From Manager to Business Owner

From Manager to Business Owner Success Story > From: Job To: Solopreneur From Manager to Business Owner “I realised how much time I was spending away from my family, friends, and the home that I loved.” * From Manager to Business Owner Once Lizzie Cheeld finallyadmitted that her career was no longer working for her, she started to look at setting upher own businessâ€" one that would give her the quality of life she wanted, without a drop in income. Here are the tough lessons she learned and how she made it happen. What work were you doing previously? I was General Manager for a theatre producer called Minor Entertainment. What are you doing now? I run my own Virtual Assistant / Administrator business. Why did you change? I realised how much time I was spending away from my family, friends, and the home that I loved. I'd spent my entire career working in theatre and I was slightly afraid that I didn't know how to do anything else. But, quite simply, it wasn't 'me' anymore, which was hard to admit because I'd battled for a long time to convince people that working in theatre was a 'proper' job. This is tricky to say as I think it makes me sound big headed, but I'd achieved everything I wanted to achieve in that industry. I was in charge of a £250,000 budget, and my previous job as the Resident Stage Manager at the Barbican Theatre had involved working on over 180 shows all over the world. I'd done well, so it was time to move on. When was the moment you decided to make the change? When I worked out how much of a pay cut I could take working from home and still take home the same amount of money. (Not that money was everything â€" I'd worked in the arts for 15 years after all!) More importantly, I worked out how much time I was spending on the train each month. It was frightening. I was losing days at a time. Once, I was running for a train at Liverpool Street one evening and I tripped and spilled a cup of tea all over myself because I was so desperate to get on the train to get home. Are you happy with the change? Amazingly so! On Monday I sat in my pyjamas working at the same time I would have been normally pulling into Liverpool Street. There is nothing like that feeling. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I miss the camaraderie of working on theatre shows â€" all staying up until 2 a.m. to finish a tech session because there was a problem with the sound earlier in the day. At the same time that's also what I don't miss. Working by myself can get a bit lonely, but that's when co-working comes into its own. I'll find another person who works by themselves and spend an afternoon working with them. We don't have to be working on the same thing; it's just nice to have someone else there tapping away at their laptop as well. And there's someone else there to make a cuppa once in a while! How did you go about making the shift? I had a three-month notice period at work, so I just had to make the leap into the unknown. I had some help from another amazing lady and career shifter,Carla Watkins, who helped me set everything up. What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? At the end of my first year of business, I took on a new client and basically worked for them solidly for two months. I cut back on all my other client work and this new project was quite demanding. The project was an ice rink and it went into liquidation shortly after my contract had finished. I didn't get paid for two months' work â€" not a bean! In summary, I learnt the 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket' lesson the hard way. I won't be making that mistake again! How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? I took a part-time maternity cover admin role. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Being totally responsible for my own business destiny. It was quite daunting at first. What help did you get? Carla helped me set up my website, email and business planning for the first three months. In return, I did some VA work for her.Skill sharing is a wonderful thing. What resources would you recommend to others? 4Networking, the business networking group; Toggl â€" a brilliant online tool for tracking the time you spend on different tasks; and LastPass â€" for keeping track of all your passwords and login details. Also, tap into as much subsidised business mentoring as you can. What have you learnt in the process? Networking is key. Don't pretend to be someone you're not â€" you will get found out! Keeping all your business eggs in one basket is a bad move. What do you wish you'd done differently? I wished I'd trusted my instincts more in the beginning when it came to new clients. Sometimes you just know when someone is going to be a pain in the rear end. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Surround yourself with fabulous, supportive people and you won't fail. Jump and the net will catch you. To find out more about Lizzie's services, visit www.lccreativeadmin.co.uk. What lessons could you take from Lizzie's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Are You Hurting Your Productivity By Being Conscientious

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Are You Hurting Your Productivity By Being Conscientious When I take work personality tests, I’m off the charts on conscientiousness. Conscientious people tend to showself-discipline, actdutifully, andaim for achievement. We display plannedrather than spontaneousbehavior and are generallyorganizedanddependable. This all sounds great, of course. But conscientiousness and productivity are not the same, and I’ve found that some conscientious habits can interfere with productivity. I share them with you here so you can be on the lookout. Choosing assignments based on your strengths Business guru Marcus Buckingham says to play to your strengths, and he’s not completely wrong. People who focus on tasks they’re good at will be more productive, usually. The trouble is, when you are naturally talented in an area, you may become complacent and believe there’s nothing more to learn or insights to derive. This can lead to sloppiness and overconfidence in your work, at which point productivity goes downhill. Following directions Conscientious people are terrific rule followers. In the workplace, it’s essential that you understand how to submit to sensible authority. The key, though, is the word “sensible.” Conscientious people will often blindly follow their boss’ will whether or not it’s the right path. If you know more about an issue than your manager, you owe it to your team and your productivity to diplomatically address how that issue can best be handled. Doing online research I tell myself that spending hours perusing Google Scholar and Wikipedia is a legitimate use of my time when I’m entering uncharted, work-related territory. But is it really? Not always, because in addition to being conscientious, I’m also curious. This means that I might start out looking up recruitment segmentation and, through a chain of spontaneous clicks, find my way to an article on the scientific explanation for ghost sightings. If you’re not careful, online research can turn into the mother of all time sucks. Going into the office when you don’t have to Conscientious employees wear their office face time like a badge of honor. However, going in just for the sake of going in is often not as productive as taking time at home where you are free of a commute, distractions, and chatty colleagues. There are some companies â€" and some managers â€" who really do equate face time with results. But these are becoming less common, and if you aren’t under the influence of one, consider what spending 50 hours a week trapped in your cubicle actually buys you. Check out the rest of the article at Intuits Fast Track blog.

Setting a Standard of Good Work

Setting a Standard of Good Work The CIPD and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan have launched a new framework for good working practices, aimed at making London the best place to live and work. At 10Eighty, we believe everyone deserves a job they love, and we focus on helping people to fulfill their potential and achieve their aspirations. The new ‘good work’ standard criteria follows four guiding principles: Fair pay and contracts fairness, merit, and transparency should be at the heart of good pay and reward strategy Workplace well-being a duty of care to protect the health, safety, and welfare of workers Skills and progression including the development of clear progression pathways and systems Diversity and recruitment zero-tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination, harassment and bullying Employer of choice Where organizations commit to such standards, they increase levels of engagement, motivation, and productivity, reduce absenteeism and sick leave, while boosting their employment brand which makes them more likely to be an employer of choice. It’s obvious that safeguarding the health and safety of employees and ensuring they are fairly treated and rewarded is crucial to a well-run organization. The ‘our people are our greatest asset’ truism is parroted often enough but, all too often the bottom line takes precedence over managing people well, the benefits are manifest: Effective recruitment and retention that attracts the best skills and talent Reduced absence and sick leave Improved levels of employee engagement and productivity Effective employment brand management Pathways for progression An aspect of the standard that particularly resonates with me is the commitment to developing progression pathways for employees. There are significant business benefits to developing career paths for employees; where they see a clear progression route, employees are more likely to be engaged and committed to their jobs. We recommend regular, meaningful career conversations with employees as an integral part of a succession program and that requires robust, fair and consistent personnel management policies to support career paths. In management development training, 10Eighty will emphasize the importance of regular one-to-one feedback from line managers and structured support and training that allows employees to achieve their development goals. Regular feedback ensures managers and team members understand the values and motivators that drive employee career goals and enables them to structure career progression so that employees feel comfortable discussing their goals and aspirations. Build for the future The recruitment team ensures the organization hires employees with the skills to meet corporate long-term goals. On an ongoing basis, career development is a crucial part of an organization’s attraction and retention strategy. Many candidates won’t take up employment unless career development opportunities are part of the offer. Organizations that offer routes for employees to build skills and experience that will enhance their careers will be more attractive. As well as on the job learning, HR should think along the line of more of a diverse range of learning interventions that might include coaching and mentoring. The Good Work Standard was launched on Monday 29 July 2019 by Khan and in a poll Employee Benefits, readers found that 30% of employers think it will create a greater focus on workplace well-being, while 7% feel the benchmark will place more emphasis on diversity and inclusion initiatives. It’s admirable that the Mayor’s new standard suggests employers should provide ‘good work’ and focus on the features of jobs that constitute a favorable experience for workers, as these have been linked to positive health and well-being outcomes for employees and also those that boost productivity. It will be interesting to see how many employers sign up to become accredited under the standard.

IT Cover Letter Sample - Algrim.co

IT Cover Letter Sample - Algrim.co It Cover Letter Template Download our cover letter template in Word format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Related Hiring Resources A couple of free ways to build credit in 2019 55+ Junit Interview Questions Answers To Hire Or Get Hired IT Manager Job Description Sample To Whom It May Concern - Capitalization, Alternatives Credit Analyst Job Description Sample Is It Better To Quit Or Be Fired? The Answer Here How Long To Wait After An Interview? 5 Reasons It Takes So Long How To Quit A Job, Look Professional Retain Your Reputation How to Quit a Job You Just Started (Email Examples) IT Director Job Description IT Director Resume Example 5 Easy Steps To Quit A Part-Time Job IT Specialist Job Description IT Technician Job Description Sample IT Business Analyst Job Description IT Analyst Job Description IT Technician Cover Letter Sample Audit Manager Cover Letter Sample

Hey, can I work for you How to approach your favourite companies

“Hey, can I work for you” How to approach your favourite companies Whether it’s Warner Bros, Tesla or L’Oréal, we all have our favourite companies â€" the ones we’ve followed for years and always hoped we’d someday be a part of. But what about when you want to stop dreaming about them and actually start working for them? From LinkedIn searches to handwritten letters, University of Warwick Human Resources Communications Officer and guest blogger, Sophie Hannah, shares some tips to help you on your way. Search for the right people on LinkedIn Let’s say you want to get some work experience at Netflix. It’s a long shot, right? Maybe Netflix doesn’t do work placements. Maybe they only do week-long slots and you have a whole month free. But either way, Netflix is your dream. So get on LinkedIn â€" first of all search for the company, then click on ‘See all employees on LinkedIn’ and sift through the list. Find their HR manager or whoever else you think would be receptive to your email, then write it. Explain your situation and why you think you’d be so great to have around. Be specific You already know that emailing help@disney.com or info@apple.com with a friendly “Hi, I’d love to work for you!” message won’t work. It’ll get lost, or sent on to the wrong person, or ignored. So have a think and get specific: who do you want to speak to? The marketing manager? An HR employee? The content-writing team? Make the decision and then tailor your email to that person â€" you’re much more likely to get a response. Make sure your work is visible I know, I know â€" everyone bangs on about this. But it’s crazy how many people say “I want to be a photographer!” or “I’d like to be a writer!” yet don’t put any evidence of this online. It can be scary to start sharing your work with the world, but it’s also a great way to get feedback on the stuff you’re creating and make friends with other people who are in the same boat as you. And, most importantly, it means you have a portfolio of work ready to show or send to potential employers. Keep things informal Putting together an email? Write how you’d speak. “Hi, Lisa. Hope you’re really well and that you had a lovely new year…” is a much friendlier opening line than “Dear sir or madam. I hope this correspondence finds you well…” It can be tempting to slip into a more formal tone, but this can often come across as impersonal. Don’t confuse ‘professional’ with ‘robotic’. Become a detective (sort of) Supposing you find someone on LinkedIn, but their email address isn’t listed on their profile. Dead end, right? WRONG. This is when it all gets fun because you can pretend you are a little detective with a mission to complete. (*puts on brown coat and sunglasses*) Find them on Twitter. A lot of people who use Twitter for work as well as play have their email address in their bio â€" search for them and see what you can find. Maybe follow them on Twitter while you’re at it. Connect with them on LinkedIn, then send them a message via LinkedIn DMs. Give them a call. Slightly terrifying? YES. But potentially fruitful? Also yes! You’ve got their name and where they work, and that’s a start â€" so pluck up your courage, call the main switchboard and see if someone can put you through to their office. Tip: Write a mini script beforehand if you’re nervous. Use your creativity This is where I am going to tell you to write a letter to your favourite company, and I am aware that it sounds clichéd and very cheesy but you know what? I don’t care, because it WORKS. Write them a letter. If you’ve got neat writing, do it by hand. Tell them about you. Explain why you’d like to work for them one day. Ask the recipient if they fancy meeting for coffee. Send a list of questions you’d like to ask them about their career. Tell them why you admire their work or their company. Jot down your email address/website/Twitter handle. Decorate the envelope (no, really). Include some of your work, if that’s possible (e.g. if you’re a writer, artist or similar). Long story short: make sure that what you’re sending to any company stands out. An email might not, but a letter will. Don’t give up You might not hear back straight away, but don’t take it personally. Whoever you’ve contacted is bound to be busy, so responding to you might not be top of their to-do list, even if they’re interested in what you have to say. There’s nothing wrong with sending a follow-up email â€" wait a week or so, then drop them a quick message or give them a call. Unless you hear a definite “no thanks” from someone, there’s nothing stopping you from checking in every couple of months to bump your suggestion back up in their inbox. Remember: you don’t have to live in London The best part about being alive in 2018 (in my opinion, anyway) is that we can use the internet to take advantage of opportunities that didn’t exist a few years ago. Want to be a freelance writer at Cosmopolitan? Provide social media posts for a company you like? Get marketing experience? You don’t necessarily have to be in the office to do that. Have a think about what you can do from home part-time, and get ready to pitch it to someone. You got this!

Employee Referrals - Your Ticket to Your Next Job [Updated] - Career Pivot

Employee Referrals - Your Ticket to Your Next Job [Updated] - Career Pivot Employee Referrals Did you know that employee referrals have become the most valued tool in hiring? When I wrote this post in 2014, I had just returned from speaking at the Career Thought Leaders Conference in Baltimore. The theme of the conference was “Framing the Future”. A common theme throughout many of the presentations was that employee referrals are golden. I wrote extensively about the value of employee referrals in my Targeted Job Search series on this blog. I wrote about continuously building your referral network so that you stay employed at companies where you want to work. Employee Referrals â€" The numbers don’t lie! Gerry Crispin co-founded a nonprofit, TalentBoard, to better define and measure the Candidate Experience. In his presentation, he presented some startling numbers on hiring and the effect of employee referrals that came from the Candidate Experience Award. The Cande Awardsprocess is a competition, but it is also designed to provide every organization that chooses to participate some confidential and specific feedback on how they can improve their candidate experience. Gerry gave the following typical example: 180 applications for every open position 4 employee referrals will be submitted Approximately, half of all candidates are screened out or deemed unqualified for the position which leaves: 90 applications 2 employee referrals 5 candidates will be interviewed including the 2 employee referrals. The numbers do not lie. If you apply and an employee referred you for the position, 50% chance of getting an interview and you have a 20% chance of getting hired. If you do not have an employee referral, you have a 3% chance of getting an interview and only 1.2% chance of getting hired. Listen to the most recent episode What this should tell you is that employee referrals are invaluable! Note: These numbers are 4 years old. The numbers of applicants have increased every year so if you do not have an employee referralyour odds have decreased. The Employee Referrals Bonus Employee referral bonuses have become common in a lot of corporations.Bonuses arepaid if the employee refers the candidate before the candidate applies and the candidate is hired. Therefore, before you apply for a job online seek out a referral! In 2009, in the depth of the recession, I was working for a sexy tech startup…and we were hiring. I had more candidates from the Launch Pad Job Club, where I serve on the board of directors, asking me to submit their resume. My first question was always: Have you applied online? The answer almost every time was: Yes My response every time was: Next time, please send me your resume first and only apply when I tell you. When to Apply Due to the fact that they already applied, I was not eligible for the bonus and their application would not be seen as an employee referral. Not every employee referral program works this way, but most do. I was more than willing to work for these candidates because of my position with the job club. Money was not what motivated me to help. Of the almost 100 resumes I received that year, and only one sent it to me first. As you could imagine, I received a $2500 bonus for that position but none of the other 99 were hired. Whenever you find a position, work diligently to find a connection. If you are not surehow go back and read the following posts: Building your Target List â€" The Targeted Job Search Connecting with Recruiters â€" The Targeted Job Search Build Your Referral Network â€" The Targeted Job Search After you have found someone who is willing to make a referral, ask how you should proceed. They may tell you: To apply online and fill in the field for the employee referral on the application. Many major employers now have a field on the application for referrals. Send them your resume and they will take it directly to the hiring manager. Customize your resume using JobScan to compare your resume to the job description. If this is the case DO NOT apply until they tell you to apply. When you do apply online, only apply to one job that you are the best fit for. Risk Mitigation in the Hiring Process The employee referral has become the most reliable method for hiring. It is all about risk mitigation in the hiring process. The two safest hires are: An internal candidate An external candidate with an employee referral These two types of hires make up a huge percentage of all hiring. My guess is it is over 90% because internal hires are often never publicized. When I entered the job market in the 1970’s the average person stayed with a company for 10 or more years. In 2016, the average employment tenure for men in the U.S. is 4.3 years. There is a lot more hiring today than ever before. If you want to boost your chance to get hired, work diligently on building your referral network. Toread the rest of the Targeted Job Search series click here. 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 ...

VWs sci-fi car plant - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

VWs sci-fi car plant - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Solange de Santis excellent book Life on the Line about her experience of working under cover (shes a journalist) for 18 months in a GM van plant gave me the sense that car factories are noisy, dirty, dangerous places. Apparently they dont have to be they can also be amazing, beautiful, friendly, ergonomic and high-tech. Check out these amazing pictures from the Volkswagen plant in Dresden. I think I could live comfortably and in high style inside that building :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related