Career Articles & Advice

Are You Really Going To Get That Job With An Average Resume? by Dave Nolton

Jobs, now more than ever, are hard to obtain and with hundreds of people applying for each advertised position, more care and planning must be taken to fulfill each requirement of the job application process. Creating an effective resume is by far the most important step as it largely determines whether or not you get called for an interview.

Networking, though vital, is not the only key ingredient in securing a job. Companies of all sizes have HR policies that require jobs to be advertised and a process to be followed to ensure that a larger response is received for any job opening. Opportunities are published in newspapers and posted on online job sites requesting candidates submit their resumes to be considered for the position.

Hundreds, if not thousands of applicants send in their resumes in response to advertised positions. The more general posts receive far greater responses as many more people qualify to meet the job criteria and requirements. Reviewing such quantities of resumes is an enormous task and often has a deadline associated with it. To judge the suitability of each of the candidates in a limited amount of time means that resumes receive less than a minute of the employer’s time before they are either trashed or accepted for a second review. This might not be the most thorough way of selecting candidates but it is practical and more than often efficient.

To be considered as a serious candidate, make sure your resume is presentable and professional. Use a commonly used font and a layout that permits the employer to scan your details easily. Use short bullet form sentences of no more than two lines while writing about your experience and work history. Use good quality paper if you’re submitting a printed resume and use a matching envelope. Make sure you check for grammatical, punctuation and spelling mistakes.

Be prepared to spend several hours a day on the skills and accomplishments part of your resume. Remember that companies are looking for individuals that can add value to their business and are not bothered about unrelated details in your past life. To match your resume to the requirements of the advertised job, make sure you know exactly what your duties will be. Make sure to highlight only the important elements of your achievements that convey your suitability for the vacant position. For a job in IT, mention your project management and computer related knowledge versus a job in marketing where you would focus on your creative and interpersonal abilities.

The resume is your first opportunity to meet with the employer, where you do the talking and the employer listens. There are no opportunities to clear misunderstandings and answer questions. If you make the effort to associate your experiences with the demands of the job, there’s no reason why you should need to. Instead, with a carefully formulated resume you can expect an interview call and hopefully an offer letter in the near future.

Dave Nolton runs a successful HR Consultancy firm and helps hundreds of applicants to successfully locate and secure jobs in Pakistan using popular printed media and free classifieds.

Article Source: Fun Personality

An Introduction To A Green Plumbing Course by

The number of individuals enrolling for a green plumbing course is rising due to the increasing demand for the green plumbers. You must have heard about green buildings, i.e. the ones that are energy and water efficient, and are built on the model of sustainable development. The world is amidst a water crisis. There is a shortage of potable water, and, hence, nations across the world are finding ways to conserve it.

The main function of the green plumber is to ensure that the design and layout of plumbing is such that there is no wastage of water in the green building. They also ensure that the solar heating and rainwater harvesting systems they develop are energy efficient and all the material used in the plumbing is free from harmful chemicals. Thus, they not only help an organization or household to save water and electricity, but also help people to stay fit and healthy.

Things You Will Learn At A Green Plumbing Course:

- Designing optimal layout for plumbing in a building.
- Learning about plumbing materials that are green and have long life spans.
- Developing energy and water efficient heating systems.
- Developing rainwater harvesting systems.
- How to recycle and reuse water in a building.
- Methods to reduce the consumption of water.
- Knowledge about the requirements of the LEED Certification.
- Installation processes.

One of the most important tasks of a green plumber is to develop solar heating systems that are widely used, along with the conventional gas or electric heaters for heating water in the buildings. Most of the electricity in households is spent on heating systems. A green plumber makes sure that the pipes of the heating systems are properly insulated so that there is no leakage of heat through the pipes. Also, the length of the pipes is kept to a minimum to reduce the loss of heat and to reduce the distance traveled by water from the heater to the faucets.

A green plumbing course will acquaint you with various green plumbing products, like faucets and flush systems. These green faucets and flush systems are designed to reduce the wastage of water. Also, you will be taught the importance of recycling water.

The use of proper plumbing material is of utmost importance. The plumbing material should be able to withstand wear and tear for years. This eliminates the possibility of wastage of water due to leakage. The materials should be environment friendly. Of course, nobody wants to drink water contaminated with harmful chemicals. All this information on plumbing materials will be given to you in a green plumbing course.

There is a shortage of green plumbers and, hence, if you successfully complete this course, there are bright chances of you getting a job with a leading construction house or government. This course is ideal for novice, as well as experienced plumbers. If you are a plumber, then you can greatly improve your career prospects by undertaking this program. You can even become a consultant to give advice on green plumbing after completing a green plumbing course.

James Copper is a writer for http://www.domesticgreenengineer.co.uk where you can find information on green plumbing courses

Article Source: Fun Personality

Business Turnaround - Options to get your company back on firm ground by Derek Cooper

For many business the current economic conditions are challenging. According to figures published in July 09 by Begbies Traynor, around 200,000 British companies found themselves in financial difficulty in the last quarter. If these businesses are allowed to fail, there may be wide ranging consequences for the economy in terms of loss of employment and the knock on effect for other suppliers.

A large number of businesses will be adversely affected either directly or indirectly by the current economic climate. As such, it is very important for directors to anticipate this and understand the business turnaround options available which may prevent them from losing their company all together. Some of the main turnaround options and when they may be used are summarised below.

1) Business Refinancing. Many businesses get into difficulty because they are starved of cash. Unfortunately, current bank lending policies are making it very difficult for companies to raise the finance they need through traditional sources. Business refinancing such as asset financing (raising cash against assets owned by the business), trade financing and invoice financing are good alternative ways to raise cash to maintain the operation of the business. It is important to recognise that simply raising additional finance may not be the only thing that is required to turn around a business. Significant operational changes may also be required.

2) Administration. Where a company has financial difficulties and is under threat of being wound up by its creditors, the directors or shareholders can apply to put the business into administration. Once granted by the court, the company is protected from further creditor action for a period of time. This gives a breathing space for an administrator to review the business, make potentially significant operational changes and leave the remaining business as a viable operation.

3) Pre-Pack liquidation. If the directors and/or shareholders of a business believe that a business is viable but cannot continue under the current weight of its creditors, pre pack liquidation (or business phoenixing) can provide a way forward. In simple terms, a new company is formed which then buys the assets from the old business. The new business is then free to trade without the burden of historic debts. The old business is liquidated and the proceeds from the sale of its assets are distributed to the creditors.

4) Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). This procedure involves the rescheduling of a company’s debts to allow for affordable repayments and the possible write off of some of the debt. It may be used when the business is a going concern but is unable to continue to trade successfully with the current burden of its debt. Many corporate insolvency experts believe that the CVA is ineffective as a business turnaround tool because the management and business processes employed by the company generally do not change. However, because the business is not wound up, there is no report on the director’s conduct which would be issued if the business was liquidated.

As listed above there are a number of business turnaround options available to directors who are facing business difficulties. Each of these has pros and cons and may or may not be suitable given a particular business’ circumstances. Therefore, before employing any of these solutions, directors must seek advice from a corporate insolvency expert. Most importantly, the likelihood of any of these options achieving their desired outcome will depend largely on whether they are employed in a timely manner. As such, if a business starts to get into difficulty, it is important that directors focus on the business turnaround options early to give them the best chance of success.

Derek Cooper is Managing Director of Cooper Matthews and a member of the Turnaround Management Association UK.

Derek’s experience of both corporate insolvency and business management puts him in a position to be able to understand the challenges facing businesses in today’s economic environment.

Visit us on the web for more details http://coopermatthews.com/business-recovery-services-advice.html

Article Source: Fun Personality

Successfully Resolve Customer Service Problems to Retain Customer Loyalty by Amy Nut

It seems that as our technology improves, the business/customer relationship is declining. With online technical and sales support, the personal side of customer relations is not as prevalent. There is no longer any loyalty to a business and its products and services. This trend can cause a significant decrease in sales. One way to counteract this trend is to resolve customer service problems successfully and efficiently in order to retain customer loyalty.

The following list outlines simple but effective methods of successfully resolving customer service problems:

Create a Customer Complaint Department: The best way to deal with customer complaints effectively and efficiently is to have experts who are able to manage irate customers with their problems

Be Polite and Courteous: If a customer walks into a business or calls, it is important that the customer service representative takes the time to show that they care and are willing to listen and help. Empathize with the customer’s problem. An angry customer will calm down if they feel they are valued and respected. Be positive.

Record the Problem: Writing the complaint down and the actions that will be taken helps avoid any misunderstandings. It also shows the customer that the matter is important to the business.

Provide Solutions or Methods of Resolving the Problem: Don’t list business policies and practices. This will only infuriate the customer. Work with the customer to come up with a solution that will satisfy the customer. If possible, don’t pass the problem off to another representative or transfer the call to someone else. If you do, make sure the new representative has all of the pertinent information so the customer does not have to repeat himself.

Empathize, Don’t Apologize: A direct apology will assign blame to the company. It is better to empathize using such phrases as: ‘I am sorry you have had such a difficult time with our product.’ It will show that you care about the customer’s situation. Try to understand the customer’s feelings and point of view. Understanding will go a long way in satisfying the customer.

Keep Your Promises: Make sure that you don’t make promises that you can’t keep. It will reflect badly on the company and make you look incompetent. The customer will also appreciate reliable service.

Produce Positive Results: Always follow through with your plan to resolve the problem. Bad or poor quality service will cause you to lose customers. The key to maintaining customers is to always follow through with your promise.

Offer loyalty Incentives: If the problem cannot be adequately resolved, offer a customer an incentive so they will continue being a loyal customer. This can include giving them a replacement product or service along with a gift or discount on their next purchase. Everyone loves free things. It will make the customer feel appreciated.

Think of customer complaints as lessons for improving customer care. The solution to great customer service is being able to identify the type of customer you are dealing with. To reap the rewards of customer loyalty, the customer needs to be put first when there is a problem. Showing the customer you care and are willing to resolve the problem efficiently and effectively will go a long way in retaining customer loyalty. Customer loyalty cannot be established immediately, but the investment is well worth it. A happy and satisfied customer is essential to achieving a successful and long term business.

Loyalty marketing services can develop powerful solutions that make your retail marketing smarter and your brand more relevant. All you need are loyalty cards to tap into the loyalty of your customers.

Article Source: Fun Personality

Team Building and Management Training by Amit Kishore Verma

Having an efficient leader in an organization is one of the best investments of the organization. In fact, it is like a two way process. While individual efforts give a sense of recognition to a person, accomplishing a great task through teamwork can be a great reward beyond comparison. This fact is basically the focal point of all the team building and training exercises which are designed for various organizations.

Generally, the team building exercises begin by making the individuals aware of their competency which then is connected to how this individuality will be used in attaining corporate objectives.

Such kind of programs revolve around activities fostering team work and group dynamics which are then directed to help the participants realize the importance of teamwork in an organization. The best teamwork for an organization is the one that generates the best output with minimum costs, only then can it have the capability of giving the organization a competitive lead. Among the many advantages of team building and trainings, some of the most important ones are:

1) Individual improvement is a direct positive outcome of teamwork at the outset but considering it in the long run, it helps a lot in corporate gains because goals are achieved when the profits are reaped. For instance, if individuals with different skills are working towards a common objective, team building will foster the individuals to consider themselves as a very important part of the group who need to give their best and work with the entire group to be able to make the group work in one direction with full efforts.

2) There are a number of problems that hamper the team work and the team building like bloated egos, the urge to outperform the others for personal benefits, personal malice or ambition etc which should be addressed during the entire program of team building and training. In fact, those of the employees who have been a part of all these issues can feel responsible in forming an environment of trust and integrity.

3) Another important aspect for team building and training is choosing the right leader who should have the ability to listen to his team members, be responsible for his team and brainstorm ideas. These characteristics of the leader make him respectable in the eyes of the group and also make the group efficient and dynamic as a unit.

It should be noted that team work assures success so there must be certain measures which should be taken to have the best team building and training program. It is important to make the individual employees aware of how a team behaves and how they must work with other teams to have less supervision from their managers. It is also important to develop the individual employees because when people acknowledge the roles of individuals it proves to be a great motivation for them and they become responsible to create a close relationship with the other members of the group.

Team building and training promotes loyalty, team strength and much better performance.

Visit the website to know more about management training provider or management consultants.

Article Source: Fun Personality