Monthly Archives: February 2010

Author : James Copper

Retraining for a new job can be exciting, gratifying and, frankly, a bit frightening Especially if one has been at their old job for many years, it’s easy to convince one’s self that their prime years are over and that they don’t have the capacity to learn and adapt that characterize younger employees This is absolutely not true and more experienced employees are oftentimes the best choices an employer has if they need to retrain individuals to meet new challenges

Retraining need not entail taking up a whole new field Oftentimes, technological advances greatly change the nature of one’s current job While the fundamental responsibilities and demands may remain the same, the ways by which goals are met may change drastically These changes may mean learning new laws and regulations, learning how to use new technologies or simply refreshing one’s skills to meet a new business reality None of these things are beyond the reach of an experienced, dedicated employee

Adapting one’s skills often involves seeking retraining for a community college or vocational school Going back to school, aside from being a boost to one’s career and earning potential, can be thrilling in and of itself There is the opportunity to network with individuals spanning a wide variety of industries and the opportunity to meet new people on a social basis

Retraining at such places doesn’t always mean learning skills that are entirely new Sometimes retraining means relearning skills that may have fallen into disuse or simply learning a new aspect of a job that is already well-understood

Of course, new computer skills are usually a part of any retraining endeavor Learning how to operate new technology in a classroom atmosphere is enormously more convenient than learning to do so on the job There is room for error, which makes it easier to experiment and stretch one’s skills to the limit without the concerns about making mistakes that could have a negative impact on workflow Retraining in this way often provides a base of skills that can be developed further when one returns to the workplace, confident that they have the knowledge to tackle new challenges as they present themselves

Paying for retraining can sometimes be done by persuading one’s current employer that one has more to offer than is currently being asked Many employers would prefer to train an existing employee rather than hiring a new employee For the employer, this means strengthening a relationship with an employee who has already earned their trust and respect instead of dealing with an unknown variable Ask your employer if they would be willing to pay for some retraining that would allow you to serve your company in a different capacity Community colleges and vocational schools are often very inexpensive If you’ve been trying to find a way to increase your earning potential, consider signing up yourself and retraining in a field that offers more financial and personal rewards You may well find that your new career is well within reach

James Copper is a writer for http://www.tmatraining.co.uk where you can find information on career retraining courses

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Author : Tony Jacowski

Nature Of Work of Finance Professionals

A career in finance involves a whole range of functions, such as determining the impact of decisions that are made in nearly all functional areas on the financial front This includes administering portfolios and formulating personal financial plans for investors, supervising banking operations, evaluating and suggesting company’s capital budgets and strengthening bank relationships

Professionals engaged in the finance industry deal with how individuals and institutions handle their financial resources, the methods they use to raise money, its allocation, and how they use it They also assess the risks these activities involve, and recommend various ways of managing them

Occupations in Finance

The finance sector has a wide range of occupations to choose from You can become a portfolio or credit manager, security analyst, opt for the insurance sector, or become a corporate financial officer, financial consultant or lending officer Below are some of the additional roles that you can pursue:

-Bank Manager

-Financial Analyst

-Accountant And Auditor

-Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate

-Budget Analyst

-Claim Adjuster

-Examiner

-Investigator

-Cost Estimator

-Tax Examiner

-Revenue Agent

Job Opportunities in Finance

The job opportunities in the financial sector are equally vast and varied, a few of which are given here All of them offer a highly rewarding and satisfying career

Commercial Banking – The commercial banking sector employs a greater number of finance professionals than any other area of the financial services industry Jobs in the banking industry have a direct client interface with people from all sections of the society, which offers opportunities for clientele development The starting point would be as tellers, after which people shift to other areas of banking services like credit card banking, trade credit, leasing and international finance

Corporate Finance – This would involve employment in a corporation, generally as a finance officer The main job responsibilities would entail securing financial resources for developing the business of the company The money can be utilized to make acquisitions to expand the company and secure its future

Financial Planning Consultancy – You may set up a financial planning consultancy of your own or seek employment in an existing one This work involves helping individuals in planning their finances for their children’s education, or their retirement needs It requires answering questions and educating clients about risk factors, to help them to invest their money wisely Being employed in a corporate setting is also an option, with a job profile related to future financial planning It would require a firm understanding of investments, estate and tax planning

Investment Banking – Investment banking pertains to helping investors in buying, trading and managing financial assets This field offers opportunities to work in world-renowned investment banks like Salomon Smith Barney, Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch

Insurance – The insurance industry has achieved revenues of over trillion dollars It is one field that has tremendous scope of absorbing finance professionals The work is mainly about managing risks and identifying problem areas According to estimates, it employed nearly two and a half million people in the U S in the year 2005 One could work as an underwriter, customer service representative, actuary or an asset manager, in this sector

A career in finance can be pursued in a wide variety of fields The financial sector offers opportunities that are intellectually and financially rewarding

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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Author : James Copper

Retraining, in simple terms, is the process of providing specialized training to employees to help them acquire new skills or further expertise in their current skill sets In today’s era of economic crisis, rampant downsizing, and frequent job losses, the process gains more significance than ever before

The Need For Retraining

The process of further training works well for both the organization and the employee The benefit of the employees is quite obvious Learning a new skill or polishing an existing skill is a great advantage – it enhances the value of the employee within the organization and the job market outside At the same time, the organization gets employees with multiple skill sets and talents at their disposal It also allows the company to make the maximum out of resources at hand

Usually, the process starts when the organization implements a new kind of technology or process Suppose a new type of machinery is set up or a new version of software package is installed Then the employees should be trained in advance to handle the change in technology Other than the technological aspects, employees are usually trained in soft skills such as communication skills and time management

Challenges Of Retraining

Several organizations are reluctant to send their employees for learning another skill The reason is that such an action does not have any short-term gains It may also cause the non-availability of the employee from actual work for some time But in the long term, the process of further training of employees equips an organization with better options to face recession or a sudden crisis

The reluctance of employees to undergo retraining is also a major hurdle A majority of the staff will be happy with the skills and position they have at present They do not want an additional burden But the recent financial crisis and the resultant collapse and downsizing of large organizations have changed this attitude among the employees to a large extent There are also some employees agree to undergo training in an unfamiliar field of activity But they do not attend the training seriously enough The result is that the whole process becomes a complete waste of time and resources

An organization cannot choose all the employees for providing further training The cost involved in it and the ability and aptitude of the individual employees are constraints for such a blanket retraining Also, it is impossible to provide training on all areas of company’s activities to the chosen workers Computer-related software and hardware works such as data entry and accounting, communication aspects, and clerical jobs are the most suitable for this process of continuous training

Organizations face other problems as well Employees undergo training and acquire new skills But they may leave at any time Imagine the plight of the employer when a worker who has gained further skills at the cost of the company leaves to join another organization So, the management will naturally conduct a thorough scrutiny before selecting a particular person for advanced training in key areas Naturally the employees who are proficient in work and show more enthusiasm about learning new aspects will be given preference for providing retraining

James Copper is a writer for http://www.new-careers.co.uk where you can find information on Retraining

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Author : Tony Jacowski

Get a Mentor

You could try to take charge by getting a mentor, someone that you can look up to and who you would like to be similar to professionally A mentor is a person who knows you and understands your strengths and weaknesses, and is willing to guide you in a manner that will enhance your professional goals If your organization or company does not have a mentoring program, then look elsewhere

Turn to some other professional whom you know in the same field or industry Make sure that your mentor is someone who is several levels higher than you professionally so that you can learn from their career growth Get all the knowledge that you can from your mentor and respect his or her time and experience

Have a Role Model

Having a role model may or may not be the same as having a mentor A role model is someone that you want to emulate professionally, but this does not mean that they work with you on improving your position They may not even be fully aware that they are your role model and you generally only know them professionally, not on a more personal level

Do everything that your role model does, but make sure that you do not become exactly like them; maintain your individuality

Utilize a Skills Coach

This is not a mentor There is a significant difference between a mentor and a skill coach A mentor is someone who is going to be around for an extended period of time to continuously guide you A skill coach is someone whom you hire in order to help you improve your skills and train you in specific manners, such as PowerPoint presentations, sales pitches, or maybe marketing strategies

Study and Train on Your Own

There are going to be many opportunities coming your way – and the best method by which to handle them is by studying and training yourself You can self-study or self-train by doing a several different things Reading business and trade magazines is the best way and is usually easy to keep up with Grab a business magazine on your way to work and read it on the train or in the cab Reading books related to your field or profession is another great way of assimilating knowledge and updates and improves your usefulness in your job

Another great way to get trained is to take an online course relevant to your profession These are great opportunities for those who cannot take time off from work or take a sabbatical in order to take a traditional training course As a professional, you should know that you must never stop learning Keep getting as much knowledge and education as you can Take courses that are a part of a “Continued Education” pathway so that you can earn special certifications These courses are available online and can be downloaded easily Trade schools and training institutions are coming up with these courses regularly

Professional associations

It helps to be an active member of a professional association These professional associations are beneficial in achieving professional goals and taking charge of them Network within your professional association because the more people you know in your profession, the better the chances are for growth and opportunity Attend local meetings, seminars, and presentations in your field or industry

You can get ample knowledge from these in order to take charge of your profession and your goals Attend and sign up for training and other professional development courses and sign up for newsletters All of these things will help you in your professional association When you actively participate, people will see that you are skilled and are more likely to give you opportunities that you would have missed out on otherwise

Volunteering

When you volunteer, you get to expand your network and your experience Being apart of a volunteer program exposes you to different things and different aspects of your profession This will help you to explore and may open new avenues for you and your career that you would have been unaware of previously

For instance, you can do things such as offer to be a speaker at a school, seminar, or presentation You can write articles for websites and newsletters You can also conduct workshops for entry-level people in your profession and you can offer to be someone’s mentor

You alone are responsible for your career progression – and following the tips above can help you get a head start

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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Author : Deborah de Vries

Do you feel as though you never have enough time? Is there a sense of ‘rush’ and ‘urgency’ dogging your heels as you gallop through your day? Would you like to have a greater sense of being ‘time rich?’

Time is such a precious commodity It cannot be re-cycled: it cannot be saved; once it’s gone – it’s gone This sense of time being valuable makes busy lives and jam-packed schedules even more frustrating It’s not surprising: you live in a world of unsurpassed opportunities for work, leisure and more So it pays to develop better systems that support your choices around using your time But it’s not only about great diary systems – it’s also about what you unconsciously do, or don’t do, that is making you feel ‘time poor’

So, here are five great methods of ‘spring cleaning’ your time closet Before you start, just imagine how good it will feel when you have more time to focus on you and what you really want to do in life

Take a moment to focus on all the chores/tasks that you do and choose FIVE that you really dislike doing, or that you feel drain your energy Write them down on 5 separate pieces of paper and then, for each one in turn, answer the following questions:-

1 How important is this task to me – can I live without it in my life? What does it give me? If I can live without its results in my life then could I just stop doing it, at least for a while to see how it feels (for example, ironing: being a member of a committee or group: making regular phone calls from a sense of duty)

2 How important are the results of this task to someone else in my life? (e g partner/children/parents/friends) How would it affect them if I stopped doing it? Do they know how difficult I am finding it right now and is there another way of giving them what they need without my having to do so much work?

List as many ways as possible that you could give what is needed in a different way (and remember, this might mean delegation of some kind) and at this stage DO NOT second guess yourself, just flow with the ideas that come up

For example, if you regularly visit a relative who has come to depend upon your visits, examine in detail what it is you do for them that is draining you? If it’s housework, consider getting outside help If they just like to chat, then change the routine to suit you more – maybe mix some phone calls and emails/texts in to the routine: change the days and times you visit a little and vary what you do when you are together

3 Have I taken on responsibility for this task while assuming I am the only one responsible for it? Have I shared how I feel about it with those that are affected? Would my partner/friends/colleagues be surprised if they knew how it was making me feel and could I take responsibility for asking for help?

4 How would I feel if I no longer had to do this and what would I do with the time and space being free of it would allow?

Now take a minute to sit quietly Close your eyes and breathe deeply Focus on the FEELINGS you would like to have once you have resolved this situation Find words that represent those feelings – for example, you might say to yourself "I feel so much more relaxed: I feel stronger"

5 Now write down 3 things you can do to change each of the situations you have been reviewing Have a look at the list again, and choose the one you want to start with – it may be the one that drains you most: it may be the one that is easiest for you to resolve It doesn’t matter so much which one you choose but that you make a choice and take action on it

REMEMBER – the power to make a change starts with you No matter how hard a situation, once you have decided to make a difference there will be a change – you cannot control the total outcome but you can feel stronger when you face the situation and take action Time is one of your most valuable assets so give yourself time to work through these tips and enjoy more of your life as a result

Deborah de Vries is the UK’s leading provider of guided relaxation and personal coaching programs. She helps people to succeed in mastering life skills to create extraordinary lives. Her audio and written work gives her satisfied clients an authentic and enjoyable way to learn new and powerful ways of being. Find out more here: => http://thewellnessaudioshop.co.uk

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Author : Annette Lode

If you’re a boy and you don’t know how to get girls to like you, you are not alone Boys often have the wrong perception of what girls want If you think that you’re having a problem getting girls to like you because you’re not rich or don’t look like Brad Pitt, then you are dead wrong I’m not saying that you can just walk up to a girl and ask her out without cleaning up and smelling nice That is important too But what turns girls on is mainly your attitude

If you have a great technique, knowing how to get girls to like you won’t even be a question You can make any girl fall for you Just show confidence and follow these guidelines:

Girls love men who are confident and positive Show her how exciting you are and make her notice you By showing positivity and confidence, you’ll draw girls and be the great guy everybody wants to hang out with

Allways be clean and presentable when you’re out You don’t have to look like a celebrity but you have to put some effort into looking good Every girl wants a clean and good smelling guy Do not go out looking like you haven’t showered in days Even if you just need to purchase some groceries around the corner, wear something nice You’ll never know when you will meet someone you want to go out with

Before you say things out loud, make sure you have given it enough though Every girl wants to be complimented, no matter what type they are Avoid using vulgar speech and acting rude to impress a girl Flattery will get you closer to girls, not rudeness If you want something, ask for it

If you want to go out with a girl, don’t be afraid to ask for her phone number If the girl is interested, she will provide you with her phone number From there, you can work up the courage to ask her out When talking to her on the phone, be polite and courteous And again, think before you speak

Make sure to plan accordingly Once you get that date you’ve asked for, make sure to think about how you can entertain her during your date, how to flirt with her If you can, learn a little about her Your goal here is to be fun enough to get more dates with her

Be respectful Girls don’t like it when you act disrespectful, towards them or others, Girls like to feel that you are a gentleman, so act like one You also need to listen to her when she is speaking to you Even if she is not talking to you about something that you find particularly interesting, it’s interesting to her and she need to know that you are hearing what she has to say

By following this few simple guidelines, you can get closer to girls You don’t have to beat yourself up thinking about how to get girls to like you

Read more about how to get girls to like you by visiting my website http://www.howtogetgirlsfast.com/
Arthor:
Annette Lode

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Author : Scott White

You can access your inner personal power for success through hypnosis You have the power to map out a life of success for yourself Everyone has that potential inside of them, but many of us have lost the combination to the vault where our inner personal power is stored Hypnosis can help you retrieve the combination to open that vault and release your personal power Literally speaking, you can hypnotize yourself into success for your life

The concept of hypnotizing yourself for success is not as far fetched an idea as it might seem You will not be walking around in a hypnotic fog unaware of yourself and the world around you, being controlled by some unseen force This common misconception about hypnosis has made millions of dollars for movie studios, voodoo specialty stores, and self-proclaimed witches, but the honest truth about hypnosis is this: through hypnosis you can achieve an enlightened sense of yourself and the world in which you live

Instead of viewing everything in terms of just black and white, you can see bursts of color, and the alternatives that you were blind to because of narrow minded thinking This heightened sense of yourself will allow you to find and release the personal power for success that you hold inside of you

You do not need to have a great deal of knowledge about hypnosis in order to use some hypnotic techniques to open yourself and your life up to more success The subject of hypnosis is very interesting and has a long history of varying usage which dates back to the early 1900′s, if you would like to research this intriguing subject further

There are do-it-yourself hypnosis techniques you can use to program your mind and body for success that only requires a small amount of reading and some repeated practice using them until you have them down pat and can gain the most from using them

Some people refer to hypnosis as new age, despite its historical presence and use in our society This term “new age” can turn some people off They choose to have nothing to do with anything that is coined as new age This is mainly out of fear of the social stigmas that are often attached to practices that are widely misunderstood It is a shame that people have been turned off from experiencing the benefits of hypnosis due to this false interpretation and mis-labeling of hypnosis

Opening your mind to the possibility that there are different and more effective ways to think and feel and becoming aware of the personal power for success you hold to achieve your goals in life should not be a source of embarrassment for you This is an investment in you and the success you want in your life Hypnosis is just one more valuable tool that you can use to help you have more of what you wish for in your life

So many myths about hypnosis exist that you may think that hypnosis is nothing more than scented candles, flutes, and spiritual chanting These things are terrific for setting mood or atmosphere, and can even be useful as strategies for relaxation, or for clearing your mind in preparation for hypnotizing yourself, but these are not the techniques you will be using to hypnotize yourself for success

To hypnotize yourself for success you will be focusing your mind and body on clear goals you set for yourself By focusing your mind and body on your goals and the steps you need to take to get where you want to go, you are preparing yourself for that success to happen Determined focusing helps you to harness and utilize the personal power for success that you have inside of you

You can find numerous high quality references to show you how you can hypnotize yourself for success through books, DVDs, and the internet Hypnosis and NLP (neuro-linguistic proramming) trainers are also excellent resources for providing you with an introduction to self hypnosis and expert instruction on using self hypnosis techniques for more success in your life

Scott White is a Online Personal Trainer NLP Certification NLP Trainer

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Author : Brian Walsh

I am probably the only author who has used a quote from “Chicken Run,” a very funny movie that’s set in a chicken farm that oddly resembles a World War II concentration camp

Many of us spend our lives, or at least parts of them, in self-imposed prisons If this is our own doing, why do we not simply decide to release ourselves? Why not indeed? Unfortunately, many of us believe that we just have to play the hand we’ve been dealt Is biography necessarily destiny?

In most cases, we didn’t create the problem, yet we often perpetuate it How and why? The prison bars are merely some of the patterns in our subconscious These patterns, known as core beliefs, drive most of our behaviors, attitudes, and emotions Some of them perform to our advantage, and some actually work against us When we self-sabotage, we become aware of this imprisonment Any time we notice negative self-talk or doubt our abilities, we are bumping into those prison bars

Where and when do these core beliefs originate? Stay with me here This is so basic that you might just miss the significance Until children reach the age of about seven or eight, their brain waves are so slow that, in a sense, they are hypnotized A defensive shield to ward off misguided influences is not yet in place This protection, known as the “Critical Factor,” is built along with the conscious mind, and is fully-functional around the age of seven

What about before that age? What are the implications of having no defense? This early part of a child’s life is known as the “Imprint Phase” of personality development This is when the patterns are manufactured Whatever a child hears, sees, or experiences is considered 100% valid and true It has to be, because the sources are often giants – namely adults

Patterns that operate against our best interests go hand-in-hand with a brittle self-esteem The environments that spawn this condition are often influenced by parents or caretakers who are perfectionist, or who manipulate through conditional love They are the unwitting caretakers who say things like, “Why can’t you be more like your cousin Jane? She’s always getting good marks ” Or perhaps, “Your room is so messy You’re never going to amount to anything ” These kinds of scenarios inflict incredibly subtle mental and emotional damage In essence, the child’s subconscious mind is being told that it’s flawed; that the child will never succeed and has no right to be taken seriously This is the way fragile self-esteem and limiting beliefs are established

OK, so how do we transform these patterns? Although there are many ways, I recommend hypnotherapy Since the patterns are in the subconscious, you must address them at that level A nationally-certified hypnotherapist can get the belief identified, and initiate a plan for its removal and replacement The first step though, is to realize that you might have these unsupportive patterns that I’ve described here, and to then choose to do something about them Your decision will empower you

And the movie? Ginger, one of the main characters, says, “The fences aren’t just around the farm, they’re up here in your heads ” Truly, fate is a joke You can take control of your destiny, despite your biography

International speaker, Dr. Brian E. Walsh is the author of the bestseller Unleashing Your Brilliance.
Visit Brian’s site

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