Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Job Interviews - Powerful Tips and Secrets to Help You Change Careers

Job Interviews - Powerful Tips and Secrets to Help You Change Careers
Job interviews are hardly anyone's favourite pastime. In
fact many career changers find the interview process
boring, nerve wrecking and challenging to say the least.
However, with the right attitude job interviews can be a
creative and rewarding experience. The following powerful
pointers can help you excel at traditional job interviews
and make the career changes you desire.

1. Know who you are - It is all too easy to lose one's
individuality in the cut throat corporate world. Before
embarking on a job interview, take the time to find out who
you really are. Self discovery can be achieved through
mental reflection, constructive feedback and specialist
guidance. Your identity does not consist of material
acquisitions and social status, rather your essence,
beliefs and values. Enhance your self awareness and your
confidence will shine through at job interviews.

2. Know where you're from - To get to where you want to be,
you must first evaluate where you are coming from. Whilst
preparing for your job interview, it is important to
reflect on your career history and general life experience.
For instance, if you are unhappy at your current job, map
out two separate sections on blank paper. In the first
section, list the specific things you're unhappy about and
in the second section list what you're happy about (if
any). When you have finished, evaluate the results. Are
there more negatives than positives or vice versa? When
you come across appealing job vacancies, you should
likewise list the positives and negatives of each job role
and make dispassionate comparisons. This will ensure that
you make progressive career changes rather than go from bad
to worse.

3. Know where you are going - Few people set long and short
term goals and fewer people know what their life's purpose
really is. However, the world respects people who know
where they are going in life. Get the edge over other
interviewees by defining what career success means to you
and outlining the specific steps you can take to achieve
your career goals. It's also a good idea to ask yourself
how each new job fits in with your life goals. With better
clarity and focus you will progress steadily career wise.

4. Find the right job - Not all jobs warrant the hassle of
interview preparation, so before squandering precious
hours, first find job vacancies worth applying for. The
ideal job is of course one that will utilise your greatest
talents and give you the kind of fulfilment money cannot
buy. However, you will also need to consider factors such
as pay, commute time, scope for career progression,
organisational values, company stability and so on. Rather
than applying for work in a random fashion, take time to
define your career wants and look out for jobs that meet
those requirements in order of priority. When you focus
your efforts on suitable job roles, your chances of
interview success and career happiness will be
significantly improved.

5. Find your talents - Job interviews are a two way
process; they're not just about what you can gain from the
employer but about what you can offer the latter too.
Thankfully job ads are filled with clues as to the specific
talents and behaviours employers find desirable. It's a
great idea to read the ad at least five times, then to map
out three separate columns on blank paper. In the first
column, write down all the skills and talents required to
perform your ideal job successfully (e.g. computer,
supervisory and organisational talents), in the second
column write down the typical behaviours required of you
(e.g. career minded, self starter and team player) and in
the third column list the ethos and values of the
organisation (e.g. creative, puts the customer first etc.).
Next, ask yourself which of the desired attributes you
possess and tick those off the list. If in doubt ask family
and friends what your greatest talents are and how those
talents match the job description. It is wise to take the
time to discover and develop hidden talents and assets
because they can significantly increase your perceived
organisational value.

Well prepared candidates usually succeed at job interviews.
Keep the above pointers in mind and you too can outshine
your competitors, secure your dream job and enjoy lasting
career happiness.


----------------------------------------------------
Ogo Ogbata is the founder of leading lifestyle and career
design website CreativityandSense.Com. She helps
individuals find financially rewarding work that allows
time and energy for what matters most in life. Visit
http://www.creativityandsense.com for tips and strategies
guaranteed to help you create more purposeful career
changes.

How To Make Concrete Blocks

How To Make Concrete Blocks
Making concrete blocks is a profitable business.They are in
constant demand almost everywhere.They are a commodity
which is used for building all over North America and
nearly everywhere in the world.When you manufacture
concrete blocks you are not making widgets which may be in
demand today but not next year.They are a fundamental
component for all kinds of building from a huge warehouse
to a garage or barbeque in the backyard.As long as people
are building small or large projects the demand will never
die.

For anyone who wants to get into a really solid
business,with low start up costs, the concrete block making
business is almost ideal.It is quite possible to start in
your garage or back yard,using home made molds,to turn out
one hundred or more blocks per day.One person who is
willing to put in a good days work can do this. You make
the molds yourself from plywood and sheet metal and any
handyman can do this in a home workshop.You can start part
time ,working evenings or weekends, and soon build a very
profitable business.All you need is your molds and a supply
of cement,sand,gravel and water.The cost is low and the
profit potential is high.

Working from home,with low overhead costs,you have a huge
advantage over larger concrete block makers,who may have to
pay for expensive premises and staff.If local builders have
to buy from distant sources,the cost of transportation to
bring concrete blocks to a building site is high,since they
are very heavy. You have no transportation costs and can
supply local buyers at a very good price.You can make
yourself a handsome profit.Of course with one person
working alone,using hand molds, your production is limited
by the time and effort involved.

You will reach the point where you can no longer fill the
demand with part time work. You will be ready to go full
time in this very lucrative business.You may also want to
acquire a concrete block making machine,which can turn out
hundreds of blocks in a day.You may need help at this point
and you must have enough space to store the blocks for
drying.The blocks must be dried well for delivery to your
buyers.Concrete block making machines are expensive.You may
feel confident enough at this point to borrow several
thousand dollars to buy your machine.However if you don't
want to invest all that money there is another way.You can
build a machine yourself.

Build a machine yourself?Well it is not as hard as it might
seem at first.There are plans available that will enable
anyone to build a concrete block making machine.The
components are used automobile parts and some sheet
metal.You also need to be able to do some welding. If you
are not skilled at this your local welding shop will do it
for you.Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a
factory made machine you can,for a few hundred dollars,make
a machine which will perform as well as any of them.Presto
you are ready to turn out concrete blocks in high
volume.You can now supply any building project,large or
small,at a really competitive price.

The concrete block making business is almost a no
brainer.The demand is strong everywhere.By taking the route
I have discussed you can't fail.You can work at your job
till you are ready to go full time when the demand for your
product requires you to.


----------------------------------------------------
For more information and resources on concrete block making
please see my website at
http://www.concreteblockmaker.com Here you will find
information on making concrete
blocks,patio slabs,concrete garden ornaments,bird
baths,sundials and much more.

The Business Planning Process: Launch Your Small Business Startup With Success

The Business Planning Process: Launch Your Small Business Startup With Success
Business planning is one of the most important steps
towards building a successful startup business, and you can
use some specific strategies to create a comprehensive
outline. An effective business plan will help you
determine your goals and help you organize all of your
small business ideas with ease. If you've ever been stuck
with too many ideas and not knowing where to start,
business planning will help take the pressure off.
Understanding the business planning process is important
for creating something that works, and something that will
help you reach your goals. Launching your small business
startup is much easier with a clear, step-by-step outline;
here's what you need to know:

Step 1: Organize your table of contents. This will help
you outline each area of your business to include your
mission statement, products and services, number of
employees, and any basic market research information.

Step 2: Collect attachments and appendix materials. These
are especially important if your business plan will be
reviewed by potential investors or business partners, and
can also help with your online business planning strategy.

Step 3: Create a list of key topics and sections. Not
only will this create a cohesive document, but you'll also
be able to jumpstart your business planning process with a
clear 'map' or guide of all your strategies. This list is
especially helpful if you're not sure where to begin, since
you can just put each item down on paper and organize it
accordingly.

Step 4: Assign projects and tasks for each area. This is
an effective business planning strategy as it helps you
break down each goal into actions steps. Assigning tasks
and objectives in this way makes it much easier to stay on
track during each step.

Step 5: Check for grammar, spelling, and even factual
errors. Making sure your plan and notes are clear of
mistakes is especially important if you'll be presenting it
to others. Doing a quick check will also help you
determine if you missed any pieces of critical information
and help you fine tune the final draft.

Step 6: Write up an executive summary for your small
business startup. This is an important step for all
business owners, and can help you pull together the entire
plan in a few short pages. Many business owners turn to
this summary when they need a briefing on objectives during
the course of business, and you can include basic points
and topics as if you were presenting it to a board or
audience.

Step 7: Get an outsider's perspective. While you need to
keep your business planning strategy and ideas as
confidential as possible, sharing your plan with a
trustworthy person can help you catch a few key elements of
your project. Get an objective view of your plan and notes
so you have everything in well-organized and presented in a
logical way.

Business planning doesn't have to be difficult, but many
startup business owners are intimidated by the process.
Take the time to organize the critical areas of your
business and put them in a logical order. Then, break them
down into specific objectives and tasks so you have a
strong idea of how you can be successful in each area. The
time and effort you put into business planning will pay off
for the long run, and help you launch your small business
startup with success.


----------------------------------------------------
Clinton Douglas IV, teaches people about internet home
business. Learn how to make thousands of dollars while
keeping your day time job! Visit his site now; Learn the
insider secrets to Building an Online Business Click Here
==> http://online-empire.vasrue.com