Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Creating a Memorable Brand

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Creating a Memorable Brand When we think of brands, we tend to picture the big ones. We forget that a powerful brand can be important to every company and especially small businesses that hang their hats on customer loyalty. According to a recent survey by Rosetta Consulting, engaged customers (those who are strongly attached to a brand) buy 90 percent more frequently, spend 60 percent more per transaction and are five times more likely to indicate its the only brand they would purchase in the future. All these factors can lead to engaged customers delivering three times the value to the brand over the course of a year. Italked with three small-business owners with experience in creating a memorable brand: Deborah Peters, founder of the Neuro Engineering Institute in California; Aalap Shah, co-founder of SoMein Chicago; and Jason Zickerman, president of The Alternative Board (TAB) in Colorado. How would you describe your brand? Aalap Shah: The SoMe Connect brand is open and honest with clients and infuses a mix of heart and soul into our creative and copywriting, delivering online community engagements that matter. Deborah Peters:Our brand is unique, evoking feelings of stability, groundedness and timeless wisdom. Jason Zickerman: Our brand promise is that joining a TAB Board will help a business owner achieve their personal vision of success and run a better business. What was your process for developing this brand? Zickerman: A brand is defined by customer experiences. Our brand image was developed by gaining an understanding of what our members felt, what they believed and what they had to say about us. Peters: There was a great deal of introspection.I bought several feet of art paper and colored sharpies and pastels. I designed a flow chart for my business, including who we would reach/teach/coach, what media we would use and how it would all eventually have an impact. Shah: We started with internal brainstorms on our core values and offering to see what our internal stakeholders thought and felt about our brand. We asked our clients how theyd describe it.We then developed a brand description to inspire our team and clients. What activities did you undertake to promote the brand? Peters: Thanks to social media, the brand is everywhere now, and we continue to up-level our avenues to ramp up awareness. We are finding that joint ventures in which we cross promote and cross leverage our offerings is extremely powerful. It’s a win for everyone. Zickerman: In our industry, 50 percent of business comes from word of mouth, and our brand expansion strategy takes that into account. We encourage our corporate team and franchisees to promote ourbrand through personal interactions and relationships, providing business advice and insights, and consistently delivering value to their TAB members and referral networks. We also take an exclusivity approach to our membership. Not every business owner is a right fit for a board, so we direct our brand promotion to business owners who are. Shah: Our largest efforts are around our SoMe Insight seriesâ€"a monthly lunch and learn series that promotes both our brand andalso open communication. We bring in industry leaders to lead a conversation for 30 to 45 minutes around topics like“building online communities,”“creating an offline/online brand,” and“how to find your golden purpose.” The discussion and content that flows afterward is invaluable for both the attendees and the community and helps us convey what we do and how we can execute on these ideas. For the rest of the interview, check out the AMEX Open Forum.

March Giveaway Enter to Win $50 of Free Wine from Club W!

March Giveaway Enter to Win $50 of Free Wine from Club W! Hi Ladies, Our March giveaway is now live!  Enter to win  $50 of Club W wine! Club W is a monthly wine club that offers unique  Sommelier-picked ones that suit your palette. Monthly membership is only $39.  Youll receive your wine in a cute box (which has a handle!) and can cancel any time.  Most wines are less than $15 a bottle!  For people like me, Club W is a great way to learn about new wines and take a break from Yellowtail without breaking the bank.  Club W has videos posted for each wine that explain the specific wine, region or an explanation of the tastes. I hope you enjoy our giveaway! Nicole     a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Stay Positive When You Hate Your Job

How to Stay Positive When You Hate Your Job Weve all been there, hunched over computer screens watching the clock and waiting for another terrible work day to end. You dislike the management, the company culture or the lack of meaningful work on your desk. In short: you hate your job. But no matter how much the job sucks, quitting might not always be a feasible  option for you. So here’s a few tips on how you can stay positive at work in the meantime: 1) Think about your next job: Before you hand your resignation in, think about what you want your next job to be. Are there skills you need to develop to make yourself more employable in a few months? Use your time at work to enhance your skill set by volunteering for new projects or taking on new responsibilities. This will help you stay motivated and show your boss some initiative at the same time. 2)  Think about your salary: It’s not about how much you get in your bank account every month but about the  good things you can afford with your pay check. Are you saving up for a once in a lifetime trip? How about a new house? New car? Designer shoes? When you can’t get yourself out of bed in the morning, just focus on what each minute at work actually buys you. At the very least, you can be thankful that you have a job to pay for the roof over your head. 3) Smile more: Studies have shown that smiling decreases stress and can actually make you happy. Smile at your colleagues and resist the urge to send passive-aggressive emails. You might be fed up with your job but you don’t have to inflict misery on everyone else. After all, no one likes working with unhappy people so make the effort to be positive and nice to your colleagues. You never know when you might need to ask them for a reference. 4) Keep a list of all the good things: Start making a list of all the positive things about your job, your colleagues or your workplace which you might miss when you leave. Will you miss the expensive coffee machine that pours a perfect espresso every time? The free fruit bowl? Going to your favourite place for lunch? How about after work drinks with your colleagues? 5) Dress better: Take pride in your appearance and go out of your way to dress better for work. When you look good, you’ll feel better, walk taller and be  less likely to stab the next person who dares to ask you for something  (even if its only to avoid  getting blood stains on your favourite outfit). 6) Stop whining: Constantly talking about your problems actually makes you feel worse. You might think that complaining to your friends is therapeutic but all it does is keep re-enforcing the negative feelings you already have about your job. The next time you’re out with your friends, stop thinking about what it’s like being in the office and just enjoy being out of it. 7)  Live outside the office: Try not to get caught up the daily grind. Instead, take a breather every now and again to do something you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s going to the cinema, working out, meeting friends, etc. By scheduling your activities after a work day, you’ll also have something other than the “close-of-business” to look forward to. Try to stay actively engaged until you’re actually out the door instead of wallowing in your misery. No matter how much you hate your job, don’t forget that it’s only temporary and that you are in charge of your own happiness! Any other tips? Share them in the comments.

Credit Suisse Competition Project Firefly Emerging Leaders University of Manchester Careers Blog

Credit Suisse Competition Project Firefly Emerging Leaders University of Manchester Careers Blog And now for something a little different… Looking for another way to ‘stand out’ from the competition? Credit Suisse are sponsoring an essay competition where past winners have even gone on to get an internship or graduate job with them. Emerging Leaders Essay Competition is an outstanding and unique opportunity for students and recent graduates to take part in the premier global investment conference visit Hong Kong win cash prizes and all expenses paid. Submitted essays will be reviewed by highly reputed Professors and Deans, high quality essays will be published by Project Firefly, possibly Credit Suisse and other national, regional and international media.   Authors of the top pool of essays will also receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Academic Review Board. Last year’s winners attended the AIC and learned, first hand, opinions of eminent thought leaders, such as: •                 Zhu  Min -Deputy Managing Director of the IMF, •                 Austan  Goolsbee formerly a member of President Obama’s cabinet •                 Shinzo  Abe -the recently re-elected Prime Minister of Japan. •                 Joined leaders from over 280 corporates, of which 60% were CEOs or CFOs. The top 3 winners will be honoured with an official presentation at the conference. See the attached flyer for more details. Credit Suisse are particularly interested in identifying top talent graduating in 2015. Authors of top essays who graduate in 2015 will receive special consideration for their internship recruitment process for top performers! Interested? The deadline for submissions is 10th February. Find out more at: Website:  http://www.project-firefly.com/ Project Firefly Emerging Leaders 2013 (2) Undergraduate graduate schemes Internships work experience

How to Climb onto the Engineering Career Ladder - CareerMetis.com

How to Climb onto the Engineering Career Ladder evalIf you suggest engineering as a career option to many young people, they think about ancient history. Being an engineer may seem a little old-fashioned to them.However, if you instead mention drones, robotics and smartphones rather than iron bridges and steam locomotives, the career is brought bang up to date. Computer-aided design Engineers are a diverse bunch, but in general, they are people who design, build or test machines, systems, structures, and materials. In their work, they take theoretical scientific discoveries and use them to create practical applications that improve our quality of life.Are the Job Prospects Good?With growing economies in developed and developing countries, there is an increasing demand for qualified engineers around the globe. Especially engineers in a vast range of sectors, from traditional civil engineers in construction industries to highly specialized software engineers.As a result, career prospects for suitably qualified candidates are strong, and the rewards are generally well above the professional average. Interest in posts in the most significant multinational engineering firms is very high.However, the trade can initially be learned very successfully in smaller and more specialized companies.What Qualifications and Experience are Needed?A first degree is essential for a successful engineering career, and many candidates for jobs must have a master’s degree. The best courses demand excellent higher-level academic qualifications from school, with top results in physics and mathematics.A first degree in general engineering is ideal for those who have not settled on a specialization. There are, however, more bespoke engineering courses in universities for the students that already know what they want to do.Master’s degrees are invariably more focussed on a particular aspect of the engineering profession, and universities offer a wide variety from intelligent building design to medical imaging technology. A quick Goo gle search returns an enormous number of choices, but sites like Top Universities can be a good starting point.evalTo keep ahead of the graduate field some practical experience is desirable in addition to academic qualifications.Engineering internships and placements are common in most sectors, and these can provide guidance on the specialisms that are of most interest to you as well as the vital experience.Beyond university learning and practical internships, fledgling engineers should join a relevant Institution to prepare for professional examinations. In addition to demonstrating a high level of knowledge and understanding of engineering to potential clients and employers, permanent membership provides access to invaluable resources.Namely, mentoring opportunities, structured training,professional contacts, topical conferences, and a wide range of career opportunities.What are the Specialities?evalCivil engineering is the basis of everything. From homes and hospitals to roads, r ailways and water supplies, civil engineers design and construct the world around us, delivering the things that we all would find it hard to live without but take for granted.As a profession, civil engineering includes more specialized subdivisions such as structural, architectural and transportation engineering. The Institute of Civil Engineering provides professional support from school to beyond retirement.Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest and most generalized of the engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers use the principles of physics, mechanics, mathematics, and materials science to design, build and maintain mechanical systems.However, it is not all about cogs, spanners and fast cars. Mechanical engineers operate in a plethora of modern industries. All ranging from rocket propulsion systems to prosthetic limbs. The Institute of Mechanical Engineering provides careers advice and resources.Electrical engineering is concerned with applying the theories of electri city, electronics, and electromagnetism to practical problems and opportunities. Traditional involvement with the generation and distribution of carbon-fuelled electricity, the telegraph, telephone landlines and television broadcasting are all being phased out by modern technologies such as microelectronics, renewable energy, computer engineering and robotics. The Institution of Engineering and Technology offers further information, as well as a career zone.Environmental engineering applies scientific principles to the design and maintenance of features that protect the environment and human populations. Specifically from the potentially adverse effects of natural and human-made phenomena such as flooding, climate change, and poor water quality.Environmental engineers handle energy conservation, the control of airborne pollutants, waste management, sanitation and public health protection.If none of these seems entirely attractive, many other engineering specialisms are available. Pe rhaps materials engineering would be more suitable.Chemical engineers concentrate on the manufacture of chemicals, while mining engineers direct their structural capabilities to the extraction of minerals from the earth. Amongst contemporary university engineering courses, software engineering focuses on the design, application, and maintenance of digital software systems.Maintenance engineeringevalEngineers are often thought of as creative people, using science to design and build useful things. However, there is another group of engineers that specialize in maintaining and repairing those valuable things.Maintenance engineers work across all of the sectors mentioned earlier, applying engineering principles to optimize the use and performance of existing equipment and processes to maximize their efficiency, reliability and on-going availability. With modern technology, the approach has changed from a ‘fix it when it breaks’ culture to an emphasis on testing, inspection, and pre ventative maintenance. All that in addition to making equipment more reliable, more profitable and safer.The role of a maintenance engineer can nearly involve anything! From diagnosing faults and fitting new parts to a photocopying machine in an office, to carrying out maintenance on the gearboxes of turbines on a wind farm.A suitable engineering qualification is usually necessary to become a professional maintenance engineer. However, in some roles, it is possible to start out as a support technician.

Your Professional Development How to Get the Most Out of It - CareerEnlightenment.com

Your Professional Development How to Get the Most Out of It Whether you’ve just graduated and have landed your dream job,or have beenin the same career fora number ofyears, one way to keep yourself motivated andmovingforward istotrulytake charge of your own professional development.Ideally, you’d like your employer to be responsible formaintainingyour knowledge, keeping youup to date and teaching younewskills. Unfortunately, this isn’t often the case.If youwant to developyour career or explorenew avenues when they present themselves,you need to expand your knowledge and skills.The job market is, understandably,a very competitive one,sothe need to invest in yourself is all the more urgent.There are many different ways you can gain new knowledge, andit doesn’t necessarily mean you have to ditch your day job and head back to college.Luckily,thereare some tipsbelowto help you make the most of yourownprofessional development.What Does it Mean?Professional developmentrefers to the acquisition of skills and knowledgefor both personalgrowtha nd career advancement.Taking charge of yourownpersonal developmentmeans your capabilities will keep pacewiththe current standardsin the industry you’re working in and ensure you have the knowledge and skills necessary for delivering a professional service.You’ll be more in tune with the latest trends and advancements.What’s more, focusing on your professional development also helps you to stay interested and interesting.With increased knowledge and newskills,you’ll be able to take advantage ofexciting opportunities.There are a variety of optionsyou canexploreonce you’vedecided on your professional development goals.Setting Your Professional Development GoalsThe purpose of yourgoals is to ensure you’re moving forward in your career. Setting new goalsandmaking a plan for how you’re going to achieve themmeans you’re creating a path to success. But how can you besureyou’resettingthe right goals in the first place?•What do You Want to Accomplish?To start thegoal-setti ngprocess,you need to think about where you are now and where you’d like to see yourself in the future.Don’t just think about the companies you want to work for or the type of job you’d like to do. Considerhow your skills and knowledge will be able to help other people or benefit the local or global economy.By answering these questions,you will be able to see thebigger picture andidentify your work values.•Create a Long-Term GoalOnce you’ve determined yourvalues,you’ll be able toset a long-term goal for yourself.Long-term means more than a few years and provides you with ample opportunity tomakeadjustmentsas you go.Try not to be toogeneralbecause detail will help to narrow your focus.•Create a Series of Mini-GoalsTo keep you motivated and workinghardtowardsthelong-termgoal,you need tobreak it down into smaller goals.Be as precise and detailed as possiblewith adefinitetimeframe.Thesemini-goals have to be measurable, attainable and realistic.Break these down into steps,a ndyou’ll be able to create an action plan for reaching your long-term goal.Once you’ve determined your long and short-termgoals,you can look into the variety of options available for your continued professional development. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Sign up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. 6Options for Achieving Your Professional Development GoalsLearning can be a lifelong processif you want it to be!Gaining new knowledge and skillsdon’tnecessarily have to take place in a classroom.There are many different ways you canincrease yourknowledge, including:•Take an Online CourseThanks to the internet and technology it’s possible to gain access to almost every kind of educational material in the form of an online course. You can learna new skill or gain a recognized qualification without having to give up your day job or travel to a University or college.Whether you want to learnfrom an experthow to design a website, orstudy for an online MBA from this University in Australia,the sky’s the limit. There are thousands of e-learning platforms and courses you can access from yourownliving room. It’sall down to you whether you choose something that is relevant to your professional development goals orsomethingcompletelynew.•Take Advantage of Free Online ResourcesIf you’ve got the willingness to learn,the internet is a fabulous resource.There’san infiniteamount of information available with just a few clicks.There are articles,eBooks,guides and how-to’s on almost every subject you can thinkof.Download as much as you want and read it in your free time. Another benefit of using the internet is that you can look for help and advice from others.For example,there are manyonline forumsyou can joinif you want to discuss a particular issue withexpertsin your field.•Look for a Ment orThere are people you can approach if you want help with your learning.Amentoris a person with moreexpertizeor experience in the area you’re looking to progressin. They can be asignificantsupport when you’re feeling lost or stuck. Finding the right kind of mentor iseasier than you think, andan excellentplace to start is yourownnetwork.If you can’tfindsomeone to mentor you,then look for online communities and forums. These may be able to offer guidance.Plus, there are a surprising number of people who are only too happy to share their knowledge with someone like you who is eager to learn new things.•Training Seminars and WorkshopsThe internet hasn’t taken over completely,andthere are stillhands-on events you can attend. Attending seminars and workshops willincrease your knowledge,butit will also bring you into contact with other like-minded people, therebyexpanding yournetwork.Look to your local community and check whether there are anyinterestingevents taking place. It ma kes a pleasant change to step away from your computer screen andsocialize with other people.•Learn by Your MistakesYes,we all make them,andthere’s nothing to be embarrassed about, as long as you learn from those mistakes.There are oftenveryvaluablelessons to learn from the wrong decisionsyou might have made. Failure is part and parcel of your professional and personal developmentso don’t beat yourself up! Instead, think about what your mistakes have taught you and see whether you can make any improvements.•Job ShadowingIf you’re not quite sureabout your future goals but are curious about variousroles,you could consider job shadowing.It can be a great way to learn more about the differentpositionsin the company you’re currently workingin.You might need to discuss this kind of opportunity with your manager or human resourcesofficerasit could be a relatively new concept to them.It’s never too late to start investing in yourself. Take note of the tips above,andyou’ll soo n find yourself head and shoulders above those in your company thatareless motivated than you.It won’t take long for your managers to notice the amount of work and effort you’re putting in,and you’llbe providedwith opportunities for climbing the ladder.If these opportunities don’t come yourway,there’s nothing to stop you taking your knowledge and skills elsewhere! Knowing that it’s all down to you to develop yourself is the first step to take. Once you realize this,your options are endless.

How to Write a First Resume

How to Write a First ResumeWriting a first resume is important to have one that will get you that initial interview that will lead to the new job. It can be a simple process that many find intimidating, but all that it takes is having your resume written by an expert that knows what he or she is doing. You can find this person in many different places and options, but all it takes is putting in a little time and effort into making sure that your resume is as good as it can be. Here are a few tips on how to get started.First and foremost, you should always try to get a professional to write your resume for you. There are no shortcuts when it comes to getting this done, as there is too much of a learning curve that will require you to learn about how to write a resume. If you find yourself scrambling for a resume that you can rely on for that first interview, you may want to consider looking for another source for yours. An expert can make a huge difference when it comes to making sure that your resume is as good as it can be.Secondly, check with your current employer before you begin. They should be able to offer you a few recommendations, but more than likely they will also tell you who they think would be the best person to hire for your resume. Once you have gotten a few of these opinions, the next step is to write up a resume that you can send off to the experts. The sooner you start, the easier it will be.Remember that formal communication is needed to do a resume that is going to stand out among all the others. Your timing and attention to detail are two things that you should remember from this point forward. When you receive the resume, you should go over it carefully to ensure that all of the information is accurate. If you find anything that is not accurate, make sure to note that as well.The third thing to remember is that if you do not get all of your time that you need, you can use it to write up another one. Often times the first one that you send off may be lost in the shuffle of other applications and information that you may have sent out already. Remembering that deadline and remembering to follow through will make this a very easy task. All that you have to do is stick to the timeline that was laid out for you will soon have your first job interview.Finally, do not lose track of the time and do not lose focus on getting your resume right. As stated before, a professional can make a big difference in the hiring process. If you let these things get in the way of what you should be doing, then you will end up missing the deadline you set for yourself.There are several main reasons that a professional should be used in order to create your resume. There are many different types of professionals that can be used to do this, but all you have to do is give them a call and find out what they offer. This can be a great way to make sure that you are getting the information that you need and that you are making your resume as good as it can be.A professional is the person that can help you get the information that you need, but who can also help you use your time wisely to work towards the career that you want. Using someone like this can be a great way to make sure that you are looking for a career that is right for you.