Is Freelancing For You

Is Freelancing For You Scoring a full time job with a decent salary is no longer the ultimate career dream. These days, more and more people want  flexibility, autonomy and better work-life balance. They  want to be their own boss, manage their own schedules and buck the 9-5 trend. Its not all that surprising that so many people are opting for the freelancer life, considering how lucrative a  consultative career can be compared to permanent employment. When you team the promise of monetary gains with the  freedom of working for yourself, it is not hard to see why so many people are turning to temporary work.  This shift in the way we work is referred to as the gig economy. Its a new world where people offer  their skills and services to organisations for short term projects. Is contracting for you? Here are the factors you need to consider: Control One of the huge allures of contracting is the level of control you will have over your career.  As you are constantly picking and choosing what work you will or wont apply for or get involved in, you will rarely be stuck with menial tasks you didnt sign up for. Contractors are hired to complete very specific briefs, so you can be sure of what youre getting yourself into most of the time. As a freelancer, youre also less likely to be weighed down by office politics and micromanagement.  The temporary nature of your work will likely reduce the impact of colleagues you dont like or get along with theyll soon be a thing of the past anyway! Risk Contracting jobs are generally less secure than permanent ones.  People who have great skills  will  get rehired through recommendations and referrals. However, regardless of how good you are at what you do, contractors are subject to high levels of risk.  When companies need to reduce outgoings, temporary workers are the ones who often get the chop, all in the name of cost cutting. Notice periods and redundancy packages dont apply to contractors. A gentlemans handshake between you and your boss to say that youll be looked after is  sometimes as good as your job security gets. Money A lot of people will see their pay packet increase as soon as they switch to contracting. The amount of cash you take  home each month can be much bigger for freelancers, thanks to hefty day rates that dwarf permanent salaries,  different (more favourable) tax codes  and  less immediate deductions.  However, the pay increase  is not ALWAYS as substantial as hoped,  so check what youre worth before you take your walk on the wildside. Sales Sales pitches are part and parcel of a career as a contractor. Do you enjoy job interviews? It doesnt matter freelancers have to attend them regularly. With career control and working for yourself  comes great responsibility, in the form of pressure to seek  out  and secure new contracts. Some people love the thrill of pitching to clients and showcasing their skills, and view this element as a huge plus in their career. If the thought makes you nervous, you can team up with a recruiter who can help you to pipeline projects through their extensive  contact networks. Support Permanent employees can lean on sophisticated functions that exist to support them in the workplace. Contractors operate as one-man bands and dont have the luxury of an HR department or finance team to sort out their employment affairs for them. They also arent given the same professional development opportunities as full time staff, as they are not as worthwhile an investment.  There are trade associations and professional bodies to support you in your career though, so youre not completely alone.  Also, seeing as there are so many freelancers out there, you can easily join networks to mingle with likeminded professionals! Perks Permanent employees are offered excellent perks to keep them happy in their jobs. Contractors might be paid more, but they dont get the same level of TLC. Sick days, pensions, holiday leave, health insurance and bonuses are not part of  a freelancers contract. So Its important to consider ALL of the factors before making your debut in the gig economy. Do your research and talk to people in your network  whove already made the move.  If you want to chase independence and dollar signs, weigh up your risks first Maybe its time to give  it a go! It could be the start of a whole new you. Image: Shutterstock

Extra Curriculum Activities For Resume

Extra Curriculum Activities For ResumeOne of the most important things a student can do to give a good impression when applying for an education degree is to participate in extra curricular activities. By participating in these activities, they are effectively preparing themselves for their education degree. This is very important and deserves some time in this article.What are the extra curricular activities for resume? Activities that can be considered as extra curricular are any sports related and non-sport related activities. Many students prefer sports because it offers the students a chance to have physical and mental challenges and overcoming them makes them feel that they are truly going to become great people. However, there are many other advantages to participate in sports and these include practicing the importance of being a team player and team work. It is also a good opportunity to learn discipline, dedication and determination.Sports related activities could include i ce hockey, tennis, badminton, karate, baseball, football, cycling, rugby, wrestling, soccer, softball, tennis, swimming, cycling, archery, bowling, chess, guitar, piano, guitar, harmonica, flute, singing, rollerblading, golfing, sailing, skiing, kite surfing, camping, archery, spear fishing, diving, martial arts, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, kite surfing, motor racing, and diving. There are many other activities for this field but these are just some that come to mind. You should research and determine which ones are the most popular among your peers.Activities for extra curricular activities for resume are extremely important to this field because these will increase your interest and promote you to take on more tasks in your education degree. These activities are best to complete as early as possible so that you can be able to handle them with ease when you finish your education degree. Also, during this period, you need to do a lot of organizing of your personal belongings an d finances.Resume preparation or resume writing can be done during this period of time so that you can get ready to apply for your degree. To help you with your resume preparation, you can choose from a number of resources that are available on the internet. You can start by completing the application forms you have previously filled out for your admission to the school you plan to attend.Another one of the extra curricular activities for resume is participation in an internship. This will show the school that you are dedicated to your studies and that you can handle yourself well with daily tasks while still remaining interested in school. By participating in an internship, you will not only learn about what the school requires from its students but you will also learn about what you can bring to the school. As an added bonus, you will have the opportunity to take part in fun and enjoyable activities.The most important extracurricular activities for resume are field trips. You can participate in a field trip when you are already enrolled in your program. While doing this, you can gain many experiences that will make you feel more comfortable in school.All these activities require time, effort and money. If you have been accepted to your dream school, these activities for resume will be a major part of your education program. However, if you cannot afford this, then you can still apply for an educational grant. This is money that you can use to cover your expenses related to extracurricular activities for resume.

How Office Design Can Impact Recruitment and Retention

How Office Design Can Impact Recruitment and Retention Have you ever considered that your physical workplace or even the room in which you host interviews could have an impact on whether your preferred candidate accepts a job offer? Well according to new research conducted by office design company K2 Space, it can. The survey of 1,000 GB-based office workers, undertaken by YouGov,  found that almost half (48%) of respondents agree that the room where they were interviewed would influence their opinion of whether or not to accept a job offer. This was particularly high in Medical Health services at 69%, Sales Marketing at 57%, and Finance Accounting at 53%. For employers and recruiters alike, this serves as a timely reminder that first impressions really do count and that they need to think carefully about the workplace and its overall design and layout. Demographically, the Millennial generation (people born between 1981 1996, aged between 22 37 in 2018) are most likely to be influenced by the interview setting, with 54% of respondents citing it as a determining factor. However, numbers were also high amongst Boomers (born between 1946 1964, aged between 54 72 in 2018) and Generation X (born between 1965 1980, aged between 38 53 in 2018) at 45% and 43% respectively. Company size was also a key variable, with 50% of those working in large organizations (250 staff) more likely to be swayed by where they are interviewed, but only slightly more so than those working in SMEs. The K2 survey also highlights the overall importance of workplace design more generally, with 30% of respondents agreeing that their current office was dated, uninspiring and in need of a complete refurbishment, a trend which is highest amongst those employed in the Hospitality Leisure (45%), Media Sales (40%), and Legal (37%) sectors. Amongst the major issues identified by respondents were a lack of natural light in their workplace (32%) and a shortage of access to quieter areas in their office for eating lunch, reading, and spending their downtime (30%). Almost a third of respondents (30%) would like to see more color, artwork, and graphics incorporated into their office design, while 23% expressed the need for more dedicated private spaces for taking calls, attending virtual meetings or simply concentrating without distraction. Other gripes included the need for better quality of tea, coffee, and snacks (28%), better shower washing facilities (20%) and the option of sit-stand desks (20%). It is also interesting to note that many respondents (33%) feel that the traditional boardroom the centerpiece of many offices over the past 50 to 60 years is a dated concept. Critically, 46% of Millennials surveyed agreed that the boardroom as we know it has had its day. Perhaps there is a case for rethinking the age-old boardroom layout and embracing, smaller, private spaces as mentioned earlier but certainly, with an emerging generation unsure of its relevance, we expect to see future workplaces experimenting with more innovative office layouts. The traditional boardroom may be dead in many eyes, yet meetings will always be an important part of work life. Respondents were asked what could be done to improve meetings in their workplace, with the following results:: Introduction of quiet rooms or spaces to take calls in private (31%) Better integration of technology to facilitate virtual meetings (25%) Redesign of meeting rooms to make them more attractive, fun and inspiring (24%) More informal meeting space instead of formal meeting rooms (20%) More different sized rooms designed for smaller groups (18%) While design certainly plays an important role in many candidates’ decisions to accept a role, it is also a key factor in helping companies retain the very best talent. The research highlights the fact that a dull and poorly-designed workplace is of absolutely no benefit to management or staff; however by creating an environment that reflects the needs of the workforce, both aesthetically and in functionality, companies can significantly improve productivity as well as staff retention and attraction. About the author:  Mark Phillips, is the Managing Director, at K2 Space. Mark has worked in office furniture for over 30 years and prior to co-founding K2 Space, served as Managing Director at Kimball Office, managing their presence and activity on the eastern US coast. Mark works directly with clients to deliver both furniture and office design and build projects and has worked with companies like Toyota, Sketchers, Belstaff and Beats to create amazing new workplaces.

What is Your Myers Briggs Social Media Type

What is Your Myers Briggs Social Media Type Have you ever taken the Myers Briggs test? It is an assessment based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types that looks at what kind of characters people have and is broken down into four categories: extraversion or introversion, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling, and judging or perceiving. These assessments are extremely accurate if taken properly and essential to group constructions for projects and group dynamics. Recently, the developers of the study,  CPP, compared their data to those who use  social media  and the results are fascinating. Here are some of the best parts of the stats of users on the infographic: 69% of extraverts use  Facebook, higher than the 65% average of all people, and more than the 60% of introverts. 75% of feeling people browse once a day but only 23% share about their personal life Intuition people are more likely to use LinkedIn and  Twitter  than Sensing people. RELATED: How Your Myers Briggs Type Determines Career Paths

Technical Writing Editing Resume

Technical Writing Editing ResumeThere are lots of people who are struggling with how to do technical writing editing resume. This is a skill that is difficult to acquire but once mastered it will make a difference. It is important that you know how to edit resumes, since most of the jobs that you will apply for require this skill.Skilled writers are able to make any resume interesting, appealing for the reader. In fact there are many who struggle to know how to add value and punch to the resumes that they write.The purpose of a resume is to get you a job. What this means is that you need to have good work experience, a solid academic record and strong communication skills. By adding these three features you are more likely to get a first interview that may lead to a job. In this case the resume needs to be well written.Resumes are not only required for job seekers. Some companies require resumes to be sent out to potential clients as well.A technical writer can help to correct errors , or make grammatical and spelling mistakes that are present in a resume. They are trained to go over resumes and fix all the errors so that they do not hamper your chance of getting a job interview.Technical writing, editing resume can also be performed on the web. There are a lot of people who submit their resumes to various employers through the internet. They include online job hunters, students, work at home workers, etc.The technical writer can check for typos and other types of mistakes that are present in the resume. He can even go through the resume line by line and look for spelling and grammatical errors. If he finds any then he is expected to change them so that they do not cause any hindrance.Technical writing editing resume is a very important skill that you should learn. It will allow you to move up the ladder faster than anyone else.

Professional Resume Writing - How to Write a Professional Resume

Professional Resume Writing - How to Write a Professional ResumeProfessional resume writing San Diego can be done by just about anyone. Even if you're not a writer, that doesn't mean you can't help out. Simply look around at the resumes of those you know and see if they have a good idea of how to write a resume. If they don't, take it upon yourself to take charge and write one for them.Professional resume writing is not difficult, but it can be intimidating if you're not used to writing. The first thing you need to do is make sure you've got your own direction for your writing project. You don't want to get too caught up in trying to write the best resume possible and lose focus on what you really want to achieve. This is where brainstorming can help you out the most.Professional resume writing San Diego can get stressful when you're just starting out. However, it's very important to realize that it can be done. Although it might be tough at first, the more time you put into it, the better it will become. So, just keep in mind that you have to believe in yourself to be successful at writing a resume.When it comes to writing your resume, the first thing you need to do is figure out which template you want to use and go from there. There are many different templates available. It's all up to you. One of the better templates is free and offers an enormous amount of variety. Another option is to pay for a professional resume template, which will offer you more advanced features that you can use to improve your resume.It's easy to get caught up in the glamour of professional resume writing San Diego, but it's important to remember that it's actually an art form. When you put your heart and soul into aresume, it becomes much more than just a piece of paper. You can improve your chances of getting hired by presenting your own unique resume to the hiring manager.The most important thing to remember when you're doing professional resume writing San Diego is to be organi zed. The more organized you are, the better you'll do. When you don't have any idea what you're doing, it's easy to mess things up and create a sloppy resume. Keep things well-organized by having all of your information organized in your head and using tabs at the top of the document so you can jump from one section to another.Speaking of tabs, make sure you keep your resume organized. There are many places where you can find this type of organizing software and it will prove invaluable in helping you to do a great job with your resume. Try to avoid formatting your resume manually.Finally, the most important thing to remember when writing a resume is to not feel self-conscious. Some people may not like that the information they put on their resume is given to a computer instead of a human, but this is a problem that can easily be fixed. Once you know what you're doing, writing your resume will become second nature.

Use LinkedIn and Technorati to Make Great Contacts - CareerAlley

Use LinkedIn and Technorati to Make Great Contacts - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. Albert Einstein How to use LinkedIn.com as a free marketing tool LinkedIn is based on the six degrees of separation principle. This principle refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is on average six steps away from each person on Earth. In essence, you are six steps away from the president of the United States. Once you create an account on LinkedIn, you will see the six degrees of separation in action. LinkedIn is less of a website for finding and discussing hobbies and personal interests (like Facebook and MySpace) and more of a site for finding business contacts and extending your professional network. The first and most important step when getting started on LinkedIn is to create a very thorough profile. There are three main activities you can explore on LinkedIn to increase your visibility: Use various keywords in the search bar at the top of the screen. You can search for certain people or companies and build your contacts in that manner. If a LinkedIn member is interested in you, they will view your profile before adding you into their network. Search for groups or even create your own group. I would recommend finding an existing group to join that is relevant to interests. Each of these existing groups contains members that are interested in the same subjects you are. Therefore, getting to know these members and adding them to your network can only increase your circle of friends. Go to the answers section and become an expert. LinkedIn users constantly ask questions and answer questions, its one of the most popular features on their site. In a job interview, it is good to mention that you are categorized as an expert on LinkedIn for your profession. The member asking the question may select your answer as the best. By providing the best answers to enough questions, you earn expertise status. Experts are featured on the Answers home page, and in each category of questions. How to use Technorati.com as a free marketing tool If you post quality blogs, you could grow a big audience with Technorati. When you first sign up for Technorati, you should claim your blog. This means you should fill out a paragraph describing what your blog is about, and then properly link your blog to your website. Once you claim your blog, you are going to want to make sure Technorati gets the latest blogs you post. This term is called a ping. A ping notifies a server that content has been updated. You can have your blog software ping automatically for you. This eliminates the need to log into Technorati each time you update content. To do this, just enter http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping into your blog tools configuration. Use the search button to search for high ranking blogs on your niche. To find a high ranking blog, note the authority rank on each blog post. Technorati authority is a system in which points are assigned to blogs based on the number of other blogs that link to it. When another blog links to yours you gain one authority point. You should be looking for authority points over 200. Technorati also allows members to post other online content like photos and videos. However, the main popularity and attraction to Technorati is with its blog content. Thus, you should focus on creating quality blog content and trying to attract as many devoted readers as possible. Michael Volkin is the author of the best -selling Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook which prepares military recruits for basic training. To learn more about his basic training books, click here. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

How to find the work you love -

How to find the work you love - Today, Im happy to share a bit of love from my colleague, Sital Ruparelia. Sital wrote this poem to help careerists everywhere think about what they want to do nextand how to get there. Learn more about Sital via his site: www.SitalRuparelia.com/blog. Roses are red, violets are blue Heres a Valentines poem, I wrote just for you Maybe youre searching for the one job youll truly love A job so special, it fits like a glove Maybe youve set your sights on becoming a career changer To start a new business and become an entrepreneur Or maybe youre just looking for one last romance To grab some me time and precious work-life balance Alas, the secrets of career success are no different to finding personal joy Where the winners get nowhere by being shy and coy To find that job, promotion or brand new lifestyle You need to step up a gear and go the extra mile Step out of your comfort zone and step out onto the wire Take some risks and the occasional flyer Stop hiding behind your inexperience and personal history And build a competitive advantage around your unique story Stop procrastinating and waiting for your ducks to line up in a row The time will never be right so go on, just have a go! Stop putting off the dream until someday When the best time to get started is, in fact, today The world is waiting for you to do the work you love And maybe this poem is the sign youve been waiting for, from up above For today is Valentines Day, a time for celebrating great romances So start scaring yourself by taking a few more chances Happy Valentines day folks, Sital Ruparelia If that doesnt inspire you to start thinking about creating your own future, I dont know what will! ?? If youre interested in a social resume (YourName.com) to start you off on the right path, be sure to visit my new site: YouNeedASocialResume.com. photo by jikido-san