How to Attract Big Talent Out of Smaller Cities

How to Attract Big Talent Out of Smaller Cities Step into Manchester, London or Birmingham, and chances are you’ll notice a whole host of industries setting up shop, both opening new branches or arriving brand new on the scene. And its not just smack bang in the big cities; even the smaller towns are getting the attention of entrepreneurs everywhere. So what do you do if you want to be based off the grid, but still want access to the skills and talent that are drawn to big cities?   Not to worry, office furniture suppliers DBI Furniture Solutions has the lowdown on boosting your recruitment and attracting those hotshots. 1. Perks over salary Did you know that 80% of people would actually prefer to have additional benefits rather than a pay rise? Use that to your advantage, and offer them something that others can’t. This is the perfect solution if your pockets aren’t as deep you’d like them to be, and there’s always something you can offer… Working from home Extra holiday, or even unlimited holidays? Help with childcare Company retreats Team bonding days Free parking Free (or subsidized) gym memberships Free drinks and snacks Out of ideas? If you really want to get someone on board why not ask them what would entice them your way? 2. Focus on company culture Just like perks, the importance of company culture has grown massively over the past few years. To stop people hopping from job to job, the company culture has got to be perfect, so don’t overlook it. Focus on creating a great vibe in your office. Here are a few ideas… Avoid the ‘us and them’ mindset. Remove hierarchies and work on establishing a more equal playing field for all. Transparency is key. Whether it’s good news or bad news, make sure it’s communicated out to the wider team as soon as possible. Leading on from that, encourage strong and clear communication at all times. We can’t stress this enough; don’t micro-manage. Not only is it annoying and useless, but it also breeds an air of mistrust. Employee autonomy and managing own responsibilities is a far better route to go down. Encourage passion. Are your employees doing projects that they love? Not sure? Ask them! Then help steer more of these things their way and watch their enthusiasm explode. 3. Get on board with remote working Flexible working is so key and such a big issue nowadays that we believe it deserves an in-depth look on its own. As companies come under more and more pressure to encourage a healthy work-life balance, what can you do to make sure your staff spends some good quality time at home so they can be productive in the workplace. One of the best options is flexi-time, which is where people are allowed to start their working day earlier but also leave earlier. And vice versa for starting later. This can make a world of difference when people have to think about difficult commutes and childcare commitments. The second one is remote working. If you love a candidate but they’d struggle to get into your office every day of the week, then why not extend the opportunity of telecommuting for a portion of the week? Technology really has done wonders for the modern office. 4. Encourage referrals Did you know that a study by the Harvard Business Review found “customers obtained through referrals are both more loyal and more valuable than other customers.” By getting your employees involved in your recruitment process, you’ll have access to a whole wider pool of candidates that you would have never even thought of. Sometimes it really is as easy as who you know! About the author: Nick Pollitt, is the Managing Director at DBI Furniture Solutions.

3 Steps to Finding a Career Youll Love - Classy Career Girl

3 Steps to Finding a Career Youll Love When you wake up, do you feel like you are living on purpose? What would make you feel like you are living for a reason? Many of us dont have an answer to that question. Its not because we dont know what we like to do. Its because weve been conditioned to believe most of our passions are hobbies, while the things we hate doing are reserved for work. While there will generally always be some aspects of your lifes work that you dont enjoy (taxes, anyone?), you dont have to keep settling in every area of your career. Here are 3 steps to finding a career path you can truly enjoy. 3 Steps to Finding a Career Youll Love Step 1 List 25-50 things you love doing. These could be things you have been paid to do or just hobbies, or even basic necessities like cooking. Dont forget soft skills like helping a friend through a tough time, making gifts for family, or how good you are at putting together an ensemble.   Step 2 Going down the list, ask yourself: Would I still do each of these things if I werent paid (assuming hypothetically you had your basic needs met)? Would doing this inspire me every day or close to every day? Does this come very naturally to me? Does this make me lose track of time? Can I possibly make money doing this? Has anyone ever made money doing this? Google around and ask friends to help you with this one so that you dont limit your possibilities. [RELATED: 5 Ways to Find Your Calling] Step 3 Does doing this involve doing something else that I hate? (e.g. do you love dancing, but hate performing, making being a professional dancer very hard?) What percent of my time would be doing things I hate in order to do what I love? Everyone has a different tolerance for the things they have to do in order to do what they want to do. For me, its 60/40. I will do 40% things I dislike to be able to do 60% things I LOVE. But that word, love, is important. If you have 1 or more options left: The quick decision test: When you think of doing each option, does it give you energy? In other words, does it excite you or do you find yourself dreading it? Do you get tired when you think about it? If you get excited and then tired or fearful, its because you love the idea but are afraid of what youd have to do to get there. Many people stop at this point because they dont want to quit the job with good benefits, have to go back to school, or take a risk like people judging them for changing their life course or leaving the big name company. But the initial excitement is instructive you know what you want. Congratulations! The secondary fear or overwhelm was secondary for a reason. Its ultimately less important than what you want. Making a plan with concrete baby steps will help you push through your fear. If you have no options left: There are generally two reasons why you might not have any viable options left. One is that you forgot to list some of your most impressive skills and passions in your initial list because they come so naturally to you that you dont even think about them anymore. Ask a close friend to remind you what you are good at and what you love doing for a fresh perspective. The other reason you have no options left is because you may not see some of your passions as viable job options. Lets say making gifts for friends is something you adore doing, but dont consider that a way to make money. This is another opportunity to ask the internet or those around you for inspiration. They might remind you that you can have your own Etsy store or try a farmers market or festivals. If all else fails, ask how you can be of service in the world. No one ever feels like they wasted their life if they spent it helping others. Youll bring your own flavor to those you serve and feel that sense of purpose that comes from knowing you are making a difference.

How to Spot the Signs of a Great Place to Work

How to Spot the Signs of a Great Place to Work If you’re looking for a new job, remember it isn’t just the job description you should focus on. It’s just as important to look for an organisation which will be a good fit for you, making it a great place to work. It’s where you will spend a significant amount of time and, outside of your family, work is said to be the biggest thing to influence how happy you are. Plus, the more comfortable you are in your workplace, the better you’ll be at your job. We champion the ‘best employers’ initiative which highlights those companies which are great places to work by actively engaging, inspiring and motivating their employees, as this helps to attract the best talent to an organisation. But how can job seekers find out more about a company’s culture and whether they are likely to be happy there before accepting a job? 1) Extend your internet research Most candidates will do internet research ahead of job interviews to ensure they feel prepared to answer any tricky questions. Use this time to also look out for signs of what the company would be like to work for. The website may have a section about the company culture, values and staff wellbeing policies. Social media can show more about the way they like to portray the business, whether it’s fun and light hearted in tone, or serious and professional. There’s also a growing number of forums in which current and previous employees can post about what an organisation was really like to work for. 2) Look out for external accolades An external award for being a ‘best employer’ or ‘great place to work’ is a good accolade to look out for. Whether it’s a local business or industry award, an Investors in People standard or a listing in something like the Sunday Times’ annual Best 100 Companies, these types of commendations are only awarded after the organisation has been judged by independent experts. If you do spot that a company has been given an award, do some further research as you’ll often find case studies which explain why the organisation was chosen as a winner. 3) Ask some probing questions Use the interview to delve deeper into what it will be like to work there. Asking the interviewers to describe the company culture from their perspective and what their favourite thing is about working for the organisation can provide some excellent insights. Questioning when they would expect the busiest periods be in your new role could help you to gauge more about expected working hours, while asking how often staff get together will give an idea about the culture of meetings in the organisation and potentially open up a discussion about general socialising, both in and outside of office hours. 4) Explore the office environment Ask for a tour of where you will be working, including any communal areas. While the work place environment doesn’t necessarily need to have the wow-factor of the famed Google offices, it does need to be appealing to you. Being able to picture where you will be spending your time will help you to build up a picture of what day-to-day life will be like. It’s also a good opportunity to pick up on some more visual clues about the workplace culture and the type of people you’ll be working with. Are desks filled with family photos and mementos? Is the office space designed to be funky and creatively inspiring, or sleek, formal and professional? What are the team members wearing? 5) Compare your salary It’s important to assess if you will be paid a fair salary for your role. There’s various different online tools which will help you to research average salaries for the role you’ve applied for. You can also often find recent surveys conducted by professional associations and trade publications for salaries across an industry. Be cautious if you find that the salary you’ve been offered is under the average in your region, but also consider the additional benefits in addition to the basic salary which may be more important to you, for example car parking, private health, enhanced pension, flexible working. If the company doesn’t pay market rate for its staff but still expects amazing results do you want to work for them? Of course there may be a reasonable explanation â€" it could be a charity or a start-up without a big budget. Nonetheless this is an important issue that impacts long term job satisfaction. 6) Consider the additional benefits The employee benefits offered by an organisation could be what really makes a difference to your day-to-day life, however big or small. Look at the company’s website for details of their benefit package: do they offer medical or dental cover? What support do they provide for new parents? Is flexible working available? What kind of pension contributions does the company make? If this information isn’t publically available, call and ask the HR team or check at the interview. 7) Ask those in the know Ask friends and family to put you in touch with anyone they know who already works for the company. Ask them if colleagues get frequent training and subsequently take on new responsibilities? Can staff implement their own ideas in the workplace? What’s the staff turnover like? 8) Discuss with your recruitment consultant If you are using a recruitment consultant, call and discuss everything with them. A good consultant will have done their own research into the organisation as part of the process of helping them to recruit the right people. We want the people we place to be happy and to thrive and in their new role, as this gives the organisation the skilled, motivated person they need. It’s just as important to us to find the right ‘fit’ and we’re always happy to discuss this in more detail. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]

My Goals For 2019 and How Everything Changed From Last Year [PODCAST] - Classy Career Girl

My Goals For 2019 and How Everything Changed From Last Year [PODCAST] I am so excited to tell you all about what I am focusing on this year, what my goals are, and how everything has completely changed from last year. Of course, I’m creating my goals in our brand new 90-day planner. There’s something about this planner. I feel like my goals are going to happen this year. I’ve never felt this way before. I think it’s because I’m writing them inside of a planner that I dreamed of making. If I can do that, what can’t I do! I’m recording this on January 10th, so my goals are super fresh. If you haven’t created yours yet, no worries! Theres plenty of time to grab the planner, and we are back in stock now. Check them out here.   Just saying these aloud is scary but it’s good! It will help me commit so thanks for listening because I have more of a chance of reaching my goals because of this accountability. Feel free to check in on me! Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud How My Goals Changed This Year: There are so many ways my goals have changed since last year. 1. Last year I didn’t have goals. My mastermind group thought I was crazy. Who is Anna? Is she ok? Well, there is a good reason I didnt have goals. I was pregnant and foggy. Basically, I felt like my brain was a little mushy. But I reached a lot of goals last year by winging it, it was one of our most successful years. I wanted to create our physical planner. We increased our revenue as a business. I took a three-month maternity leave. I expanded my  network by doing interviews on my podcast. 2. Thinking about my blog/podcast and book writing are now my side hustles. They aren’t revenue generating right now, but I do need to make revenue, I need to support my family. We have to be focused on growing my business. But I love writing and I love helping people. I still have to grow the business, but these are the things I love to do. 3. This is our first year of having a physical product. So we are totally experimenting. I am new to figuring out how to sell a physical product. We are new to figuring out shipping. Hello out of stock for a month. Oops! 4. Business isn’t a priority.  I love what we do here, business is important, But I have a lot of personal goals this year, for the first time ever. I don’t want to be a crazy workaholic. I want time with my family. This is the last 6 months before kindergarten and my daughter grew up overnight. Before August I want to soak up this extra free time. 5. No huge launches. We are going to go slow and steady. In the past, we have done huge launches, but this year we are going to do more fun things. So this means more challenges and fun community builders. 6. No new products.  I am just focusing on what we already have and what works. So, really no new courses or memberships. 7. No social media goals or website traffic goals. Those never work and I never hit my targets. I end up kinda bummed. So, this year, I said: I am just going to be myself, I am going to engage, and we are just going to see how the traffic goes. 8. Thinking like a CEO. I read two books that really changed how I think about my business. If you want to read them, they are Traction and Profit First. 9. I feel like I can make personal goals now. Last year we moved too and it was just a crazy year. I am back to my normal self so I can make health, money and relationship goals I couldn’t in 2018. We didn’t want to go overboard with paying off debt because we wanted a cushion for the baby (Dave Ramsey advice). I couldn’t have huge health goals because I was just trying to survive and needed extra calories for breastfeeding, etc. Just getting to a gym was a goal achieved. I didn’t have much time for church or friendships because of survival. 2019 Annual Goals and Why? I am back to regular Anna this year, so now I can make more focused goals. Double Our Business Revenue So now that my focused brain is actually working, I feel like this is a possibility. This is possible without crazy workaholism and being up all night working. Here’s the deal; the more I make that means the more people I help. That is my why. I don’t share my business income. I don’t think that’s important. I don’t promise I’ll help you make a certain amount either. Its just how I choose to run my business. Many other people share this information and publish their income reports. I’m honest and upfront and happy to share, but this is just what I choose to keep internal to our company. Sell 1,000 Planners Oh man, this is scary just to say. 1,000 people using my planner! My why is thinking about all goals and dreams we will help you all reach. We are unstoppable! Think of all the dreams that will be made happen. Write a Book, Get a Publisher Agent by the End of the Year This is scary. I’ve been wanting to do this for years. I have published one book already so I wasn’t in the rush. I want to do it right this time and really be passionate about the topic. I want to put my heart and soul into it and share all of my stories and really help you with this book. It’s THE Book. I still go back and forth on the topic and content. Q1: write a book. Q2: Find an agent and write a proposal. Grow AR brand. Q3. Submit proposal. Q4. Get a book deal. Just saying these aloud is scary but it’s good! It will help me commit so thanks for listening because I have more of a chance of reaching my goals because of this accountability. Feel free to check in on me! Start Planning Your 2019! So I’ve created my 90-day plan and know what the first month is going to look like. Starting to work the plan and it’s working! Use the planner with me! Thank you so much for sharing that you are listening on Instagram! Thank you for sharing with others. That means s much. Thanks for the reviews too. Before we go, one last thing. I wanted to read to you a few affirmations I have been saying to myself. A few of my favorites lately I have been writing down are: I will create the most extraordinary life I can imagine. There are no limits to what I can achieve. I am 100% committed to becoming the person I need to be. My goals are possible. You got this! I am cheering you on! See you next week!

Writing a Resume Without Experience - Is it Difficult?

Writing a Resume Without Experience - Is it Difficult?'Writing a resume is actually pretty easy,' but 'writing a resume without experience' is a different story. You'll find that there are certain things you need to know, and one of them is that you can't simply show up at your local job fair and pretend you have an experience you don't.Writing a resume without experience is actually easier than it sounds. The first thing you should consider doing is finding out the minimum amount of experience you must have in order to write a decent resume. Many employers will ask you to explain why you were hired the way you were. If you have only a few years of experience, be prepared to state what happened before that, and what happened after that.Another way to be able to make sure you can write a resume without experience is to make sure you're educated. Once you've done that, you should focus on those skills and abilities that you want. This will help you when you're writing a resume, because you'll have something to really prove when you're explaining what you've learned in your time spent at the job.There are also some disadvantages to writing a resume without experience. One of them is that your resume will look amateurish, and employers may be put off by this. However, the upside is that you can use what you know, and this will help you show employers what you can do, instead of just showing off your experience.Here are some other important tips for writing a resume without experience. Keep your skills relevant to the job. If the job has very specific skills, make sure that you mention them, but if it doesn't, keep in mind that this will give the employer an idea of what they are looking for.'So, what do I do after I do all these exercises? ,' you ask. That's a good question, and here are some suggestions to get you started.Writing a resume without experience can also be done if you've had some training. When you've been a teacher, a nurse, or someone who has gone t hrough the training of a particular company, you can point this out.A great thing about making your own resume is that you'll know exactly what you're trying to say. Your resume can be more direct, as you can go into great detail about the skills you've had before. Just be sure to stay focused on the best ways to portray yourself and what you can do, and you should be fine.

Leading with Purpose Why How - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching

Leading with Purpose Why How - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching Over the past decade, many books and articles have been written on the topic of finding purpose. A simple Google search of the words, Finding Purpose, produces over one billion results. There is no doubt that purpose is an important and interesting topic for many people. As a leader, having a purpose and leading with purpose is vital to success. Some leaders recognize that lacking a sense of purpose limits their impact on an organization. According to a study from Harvard Business Review, less than 20% of leaders have a strong sense of individual purpose. In fact, many leaders struggle to find purpose. When leading with purpose doesn’t come naturally, many use an executive coach to lead the way. What is Purpose? Simply defined, purpose is the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc. It answers some of the why questions of life. Purpose is personal and unique. Leaders who are driven by purpose find meaning in what they do every day. They can articulate the answer to the why question. Purpose builds resilience. It also cultivates curiosity, empathy, and stability, all of which are needed attributes of a successful leader. Purpose is different from goals. Goals are evolving, but purpose is sustaining. A recent article from Success Magazine, illustrates these differences in purpose and goals. The article describes purpose this way: Purpose releases energy. The higher the purpose, the greater the energy. Purpose also frees us. The more profound the purpose, the greater the sense of freedom. Purpose opens up possibilities. Purpose must be present in order to create opportunities for releasing the energy that impacts people and organizations. A common term for this is servant leadership. Leading with purpose Leaders who embrace servant leadership realize their purpose and the influential power that is common with this style of leadership. Leading with purpose is not selfish; it is rooted in a desire to serve others. Leading with purpose is not done in isolation. These leaders are authentic, approachable, influential, empathic, and most importantly consistent. When leaders are driven by purpose, everyone knows what to expect. There is continuity in their approach to leading, which prevents a Jekyll and Hyde type of leader. Leaders are like the foundation of a building, anchoring the organization and stabilizing the structure. Unstable organizations usually have inconsistent leaders, who are not leading with purpose. In his bestselling book, Authentic Leadership, Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, explains: To become a leader, it is essential that you first answer the question: Leadership for what purpose Bill George? Purpose must be found first. Bill George goes on to say that many people are attracted to leadership without giving any thought to the purpose. Again, this is about answering the why question. He also says, To find purpose, you must first understand yourself, your passions, and underlying motivations. Bill George Executive Coaching and Finding Purpose Having an executive coach as a leader can help in finding purpose. Many highly regarded CEOs work with coaches. Listed below are few core components of how executive coaching helps a leader find their purpose: Challenges their assumptions Identifies blind spots Recognizes and develops strengths Inspires self-reflection and builds self-awareness Holds the leader accountable These are the core components of how working with a coach can help a leader develop. Purpose driven leadership requires a commitment to continuous improvement. A leader never reaches a place of mastery, because life is ever-changing and always presents new challenges. It is lonely at the top. Leaders need to have someone who will listen and walk alongside them. They need a person who is completely invested in their success. This is the core of executive coaching. To be purpose driven, a leader must recognize the value of coaching and the importance of investing in their development. Effective coaching starts with trust. Many leaders are guarded and have created layers between who they really are and whom they want to portray. Purpose cannot be found without being true to one’s self. In the book, Secrets Of An Executive Coach, the struggle of truth is emphasized, At the core of this struggle is the on going process of truth management. Truth management is defined as denying the expression of the unique truth of oneself. Leaders must practice truth management daily, which is critical to their purpose. Curiosity Drives Leaders who Value Executive Coaching The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. Albert Einstein Executive coaching helps leaders stay committed to curiosity about their purpose. What is their purpose telling them? How they can use their gifts to impact others? Successful leaders have become experts in their respective fields. A part of their success is the ability to understand the complexities of their organizations and industries. Executive coaches help leaders bring balance between what has made them successful and what will sustain them. Coaching helps with the blind spots that leaders encounter. It is common for the over-achieving leader not to value listening or advice, much less coaching. This is a dangerous flaw. In her book, The Leadership Gap, well-known executive coach Lolly Daskal says: Failure to be interested in learning or listening is a mistake that highly driven, over achieving leaders make every day. They have soared to the greatest heights on the basis of what they know. But there comes a time when they must rethink everything and ask themselves: What is the gap between who I am and who I want to be, and do I know what it is I still need to learn? Lolly Daskal Executive coaching is a pathway to the lifelong journey of self-development. Larry Sternberg and Kim Turnage, of Talent Plus, discuss the importance of developing yourself in their book, Managing To Make A Difference: No human being ever actualizes their full potential outside the right relationships. Parenting, mentoring, and coaching, exemplify the kinds of relationships that can help shape a person and lead to significant growth. Larry Sternberg and Kim Turnage In conclusion, leading with purpose is an essential part of great leadership. Having purpose without a clear understanding of how to use it is where a coaching is a benefit. We all have strengths, however, understanding how to use them is vital. Strong leadership is about being authentic. Executive coaches can help leaders stay on purpose, and true to themselves. In the book, True North, Bill George describes this authenticity as True North. He says, True North is your orienting pointâ€"your fixed point in a spinning worldâ€"that helps you stay on track as a leader. Bill George He goes on to say that understanding and finding your True North comes from your most deeply held beliefs, your values, and the principles you lead by. Executive coaches help leaders adjust their compasses and help them find their direction, their True North, which is driven by purpose. By Steve Graham|2018-10-17T02:40:45+00:00October 17th, 2018|Motivation, Performance|0 Comments

Apps for Creating Amazing Covershots (For Poshmark Other Social Media Platforms) - Cubicle Chic

Apps for Creating Amazing Covershots (For Poshmark Other Social Media Platforms) - Cubicle Chic Apps for Creating Amazing Covershots (For Poshmark Other Social Media Platforms) Poshmark, Uncategorized December 20, 2015 0 CommentsI’ve gotten this question a lot on Poshmark from people who are curious about how I created some of my cover images. I am spilling the beans today! They’re hardly secrets though, as I’ve shared them on Poshmark many many times.  This is just a way to centralize my helpful tidbits so more people can see!Note: If you’re completely new to this topic, I’d read up on Poshmark’s recommend tips to create amazing covershots here. It’s got some very easy to follow tips on what basic rules to follow!1. Free Templates:  STUDIOTo download, iPhone here, Android here.This is a FREE app that provides thousands of templates for you to use. All you need to provide is a base image (see #2 below). You can edit the text, size of the text and other graphics, remove individual elements, add individual elements, so on and so forth. Here are a few examples I’ve created. Some base images are mine (first row), some images I got from the app mentioned in #2 (second row).2.   Free Base Images:  LINE DECOTo download, iPhone here, Android here.All this app does is providing amazing wall papers for your phone, for FREE. What I’ve started doing is download these cute images and add other elements onto them! And if you use LINE, an instant messaging app that’s gaining popularity quite a lot recently, LINE DECO is created by the same company Below are some examples of super cute images I’ve gotten from LINE DECO.3. Adding Text and Creating Collages:    A Beautiful Mess To download, iPhone here, Android here.This is an app I’ve been using for years. It’s not free, but it costs a measly $0.99. It’s created by the creative geniuses behind A Beautiful Mess blog, and it allows you to create collages of images, and add beautiful text to them! There are quite a lot of fonts, and they’re very unique! It’s well worth the $0.99 in my opinion. Below are examples of images I’ve created using ABM. Top row are all Poshmar k items I’ve sold, row two are collages I’ve created combining different images.4. Photo Editing:  SnapseedTo download, iPhone here, Android here.This is another FREE app, which allows you to edit the tone/brightness/contrast, etc, of your photos. Judging from the last sentence, you probably already know I am  no professional when it comes to photography. So I’m not going to pretend I know how exactly to recommend this app…. I just know it works.  When I am not satisfied with a particular image, I open it up in Snapseed and play with it using all the levers, until I get it right. More often than not, it works out awesomely. See examples below â€"  images on the left are the original, and on the right are the edited versions!