Michael Levitt's Blog, page 99

The top reasons why people change careers

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Unlike in decades gone by, people don’t have a job for life any more. They don’t even stay in the same career. People change careers between 3-7 times during their working lives. 

While it’s understandable that people look for other jobs, what makes people want to change careers entirely? 

Here are some of the main reasons that push people to find a new path in their working lives. 

Job loss

Losing a job is often a catalyst for a career change. Some people decide to retrain for a different sector and others take the opportunity to build their own business or become self-employed. Many people dream about working for themselves and making a career move, but it sometimes takes an unexpected push. 

Change of values

As we go through life, our priorities can change and what used to make us happy, no longer does. Some people decide that they want to do something that makes a difference and helps people and will give them so many chances for growth and development. 

To follow a passion

If someone follows a career path for the money and no longer find it fulfilling, choosing instead to do something they’re passionate about. Perhaps you always wanted to be a journalist or own a pet store. 

There are many retraining opportunities to turn your interest into a career. 

To find a challenge

After a while, work may become unfulfilling and no longer present a challenge. Some people like this, others need to feel a constant forward momentum in their lives. If there are no opportunities to increase the challenge in their current career, then changing it is an option. 

They don’t like their career

Being unhappy in your job can affect every area of your life in a negative way. If you’re working in a field that just doesn’t interest you, or worse, you hate, then it makes sense to look to make a change. 

Many people end up in a career through circumstance rather than a plan. Often, you just take a job to pay some bills, but then you end up staying, moving up the ranks. Before you know it, you’re in a career that you didn’t plan for and don’t really like. 

Or perhaps you used to love what you do and the sector has changed around you. 

You want to slow down and do other things

Many careers leave little time for family and friends, never mind any other interests you may have. In the past, we’ve been conditioned to always want more, to do better and achieve more. But what if you want to move some of your attention elsewhere? Sometimes moving into a less stressful or time-consuming career can free us up to pursue other passions and interests. 

Conclusion

The world of work is a much more flexible place than it used to be. Technology and access to training and education make it easier to change careers than ever before. It’s this accessibility that gives people a greater opportunity to fulfil their ambitions, whatever they may be. 

Using Metrics the Right Way

Photo by Lukas from Pexels

It is something that comes up in every aspect of business. Whether it is in terms of customer acquisition or digital marketing, metrics is something that we can use in every area of our company to improve performance. But metrics are something that we can place a lot of importance on, in fact, too much importance. It is important to use it appropriately, but when it comes to improving your business, how can you use metrics effectively?

Know What You Really Want To Measure

Many companies feel that the more metrics they measure, the better. But the fact is this is not the case. When it comes to measuring certain metrics, especially the marketing arena, you can look at the conversion rates, but you may want to make sure that there is an additional area that you can measure effectively. When it comes to business is selling certain products, an additional metric that is beyond the traditional may very well help. For example, when you are in the business of selling extreme sports equipment you may want to add an extra dimension to promoting the usability and durability of products. This means you may want to incorporate extra metrics with regard to altitude and location. In which case, aligning with a brand like Trimble GPS to measure these can provide an extra dimension. It could reinvigorate so many different areas, not just your metrics, but your brand, and even your sales copy. Because you have genuine tangible results that you can promote. By understanding what you really want to measure, gives you the opportunity to weed out the unnecessary components.

The Frequency of Tracking and Reviewing Measurements

The point of having additional data is to make your promotion decisions easier. When you start to measure specific components, and you find that one area is more substantial than another, you will naturally gravitate towards that. And the great thing is that, in doing this, it helps you to invest your finances into the better areas of the business. This is, in effect, the 80/20 rule in action. 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. And we have to remember that when we are spreading ourselves thin with regards to metrics, there may only be a handful of components that we should really measure. By reviewing the appropriate measurements over time, you will get a far better insight into what will be better for your business.

The Importance of Bringing Your Team Into the Process

You have to incorporate metrics into your business as part of the “standard operating procedures.” Therefore, the more people involved, the more importance placed on the metrics. This is why you need to get the right balance of the right metrics and the right frequency. Once you start to get this correct, you can repeat the process so you can act on every single finding. 

Metrics are important, but it's important to know where they are best applied. Metrics improve performance, but you need to use them wisely.

4 Ways to Prepare for an Exam

Photo by @averye457

Because our memories all work differently, there are many ways in which we can prepare for an exam. Apart from repetition, which is not always the most effective use of time because it involves repeatedly reading over the same material in the hope that it will sink in, we can also turn to online certification exam guides to help with exam preparation. They will allow us to test ourselves with the kinds of questions that we are likely to face in the actual exams. So, bearing this in mind, we shall look at the different ways that we can successfully prepare for an important exam.

Repeated Revision

Revising parrot-fashion, that is the continual reading over of information that we have written in lessons or that has been given to us by way of a printed handout, in the hope that we might remember its key facts, is useful to a point but not always the most effective way of learning. It is not always possible to remember, or at least recall, everything that we read. This is true for most of us, anyway. Photographic memories can, of course, help. So, for this reason, we do need to be familiar with what we have studied but also look towards other approaches. Drawing diagrams might be one method for those who remember images better than they remember words or numbers. Attaching a story to what you have to learn can help to learn it in sequence and assist us with not missing anything out.

Online

There are websites that will allow you to essentially practice the kinds of questions that you are going to face in the actual examination. This saves time and can be considered one of the more effective ways to learn. These websites will prove themselves when you are more easily able to pass the exam, however nervous you might have felt when beginning the revision process. You will be able to cover all the possible questions while obtaining 100 percent of the answers. Free updates and further information and exam guides are also available on these websites.  To not revise effectively, is not to revise at all. You can read and read over the same information but unless you can make it work for you when you get into the exam, then it has been wasted effort in terms of the information that you have read that was either not of use or not remembered.

Examinations matter, so we should do all we can to do well in them. Good results will raise our profile and improve our chances of further education and future employment.

Family Help

What better way to learn than to involve the whole family? They can test you to see that you have remembered the key facts. They can formulate possible questions for you to try and answer. As a cautionary note, though, they will not necessarily be experts in education, making the above online option very attractive in making sure that we are being asked the right questions. Also, you can then go about your revision without disturbing or impacting the time of others.

Learning to Relax

When revising it helps if you can adopt some relaxation techniques. For instance, learning how to slow your breathing down rather than breathing deeply. Taking short breaks can help with focus and concentration. Exercise is an excellent stimulant for the brain and helps with anxiety. Some good exercises to consider revising are swimming, walking, running, yoga, or dance. Perhaps even a combination of these if you have time to fit them in. They will, however, improve your efficiency and receptiveness to revising when you return to it, so will be worth the time and effort spent on them. Apart from the fact that they are enjoyable. Something else to do is to regularly treat yourself in-between periods of revising, as this will improve mood and give you something to look forward to after a productive session of learning. Everyone needs a short-term incentive for what they are doing, despite the obvious long-term gains attached to successful exam results.

For some information on study skills, click here.

So, with all that being said, there are lots of ways to help with revising, from becoming familiar with the material to looking online for help and sample questions. You can also consider enlisting family members for additional help and learning how to not be so anxious about the whole process of examinations.

4 Ways Process Serving Can Help You

Process servers will act on behalf of their clients to give notice to another party, administrative body, or court, that a lawsuit is to take place involving them.  If you are an individual or company, it is useful to have someone on your side who knows the ins and outs of the law and has experience of dealing with people, who in some cases, will not be pleased to be served with legal papers. These types of situations require special and careful handling, and so when it comes down to finding a process server Denver and other major cities are home to plenty of legal professionals who you can turn to for help.

Summons

A summons is defined as a type of legal document issued by a court or the administrative agency of a government. It can be served for a whole manner of reasons and is just the type of document that a process server will be knowledgeable in handling. One of the most common reasons for one being issued is to file a complaint against another individual or company. This could relate to a debt or other legal action. It needs to be served in person and a process server will locate the person and serve it on behalf of their client. 

Divorce Papers and Restraining Orders

In the case of a divorce, papers are issued to both parties. Divorces are not always amicable and using a process server can avoid contact. In fact, sometimes it might be necessary for a restraining order to be taken out to protect one party, which is something a process server will be experienced insensitively and carefully handling.

Process servers will adopt the tactic of not calling ahead of time that they are going to visit, which will in certain situations increase the chance of catching the person to who the legal papers are to be served. A process server will not ask for money in cases of divorce, or where child support is needed, this is where the courts will decide on a fair settlement. They do, however, play their part in the process by making sure that the other party is aware of what is expected of them in terms of the law and the necessity for them to appear in court on a certain date.

Eviction Notices

Invariably, when a lawsuit is threatened, tenants will often leave of their own accord. However, landlords can still file a lawsuit against that tenant to collect what is owed from the time that the tenant was staying in their property. This is where the process server really earns their money because they have the job of tracking down where the tenant, who often does not want to be found, has moved to. Their years of experience in surveillance and manhunts come into play to make sure that papers are served in a timely manner and a court appearance results in which a landlord can recoup their money.

If you are a landlord and would like to read more about eviction, click here.

Subpoenas

A subpoena is a formal order written by a court for a person to appear there to testify. Witnesses can be reluctant to appear often out of fear or a disregard for the law, but with a process server on your side the necessary witnesses can be located, and justice achieved. A failure to appear once personally issued with a subpoena represents a contempt of court and is therefore in itself punishable in a court of law. The process server will make sure that the subpoena is issued in person in time before the court case and they are therefore an invaluable asset in this process.

So, there are four reasons to hire a process server. Each one a potential situation where the recipient of the legal papers may make attempts not to be found. Process servers are experts in their field and typically have high success rates.

5 Ways To Improve Your Warehouse’s Profitability and Organization

Photo by ELEVATE from Pexels

The daily activities in a warehouse can cause a lot of confusion and interruptions in its organization. The orders, receipt, dispatch, and verification of the cash account, invoices, and the goods might take a toll on the employees. It is worse when you set a working schedule but do not meet your expectations. These losses necessitate the need for a change intact. 

To recoup your warehouse investments, you need to have a hands-on approach and provide a productive environment where the business can thrive. There are numerous methods that you can employ to improve your warehouse profits.

Inventory Management 

Inventory management helps you to keep track of your current stock. The organization of your warehouse plays a significant role in ensuring you keep track of your assets. Poor inventory management will lead to loss of goods, unbalanced sales accounts, and time wastage. 

You can use modern inventory techniques that will help you manage your stock accurately. Inventory management aims to maintain and control your stock for timely and accurate delivery. 

These are some of the techniques that you can use:

JIT Technique

The Just-In-Time technique is used to reduce the storage of goods in the warehouse. Therefore, it reduces the workload and storage costs that are used in the holding period. 

ABC Technique

ABC technique prioritizes valuable goods in stock – the goods that contribute a higher profit percentage. The method gives these items priority in ordering, purchasing, delivery, and overall management.

 

Bulk Shipments 

Purchasing goods in bulk helps in wholesome inventory management. It allows you to entirely focus on specific consignments to ascertain their authenticity and proper storage.

Efficient Floor Plan

The different workstations in a warehouse need to be chronologically arranged. The plan should allow for the fluid process flow from receiving until shipment. Your floor layout should accommodate aisles that will help in your movements in the warehouse. 

Ensure you designate each process in its area to avoid confusion and mix-ups during operations. Make that you label each storage facility for easy identification and categorization. 

Movement in large warehouses requires additional machinery and equipment. These machines will ease stock movement within different workstations and delivery machines like the forklift, conveyor belts, hydraulic pallet jacks, cranes, and ceiling fans. 

You should ensure that the equipment is regularly serviced to avoid a mechanical breakdown that will halt the warehouse's operations. Check the different valves and systems in the machines and ascertain if they need replacement. 

You need to appropriately position liquid containers in the warehouse according to the types of liquid it stores. Be careful with the material you choose for your storage containers. Regularly check on the piping systems for any valve or pipe leakages that may be a safety hazard in the warehouse.

 Ascertain the functionality of the butterfly valve at the junctions and work on their replacements if it is necessary. Make sure that you maintain cleanliness in the warehouse. A clean warehouse is safer and provides a peaceful environment in which the business can thrive.

Utilize Technology in Your Operations

The warehouse operators can use technology in the inventory management systems like ERP or database management software. This software eases the amount of work during stock control and audit. 

Monitoring systems like CCTVs and biometric systems play a significant role in ensuring the safety of your warehouse. It gives you control of your warehouse as you can easily spot challenges and hindrances during the operations. 

Perform Quality Checks on the Goods Receive

You should always deliver quality goods to your customer. To ensure that you maintain your level of quality, you need to carry out stock sampling regularly. You can use the various sampling methods to verify the quality of raw materials. This practice will assure you of the quality you purchase and deliver. 

Employees Training

It is crucial to train your employees to ensure that you are collectively working towards the same goal. Educate them on the techniques, safety measures, and how to manage the workshop equipment and machinery. Ensure that you induct them to the floor plan, storage categories, stock control and inventory. 

You can also have team building activities that will focus on improving productivity through teamwork, accountability, and responsibility. Sensitize your team on the importance of good organization skills, communication, safety, and cleanliness. 

To boost the profitability in your warehouse, you need to be keen on your operations. Ensure you keep tabs on the processes in each department. Follow up on the notable challenges and research methods that can improve your operations.

Keeping Your Online Business Productive Is Essential

Photo by Serpstat from Pexels

Just because your business operates online and not in the real world, doesn’t mean that productivity is not essential. There are a number of things that you need to be doing in order to keep your online business providing the high-quality solutions it promises in a reasonable timeframe. If you would like to find out some of the things that you need to do to keep your online business productive, keep reading down below.

Manage Your Employees Well

The first thing that you are going to need to do is manage your employees well. You might be stumped for some ideas as to how you can do this, but it’s probably a lot simpler than you think. All you need to do is make sure that you have a platform where you can contact each employee individually, or in groups where necessary. As long as you can communicate with them as much as you need to, this is the main thing.

We also recommend that you use something like The Cloud to ensure that people can share their documents, and edit them in real time. You don’t want to have to wait for edits to be made, saved and sent before someone else can do their part, so for productivity sake, this is the best solution.

Make Sure You Have A Strong Connection

You need to make sure that you have a strong connection if you want to run an online business. There is no use having an internet connection that keeps cutting out every five minutes because this is going to bring your productivity to a grinding halt. You might want to look into something like power over ethernet to ensure that you have the best possible connection so that you can keep your business moving along the way that it should.

You should also speak to a number of different internet providers and see who can give you the best, and most reliable internet. 

Don’t Chew Off More Than You Can Handle

The final thing that you are going to need to do to keep your business productive is know how much you can handle. If you are biting off more than you can chew, this is going to bring things to a stop while you try to catch up. Instead, know your limits, and don’t accept any orders that exceed the limit you have set for yourself. Your business can only handle so much, so you should stop trying to stretch your business too thin.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do if you want to keep your online business productive. When you lose the productivity of the business, this is where things start to go downhill. You will end up losing customers to this problem because you are not being able to provide in the time frame that you stated, which will lead to the demise of the company.

The Importance Of Education When Trying To Advance Your Career

Photo by Muhammad Rizwan on Unsplash

It makes no difference where you are in your career, it’s always good to try to get ahead and do more. Whether you’ve just graduated high school and you want to move on to something rewarding, or you’ve been working in a career for some time and you want to move forward, or even if you want to change careers completely and try something new, education is a vital next step. This is the case even if you are choosing to start your own business; knowing more than your competitors will help you to advance, and will give you an edge when it comes to finding customers, making profits, and building a thriving business. 

 

Because boosting your education is so important, it’s worth considering going back to school to learn more about your current career or to start a new one. Read on to find out exactly why.

Qualifications 

The most obvious reason for going back into education when you want to advance your career is that you will gain qualifications. These qualifications on your resume will allow you to begin in entry levels positions if they are basic qualifications, but if you take a second degree or a third or you take on the challenge of a masters or even a Ph.D., you can move up the career ladder much more quickly, accelerating your career faster than you could ever do otherwise. 

 

Of course, the qualification you earn won’t just be given to you; you will have to work hard for it, but that hard work means you are learning all the time, gaining the knowledge you need to go further, do more, and gain more success. 

 

Work On Your Soft Skills 

The courses you take for whatever it is you want to do, whether you choose to go to dental assistant school, teaching school, business school, medical school, or you simply choosing to go back to college to earn a general degree in something that interests you, won't just give you knowledge about the subject at hand; you will be able to work on your soft skills as well. 

 

Soft skills are something that an employer will be looking for (or, if you intend to start your own business, they are something that will benefit you in that regard too), and being able to demonstrate that you have them in abundance will benefit you greatly. Soft skills include communication, time-keeping, organization, and teamwork, and they are the kinds of things that will stand out to an employer who is looking to offer someone a promotion. 

 

You Will Impress Your Employers

Career advancement can certainly happen through a lot of hard work and dedication, but if you can speed up the process with a new degree and qualifications, then that’s even better. Putting in the hard work for a degree – and letting your boss know about it – will definitely play to your advantage, and your employer is sure to be impressed that you are taking the initiative to learn more about the sector you are working in. 

 

When the time comes to offer a promotion, this is going to go in your favor, as your employer is going to want to promote someone who is showing willingness and going above and beyond the norm. 

How To Keep Your Small Business Secure

Image Source - Pexels

Physical Security 

Keeping your premises, equipment, and staff secure should always be the main priority no matter what kind of business you run. Luckily the physical threats that are often associated with running your own company can be assessed and reduced, starting off with the installation of a closed-circuit television system. A CCTV set up will allow you to constantly monitor both the inside of your workspaces as well as the perimeter, keeping a solid copy that can be used for reference whenever you may need it. Investing in a grandstream device will also give you the chance to link your live video up to your computer or smartphone in order to watch your camera at any time, which can be a brilliant help for those who often work remotely. Installing a quality locking system on each of your doors will stop those who seek to gain unauthorized access to your premises, so provide your staff with their own key or swipe card that lets them move about your workspace with ease. 

Online Security 

In recent years the need to focus more heavily on online security is growing greater and greater, as there are so many new threats on the internet that threaten to cause your business to come crashing down. Investing in online security measures will help you to avoid such a catastrophe, so there’s no time like the present to begin implementing some tech-savvy tricks to reduce the risk. Be sure to train your staff to use complex passwords that utilize capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters, and do not allow them to visit personal websites whilst operating on commercial equipment. Teach the importance of email safety, explaining to your team that opening an email attachment from an unknown source could see your whole business come crashing down. It can also be of real benefit to source and install a firewall or antivirus software, as these can identify and remove any potential threats to your system before they become a real issue. 

Keeping your small business as safe and secure as it can have never been so simple when you can take the time to make the most of the brilliant tips and tricks that have been carefully detailed above.

Why Digital Marketing Is Your Best Friend

Image by launchpresso from Pixabay

If you own a business, then it’s highly likely that you’re going through a tough time right now. It might be that business is thriving and you can’t keep up or it might be that you’ve had to close down or have lost customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless of what situation you’re in, if you’re not spending time and money on digital marketing then you should be. Digital marketing has never been so important and as people are online more than ever before as they are spending more time at home, then you need your business to be there too. If your business is new then while there might be a lot of other things to focus on, it’s worth looking for digital marketing tips for start-up businesses to get you going. If you don’t have a digital marketing strategy then here are some reasons why you need to get one asap. 

Your Business Needs To Be Visible

When you have a good digital marketing strategy it means that all the hard work you have put into your website won't go to waste. It means that people will always be able to find you, whether it’s because you are on their social media feed or at the top of a google search when they need something related to your business. Either way, you’re in people’s minds which is where you need to be, so that even if people don’t need to use your business at that moment, they’ll be the first they come to when they do. 

Your Customers Are On Social Media

As mentioned, more people than ever are getting online and not just because it’s 2021 but because right now there is a global pandemic that is stopping people from meeting up with each other in person. Right now the world is relying on social media to speak to and to see their friends and family. So if you’re looking for customers, the best place to find them is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat. These platforms give you fantastic opportunities to reach and connect with your target audience and are great places to advertise your business too. These social media sites allow you to target particular locations, likes, interests, and social groups, which means that you only send your adverts to those who are relevant. Another thing about using social media for your digital marketing is that it is so cheap and you can spend as little or as much as you want to. 

It’s the future

People don’t trust a company who is stuck in the past. For example, if you’re giving out dated-leaflets or your website looks like it was made twenty years ago, then what does that say about your business? It tells people that you’re not up to date, you’re not modern, and that you don’t put much effort into your business. If this is the case, then will you put much effort into your customers? Keep up with your customers and the competition and go digital in every way you can. 

3 Tips For Supercharging Your Content Strategy

Credit: Unsplash

Creating engaging content comes with its challenges. Knowing which platforms to use, which editing systems are best, and how to record analytics can feel overwhelming. Once your business is off the ground, focusing on content will help take things that step further. Utilizing social media and content will increase your presence in the digital sphere, attracting new customers, and propelling the momentum even further.

Up your social media game

Having a social media presence is key as a marketing strategy. This doesn’t mean just setting up the accounts, putting in the basic information, and leaving it be. Being active on social media will become more natural once you have learned the ropes.

Take steps to develop a full social media strategy, having particular posts go out on certain days of the week. You could have a #TalkThursday every week, including a different discussion topic, sharing relevant insights from polls and consumers. This is an excellent way to gain crucial insights to drive your content strategy even further while providing valuable content for your customers too.

Using an online system like Trello, you can pre-plan your social posts. This ensures that enough content is going out at a consistent rate while giving you the option to shuffle things around.

Making the most of social media doesn’t just mean putting out content but increasing your brand awareness and getting to know your audience. As people begin to engage more with your content, they will learn more about your business’s identity, and in turn, you will learn to understand consumer trends in a way that drives innovation.

Living in an age dominated by technology, social media is a tool simply too powerful to ignore. Doing give-away competitions, comic posts, video content, and having unique imagery are successful yet simple strategies for boosting engagement. As you experiment with different techniques, you will find the best ways to grow your audience using social media - and these will become invaluable to you.

Make the most of video content

Creating video content has never been easier, with many people turning to iPhones rather than the more expensive option of professional cameras. 

Using an iPhone does not necessarily mean your video content can’t be professional, though - with the right editing tricks, tips, and equipment, your audience won’t know the difference.

Despite its power as a marketing tool, it’s important to be strategic with video content and not assume it will be successful on its own. Video content is much more likely to be engaged with when it looks professional. High-quality subtitles and attractive thumbnails are some sure ways to drive traffic to the videos.

Videos are the type of content people engage with the most. While people enjoy blog posts and articles, they are much more likely to click on a video than read something. 51% of Marketers in 2018 cited video content as having the best ROI. Essentially, people prefer content that is easy to digest and entertaining.

The key to catching people’s attention in the first place is creating aesthetic video content. To create truly compelling videos, invest in an iPhone filmmaking kit. The option to rent equipment means that for any upcoming project or campaign, you can have the right gear to make your content look professional and clean. Optimum lighting, edgy camera angles, and high quality will give your video content that extra component to stand out.

Let the analytics guide you

Perhaps the most important point to remember when developing your content strategy is analytics. Let the data drive your decisions and help you assess which strategies are working best. 

Most social media platforms have analytics embedded, meaning you can easily record and export data surrounding your content. Using these analytics helps you to make smarter, more informed decisions. 

Using analytics will tell you more about who your audience is and what type of content they prefer. Not every post will get high engagement rates, but becoming aware of trends will help you establish what is or isn’t working and why. As you run campaigns and plan future content, you can feel more confident that it will reap results.

Engagement rates do not always reflect the quality of content. Sometimes, particular times of day are better than others for posting. Other factors include using the right keywords and hashtags; getting your head around this will help you to beat the algorithm and ensure that your content is gaining maximum exposure. 

A successful content strategy requires both a creative flair and a data-driven approach. Finding a balance between the two allows for compelling content based on relevant consumer trends, driving your content onwards and upwards.