Think SMART with a Remote Workforce

Think “SMART” with a Remote Workforce Regardless of your business arena, whether that be retail, recruitment, insurance or healthcare, or a myriad of industries in between, one thing almost every business owner is now adapting to is managing a remote workforce. It would have seemed near inconceivable when we were established 25 years ago to imagine we’d be holding voice or video conference calls across multiple sites or sharing live data from a hand-held device while having lunch parked up in your car. But this is the world we now operate in and, done right, it should be embraced. In essence, businesses with a remote workforce should be working towards a unified communications system that can be used to drive a business forward and not just be deemed as a necessary evil that places demands upon time, resource and the bottom line. Cabling and connectivity will, no doubt, still play a pivotal role in helping a business to succeed. However, my advice is to adapt a five-point “SMART” plan, and it’s one we are championing here at TSI. Stay connected Meet anywhere Appreciate your colleagues Reach out Trust 1. Stay connected Get cloud based unified communications to replace your on site PBX telephone system, including an “app” that runs across all of your devices and computers. This will allow your employees to stay on top of work and in touch at all times. And, stay connected anywhere so all remote staff and office-based staff that occasionally work remotely can use one device for all land, business and personal calls. We are now seeing apps that can detect whether a personal or business call is being made so numbers can remain private and professionalism is kept at the fore. 2. Meet anywhere Like the famous drinks adverts of the past, all workers should be able to stay connected “anytime; any place anywhere” as I have mentioned above â€" and without exception this should include meetings. This way we can create a virtual meeting room that is quick, clear and simple. The new mobile, or remote workforce relies upon ease of use and speed of process, so make sure they are equipped with mobile software that allows them to manage and partake in conference calls and video meetings with minimum hassle and at the touch of a button. We are all striving for ways to improve our business communications strategies and simplifying the processes for our colleagues when away from the office can help to ease this. 3. Appreciate your colleagues Sometimes it’s not just the technology that needs to be robust, we need to remember that our greatest asset is our people. Remote working can at times be lonely, or a remote worker may feel that they are not part of the wider team. Of course, it’s important to meet up regularly for face-to-face meetings but, when this isn’t possible, make sure they are included in all communications and that they are part of on-going development. Internal messaging, or employee benefit apps that co-workers can communicate through enables everyone to keep in touch and feel “loved”. Insist everyone is working from the same platforms and give them the “tools for the job” even if a little more investment is needed to obtain the right software and seats. After all, they are worth it. 4. Reach out Reach out and collaborate. While email has been fantastic for file sharing in recent years, it can be rather clunky for your staff to manage while on the move. Remote employees need to be able to share files in real-time with enhanced security so all parties, including internal colleagues and clients, can rest assured the file will only be read by its intended recipient and without any associated buffering issues.   Unified messaging allows colleagues to access voice and video messaging from any location and any device. Ensure the latest technology is available to all remote workers. Not only will sharing be made easier with the right, collaborative software, it will be more efficient and will enable faster sharing of larger files that can often slow down in the sending or downloading process. 5. Trust Finally, it’s vital that your workforce is trusted. Likewise, that you work with suppliers you also trust. A reputable and reliable telecoms company should have in-house teams able to deliver all services you require, and not outsource the installation because they don’t have their own CSCS certified engineers, or have departments that don’t speak to each other and know what is going on. Unfortunately it’s not unusual to never speak to the same person twice. If communications fail, and this may indeed happen at the most inappropriate time, you need the assurance it will be dealt with fast â€" more so when your workforce may be spread across multiple sites and regions. Have systems in place with your supplier to enable a swift and successful contingency plan. By following these five key points, you will be thinking “SMART” in relation to your remote workforce. Things are changing, much of it down to hosted unified communications that affords businesses with the benefits of a cloud-based service to manage all the above and more. We can provide businesses with end-to-end solutions regardless of size and it’s important to be equipped to deal with the “now” and to be future-proof to maintain that competitive edge in the future. About the author:  Steve Kyprianou, managing director of TSI.

Pick Me Resume Template Giveaway

Pick Me Resume Template Giveaway Pick Me Resume Template Giveaway You submit your resume with one overarching hope. You want hiring managers to choose you over other candidates. The challenge is making that happen. The average HR person may see dozens and dozens of resumes for a single job listing. If yours is the same, linear, black and white resume, it’s likely to get lost in the crowd. It won’t matter how well qualified you are. Hence, you need a professionally designed, attractive resume, that is sure to catch someone’s eye, select Pick Me resume template for this mission. Pick Me has a unique, inverse design. Your profile picture is located to the bottom left, and your profile takes center stage at the top left. Because it’s a vertical split design, the right side of the resume is reserved for your work experience, education, and skills. This template uses greys, blacks, and a muted red. We think it’s sleek, professional, and attractive.You can download it for free today and customize in MS Word within a few minutes. And don’t f orget to pair this design with a killer cover letter to maximize your chances of getting hired! File size: 178 KB Format: .docx Downloaded 3,307 times License: Free, personal use only. Please read the license terms for resources. Download previous article Choosing a Career â€" What Job Can I do? next article 12 Best Resume Templates To Download and Start Sending Out Today you might also likeCadmium Yellow: Simple, Yet Elegant Resume Template

Uncovering Many Brand Misconceptions with Martin Lindstrom - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Uncovering Many Brand Misconceptions with Martin Lindstrom - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I speak with Martin Lindstrom, who is one of the premier branding legends.   He spends a lot of his time consulting Fortune 500 clients, speaking, writing books and researching trends in branding.   During this interview he uncovers some brand misconceptions and reveals the truth, using his experience and research. Martin, in your words, what is the difference between a corporate, product and personal brand?  What strategies have you learned over time that can help build each? I think the fundamental ingredients should be the same but in todays world theyre not. We tend to justify that when you build a product brand that you can be more rational, that youre user rational with personal brands and in-between with corporate brands. But in reality it shouldn’t be like that. Remember brands are in principal all about emotion and the better we are at wrapping a product or service or a person around an emotional aura the higher price we can charge. That said there are of course situations where you can do that (as you need to generate immediate sales) so a classic ration Im working with is to say: Personal Brand = 90-100% emotional focus 0-10% rational (I.e. talent) Corporate Brand = 80-90% emotional focus 10-20% rational (Id love it to be 100% but only few cases is able to do this like Apple) Product Brand = 40-50% emotional focus 50-60% rational What makes brands so compelling that they create raving fans?  Why do Apple enthusiasts wait in line for 48 hours to receive a T-Shirt and sleep over night to get an iPhone? The secret is communities when it comes to the Apple story Ive been in extensive contact with a film crew which is producing a movie (soon to be released in the U.S.) called MacHeads. Theyve told me that the core of Apple is 3-4 communities which burn for Apple so much so that theyre are like evangelists thats the secret.  If they were gone the Apple brand would fade. What are the common buying myths and what are the truths?  Does sex sell still? Sex doesn’t sell controversy does. Special offers doesn’t sell   limited offer does. Transparency and 100% accessibility doesn’t sell mystery and limited accessibility does. Were rational and buy stuff with our rational mind forget everything about it 85% of everything we buy is decided in our subconscious mind. Subliminal advertising doest exist you bet it does and happens every day.and the list goes on and on. What is mirror branding and what are somatic brand markers?  Why are they important? Phew thats a big and interesting question. Mirror branding is the fact that were hardwired to imitate -so much so that we rarely question why we buy we just do it. Now finally were able to explain why and how. It all links with our mirror neurons neurons which helps us to imitate and in reality feel empathy now we know when theyre activated and thus can migrate this amazing insight into the world of branding. Somatic markers is an amazing discovery and ironically it has never been used in the world of marketing before. When Socrates was teaching his students he slapped them on the chin whenever he said something important. They never forgot the message (who can blame them receiving a slap from Socrates). This is a Somatic marker   it is a book mark in our brain which well never forget it is so dramatic that it over time even creates a short-cut and just based on few signals initiates a chain effect which makes us do certain things. What  did  the  scientists  discover  when  drawing  parallels  between  religion  and  powerful  brands? How can we use this information to build powerful brands? That there indeed is a strong parallel between powerful emotional brands and religion. What weve learned from this is the creation of a 10 point list of ingredients which brands in the future needs to build into their strategies a plan which by the way reveilles why brands like Apple is doing so well and why other brands struggle. What are the three most bazaar pieces of research you uncovered when writing your book and how will they impact branding moving forward? That the Nokia tune (which I told the executives at Nokia they should promote because it was so powerful which they by the way did later on .) has become a negative Somatic Marker this means when people hear it they instead of loving the brand begin to hate the brand. Martin Lindstrom is recognized as one of the world’s primary online branding gurus, defining ten groundbreaking Internet-branding rules in 1995. A leading thinker in his field, a visionary and an educator in the rapidly growing field of online branding, Martin Lindstrom has authored several best-selling books, including his latest book, Buyology, on the use of emerging techniques for building strong, international online brands. Co-founder of BBDO Interactive Europe (later renamed Framfab), Europe’s largest Internet solution company in 1995.   Throughout his career, Lindstrom has provided brand-building advice to international companies including LEGO Worldwide, Mars, Pepsi, Mercedes-Benz, VISA, Quicken and Yellow Pages. He is a member of several international boards including Wotch.com, Hitwise and eKit.com.

The more consumable formats the better - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The more consumable formats the better - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career People are drawn to media in many consumable formats. Whether it be audio, video, magazine, blog post or more, people are in tune with their preferences. If your blog only offers standard text posts, then those that consume media differently will be swayed to subscribe to other blogs that provide that service. If youre hosting audio podcasts on your site and your readers are more visual, then you are losing that opportunity as well. In light of this idea, I provide my readers with just about every form of media you could want, including a magazine, podcast TV series, blog posts and more. If you notice, each blog post will have some sort of visual corresponding to the text. I think a picture says more than a thousand words and its especially important for personal branding. As a brand, you want to communicate your brand message through many channels. If you are on-the-go, youre more prone to take a magazine or newspaper with you, or a podcast on your ipod, than several blog posts. Some formats are meant for online and others for offline purposes. Either way, the more options you can provide your readership, the better. Id like to highlight Fast Company Magazine, Jeremiah Owyang using Utterz, ProBlogger for his blog posts and YouTube for their video sharing platform. Just about anyone these days, have the tools to tap into these formats and syndicate them through a blog. Whether youre a programmer or a CEO, you can start a blog in just a few minutes using WordPress. The biggest problem people have is that they write blogs taking their own preferences into account and not their readers. Why not just ask your readers for feedback or suggestions? Isnt that what a blog is for? The conversation you have with your readers is the value-add to your blog, business or even personal life. Go ahead, give it a try. Personal branding exists through content. Building content translates into building a community for your brand. We all have personal brands, but through our own preferences, we convey them to others differently. I may be more comfortable with a video, whereas another person may feel more comfortable twittering. Those that succeed at the highest level will manipulate multiple channels to convey their messages.

Advance Writing Skills Can Help You Find Better Jobs

Advance Writing Skills Can Help You Find Better JobsIf you've been looking for ways to boost your resume, you're not alone. Today, more companies are turning to resume writing services to assist them in the creation of a comprehensive job application.It's becoming increasingly more difficult to find someone with a basic skill set to help with resume writing. Often it takes an extra degree or certification to earn the same kind of respect that a professional in the field is getting. Not only that, but if you're getting hired for the first time, the competition for jobs can be quite fierce.So how do you get ahead when you're submitting your resume? Luckily, there are some proven tactics that can help you get there. First of all, you need to make sure you're using the proper format for your resume.One of the biggest mistakes that many people make is trying to use a basic resume when they've got many relevant experience. Instead, use a resume that has plenty of information on it, includi ng employment history, education, awards, professional affiliations, awards, certifications, and so on. This will allow you to be far more appealing to the hiring manager.Another thing you need to pay attention to is your resume's ability to stand out in a company environment by using a neat, easy-to-read font. Your resume should also be designed to make the reader want to learn more about you and what you do, rather than just looking at the information listed on the front of the page. This will make you much more professional and more likely to be hired for the position you're applying for.Finally, your resume should also be visually stimulating, providing the reader with a clear picture of your abilities. For example, consider including a section on the talents you have as well as a detailed description of any internships or work experiences you might have had. By providing both these pieces of information, you will provide the hiring manager with a clear picture of who you are.By simply incorporating a few tips like these into your resume, you can increase your chances of being selected for a new job. With these techniques, you can find out whether you're getting the results you need. In most cases, hiring managers are impressed by the fact that you took the time to get your resume looking professional.When you're trying to prove to a hiring manager that you have a lot of experience and expertise in the area you're applying for, the only way to do it is by showing them that you're utilizing new skills. Using advanced writing skills can help you do that.

3 Tools to Quickly Build Your Brand and Online Visibility

3 Tools to Quickly Build Your Brand and Online Visibility Are you looking for a tool to help you quickly build your brand and online visibility? These tools offer just that! According to Jobvite,  93% of recruiters will review a candidate’s  social profile before making a hiring decision. Isnt it important that they find the best possible stuff about you? The best way to do this is to build a personal website with your name as the domain (website address). But that sometimes sounds to complicated or too much of an investment. These three tools offer a way to quickly create an online portfolio or page summarizing your expertise and skills. Building your brand and online visibility is only the first step. Once youve created your profile, the most important step is to make sure you share it through social updates and email. Lets start with an overview of the products and their features.  By the way, they all have a free version (or you can upgrade for greater functionality). about.me about.me is a single landing page to showcase who you are and what you do. Key Features of About.me A single destination online to give your pitch Add a callout button to drive visitors to take action Add links to social media sites Choose your design layout See the pricing options for expanded features here. You can add links and add social media buttons to help people find your profiles and connect with you there. VisualCV VisualCV has some features that make it a bit different from the others. I wrote a post about them  here. Key Features of VisualCV Becomes an online portfolio (accepts multi-media uploads) Track resume views and downloads Choose from Multiple platforms/formats: web, mobile, and PDF format Spread the word and share the link to your VisualCV Content Uploading the content is as easy as selecting your LinkedIn profile or if you prefer, you can use the Word version of your resume or PDF. I would encourage you to include links to content related to you and embed images to make this a portfolio of your work, not just a clone of LinkedIn or your resume. It is obviously simple for someone to download a pdf version of your portfolio.  This service doesnt offer a contact option,  so it is important for you to include your email address if you are interested in being contacted. VisualCV says By default, contact information (such as email, telephone) is hidden on public CVs unless you use the special share links that the system provides. This ensures that only people that you have explicitly shared the link to will be able to contact you. I might suggest you include your email address as yourname [at] email [dot] com which makes it a bit more difficult for unscrupulous organizations/individuals to scrape your information. You can choose from several different layout/formats as a free user. Key Words/SEO Since this has lifted content from your LinkedIn profile, it should already contain the appropriate keywords throughout your content. Also, be sure to name the resume using your name so that it shows up in search results. Sharing Once youve finished your VisualCV, it will prompt you to share it. Remember, what good is your profile if no one knows about it. Share it with your network. Include the link to your VisualCV to your social profiles, including LinkedIn. Cross-listing these profiles is a good way to ensure it is discovered. You can even include a link to your VisualCV in your email signature. Analytics Assess how many people have clicked on your page using the analytics provided by VisualCV. When you use the email my profile option, you will receive notification from VisualCV when the emailed link has been viewed. You can also track the number of views. Branded.me [UPDATE, this is no longer available] But keep reading, more tools are below! Dont Forget About SlideShare You can also use Slideshare. You can see examples of visual resumes on SlideShare here. More Tools for Brand Building and Online Visibility It seems like new tools appear and often disappear. But I wrote about other tools like these to build your brand and online visibility. You can see them here Demonstrate Your Social Prowess: Create A Visual Resume.

What My Five Careers Have Taught Me Top 10 Lessons of Career Reinvention - Kathy Caprino

What My Five Careers Have Taught Me Top 10 Lessons of Career Reinvention I’ve significantly revised my career numerous times over my 25 years of working, and each time, I’ve learned some powerful, surprising lessons about myself, my capabilities, perceptions, misconceptions, and about what it takes for me to attain what I want. Each career shift led me down a new path, and often, the destination wasn’t at all what I’d hoped or planned.   Huge mistakes were made, certainly, but what I’ve learned has been of great value and utility, allowing me to focus ever more closely on what matters to me. As I examine my trajectory, my career paths have involved the following fields, industries, and skills (or a combination of these): Copywriting and marketing â€" in scientific publishing New product development and market research â€" in book clubs, publishing and membership services Marketing â€" professional book clubs Product Management â€"  in consumer membership services Marriage and Family Therapy Life/Career Coaching Entrepreneurship Women’s Career/Executive Coaching Writing, Speaking Marketing Consulting for Entrepreneurs Executive Recruiting In remembering who I was as a youngster and young adult, and all the endeavors I loved throughout my life and the roles I’ve assumed, I can now see core, recurring themes about who I am and what I love to do,  including: Understanding human behavior Helping address people’s needs Serving as a empathic listener Discovering and testing new models and creating new solutions Transforming chaos into order Identifying compelling messages/benefits and finding well-matched receivers of those products/benefits Communicating through writing, speaking and performing Using positive thinking and positivity models to be of help Connecting people with endeavors they thrive at Supporting people through dramatic change I’ve marveled at how my deepest values, preferences, and interests have remained almost unchanged since I was a child, and I’ve seen this same phenomenon in hundreds of folks I’ve coached. The key lesson I’ve learned through my career reinventions is thisâ€" what you loved as a child and young person you most likely still love.   And the key to having a fulfilling professional life is to find the right form in which to honor the essence of who you are and what you love. As one of my favorite authors, Maria Nemeth, of The Energy of Money says, we’re all happiest when we’re giving form to our Life Intentions in ways that support our lives and help the world.  So what have my numerous careers taught me?   Here are my top 10 lessons: 1)           Starting over as a beginner is a refreshing, and empowering step that keeps you engaged and enlivened 2)           Being a non-expert reconnects you to your humility 3)           You need a great deal of help from others to be who you want to be 4)            You have core skills and talents that long to be utilized in this lifetime (and you’ll be sick and sad if you deny them) 5)           If you’re doing something you love, but the form of it doesn’t fit your life needs and priorities, you’ll suffer 6)           You can’t hurry love â€" you won’t succeed if you’re in a desperate rush to be great at something you love 7)           Applying yourself to something new reaffirms your courage, gifts and weaknesses, and what you need to heal in yourself 8)           There is absolutely no security or stability except in what you feel inside of yourself 9)           There is no perfect career â€" there’s only the perfectly imperfect journey of applying yourself to something you love and value 10)     Embracing a new professional identity changes you because of the new realities you create (which is completely different from dreaming about it from the outside, for all eternity) I remember being moved after reading this beautiful passage from Viktor Frankl’s powerful book, Man’s Search for Meaning, (a MUST-read book for everyone), and it has stuck with me all these years: “…The person who attacks the problems of life actively is like a man who removes each successive leaf from his calendar and files it neatly and carefully away with its predecessors, after first having jotted down a few diary notes on the back. He can reflect with pride and joy on all the richness set down in these notes, on all the life he has already lived to the fullest.   What will it matter to him if he notices that he is growing old? Has he any reason to envy the young people he sees, or wax nostalgic over his own lost youth? What reasons has he to envy a young person?   For the possibilities the young person has, the future which is in store for him? “No thank you,” he will think. “Instead of possibilities, I have realities in my past, not only the reality of work done and of love loved, but of sufferings bravely suffered.   These sufferings are even the things of which I’m most proud, though these are things which cannot inspire envy.” In the end, it’s about living life to the fullest.   If finding new work is something you dream of, all I can say to you is, “Do it.” What new work do you dream about doing?   Do you have the courage to make that dream a reality?