Everyone wants to know the secret, as can be seen by the massive success of the film of the same name. However, have you ever stopped to think exactly what a secret is? It’s only something you know that other people don’t – or vice versa!

How does this relate to your career? First of all, one of the biggest growth industries at the moment is Personal Development. Everyone wants to know the secret that will make them rich, thin, attractive, more intelligent, healthier and so on. Of course, there isn’t just one secret, there are many ways in which people can make lots of money or shed unwanted pounds, but if you have the knowledge and someone else wants it, your “secret” is valuable.

A couple of examples for you: a chef from mainland China told me the secret ingredient which makes sweet and sour sauce taste so good. One of the biggest secrets I know is how to fill in a supporting statement on a job application form.Of course, neither of these are secrets at all, but if you don’t know the “secret”, you won’t get the great dinner or the interview.

It’s easy to see how this can be applied to self-employment – you can create a product, such as an e-book or a video which teaches your target niche your particular secret and how to apply it in their lives. It could be a practical secret, like how to build a deck, or create a particular hairstyle or it could be how to fill in a tax return. Or how to set up a blog like this one!;

But can you also apply this technique to getting a job? Read More »

Popularity: 75% [?]

Did you know that there is a very disturbing trend in the developed countries? One which threatens to eradicate the hard-earning savings of many parents? In fact, you may already have one or two kippers lurking in the kitchen late at night, eating the last piece of cake and leaving a stack of unwashed dishes in the sink. And if it hasn’t already happened – beware, there could be a potential kipper innocently doing his homework as you read this.

In the UK alone, over seven million adults are still living at home with Mum and Dad: and believe it or not, 2 million of them are over 30, and yet another million are close to 40. They have a very fishy name – Kippers – Kids in Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. And the Kipper phenomenon is emerging in all first world countries, especially Japan, where these young people have an even more derogatory name – parasite singles. What’s going on?

More young people are going to university than ever before and they are leaving education with huge debts and finding it difficult to get suitable employment. With no job and house prices soaring, their chances of getting on the property ladder are non-existent. Read More »

Popularity: 65% [?]

Not many people are born knowing which career to follow and if you aren’t one of them, a portfolio career could be the answer. You may feel jealous of the lucky few who decide at an early age, follow through on that childhood decision and are happy in their jobs.

However, if you aren’t among them, you are in the majority. It’s a different story for most of us – we end up in a job either by chance – the opportunity arose and we took it. Or perhaps we followed the advice of an influential adult, taking up a career because a teacher or parent thought we would be good at. Or take up a particular subject because we find it easy and then drift from school into college, studying the same easy subject and then whatever job most graduates in the field choose, even if it isn’t what we really want to do .

Even if you did make a more conscious career choice, you may find in a year or two that you are not really enjoying your job. This isn’t an unusual situation and arises because each of us has a unique personality. Like everyone else, you have your own package of skills, preferences and knowledge. This is where the problem lies – jobs just aren’t created to fit individuals, it’s the individuals who are expected to fit into the jobs. Read More »

Popularity: 66% [?]

Careers advice is often given very little time in the school curriculum. As a parent, you are probably concerned about what your kids will do in the future. So many young people leave college with a huge burden of debt and then have difficulty finding a job. And quite a few end up in jobs they don’t enjoy, but feel obliged to take in order to pay the bills and pay off the debt.

How can you make sure your children avoid this situation? There are several steps you can take to help your kids make good decisions and find a career they enjoy.

First of all, encourage them to talk about what they are interested in doing after college. Then suggest that they do as much background research as possible. This will help them to see the steps required to reach their goal, and increase their understanding of what the job involves. Get them to look at related careers, if the one they have initially chosen proves to be unsuitable.

Once they have a firm idea of what they’d like to do, help them to find relevant work experience which will give them an insider’s view of the career. Alternatively, help them locate people already working in the field who are willing to talk to young people about what they do.

One crucial point - never try to push your own ideas on to your children, however tempting it might be. Think back to when you were a teenager yourself – the career your parents envisaged for you was probably the last thing you wanted. Even if you are right, keep quiet – let your children reach the decision themselves. Read More »

Popularity: 41% [?]

Self employment is becoming an increasingly popular career choice in a world with fewer secure jobs. It can provide an extra income for individuals and families or replace a job lost through redundancy or unemployment. It can also provide a welcome source of revenue for those who have retired with insufficient pensions. Young people are also setting up online businesses to fund their college education.

How can you decide if self-employment is right for you?

There are a number of factors to consider:

Are you self-motivated?

In other words, will you get out of bed early and be at your desk on time without a boss to notice your arrival time? And will you get on with work, rather than phoning friends, surfing the internet or watching daytime TV?

Are you prepared to do whatever it takes?

When you start up in business, you’ll have to do everything for yourself, unless you have the funds to pay someone else. This means doing everything from the accounts, to buying stationery, answering the phone and emails, as well as getting on with providing the goods and/or services which form the basis of your business.

Are you persistent?

It can take time to get a business off the ground, especially if you are starting on a shoestring budget and you may have some initial setbacks. However, it’s important to keep going despite this.

Can you cope with isolation?

In the initial stages of a one-person business, you’ll spend many hours alone. Some people find that they crave the company of others and long to go back to work for the social aspects which come with employment.

Can you focus?

It’s important to be able to focus on your projects to see them through to completion. If you jump from one idea to the next, without completing anything, you’ll not see any profits.

Are you a risk taker?

Entrepreneurs have to be able to take risks and although you don’t want to do anything rash like re-mortgaging your home, you have to be prepared to take certain risks or your business will never move forward.

Do you have a good business idea?

The internet is making it possible for thousands of people to start a business with very limited financial resources. And of course there are thousands of opportunities for offline businesses. But do you have an idea which will succeed?

If you are seriously considering setting up a business, but undecided as to which one, you will find some solid ideas in the books “20 Ways to Make 0 per Day Online”.

If you buy through my link I will receive a commission.

Popularity: 36% [?]

A CV or resume should be easy to read and
must be neatly set out. It is an important piece of
paper, as not only is it the document which could
get you an interview, it is also the first impression
you will make with your potential employer.
If you follow the tips below our CV will look
professional and will be easily scanned by
prospective employers.

Some basic rules:

Paper

• good quality white paper
• standard letter size
• always send a top copy, never a photocopy.

Length

• two pages for most CVs
• one page for school leavers
• longer only for academic CVs or
• very senior posts

Consistent layout

• double check your margins and tabs

• make sure everything is lined up properly.

Consistent font

• choose one font and stick to it throughout

Consistent headings

• use the same format for all your headings

If you need help with your resume, you’ll find all the information you need in Resumes which get Results.

Popularity: 52% [?]

It’s really important that you target your CV
or résumé to highlight the requirements of the job you are applying for.

When employers are scanning a batch of CVs – and remember they
may have to look at several hundred – they will spend 20-30 seconds
on each.

That means that you have 20-30 seconds to make an impression!

So, if you are applying for a job as a secretary, does the employer
want to know that you worked for 3 years in a factory? No!

Does the employer want to know that you are an accomplished
dressmaker? No!

Does the employer want to know that you got an A in Art? No!

Does he or she want to know that you can type 65 wpm? Yes!

Does he or she want to know that you can take shorthand at 120 wpm. Yes!

Does he or she want to know that you are proficient in Microsoft Office? Yes!

Whatever the employer wants, comes first. The rest can be included, but not highlighted. Whatever is related to the job should stand out, so that the employer sees it within that crucial 20-30 seconds.

It is usual, at least in the UK, to go back only 10 years on a CV, but it depends on the individual situation. In some cases it would be more appropriate to have a heading “Relevant Experience” under which you list the jobs which relate to your application, even if they aren’t in chronological order. Other jobs can be included briefly below these.

More tips soon – please subscribe if you’d like to be notified as soon as they are posted.

Popularity: 43% [?]