The top courses to help you get hired March 2016

The top courses to help you get hired March 2016 by Michael Cheary Getting sick of the same old routine? Maybe it’s time to learn something new… So, the days are finally getting a little lighter, and lasting a little longer. And with the majority of us nearly able to finish work in some state of sunlight, it’s time to stop making excuses, and start making our evenings more productive.To help inspire you this month, here are three of the top courses on reed.co.uk right now:Admin, Secretarial PA DiplomaAs the saying goes, behind every great business person is a great Personal Assistant.OK, so this might not technically be true. But with thousands of Admin, Secretarial and PA roles available on reed.co.uk every single month, opportunities are definitely in abundance for anyone looking to take their organisational skills to the next level.This IVCAS GOLD accredited Diploma covers everything from effective filing systems and diary management, through to note taking, proofreading and presentation skills. And there are huge discounts available, as part of their March Madness sale.The price you pay includes all course material, as well as the exams and all the dedicated support you need to succeed. No extra fees. No hidden costs. No more excuses.PA Diplomas: Proof that being ‘the organised one’ officially pays off.What do I need? There are no formal pre-requisites.How long will it last? Around 15 hours of home study.Perfect for: People who like to help other people help themselves.PA DiplomaUltimate Excel BundleWhatever industry you’re in, there are certain skills which will always be in demand. And proficiency in Excel certainly falls within that category.If you still can’t tell your ‘COUNTIFS’ from your ‘CONCATENATES’, you’re in luck. Skillsology are offering discounted courses in the Microsoft Office staple all this month, helping you get up-to-speed for just £39 â€" and save yourself a massive 78% off the regular price.This bundle will teach you all the key functionality and form atting required to master the program, including units dedicated to advanced skills, business analysis and PivotTables. Not only will you be able to put your new knowledge to practical use right away, you’ll even get a CPD accredited certification to prove it.You’ll never look at spreadsheets in the same way again…What do I need? No formal previous qualifications or experience neccessary.How long will it last? Up to 12 months.Perfect for: People who really, really like spreadsheets.Ultimate Excel bundle  University coursesWant to go back to school? We can help with that…In fact, there are hundreds of graduate and post-graduate courses available on reed.co.uk right now, in subjects ranging from IT and Finance, through to Marketing, Media, Psychology and Criminology.Programmes are on offer with the likes of Open University, the University of Leicester and the University of Essex, to name just a few. So whether you’re looking to finally complete your masters, or you just want to take a new direction in your career, it’s never too late to get your degree.And the best part? Almost all of the courses on offer can be taken part-time, and completed through a series of online classes â€" especially helpful for those who like to listen to their lectures in the comfort of their own bedroom.Whoever said learning can’t be fun?What do I need? Specific qualifications will vary depending on the course.How long will it last? Somewhere between six months and three years.Perfect for: People who want all the benefits of a degree (without the dorm room).University courses  Not sure which course is right for you? View all available courses now.  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the

Go Viral! Tips to Creating Content People Share - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Go Viral! Tips to Creating Content People Share - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Word-of-mouth, buzz, referral, viral marketing, whatever you call it, there’s no doubt that people are more likely to take a look at something suggested by a friend. The challenge is to create content that people want to share. There is a bit of stardust involved when it comes to having something that catches fire versus falling flat, but there are strategies you can use to improve your odds of creating viral content. Give it away: People like free stuff and they’ll share cool free stuff with others. Tap into emotions: The two types of content I see shared most on my social media feeds are funny and heart-touching material. But those aren’t the only emotions you can evoke. Others include a sense of justice, inspiration, superiority and anger. Just be cognizant of the emotion you want people to feel. In 2008,  Motrin ran a viral campaign designed to empathize with moms, but ended up angering them. Yes, the video was shared, but not in a positive way. Enhance lives: I enjoy looking at funny and inspirational content, but I’m more likely to share items that help people, such as tax tips, a billion uses for baking soda or how to power a laptop using a potato. Grab attention: Graphics and video tend to be shared more than text, but that’s not to say text (i.e. articles and Tweets) don’t get shared. The key to getting shared is in getting and keeping attention, whether that’s through a picture, video or headline. Make It Easy to Share: There is a trend towards forcing people to “Like” content before they can see it. I can see the reasoning behind this, but restricting access to shared content is going to annoy people. How can I “Like” something I’ve never seen? If I “Like” it, but end up not liking it, I have to go through the hassle of unlikely. Many people, myself included, don’t bother. Remember, the goal of viral marketing is to get people talking about you in a way that expands your reach. Make your content easy to share by including share options (i.e. Tweet, Like, Pin), and the ability to embed or download the content, without having to “Like,” register, or jump through hoops to see it. Don’t advertise: This is another challenge of viral marketing. You want people not just to share, but to connect your name to the content as a way of promoting your business. How many commercials have you seen and enjoyed, but can’t recall the companys advertising? At the same time, people don’t want to be sold to. The best way to engage an audience is to tell a story and use the strategies above, without pitching your business. A great example of this is Dove’s Beauty Sketches, in which Dove, as it has done in years past, sought to help women of all-sizes and shapes feel beautiful, without promoting a single product.

Rodeo Girl An Interview with Darcy LaPier - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Rodeo Girl An Interview with Darcy LaPier - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Last week, I sat down in New York City with model-turned-rodeo queen Darcy LaPier, star of the new hit AE reality series Rodeo Girls. Darcy has had an incredible career as a model, businesswoman, and now professional barrel racer. She has also been subjected to the wrath of tabloids as a result of a few high-profile marriages. On paper, she is truly a larger-than-life character. But in speaking with her, I found out that she has had major setbacks like anyone else, and her story is one of redemption and renewal. We spoke about the turning points in her career, dealing with haters, and we bonded over our mutual love of cool quotes! Check out Rodeo Girls, set to premiere in a 2-part series, Wednesday, December 11th at 11:00 PM ET and Thursday, December 12th at :00 PM ET. How would you define your personal brand? Integrity, hard-working, not bad to look at. Humor, I love a good joke, I take everything as a joke or make a joke out of it. I like to think Im pretty tough. I think people will watch my show because I have an interesting life. What makes me interesting? Well, Ive done things that most people are afraid to do, and I keep doing them. I’m very passionate about everything I do. Ive taken on the projects I have because I care about them. I married who I married because I was very passionate about each one of them, and I love all three of them to this day. What were the key moments in your life that led to where you are today? Well, it’s two-fold. What led me to rodeo was I moved home to Oregon, my husband had passed away and I needed a change. I needed to heal. So I moved home and everyone gave me 6 months until I would move back to Los Angeles, because I’m an LA girl. Ive spend a majority of my adult life there. LA is a very comfortable place to live, and moving back home was uncomfortable for me. But, what I was looking for was to be outside, to be in nature and with animals. I needed that. So I went to a rodeo with my dad and I saw women’s barrel racing. These fast horses and hot women came running out around the arena, and the pageantry was exciting. Ive been around that my whole life, I was a bathing suit model. I did beauty pageants. So this wasnt much different to me, except it had an element of danger, and I thought, “Wow, I want to do that.” So like anything in my life, I faced it with no fear, hence they call me “No Fear LaPier.” Because I will face anything, even if I’m scared t o death, I’ll saddle up anyway. They call that courage, it might be a little bit of craziness, maybe both. I found a really good trainer in the state of Washington. I would take my children to school in the morning, then I would load up my horses, and I learned how to drive a truck and trailer. I’d haul my horses real slow up I-5, and then I’d train, learning barrel racing and rodeo and how to ride. How to put protective gear on a horse, saddle a horse, ride a horse. I didnt know anything. Then at the end of seven months I started placing and winning in rodeos, and everyone is like, “who is this?” And I’m thinking, “who is that?” I surprised myself. And of course I got hurt a couple of times really badly, but in that world most everybody has gotten hurt, because you’re dealing with such massive, strong, animals. At that point, I didnt care about exposure. I turned down interviews, I turned down opportunities. I had a lot of things on the table when I left Los Angeles, and I didnt want really anything to do with work that was focused on myself and my looks. Some people said, “those are some of your best years looks-wise,” but I had gotten enough of the exterior, and I felt there was something else out there. Now Ive found that there really is. Did you ever have to deal with criticism from other women? I still do. The girls are jealous of me, but the girls were jealous of me when I was in Los Angeles in bathing suit contests. Women have always been jealous of me, why would it be any different in rodeo? I just ignore it, they have to live with themselves. Haters are your biggest fans. The haters are what will drive you to do the unthinkable. Why? I have a quote at the end of my bed that says, “She believed she could, so she did.” I don’t know who said it, I got it at a flea market. But its so totally true. You have a new show, Rodeo Girls. What do you hope to accomplish with it? I hope it motivates people. My story is to inspire, and I just think I was put on this path for this reason. A lot of things came too easy, in a world where things can be so hard. Everybody has a show, has an idea, but mine is for a reason, and I know it’s meant to inspire. If you want to do something, and you want it bad enough, you can make it happen. If you have an idea, and you want it to turn into something, very simply, this is what you do. You write it down. The second you write it down it becomes a goal. Once it’s a goal you’re going to make smaller goals to achieve the bigger goal. Then it becomes real. I think that’s probably one of the biggest things that irritate me sometimes, and I take it as ignorance. I’ll hear people say, “Oh my gosh Darcy you really did it.” When have I ever said I’m going to do something and not done it? I don’t like when people say they can’t believe this is happening. Because I can. When I say I’m going to do something, I will not rest until it happens. As Ashton Kutcher said, quoting Steve Jobs, “Opportunity looks a lot like work.” There is no shortcut. You know how I became a professional barrel racer? I worked my tail off. I’m still working hard. You know how I got a TV show? I worked hard, it took me three years. I went to two different companies and they couldnt get their arms around my vision so I pulled it away from them. Because I knew that if my story was going to put light on rodeo, it had to be with the best. And I felt that The Weinstein Company understood and they did, they got it. The other thing is that AE also got the vision. “Real life, real drama.” Sure there are cat-fights, there are girls with jealousy, that happens and it’s life. Women are notoriously jealous of each other, they dress for each other. If women actually dressed for men, life would be different. But most of it is real life. How do you balance everything that you have going on? I do it by compartmentalizing everything. So, I have the show that is done, now I’m promoting the show and there is a time for that. Right now I have someone taking care of my horses, who has been with me years. My children are taken care of. My books are in constant motion, all of my health routines are in motion. It’s as if you are spinning plates and you touch each of them. One thing Ive learned, actually from Ron Rice, my first husband, is that you have to shut off. And I shut off twice in a 24-hour period. I shut off in the middle of the day, which in the beginning was very difficult. I shut everything off and the people around me know if my house is burning down, come get me. Otherwise, leave me alone. In that hour, I may nap, I may read, but I’ll put wax earplugs in, and that is the only way I’m able to really shut down. Then I’ll do the same thing when I go to sleep, I’m not going to lay awake worrying. Worrying is going to do nothing and that’s something Ive t aught my children. Yes, there is a place to worry, but it shouldnt occupy your mind constantly. There is only one thing you can control, and that is how you react. The world is going to go on without you anyway, and that’s hard to swallow especially if you have an ego. But you can change how you react. People are going to do people things, but you can control your own happiness. So why not be happy? What goes around comes around. If you could give one piece of advice to a young person for building a successful career, what would it be? You can do whatever you set your mind to. I appreciate Darcy giving her time for this interview, it was a pleasure to meet her and get a glimpse into her motivation. She is an incredible individual, and gave me plenty of awesome quotes in only the half hour or so that I was with her. Be sure to tune into her show this week to see what its like to be a professional female barrel racer. I look forward to watching all of Darcys continued future success. Follow Darcy on Twitter: @DarcyLaPier

Social Media for Word Of Mouth Marketing for Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Social Media for Word Of Mouth Marketing for Your Personal Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Word of mouth marketing comes well after connecting with your personal brands audience online. People look to us as trusted influencers who can provide the information and products they are seeking. How can your brand best connect with its community through social media? Its the human connection that will create a memorable persona of your brand. Todays marketing environment allows us to collaborate and share information like never before. You can use your engagement as an opportunity to positively impact others, and cause them to recommend your business. Today a brand should offer a more personal approach with its social audience and customers. These connections create more of an awareness and can even help increase sales and leads. What Makes Word-of-Mouth Marketing Through Social Media Powerful Creating a marketing campaign is just the start to building a buzz for your brand. Here are some benefits to people spreading the word on your brand or business: More prospects and sales Social media opens the doors to connect with many more people outside of your website and email campaigns. Its important to find the right networks for your niche, and to know how you’ll connect with people along with what your purpose or message is. Connect with the right people Social media is a great way to connect with people on a more personal level instead of the traditional sales approach. As you engage with them these brand advocates will aide your marketing for you without having to spend money on advertising. Increased visibility When you are active and involved in multiple groups for your target market in the major social networks this will in turn increase your brand awareness when you share valuable content, feedback, and helpful videos and articles. Spy on the competition After conducting research online you can find out what your competitors are doing and learn what needs are not being met from their customers. Never need bring up their name of course, but do take advantage of a trending topic of interest with their audience. As word of mouth marketing continues to grow it is important to stay connected with your community. Pay attention to what content or images create the most interaction on social media, and remain focused on the needs of your audience.

Probing for Pain Points in an Interview [Updated] - Career Pivot

Probing for Pain Points in an Interview [Updated] - Career Pivot Probing for Pain Points? Probing for pain points should be one of your first steps in an interview. Every business has problems. Your first job is to ask probing questions to uncover those pain points. You do this by asking big open-ended questions to the other party to get them to open up andspill the beans. Initial Phone Screen Most of the time in the interview process, there will be an initial phone screen with either a recruiter or HR professional. Your first questions should include: Why is this a position open? What are the responsibilities of the position? Which of these responsibilities are new to the department, organization, or company? What are the old and new business requirements that are causing you to fill this position? If this is an old position, where did the previous employee go? You are looking for insight into whether this is a newly created or existing position and whether these are new responsibilities. If it is new, then they are likely working on solving an existing problem. If it an existing position, why is the position currently vacant? Did the person leave the company, move to a different position or were they promoted? The recruiter or HR professional may not be able to answer many of these questions but you may impress them by asking deep probing questions. If they are able to answer your questions, however, keep asking probing questions until you have them stumped. You want to be a detective. Ask probing questions to look for problems. You are looking for problems that you know how to solve! More:5 Simple Steps to a Successful Telephone Interview Post Phone Screen Put on your detective hat and do your research. Check on LinkedIn to see who currently or in the near past had the title for this job. Did this person leave the company or move to a different department? You may have to connect with several people on LinkedIn and ask for 15 minutes on the phone to ask for AIR, advice, insights, and recommendations. You want to ask each of them what they know about the open position. Listen to the most recent episode If you find the person who previously held the position left the company, ask them why. You may find that you do not want to work there! People who have left will often give you a more authentic view of the position and corporate culture. If they moved to a new department, ask them whether it was a lateral move or a promotion. If it was a promotion, make sure to congratulate them. If it was a lateral move, ask about the business reasons for the move. Carefully read anything and everything about the company, looking for pain points. It may be that the company is growing fast or moving into new markets or even that sales have stalled. What are the potential problems? More:Asking for AIR â€" Advice, Insights, and Recommendations Interview Questions Bring a minimum of five pain point questions with you to the interview. They should be open-ended questions to uncover problems that you have already thought aboutâ€"know how you would solve them! Are you satisfied with the current growth of the business? Are you meeting service level agreement targets with all of you important clients? What are the areas where you are having problems meeting deadlines? My favorite â€" What keeps you up at night? It was the last question that a client of mine used with the hiring manager’s boss. Their response was amazing in that the interviewer just talked on and on about all of the major problems the organization was having. Notice that all of these are open-ended questions. Your goal is to get the interviewer to give you insight into the pain points that you know how to solve. Shedid exactly what my client wanted her to do,spill the beans. Now my client had all the information she needed to position herself to get the job. After the interview, my client emailed the hiring manager with everything she had learned and how she would address each problem. More:Art of Questions â€" Nurturing and Reversing Pain Points Uncovered Once the pain points have been uncovered or you have gotten them to spill the beans, you can explain how you have solved these problems in the past. The best way to do this is to tell stories abouthow you previously solved the same or similar problems for your employer. Let me tell you about the time when I encountered ….. This demonstrates that you have the skills to do the job. It is not about convincing the hiring manager that you can do the job but demonstrating that you have done the job. Do not TELL them but SHOW them. So plan on being a detective. By asking good, probing questions looking for pain points shows that you have done your homework about their business. The more you uncover the better you can demonstrate that you are the best candidate for the job! Probing for pain points starts at the very beginning with the initial encounter with a recruiter. Do not wait to ask probing question until later in the process. Waiting is not a job search strategy. Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Road Signs and What They Mean - How 2 Become

Road Signs and What They Mean - How 2 Become If you’re planning on driving in the UK, or intend on learning to drive, it’s vital that you learn the rules of the road. Most of the rules that you need to know are displayed to you when relevant in the form of road signs (also known as traffic signs). Today, we’re going to take a look at different road signs and what they mean. We’ll be looking at each of the following categories of road sign:• Signs Giving Orders (Prohibitive and Positive Road Signs);• Warning Signs;• Direction Signs;• Information Signs;• Road Works Signs.Let’s take a look at these road signs and what they mean in more detail.Signs Giving OrdersSigns giving orders are divided into two categories: prohibitive and positive road signs. Prohibitive signs tell you not to do something, whilst positive road signs tell you that you must do something. As a general rule, signs which give orders are circular. However, there are some exceptions. It is against the law not to follow the orders shown on these signs.Let’s look at each of these types of road signs and what they mean:Prohibitive Road SignsProhibitive road signs are those which tell you not to do a certain thing. Generally speaking, they are characterised by a circular shape. They tend to have a red border around them and a white background. Often, the details within the sign are black. Here’s an example of a prohibitive road sign:This sign literally means “do not exceed 40 miles per hour”. We know this because it is a circular sign (which means that it is giving orders), it has a red border (which means it is telling you not to do something), and has ‘40’ written inside it. Therefore, it says “you must not exceed 40 miles per hour”.Positive Road SignsPositive road signs are the other side of the coin compared to prohibitive road signs. They’re still giving orders, but now they’re telling you that you must do something in particular.Positive road signs are also usually circular, but are almost entirely b lue with a slim white border. The details on the sign are usually white. Here’s an example of a positive road sign:This sign means that “you must keep left”. We know this because the sign is circular (which means it’s giving an order), blue (which tells you that you must do something in particular), and has a white arrow pointing to the left. This means “you must keep left”.Warning SignsAs the name suggests, warning signs are road signs which give you a warning. This is to make sure that you prepare for conditions on the road that could be dangerous if not taken seriously.Warning signs are almost always triangular (sometimes this triangle will be upside-down), with a red border and a white background. Usually, the details of the sign are in black.While some warning signs will clearly spell out the upcoming hazard in words, others are slightly more cryptic. In these cases, an illustration will be used to convey the meaning on the warning sign. You’ll need to learn these individually since some of them aren’t self-explanatory.Here’s an example of a warning sign:This sign demonstrates that there is an upcoming roundabout, which means that drivers need to get in the correct lane for the exit they want to use. In addition, drivers need to reduce their speed and potentially stop to give way to traffic approach from the immediate right.Direction SignsAs you can imagine, direction signs are those which give directions to the driver so that they can get to their destination more easily and safely. Like signs giving orders, direction signs are split into multiple categories:• Signs on motorways;• Signs on primary routes;• Signs on local routes;• Miscellaneous direction signs.Direction signs come in different colours depending on the route that they’re on. Let’s take a look at these in more detail.Road Signs on MotorwaysSigns on motorways are almost always predominantly blue, with a white border, white details and white text.Road Signs on Pr imary RoutesSigns on primary routes are a lot less uniform than other categories that we’ve looked at so far. However, they do all share the general rule that they have a green background.Blue panels on these signs show that the motorway starts at the junction ahead. White panels highlight local and non-primary routes from the junction. Brown panels indicate the route to tourist attractions.In addition, the junction may have a name at the top, such as ‘Park Street Roundabout’. Aircraft symbols denote the route to an airport. Warning panels may also feature on these signs to show potential hazards at and around these junctions.Road Signs on Local RoutesThese are signs that you’ll find on non-primary and local routes. These all have black borders and tend to have a white background.On these signs, green panels show that a primary route starts at the junction ahead. The direction to the motorway is shown by blue panels.Additionally, route numbers appear on coloured panels. Blue panels with a route number on them (such as ‘M25’) show the direction to a motorway, whilst green panels with a route number on them show the direction to a primary route.Road Miscellaneous Direction SignsThese signs can take numerous different shapes and sizes. Here’s an example:Information SignsInformation signs are ones which provide additional details about the roads that you’re driving on. Most of these signs don’t provide life-or-death information, but instead give extra information to drivers.However, some of these signs do provide vital information. For example, the sign which states which lanes have priority on slip roads is extremely important for preventing accidents leading onto carriageways. For this reason, you should take the time to learn the information signs.The unifying feature of information signs is that they’re all rectangular. Beyond that, they can come in a number of different colours. Here’s an example of an information sign:Road Works SignsTh e final category of traffic sign that we’re going to look at is the road works sign. As the name suggests, these signs are reserved for times and areas where road works are in effect, and will consequently impact your driving.There isn’t a single distinct format for road works signs, but many of them tend to have a yellow background, a black background, and black details.Here’s an example of a road works sign that you might find on the road:ConclusionYou should now have an idea about the different road signs and what they mean. For quick reference, take a look at the infographic below, which is available as an image or .pdf download.   This entry was posted in 'How To' Help, Resources. Bookmark the permalink. Jacob Senior Puzzles for Kids â€" Pirate ActivitiesPolice Constable Behavioural Styles Questionnaire: Example

Writing College on Resume

Writing College on ResumeWriting college resumes is not an easy task to undertake. It has been said that the most important part of a resume is the college degree. If you don't have it, then you need to find out what you can do to provide it.If you attended college in the past five years, then you are more than likely to get a call from the college. You have one week to answer it if you haven't already. Some schools have a grace period of at least 30 days to complete your application, and you may want to be sure to get in contact with them as soon as possible. This will help you know when you will have to start looking for a job.Your college education has many benefits. The most obvious one is that it gives you a better job. You have a higher salary, and most companies will hire you based on your past achievements, rather than your previous schooling. This will also benefit your chances of getting a better job. The employer does not have to deal with an applicant who isn't prepared, and they will focus on how well you know the subject matter that you are applying for.In addition to this, employers will often use the information on your resume to evaluate different things. They will look at your skills and choose the best for the job. A well written resume will attract the employer's attention and pull him or her into reading your cover letter, which is the next step in the process.You have two options when it comes to making your cover letter. You can use it as a way to get in touch with the employer or you can use it as an opportunity to provide information about yourself. This can be an excellent way to impress the employer. However, if they decide to hire you, you will have to fill out the forms in the same format as the rest of your application.After you write your college on resume, you will probably have questions. One thing you should check is that you are following the legal guidelines that are required by the specific school you are looking to attend. If they do not specify this, then you need to make sure that they comply with the regulations. You may have a hard time finding a school that doesn't follow the guidelines for what you can and cannot include on your resume.Also check out what kind of documents you will need in order to comply with the legal requirements of the institution you are applying to. You may also be required to submit documents proving your age. It is a good idea to make sure that you have all of these documents before you begin writing your college on resume.Writing college on resume will take some time and research. It is important to be prepared when you are dealing with the employer, and knowing what to include and what you shouldn't be something that will make your job easier.