the hiring authority, the job seeker is forced to rely on technology and hope that the resume they submitted for an online opportunity contains enough keywords and consistency with the job spec to garner an acknowledgement from the hiring manager.The sa d truth is that the number of companies that even acknowledge receipt of the resume is under 25% and the percentage of companies that offer candidates any additional information regarding their candidacy is in the single digits.So what’s a job seeker to do? Send their resume out into cyberspace, cross their fingers, and hope for the best? Absolutely not. Far too many people waste valuable hours of search time sending their resumes into a virtual black hole. If an unemployed job seeker considers their full-time job to be finding a job and an employed job seeker considers their search to be a part-time job, no more than two hours of each week should be dedicated to posting for jobs online.Candidates should be frugal with the amount of time they spend online and take advantage of time saving online search methods such as using aggregate boards such as SimplyHired, Indeed, and Jobster which cull information from numerous online boards or setting up job email alerts on several large or niche board sites.What has your experience been with online job boards? Check back tomorrow to learn more about how to leverage your network to create a more successful job search campaign.

The Recession is Bullhonkey Renes Story - When I Grow Up

The Recession is Bullhonkey Renes Story - When I Grow Up This is part of  The Recession is Bullhonkey series, where I share stories of those who have gotten hired and/or started their own businesses (or sometimes both!) since 2008. This is the story of my former client, Rene, who left her six-figure career to start her own  spa. Although she acknowledges that its completely expendable in this economy, shes found ways to make it a true success. Read on!   The life of my career has ebbed and flowed since graduating from college. I have always been somewhat of a risk taker, but I never fully committed to the life I dreamed of and always wondered how other people achieved. SoI began my career in corporate sales, and it lasted 11 years. I truly despised my sales profession but I was ever so good at it. I had two things going for me. I was sincere and honest with my clients. And, I constantly thought about them and how I could make their job/life easier. When I finally got the courage to leave my sales job, I was at the top of my game earning a six-figure salary and six-figure bonuses. My friends and family couldn’t believe that I would even consider leavingbut I did. I took a job as a part-time marketing coordinator with a law firm, earning less than $30,000 per year, and I enrolled in beauty school. What? Quit your six-figure career and go to beauty school! Who does this? Yes, I remember the song from Grease, “Beauty School Drop Out”â€"but that wasn’t going to be me. I had big plans. This was in 2006. I graduated from beauty school, quit the law firm and began working as an esthetician. ButI still didn’t have the courage to stick with it. I found myself lured back into the “professional” world, and I took a job with a marketing and public relations firm. At the same time, I started an email marketing company for spas and salons. Eventually, I found myself back in legal marketing but this time directing the strategic plans for a firm in Newport Beach. I did this until 2013. I began working with Michelle Ward in January 2014, and since that time, I have opened my very own spayes, my very own spaand did I mention that it has an ocean view? Here are a few of the key things that I learned from working with Michelle: 1. When I said “no” to new sales/marketing business opportunities, I was saying yes to my new career and giving it all of my energy. The more times I said no, the more doors would open for me in my new quest. 2. Starting small has allowed me to take the risk without placing too much financial stress on me. I had opportunities to start big on a major thoroughfare with lots of space, and it really made me nervous. Instead I waited, and a small, intimate space became available a few blocks from my home. The title of this column is The Recession is Bullhonkey so I would like to offer my opinions on the topic. The spa business is completely expendable. We offer skincare, waxing and massage. These are luxury services that are quickly cut from personal budgets when times get tough. I opened my spa with no clientele and with the knowledge that if I build it, they will come. Yes, lots of people think thatbut I know it in my heart. I offer something beyond great servicesI offer the same sincerity and honesty that took me to the top of my game in my sales career. I am passionate about changing the lives of those I toucheven if it’s just for the day. I have created a magical retreat for people to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle. Sohow am I doing? I am slowly building my business and am paying my bills, and I am having the time of my life. I am incorporating every marketing idea I can think of, including: • Pizza box advertising with my neighborhood pizza parlor • Leasing a Smart car and having it wrapped with my logo for amazing mobile advertising • Flooding the neighborhood with beautiful flyers about the spa • Placing service menus in the local hotels that don’t have in-house spas • Collaborating with other local businesses to do email marketing â€" which puts the spa name in front of their entire list of clients. • Placing my service menus and brochures in hospital nurses lounges • Donating services to local schools’ end-of-the-year teacher parties • Building a presence with social media I send a hand-written thank you note to every new client. I call my clients the day after their service to make sure they are feeling great and to answer any questions they may have. I ask for referrals and my clients earn service dollars for making referrals. Yesthe recession is bullhonkey! My business is growing with new clients every day. They are booking appointments like our signature Beach Body Buff Polish, and they are coming back month after month. I offer these simple words of advice to those pursuing their dream career: Listen to your gut (intuition is so critical). Be sincere. Be honest. Take Action. René  Brookbank is a licensed esthetician specializing in skincare, facials, dermaplaning, and meticulous waxing at her spa, Beach Beauty Bar. Her passion for fashion and beauty combined with her thirst for knowledge keep René on the cutting edge of skincare science and beauty trends. Her work is about the human connection and invoking positive, healing energy within each of her clients. René believes that nurturing the body, mind, and spirit encourages natural beauty to shine through.