Looking For A Job Shop

Looking For A Job Shop

Now open..lots of best sellers !!!

Looking for a job when you are over 50: Make Money from Home..New Page !!!

Looking for a job when you are over 50: Make Money from Home: This page is going to have links to programmes which I am a member of and through which you can earn a little money or points for rewards, u...

Your Christmas job search

Companies can obviously get a bit distracted at Christmas time with deadlines to meet and partying, and so recruitment can go a bit quiet, although don't think think there are no jobs available so its not worth bothering. Quite often managers want to place staff in post ready for the new year. Like the periods leading up to and immediately after the simmer holidays it can be a good time for your job search.

This means you should use some time to help re-focus on your own career search, getting in a very strong position to get in there immediately when the new year arrives. Continue to send your CV, to possible employers, its a quiet time and they may even have more time to read it than usual.

• Evaluate your CV..does it need any work or updating ? Take advantage of recruitment sites linked to free CV reviews, and post that CV to as many boards as possible. Check where your CV is already posted and take it off, then repost as this keeps it nearer the top of the pile. You might have posted your CV on a site a couple of years ago and not looked since to see if it is being read. The more updating, reviewing and evaluating you give your basic CV the better., remember it is a generic CV to then be adapted for each post you apply for.

• Research and have a good read of interview advice..be prepared !!!

• Explore....

Rather than just applying by sending off your CV to advertised jobs, take advantage of things being a bit quieter and research companies. Google businesses in your area, I believe Yell is also a good business listings. I followed my own suggestion and Googled business directories in Mitcham, which led me to businesses where I can make speculative enquiries about vacancies. However, what I also saw were people offering their own services e.g. cleaning etc. and other jobs they can do to make money as a business. If you have services you can use to make money, take advantage of free business listings to advertise yourself.

• Master the art of Social networking

You are probably on Facebook already, but there is so much more to it than sending daft posts to mates and updating everything you do and everywhere you go. Facebook can and indeed does have a business side...search the groups and pages for people looking for a job, CV reviews etc...If you do not have a LinkedIn profile...go to the site and get started..do not be afraid of LinkedIn many employers now go straight to a candidates LinkedIn profile on seeing their CV, and you need to be there..Google Employment social networking sites too for other useful suggestions.

• Circulate..Take advantage of Christmas parties to let people know that you are looking for a job. Many of these may be fantastic social networking chances

• Benefit from the Christmas break

Get yourself into a good, strong, organised and job ready place, look up courses, including online free ones if money is tight and you cannot afford college courses, see what is free online. Find a system to record your job applications, a simple spreadsheet will do....and..

Enjoy the break !!!!

It’s a Networking Time of Year!

It’s a Networking Time of Year!

Christmas time is wonderful! Time to reflect, enjoy the hustle & bustle, take in the decorations and lights… and especially if you’re in a job search… to Network!

Communication Careers Corner: Another reason to keep up your job search during t...

Communication Careers Corner: Another reason to keep up your job search during t...: Click here , courtesy of jobsearch.about.com.

Three interviews for the same job...but no job...or a little update

Well, the blog has been very quiet of late, and even as a novice blogger I know that it is not to be advised....readers appreciate regular updates on a blog and I know that I have gathered many loyal and encouraging followers, for which I thank you all for encouraging my fledgling project....However, to use the words of a Job centre adviser when I was trying hard , without success, to persuade and explain to her that in view of my health, but very much taking into account the potential of the blog and my writing and marketing abilities I should be helped to access available grants and schemes and become self employed....'You are on Job seekers allowance and you have to do as you are told !' i.e..Look for a job.

Of course there are grants and enterprise schemes to help people to become self employed but the same adviser admitted to me that the DWP in effect pay lip service to it. They have to..the grants , help and support are there, so they can hardly deny it and they advertise and write about it in Jobcentreplus literature, but it is not the government who are providing the money for new enterprise. The grants and schemes are funded by external providers who do not want to part with the money, therefore Jobcentreplus advisor’s are made to deter people who want to apply. It is not difficult for them to find grounds on which to deter an applicant, in my case the Job centre know that I am dependent on mortgage interest relief, and that the little I receive since the coalition cut the rate at which it is paid, makes quite a difference to any chance I may have of holding on to my home., although there is a big shortfall in the rate of mortgage interest relief and the rate of my actual mortgage. Mortgage Interest relief is only paid if you are on a means tested benefit, in my case Job seekers Allowance (JSA). and the other benefit, which employed people on low wages and the self employed can claim , Working Tax credits are not means tested benefits. Therefore the Job centre have grounds in their opinion for denying me access to help to become self employed, and I have to admit their argument has some weight. In order to be able to apply for many grants and self employment schemes you have to complete an income and expenditure sheet, to prove that you can afford to become self employed, i.e..you cannot fund your venture entirely out of schemes and grants and I am dependent on JSA, so I have to obey its rules and look for a job, because I need the JSA and mortgage interest relief....and should I start to earn any money from the blog, it would not be at least at the start, enough to replace my benefits and the mortgage interest relief. The moral of this situation might be that although you assume that it is right to tell the DWP your financial details, hoping of course to get any extra help you can, it may be advisable not to give them too many details..I cannot get help to become self employed, because the DWP know my financial situation and are using it.

However, Santander, along with many other mortgage lenders ,have increased my mortgage interest rate, as indeed it has been increased for many. The DWP write periodically when you are on benefits to ask if there has been e.g., any changes to your housing costs, and to advise the DWP if this is the case. I telephoned them when advised by Santander of the increase and was told, 'You can send us the information by all means but you don't get anymore money. Mortgage Interest relief is paid at a standard rate and all you can do do is to talk to your lender'. I managed to come to an arrangement ( I think that lenders have been made to tow the line a little and are not able to proceed to eviction quite as quickly as they did, although the recent decision by lenders to increase the mortgage rate has cost many their homes ), but the arrangement ends in January, by which time I must have a job or enough freelance work to cover and to give up my benefits....It is a race against

time now to get a job.

I have previously mentioned that I had been eager to and tried to get a job in telephone charity fund-raising. With a heart condition, high blood pressure, and joint , mobility and sight problems,a key factor is to find a job that physically I can manage, and I guess it could be said I am in a better position than many, as since Ian Duncan Smiths regime got a grasp on the benefits eligibility of the sick and disabled, along with ATOS, the terminally ill and those in a coma are declared fit for work. In Icy winter conditions I am housebound, and there are not many jobs where your boss will give time off for icy weather. Going to work in snow and ice even the wrong type of snow.. is a British hazard..Since I must do as I am told and get a job, telephone charity fund-raising appeals ( not that I can be fussy) and seems ideal and well suited to my skills.

I had applied many, many times to the agencies who advertised these vacancies, but my applications had not got no further than the agency phoning to say my application would be passed to the company. which is how these vacancies are handled i.e. via an agency. The first stage was a telephone interview with the agency, having got through that, I had to be on hold and available at short notice for the next stage interview with the company itself. which was another telephone interview, and then again waiting on hold, to hear if I had got through it and would be asked to attend a face to face interview . The news of the success or not of each stage interview was never advised by the recruiting agency until about 5pm each day. I got to this stage, the final interview, which was a group interview , with another group to follow of twelve, so we were given the impression that decisions would be made promptly as they were eager to get the interview sessions over and the interview process largely was based on group role play. I was unsurprised to hear that at this last stage I was not selected. Very few of the other candidates were over 35, and they all came from sales and marketing backgrounds, the telephone charity fund-raising job is largely target based..and the other background that appealed to the interviewer was the considerable number of actors and actresses between jobs who had got to this stage of the interviews, since the role requires convincing reading from a script . Most of the applicants came from marketing and sales backgrounds including mortgages and estate agencies, both careers which have a strong target element. All of this was going on while I was desperate to be free to go to the law centre and get help and advice about my mortgage and housing options, should I as is most likely not have a job in January. Of course, the recruiting agency were also desperate to reach a target and were putting strong pressure on me to wait around and be willing to follow through the recruitment process...telling me that IF I got the job my mortgage worries would all be over...well yes, but in effect this interview went on for a week and was all to no avail..and I suspect this is increasingly common in interview processes

Of course I was desperate to be free to seek advice about my mortgage , but had I not followed through the interview process, and the job centre/DWP known I had not concentrated on the possible chance of a job, I would have lost my benefits. This I think is a situation that proves the point of a blog post I wrote about the advantages of paying benefits at a higher rate than cutting them as people are then less likely to be spending their time sorting out debt issues and in a better position for concentrating on job applications.

Meanwhile the mortgage interest relief comes to an end altogether in June when I will have been on JSA for two years. The two year claim rule was of course introduced by the coalition, but you still get it indefinitely if you qualify for ESA ( sickness benefit). The Work programme are now advising that I should speak to my GP and ask for certificates and claim ESA as they feel this would be best for .me.. My GP was earlier this year writing certificates saying he felt I should not be working, and the job centre refused to let me claim ESA, stating that the moment my work capability assessment came up I would be put back on JSA, as they consider me highly employable. I had a review for my blood pressure and also had to see the GP for a shoulder problem that may be linked to my arthritis or a frozen shoulder, and as soon as Christmas is over I have to go for an x ray, on seeing the GP,he now refuses to write a certificate saying that he knows it will be to no avail and he feels unable to be of any support in ESA claims....I am aware that in fact G P’s have been instructed by the DWP NOT to issue medical certificates.

Just a few tips

Job Searching Tips

Don't put it off, keep at it so that you don't miss deadlines for good jobs. Use a system such as a spreadsheet to keep track of your applications

Employers are often negative towards candidates who have a career gap without explanation. Ensure you start job seeking straight away. ..and account for gaps in your employment history. Adapt your CV to cover gaps !!!

Identify your career interest. and exactly what sort of jobs you are applying for. If you apply for more than one job with the same company do be careful if they are different roles because it can make you look like a jack of all trades and master of none, or desperate for any job and not an expert in any of them.
Choose a key career path that interests you, as this will help you narrow and focus your job search.Although of course, especially if you are claiming benefits, you may have to keep some options open.
Always read the job description and person specification carefully before you apply, and familiarise yourself with the company by researching it online, asking people who may know about the company.
Check what should be included on your CV, adapt the CV for the job you are applying for.. Check you have covered all areas of a job description and person specification in an application form and then ensure all spelling and punctuation is correct.

Attend interviews
Attending interviews will help to build confidence and improve your interview technique. Even if you don't get the job it is interview practice !!!

Interview research and preparation
Find out the type of interview you are attending and whether it is likely to include things such as a presentation, or task such as typing tests. Research the organisation and specific job role prior to the interview. Show enthusiasm throughout and that you know what the job title requires and demands eg, there is a difference between an admin assistant and an office assistant...admin is a specialist role...research job titles before applying for a job.
Usually interviews are followed up after a couple of days. If you are unsuccessful ask for feedback as this will make you more aware for future interviews.

Stay positive
Try to stay positive throughout the whole job seeking approach, keep an optimistic outlook and remain motivated! It will show in your applications....Make sure that you fill your time, stay active and busy, keeping up activities and interests, and staying in circulation. Perhaps do voluntary work. Do not let employers think you have stayed in bed half the day.


On an International note....
f you are an international citizen seeking work in the UK, it is vital you check your visa status.Even many local applications will require a passport and /or other forms of identification.

Networking...keep your promises

The ability to network and make successful connections in which you are respected , may be one of the biggest assets in running a business or getting a job that you can have. It makes it possible for some people to succeed in getting opportunities they may never have had.

Networking entails hard work and consistency.

Before going to events that might give the opportunity for networking, or making on line connections, eg, 'liking' on Face book, find out as much about the event, or the issue and the people involved as possible. Do not end up just being a person who signs up to and likes every

thing you see, because you will end up being a Jack of all trades and master of none....Don't spread yourself too thin. An example is that people know me to be a Strong campaigner, but they also know my passions and what motivates them. They know, if they know me, that my passions are motivated by things I have some experience and knowledge of, such as the future of Iraq since the war..a country dear to my heart for personal reasons.People know that I am passionate about Legal Aid and access to justice for those unable to afford solicitors fees.

One of the most important things about networking is to remember that a large part of it is about being willing to make the time to help people, it isn't all about you and its certainly about giving as well as taking.If someone gives you a link or mention, you do the same for them.

Find out about, read and listen to peoples stories. Read, be prepared to listen to how people got to where they are today, because if you do this, then you will learn a lot about how to relate to them and how not to...its about understanding how people tick. A persons testimony can tell a great deal in regards to how someone organises themselves and their business or activities.The more you understand someones mentality the better you will partner with them, this works in every relationship in life, both personal and business, think of friendship....

As an example, some entrepreneurs pride themselves in and are driven to doing the job for 16-hour days and nights and carrying out whatever it takes, while others take a less demanding view. What you will gain is an understanding of what it might be like to work with such people.Some will work with others as a team of which you will be a part, others may give you an opportunity but you will be expected to do the work.I once had the opportunity to promote a book, I had all sorts of great ideas and thought I was doing so well and discovering a new talent. I had organised opportunities for book signings, appearances at literary festivals etc, not realising that the author had no intention of turning up at any events, it was my job to sell the book !!!

When a person questions, "What can you accomplish? " never offer a canned dialogue about your enterprise and career. Refer to something particular which identifies whom you truly are.

You have a passion for enjoying playing the guitar or perhaps an interest in antiques ? These are "things you choose to do, " so try to share these. These kinds of particular details might help lighten the atmosphere of business and get people chatting.

Keep a subscriber base.

Note down significant issues which come to your attention on line or during or after an event. And respond to them, it will really help your popularity as it shows you are paying attention and following developments, not just moving on to the next thing that interests you.Give opportunities for people to interact with you and your website.

If you make a promise to attend to an issue eg read something, comment, contribute, then do it.

Regardless of just how tiny the promise anyone produces from you -- like transmitting an email or 

perhaps returning a telephone call – do it to show your trustworthiness.

Treat the small business and one man with as much importance as the big business and as you would an important national contact figure. These actions will help you to keep up to date with keeping yourself in touch with your contacts and readership, and this will help your reputation and network to grow and gain you respect.

Jobsearch networking

How and Why You Must Be a Smart Job Search Networker

It’s all about who you know and how you met them.

Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/be-a-smart-job-search-networker/#ixzz2BZeKiZr8

 

 

Overcome your fear..find a job

Ways that volunteering can help get work experience..even work

http://jobmob.co.il/blog/volunteer-work-experience/

Take the time to research and choose the right volunteer organization

Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/volunteer-work-experience/#ixzz2BYCCe8ZE

Why volunteer?
Because it’s the right thing to do, because it will make you a better person.
All true.
But there are other reasons too, if you choose wisely.


Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/volunteer-work-experience/#ixzz2BYCP5J6Q

5 Ways Volunteer Experience Gets You Work Experience

Words to use on your CV..a presentation

Awesome Words To Use On Your CV from Monster UK

Dreams, wishes and some good ideas of things that need doing...My Bucket List

My Bucket list

Well, it had been my plan to base my bucket list around the theme of my blog, 'Looking for a job when you are over 50', and the blog was to be a list of the things I should have done and probably missed out on , besides having a job...like learning to ride a bike !!!

I assumed that a Google search would produce loads of lists of suggestions of things to achieve before I was fifty and in my case to catch up on , and in relation to the blog, would provide some cheap or even free entertainment and things to do. However, it seems that there is not much suggested after and between the age of 11 3/4 and when you die....Make a bucket list of your own, staying organised, active, interested and involved goes a long way to helping get a job !!!!

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/17693814

Here's the full list:

Climb a tree I was never allowed to climb trees or anything else for that matter... Roll down a really big hill Done this . Camp out in the wild No, Girl Guide campsites don't count !!! Build a den Skim a stone Run around in the rain Fly a kite Catch a fish with a net Done this..on Wandsworth Common with my dad Eat an apple straight from a tree Play conkers Throw some snow Hunt for treasure on the beach Make a mud pie Dam a stream Go sledging Bury someone in the sand Set up a snail race Balance on a fallen tree Swing on a rope swing Make a mud slide Eat blackberries growing in the wild Take a look inside a tree Visit an island – I'm not sure the Isle of Wight counts !!! Feel like you're flying in the wind Make a grass trumpet

Hunt for fossils and bones ..On the Isle of Wight on School Journey Watch the sun wake up Climb a huge hill ...Glastonbuty Tor but I was well over 11 !!! Get behind a waterfall Feed a bird from your hand Hunt for bugs Find some frogspawn Catch a butterfly in a net Track wild animals Discover what's in a pond Call an owl Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool ..At Hastings at low tide Bring up a butterfly Catch a crab Go on a nature walk at night Plant it, grow it, eat it Go wild swimming Go rafting Light a fire without matches Find your way with a map and compass Thanks to the Girl Guides I can do this !!! Try bouldering Cook on a campfire Try abseiling Find a geocache Canoe down a river

...Lots more to come ....

End of year resolutions !!!

Several of my reader's know that at weekends I post some ideas for keeping in circulation and having interests other than job hunting, even though we have little or no money for socialising.

Recently, I discovered ' Bucket lists '....it appears to me that the idea behind bucket lists is to sort of focus yourself on things you would like to do and achieve, and to be able to keep a record of what you have done so that you can tick them off...a sort of extended and more ambitious To-do-list. There are bucket lists for every possible stage of life...things that should be aimed for , to have been done by the time we leave school, are 16, 20, 21...right up  to things to do before we die.

Of course many of the ideas, inspiring as they are are well beyond the abilities of those on a very limited income, and some of them are more suited to a gap year, although it is becoming a trend for older people to have gap years, if they are in a position to finance it.

I have often emphasised on the blog, the importance of  staying organised and focussed when job hunting. The reason for this is that it is good to remain in a mindset, where you can easily adjust again to working hours, should you be fortunate to get a job. This is harder if you have spent your days in your pyjamas.

Also, when you are out of work and on a very  limited income, other things can crop up, such as debts and legal issues and you will need to keep on top of these in order to meet your jobseekers agreement if you are on one, to be immediately availabe for work, and to meet deadlines for application forms, when filling in an application by form or online can take all day at least.

It is not long to Christmas and of course, in the new year, we are familiar with the tradition of new year resolutions, but the end of the year is a really good time for sorting out and organising.Lots of the suggestions on the lists are ideal for cold, dark evenings and also cheap or even free !!!

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2011/11/30/13-smart-things-to-do-before-new-years/

20 Things To Tick Off Before The End Of The Year...
http://www.getorganizedwizard.com/blog/2010/12/20-things-to-tick-off-before-the-end-of-the-year/

This list is from 2011 but still very useful
http://www.onecitizenspeaking.com/2011/12/2011-three-important-and-simple-things-to-do-before-year-end.html

http://www.practicalhacks.com/2010/12/29/5-things-to-do-before-the-end-of-the-year/

The next list I recommend was written for the end of 2007 but again is very helpful
http://mashable.com/2007/12/29/12-things-to-do-online-before-the-end-of-2007/

http://www.peoplejam.com/blog/9692/10-great-things-do-end-year

               More bucket lists....and the start at least of my own coming soon !!!!

Some reasons why small businesses are at risk

So many people these days who cannot get jobs are moving instead towards using their skills and experience to create a job or even a small business. Older people are positively encouraged to do so, both by the media, especially online where there are so many resources devoted to starting a business that it looks deceptively easy, anyone can do it, and at the Job centre, where they encourage the budding entrepreneur via their website, to consider starting a business and that it is indeed a possibility, that you are entitled to apply for all sorts of help and grants to do so, until that is you go the Job centre, where the advisers will do everything they can to deter you, and often they manage it successfully.

How this happens resonates to me with a comment I recall reading on one of the many forums devoted to getting a job or ways to make money that I come across while working on the blog. 'When you are on Job-seekers allowance the Job centre own you, and you just have to do as you are told'.For the budding would be entrepreneur what this often means is that you have to in effect 'stop this nonsense and get a job, with a paying employer, and come off benefits. These days you have to do this before you either get sent to the work programme and given a job, regardless of if you are fit to do it or not, or your benefits are stopped because it is considered you re not cooperating enough to get work and so not meeting your job seekers agreement

When saying that the Work programme will match you with what they consider to be a suitable, available job regardless of if you are fit to do it or not think of the thousands of sick and disabled people who under this government are losing their entitlement to sickness benefit, frequently resulting in their deaths when forced to work or waiting for an appeal What used to be known as a medical certificate from your GP, signing you off as unfit for work is now called a fit note !! and Job centre plus advisers admit openly to clients that like as in cases such as mine, where my GP is stating on the note that I am not fit for work, it is not the GP who has the right to decide , but ATOS, the company given the contract by the Department of Work and pensions to deny sickness benefit and find claimants fit for work. I have health conditions including a heart problem, high blood pressure, joint and bone problems, partial sight and anxiety and depression , but according to the department for Work and pensions I am fit for work and so this would give the work programme, which I have recently been placed on, the power to place me in any available job they say I can do..

I held very enthusiastic hopes of turning my website and blog devoted to the issues concerning people in the same position as myself into a business , in the main part financed by advertising. However on trying to get the Job centre to make the referral to the enterprise scheme , which the Department of Work and pensions website clearly states is available, I was denied it at every attempt and any adviser who did encourage me was quickly removed from my case

Eventually, I was informed that this was because they have to say that the money for start up grants etc. is available, because in theory it is, but the reality is that providers do not want to release the money they hold.

In the movie "You've Got Mail", the sub-plot aside from the love angle is that the heroine (played by Meg Ryan) was forced out of business when the big-time book store owner (played by Tom Hanks) moved into town.

Meg's character owned a quaint little book store which she inherited from her mother. Although the prices of her books were a little steep, she makes up for it in service. She packs the books in a specialized bag, and she knows all of her customers by name..sounds like the sort of well respected independently owned book shops seen on high streets in the UK before Waterstones, WH Smiths....and Kindles !!! Indeed, not just bookshops were of this nature, but all kinds of trade shops.

Tom's character, on the other hand, moved into town to build a branch of a big chain-bookstore which offered discounted prices and a huge building, as compared to Meg's little bookshop on one corner of the town's streets.

In the end, Meg was forced out of business because her customers went to Tom's monstrous bookshop.

When I was totally convinced that my business plan was viable and I attended a local enterprise project, thinking I had a wonderful idea, to help people like myself, older and not in good health to look for work and deal with all the other issues that arise from unemployment, I felt that I was unique. However, I do remember slight alarm bells tinkling when I was asked to think about who else was doing what I wanted to do. As I thought I realised that actually, I was not so unique and I would be a small fish in a big pond, with players in my field such as the well respected Wise owls

http://www.wiseowls.co.uk/

It is the larger and proven organisations with a track record for success who get the first and largest share of the pie when contracts and funding are given out, and this is why so many people who have a business idea are advised instead to work with what is already there and see if they can incorporate their ideas into that provision. An example of this is the many people who decide to set up a charity for an illness or concern that has affected them or their family members and then try to get charitable grants and funding , with what can be little success or even none.

In the movie, the reason why Meg Ryan was forced out of business is because she cannot profit anymore. Her prices are steep as compared to the other big business' discounted rates.

Her only edge is that she gives personal service, she knows her customers by name and she has a very small staff, about 2 or 3 employees.

As a small organization you may turn around and have these qualities as your edge to compete against the big sharks in business. , but it will be a struggle....think of the number of empty high street shops while there are Tesco's branches of every size..Metro, Express etc. etc. in every town and village

Here are some tips on how you can hold your own against a big business:

1. Small businesses have big competition.

This means that you need to know how to survive out there.

No matter what nature of business you have, it is better to learn about the competition so that you will be able to survive.

Here are some tips on how you can survive the big competition:

>Keep your business alive. ...promote, promote, promote

Have a very clear idea of your budget

Do not spend on unnecessary business purchases and always balance your books.

If you are one to buy on impulse or if you are the type to listen to those who sweet-talk you into purchasing "necessary" items, control yourself.

Get a second and third opinion if possible, as these impulsive buys and actions may lead to the end of your small organization.

>Do not be afraid to seek professional help. ..there is plenty out there

The fall of most small businesses start with decisions on problems which are not carefully analysed.

Although you think that you already have a contingency plan, make sure that you have foreseen the results of a certain business decision. ...seek the longer term view and look at the bigger picture

In the long run, it is better to seek professional help rather than embark on a plan that could start the downfall of your business. before it has even begun.

>Keep your books straight.

The better option is for you to hire a professional outside accountant to figure the returns of your investment and handle the other financial aspects of your business.

>Take advantage of every free business counselling whenever available.

This does not just help widen your knowledge, but it will also give you an idea of how other businesses are ran by small-scale owners.

>Know exactly where your business is headed. ..have a good business plan

In your day-to-day operation, make sure that you know where you want your company to be 5 or 10 years from now.

Be always aware of the trends in the industry that you are in, practice good money management and learn how to recognize potential problems before they arise.

2. Learn how to market your small organization.

Marketing is not about trying to sell your products and services to everyone.

It is about knowing who to market your products to.

In marketing, it is good to remember these fast facts:

> Know about your customers.

>Communicate with your customers.

>Build a good and personalized relationship with your customers.

This will be a great edge for you to have against the bigger companies.

They might offer discounted prices but it is harder for them to keep track of customers on a more personal basis.

>Do not stop the marketing process.

As a small organization, you need to routinely review the markets that you need to pursue so that you can better reach out to your customers.

Remember, small organizations are big businesses these days so do not be afraid to work hard for the company that you have - not matter how small.

If you work hard, make wise business decisions, learn how to market your small business and personalize your customer interaction, your small-scale business can rise to the top.

Valerie Hedges

17 Simple & Free Ways to Have Fun Today | Escape Adulthood with Kim & Jason

17 Simple & Free Ways to Have Fun Today | Escape Adulthood with Kim & Jason

Quite a lot of my readers may know that at weekends I like to take a somewhat holistic approach to the situation of looking for a job and having no money ...It is so easy to stay indoors all day every day,  frantically looking for a job and going out of your mind with worry about paying bills and lasting out until the next benefit payment . Nobody can deny that it is extremly difficult to have a life with no spare cash, even free events, of which there are many in towns and cities to be found  advertised on the internet usually end up involving some perhaps small but unvoidable cost. However, trying to keep in circulation actually helps you to be aware of what is going on,  up on current affairs,  networking and making contacts and to be job ready....

This site is perhaps slightly wacky....designed to take the seriousness and heaviness out of being an adult and if anything makes you realise you are grown up its having no job and bills to pay...losing your home, dealing with the benefits office is a very grown up event...there are suggestions for chilling that are just  a touch OTT... and making a prank call to your friend if it was the wrong friensd on the wrong day could land you in serious trouble but there are archives going back to 2002, with fun ideas, even if some have to be ruled out as rather extreme . On the other hand postings such as Honey, I Shrunk The Apartment, a humerous but sensible article about organising are good..especially when its important to keep your job search organised and the house and your affairs in order, ready to start work immediately if you get an opportunity.



There are links that you can purchase but the free stuff on the site is plenty to amuse and give ideas. I love Cool Things under the categories label  and On a budget has brilliant articles including How to get your family talking....rather than the electronic gadgets we are so frequently attached to ....

Government employment schemes

Government employment schemes

This is one of the very best and most concise advise sites regarding benefits, work programmes, sanctions and in and out of work benefits I have read,

TOPSURFER

TOPSURFER

FREE Report Reveals: #1 Work at Home Job with a Global Business

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http://www.surveyfriends.co.uk/surveyfriends/index.php?Part=SurveyEnd&numQuest=140&come=3

http://www.surveyfriends.co.uk/surveyfriends/index.php?Part=SurveyEnd&numQuest=140&come=3

How to Get Hired - BlogTopSites

How to Get Hired - BlogTopSites

Including

Q: Firms all want prior experience - how do I enter a field without it?

...How to Get Hired .....

Career Advice Article: How to find a job when you’re over 50 - Telegraph Jobs

Career Advice Article: How to find a job when you’re over 50 - Telegraph Jobs###

More than 100 readers joined the Telegraph’s job-hunting Q&A to ask for advice and tips on how to find a decent job.
Many job hunters over-50 told our experts they were being discriminated against during recruitment because of their age, asking what they can do to beat age prejudice. Others wanted help with building an “online presence” on social networking sites, to increase the chance of being spotted by headhunters and recruiters.
Here we round up some of the best tips from the event:


© 2012 Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited.   All rights reserved.

Amazing Cover Letters - Cover Letter and Job Application Letters

Amazing Cover Letters - Cover Letter and Job Application Letters

{ Free Paid Surveys Online - SurveySam.com } - UK Paid Online Surveys

{ Free Paid Surveys Online - SurveySam.com } - UK Paid Online Surveys

SurveySam.com is your 100% FREE Surveys Guide.
Sign-up for surveys and earn cash, test products and win prizes.

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Customer Service Advisors - Home Based 6pm-11pm shifts Job in Home-Based

Customer Service Advisors - Home Based 6pm-11pm shifts Job in Home-Based

This company offers if accepted, home based work, and has a really good equal oppoertunitities policy..they employ older and disabled people who wish or need to work from home...home based customer service roles

Chris Walsh - Wise Owls director: Older people hear the human distress caused by une...

Chris Walsh - Wise Owls director: Older people hear the human distress caused by une...: Figures released by the coroner’s office, have revealed a 15% increase in suicides in the UK since the recession began. However, in Italy...

Figures released by the coroner’s office, have revealed a 15% increase in suicides in the UK since the recession began. However, in Italy, 1 person a day now commits suicide who is unemployed – with 40% being aged 50 – 65, plus suicides by entrepreneurs and small business owners whose businesses have failed.

Chris Walsh - Wise Owls director: Conference on Older People In an Exclusive Europe...

Chris Walsh - Wise Owls director: Conference on Older People In an Exclusive Europe...: I was invited to go to Brussels Monday 8th October to make a presentation to the Conference on  Older People In an Exclusive Europe organi...

Wise Owls is the UK's leading website and organisation dedicated to the interests of older working age people (50 – 65+).

¤ 6 Easy Ways To Beat Negative Stereotypes As A Older Worker ¤ | Interns Over 40

¤ 6 Easy Ways To Beat Negative Stereotypes As A Older Worker ¤ | Interns Over 40

Email etiquette

Email is one of the most powerful tools you will use to get a job or grow your business. Often, it is the only way you will have to interact with people and opportunities, many of whom will be in countries far away from your own. Remember that the email you send may will be the first contact and impression someone, perhaps an employer, has of you. If your CV/ Resume and covering letter are sent by attachment then the email will be the very first impression of you. Before the attachments are opened. It is vital to make that impression a good one and remember that in email communications it is never truer that it isn't what you say, but how you say it. If you do not show good email etiquette, your first, and perhaps only chance to make a good impression will be ruined.


Follow these ideas and suggestions for effective email communication which will earn respect and make that good first impression.

1. Make it clear, concise, as brief as possible and to the point. Email is not meant to be a letter, but a message.
   
2. Read Email carefully and answer any questions, e.g. directions, it looks disorganised to have to send further emails about such things later on.
   
3. Do try to make it personal. For one thing in an office it makes it clear who the email is for and secondly people like to see their name and that you have bothered to personalise it .
   
4. Make the subject line stand out to get attention, use a snappy but business like one. But do not use capitals,it is considered in email etiquette to be shouting.
   
5. Use, check and proofread for proper spelling, grammar & punctuation. Use the programmes spell and grammar check but it is also a very good idea to do your own check for misuse of words which have a double use and spelling, but a different meaning e.g. weather or whether..the electronic check will probably not pick them up as mistakes.
   
6. Try to lean and use the skill of using active rather than passive language..Google for some tips. I do not fully use this to its effective advantage myself, so could so with learning. I tend to fear being abrupt, so maybe my language is passive, I have noted that my grammar checks pick it up...But there is a difference between active and rude, abrupt language.
   
7. Try out some business email templates for real professionalism...I Googled Business email templates free and while there found the suggested search Proper way to write a business email.
   
8. Don't allow yourself to get Email overload. It is so easy when job hunting especially to get swamped with replies and downloads and things to upload such as CV templates. Adopt an Email and II organisation system like you would for your snail mail, bill paying etc. and stick ruthlessly to it, if not you can easily miss deadlines
   
9. 9. Use proper structure & layout. Do not be tempted to skip on this and be shoddy just because it is email. Your image and possibly the first impression you give may well depend on the impression your email gives, treat it like a letter. Make it easy on the eyes. Put some space between sentences or paragraphs
   
10. Bullet points are very effective ...but like everything else do not overuse them
    
11. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons...in business emails I would advise not using them, it is not the place for smiley faces
    
12. Avoid long sentences
    
13. Write like you speak....but watch your language !!! Use plain, easy to understand English.
    
14. As already mentioned. Do not write in CAPITALS. This is the equivalent of shouting at 
    
    someone online
15. Try to always speak to only one person, i.e. address the email in the singular as you write. Further recipients will receive the email according to the list of whom you send it to In Group Mailings, use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
16. Add disclaimers to your emails regarding SPAM
17. Do not overuse the high priority option. If used too much, it will lose its effectiveness. I never use it. Those I email are busy people and I know they are well organised and know if my email is urgent or not when they read it...trust your readers !!!...and don't email too often which also damages its effectiveness as does too much texting....Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
18. Don’t leave out the message thread..include it.
19. Do not attach unnecessary files, and watch the size of what you do send, because huge files can get stuck.
20. Do not forward chain letters. Just don't do it. It can be tempting to send a friend an amusing round robin/chain mail joke etc. thinking it will give them a laugh at work..,t a professional email address is not the place for it, and they often have bugs and viruses ...on the subject of viruses....
21.  Be sure to have and keep updated good anti virus software
22. Do not request delivery and read receipts....like number 17, it just looks like you are drawing attention to yourself.

Just a thought...or two while without a job

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience by which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, I lived through this horror I can take the next thing that comes along.

 - Eleanor Roosevelt

                                                   photo credit: wallyg via photopin cc

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.

Winston Churchill

                         

photo credit: monkeyc.net via photopin cc















                   
Even though you’re not yet perfect, you’re still OK. And just because you haven't arrived yet doesn't mean that you’re not on your way.-

 Joyce Meyer

photo credit: Old Shoe Woman via photopin ccing

50 Things to Love about Life That Are Free

50 Things to Love about Life That Are Free

Having trouble getting a job ???

Not Applying for the Right Jobs:

In recent years, hiring managers have seen an influx in the number of resumes they get. Not only that, they have seen an increase the number of resumes they get from unqualified candidates...applying for a job for which they do not meet the job description, and employers are now in a position to be exacting with so many applicants to choose from. Nothing wastes your time or theirs more than applying for a job you aren’t qualified for. Your chances of getting an interview are very slim. Now, it is okay to go with some close calls like when you have five years of on-the-job experience and they wanted seven, but be sure to use your best judgement....be realistic...

If you are not having much luck in your search , you might have paused and asked yourself “why can't I find a job?”, it might be because of the present economic climate and job market; neither are looking too excellent right now. There are many more job applicants than there are jobs With that said, the reasons why you cannot find a job might partly be a problem that you are creating. If you would like to change your luck around, here are some details to keep in your thoughts.

Looking in the wrong places:

When it comes to looking for a job, there are many ways to look. You can look in local and national papers, on the many online job sites, at job exhibitions, and more. You want to try all of these techniques. ... look in all the right locations, even though there are a lot of them !!...network, network, network....Facebook contacts, LinkedIn...speaking to people you know about your job search.....looking for a job is a job in itself.

Not Looking Often Enough:

With so many job applicants after each job, it is essential observe that a quick response is important to your achievements. It is not at all unusual now to see a job advertised with a closing date but that this will change if there are enough applicants early on. Jobs advertised at the UK government site Jobcentreplus are often casual type jobs not needing much in the way of experience and qualifications and they go quickly.
After a job is published on a web page many recruiting professionals get more than enough applicants than they actually need. Many of the job boards now tell you how many applicants there have been, and I have been one of 534 !!!
That is why you want to do your job searches often, set up alerts so that you do not miss opportunities.

Not Having a Good Resume:

A resume /CV ready to be adapted to any job title you apply for is essential to your job search If you are not using a CV at all and just a record of your experience and work in your head and in no particular order, not clearly set out in CV format, you need to get to work on it quickly. Having a perfect job targeted CV is vital..... having an “okay” one is not enough; your CV must be excellent. It must be readable, expert, and display your abilities. Generally, your CV needs to demonstrate that you are the ideal applicant for the job.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3537863

How to Enjoy Life in a Bad Economy: 16 steps (with pictures)

How to Enjoy Life in a Bad Economy: 16 steps (with pictures)

Living in a bad economy can be hard to do, but there really are a lot of possibilities to have a happy and enjoyable life. Friends, family and fun activities can bring lots of joy! ....Check out your area, find things that motivate you, look for things to do constantly.

.....Having an Internet connection is a good way to do or set up any kind of activities that involve creativity or just plain fun.....Many activities don't require having a lot of money. Money isn't what people are looking for anyway. Everyone is looking for ways to enjoy their life. Some have bigger perspectives others don't. Having bigger goals in life often require having more money, but it depends on you to achieve your goal not your countries economy.....Some of these ideas are a little far fetched like  saving the money up and moving to another country for a better economy !!! but with a few adaptions there are still some good ideas.... 

Make Money Quick with Online Marketing

There are many individuals on the internet who claim “I make extra money” but how many are doing it basically by composing and submitting content.” It sounds easy enough but is it true? Well, few things are as easy as they appear on the surface, but content is easy when you understand its objective .. what it is supposed to do and say and what it is.

Article composing is a money making tactic often used by entrepreneurs. Associates and affiliates are internet promoters who partner with certain companies to advertise their items. If they are effective in bringing new customers to the organization, the organization will then deliver them a commission payment.
The objective of content promotion in this whole procedure is to produce traffic. When you tell the person that you are earning cash from composing and submitting content, they cannot really see how it can possibly produce revenue. However, if done correctly, your content can entice focused visitors who may buy what you have to offer.

One of the important factors to being effective with content is keyword and key phrase selection and understanding.


If you do not understand how search phrases perform on the internet, this technique is not going to perform that well for you. On the other hand, if you have a basic grasp of the keyword and key phrase concept and select them properly, it is very possible that you will get visitors who will click on your links and potentially buy something.
Another important part of content is your trademark computer file. Your trademark computer file is normally the last passage of your content and it’s the place where you have a clear “call to activity.” That indicates that you are informing your reader what you would like them to do next, and how they can benefit by doing it.
If you effectively utilize search phrases and take a proactive approach, there is a very good possibility that you can figure out how to create additional cash composing and submitting content.

Make Money Quick with Online Marketing

Anyone can produce income with internet promotion if they are willing to really work at it but. perseverance does not mean you have to wait for a season before you create cash. It indicates that you do not quit if your actions do not immediately produce a sale. You have to assess what you did, collect yourself, and try again...and again
Affiliate promotion is basically a procedure where you are advertising another business's goods and services and they will in turn pay you a commission payment at any time you deliver them a client. The beauty of on the internet promotion is its versatility. You can basically enhance millions of different items.
If you want to produce income with internet promotion, you need to discover who is already buying certain items. In other words, you need to discover yourself a hot industry and provide them what they already want...find your target and market
So, what exactly is a hot market? A hot industry can be a short-term fad like a certain Christmas toy that they cannot keep on the store racks. It can also be a long term industry like weight-loss and fitness. People looking to shed weight become a very hot industry at the start of the year. But is a bit of a starving industry at other times.
Another example of a starving audience of individuals would be anyone wanting to produce income from home. Most individuals want the independence and other benefits of working at home and they are willing to pay for an e Book or course that can properly show them how to do it. Those are just a couple of examples but there are many others. Your objective is to discover the most profitable combination possible.
After you determine the market you want to sell your items to on the internet, the next phase is to discover an internet affiliate program that offers the items you want. You can basically do a search on Google or go to one of the big affiliate networks.
Your last stage for earning cash is competitive promotion of your affiliate web links. The more eyes you get to view your web links, the better your odds are of creating immediate revenue. You never want to junk your web link around the web. Instead, you can create a readable trademark computer file that includes your web links and a proactive approach and then visit focused weblogs and boards to market your links
The best technique is to become active on web communities and help other individuals . Your web links will get visibility and it can quickly lead to revenue. Another way to get visibility is via social bookmarking websites and websites like stumble upon, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. Get your web links out there into the industry and you will eventually see revenue.
One last way to produce income fast is to write content and post them to content submission websites. The objective here is to pick search phrases that will entice the buyers you want and to use them throughout your content. You also want to create text to include a strong proactive approach at the end of your content within the trademark box.
Are you having difficulties to create additional cash online? Figure out the best answer to how can “I create additional money” by searching online ….there are loads of ideas....


 ..credit:
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1790224

Changing career in middle age and later life

Do you still dream of fulfilling your perfect job plan, maybe in self employment, but have reluctantly found yourself stuck on a career path that earns money, pays the bills but in a job you don't find interesting? This has happened to many if not most of us, and a new job is one remedy to reverse the dullness and discontentment that comes from feeling you are in the wrong one..in a rut, or indeed not having a job at all. A change, especially if it is promotion, if effective, will increase your self-esteem and can provide you with tremendous fulfilment. Changing your career or job during middle aged can be excellent, if you really wish to try something new, , or just want to fulfil a wish

.Go through the guidelines given below to create an ideal plan and route for your new selected area. of career

How to Plan a Career Change and Allow it to be Successful
Lots of individuals have changed jobs in their middle age, but not all of them have been effective and successful in the change.
Only very effective preparing and planning can help you be successful, while changing jobs in middle age.....Be Sure about Your Decision
People who have changed professions successfully in their late 30's and later, or got a job in their retirement, have often researched carefully their preparing and decision-making abilities. Changing a profession is a big thing and any choice on it shouldn't be taken in a hurry. Provide an in-depth thought to the following concerns and know if you really need or want a new profession..


1.Are you satisfied with your present job?
2.Why do you want or need to change careers? Have you determined what really enthuses you?
3.If you're midway through life and have organized a new profession, what has affected this decision?
4.Do you have enough information about the new field?
5.Do you know someone who is effective in your new area of interest?
6.Do you have enough money? and are you in a financially strong position ?


These considerations will help you in making your choice as far as finances allow you a choice. Giving up your present job for a field ,in which you have no information or experience is risky , to say the least. And probably no matter how much you might want that job now that employers are much more fussy about having experienced applicants, you won't get it in any case..be prepared to keep on applying or work, work, work at your own business.
Needless to say the least you need for such a change is enthusiasm, patience, an ability to cope with rejection and an ability to learn new skills to be effective in your job change.
You must also have enough money behind you, as you cannot anticipate generating an income as soon as you begin if you are self employed, and a new job with an employer in later life may involve a salary drop Thus, think sensibly before making any choices and once you have made the decision, stay assured about your choices.

Be Realistic, Enthusiastic and Willing to Learn
Mid-life profession changes are challenging because the individual has to contest with younger, quite possibly graduate applicants who tend to have first choice during the recruiting procedure. and all the images employers hold about older workers You can defeat this problem by learning about your new area and job through different resources, like trade guides and the Internet...always, always research a company online as you apply for vacancies...

1.Work hard at your job search, but be prepared to begin at a lower level. ..be realistic...Smaller businesses might be less strict in their candidate selection procedure than large recognized ones.
2.Research about the area - job opportunities in the new industry and its viability and weakness to economic downturn.
3.Do whatever classes or courses are available and affordable to add to your information about the new sector. Good preparation is vital
4.When beginning a business, you should have enough investment and thus you should be very careful about how you invest it. You can access lots of help and advice about starting a business via the internet.


Importance of Career Networking
Networking is very important for professional development, this is known to everyone. You should not challenge the need for public networking, even if you are not an internet lover or expert, instead, use it successfully Communicate with individuals who are well-settled and effective in your new area by connecting on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Networking reveals a wide scope of possibilities, as one gets to connect to individuals who have identical interests , experience and backgrounds.
Social networking sites and professional public networking forums are web-based systems of networking , link building and contacts . So sign up for these websites to get the best assistance in your job search or self employment venture. Through public networking you meet individuals who discuss the same interests as you, and this allows for discovering excellent opportunities

Motivate Yourself
So, you have made the decision or found yourself with the need to look for employment and have organized and investigated everything. Do not let pressure and disappointment, from small failings to get a job you apply for and really want to take control of you and mar your enthusiasm. You cannot expect to get instant success and will be very lucky indeed to do so in the present economic climate...., there are a lot of highs and lows to go through.
The key can be found in getting setbacks in proportion and learning from them. Have trust in your choices and you will be effective.
You should think about your achievements and have faith in your history ...have an optimistic attitude. This will show on your character and you will feel like an achiever, prepared to overcome difficulties and the odds
If you have interest and enthusiasm you can create an effective job change in middle and later life.... it needs effort to be put in, and it also needs perseverance to make it effective.,,but it can be done.


Valerie Hedges