Dealing with a bullying boss can be challenging, especially when preparing for an appraisal. However, it’s essential to approach the situation calmly and professionally. What is an appraisal and why is it so important?
The Context for Appraisals:
Workplace appraisals, or performance reviews or evaluations, are a structured and formal process by employers to assess and review employee performance, progress, and contributions within an organisation. There are several vital reasons workplaces conduct appraisals:
Performance Assessment: Appraisals systematically and comprehensively evaluate an employee’s performance and achievements over a specific period. It helps supervisors and managers gauge how well employees fulfil their job responsibilities and meet expectations.
Feedback and Communication: Appraisals offer a platform for constructive feedback and open communication between employees and their supervisors. It allows both parties to discuss strengths, areas for improvement, and career development opportunities.
Goal Setting and Alignment: During appraisals, employees and managers can collaboratively set new performance goals or adjust existing ones. This process aligns individual objectives with the organisation’s broader goals, promoting better focus and motivation.
Employee Development: By identifying strengths and weaknesses, appraisals help pinpoint areas where employees may need further training or support. This promotes professional development and enhances job satisfaction.
Recognition and Reward: Positive performance appraisals can lead to acknowledgement and recognition of an employee’s hard work and accomplishments. It may also pave the way for rewards, bonuses, or promotions, boosting employee morale and motivation.
Performance Improvement: For employees who are not meeting expectations, appraisals can highlight areas for improvement and provide an opportunity for corrective action or additional training.
Identifying High Performers: Appraisals help identify high-performing employees who consistently go above and beyond their roles. These employees may be considered for leadership positions or other opportunities within the organisation.
Documentation and Record-Keeping: Appraisals create a formal record of an employee’s performance, which can be helpful for future reference, such as when considering promotions or making employment decisions.
Legal and Compliance Reasons: In some industries or jurisdictions, performance appraisals may be required for legal or compliance purposes to ensure fair and consistent evaluations.
Workplace appraisals are valuable for promoting employee growth, aligning individual and organisational goals, and fostering a positive work culture. When conducted effectively, they contribute to improved performance, increased employee engagement, and more robust team dynamics within the organisation. An appraisal is a two-way conversation where you, as the employee, also discuss your future development, dreams and career aspirations. You should take an active part in your appraisal and decide beforehand what you would like to achieve from the process.
Dealing with an appraisal from a bullying boss
To prepare for your upcoming appraisal, dealing with a bullying boss can be an emotionally challenging experience. However, there are some steps you can follow to ensure you are prepared for the appraisal and are armed with all the information you need to protect yourself and your professional reputation.
Documenting incidents of such behaviour is a crucial step to protect yourself and ensure your concerns are taken seriously. Here’s why documenting incidents is essential and how it can significantly benefit you during the appraisal process:
Validating Your Experience: Keeping a record of bullying or inappropriate behaviour validates your feelings and experiences. When you put these incidents down in writing, you acknowledge their impact on your well-being and work environment.
Establishing Credibility: Your boss’s behaviour might be questioned or challenged during the appraisal. Having a well-documented account adds credibility to your claims. It shows that you are serious about your concerns and have taken the time to gather evidence.
Maintaining Accuracy: Memories can fade or become distorted. By documenting each incident promptly, you ensure accuracy in the details, making your case more reliable and compelling. Be honest when recording the incident. You must avoid a biased account of events. Be 100% truthful by recording your actions as well as your bosses.
Demonstrating Patterns: When you have a record of multiple incidents, it becomes easier to identify patterns of behaviour. This pattern can reinforce the seriousness of the issue and show that it is not an isolated occurrence.
Preparing for discussion: Your documentation will be valuable during the appraisal discussion. It allows you to recall specific incidents and express your concerns coherently and confidently.
Aiding in resolution: The appraisal process might be an opportunity to address the issue and seek a resolution. Providing a coherent account of the incidents and their impact will help your employer understand the gravity of the situation and take action.
Protecting Your Rights: sometimes, documentation can be evidence in formal proceedings if you need to involve HR, a mediator, or even pursue legal action to protect your rights.
When documenting incidents, include the following details:
Dates and Times: Record the date and time of each incident to create a chronological order of events.
Incident Descriptions: Be as detailed as possible when describing each incident. Include specific actions, words, or behaviour displayed by your boss.
Witnesses: Note the names and contact information of any witnesses present during the incidents. Their testimonies can strengthen your case.
Emotional Impact: Describe how each incident affected you emotionally, mentally, or physically. Explain how it affected your productivity, motivation, and overall well-being.
Supporting Evidence: If you have any relevant emails, messages, or documents related to the incidents, make copies and reference them in your documentation.
Documenting incidents is a proactive step toward resolving workplace issues and fostering a healthier work environment. Use your documentation during the appraisal as a tool to express your concerns, seek understanding, and advocate for positive change. Your well-documented account will show your professionalism and determination to address the issue constructively.
Supporting Third Parties:
If you need to involve HR, a mediator, or seek legal help, having a well-documented account of incidents gives them the information to investigate and address the situation more effectively.
If the bullying or inappropriate behaviour affects your work performance or well-being, your documented incidents can provide context during performance appraisals or evaluations. It helps your employer understand how the behaviour has affected your professional life.
Remember to keep your documentation secure and confidential. If possible, share it only with trustworthy individuals who can provide support or guidance as you navigate the process of addressing the problem. Documenting incidents empowers you to take control of your situation and seek a resolution that ensures a healthier and more respectful work environment.
In Conclusion, when you Prepare for an appraisal
Dealing with a bullying boss during an appraisal can be challenging, but remaining calm and professional is essential. Documenting any events or incidents of bullying behaviour is crucial to protect yourself and ensure legitimacy during the appraisal process. Details you should include in your documentation contain dates, times, incident descriptions, witnesses, emotional impact, and supporting evidence. Some benefits of documenting incidents are validating your experience, establishing credibility, maintaining accuracy, demonstrating patterns, and preparing for discussion.
Employers may consider taking appropriate action by providing a coherent account of incidents and their impact. Documentation can also serve as evidence for legal action if necessary. Appraisals provide a platform for performance assessment, feedback and communication, setting and aligning your professional career and personal development goals. An appraisal is also there to reward your performance and any improvement throughout the year. The process is designed to identify dedication and commitment to the job and company. If your bullying harms you mentally, emotionally, and professionally, it may be time to look for a new position.
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Starting a new job is an exciting opportunity that can bring with it plenty of nerves and uncertainty. With all the complex procedures, rules, and expectations to consider when joining a new team or workspace, what should you wear? When do you show up? How do you make sure colleagues remember your name on day one? As daunting as the situation may feel, one can make many easy adjustments to ensure you are starting your first shift correctly. This article discusses critical tips for ensuring your first day goes smoothly and confidently.
Research the company and role you will take on – make sure you know what to expect.
Researching the company and the role you will take on is crucial in preparing for success in your new position. Familiarising yourself with the company’s culture, mission statement, and values. This will help you understand what is expected of you and identify areas in which you can contribute and excel. Researching the responsibilities of your role and any relevant industry trends. This will help you hit the ground running and make a positive impact from the start. By investing time in your research, you will be better prepared to meet and exceed the expectations of your new employer, contributing to your own personal and professional growth.
Put together a professional outfit that is appropriate for the job and environment.
When dressing for work, it’s essential to balance looking professional and feeling comfortable. You want to make a good impression but also focus on your work, not your outfit. Start with the basics: a tailored blazer, a pair of dress trousers or a pencil skirt, and a button-down shirt. From there, you can add accessories to make your outfit more interesting, like a statement necklace or a bold pair of heels. Remember the environment you’ll work in and dress appropriately – you don’t want to be underdressed or overdressed. By putting together a stylish and practical professional outfit, you’ll feel confident and ready to take on whatever the workday brings.
Familiarise yourself with the location – practice getting there beforehand, so you know exactly how long it will take.
Preparation and familiarisation are essential for getting to a new location. Taking the time to practise your route beforehand can save you a lot of stress and time on the day of your visit. By doing this, you’ll be able to gauge precisely how long it will take to get there, considering potential traffic or complications. Plus, being familiar with the route means you can relax and focus on other aspects of your visit, knowing that you have the transportation aspect taken care of. So, be sure to practice getting to the location beforehand for a smooth journey.
Plan your meals beforehand – bringing a lunch or planning where to eat can help put your mind at ease.
Planning your meals can significantly benefit your overall well-being and reduce stress levels. Whether you bring your own lunch or have a plan for where to grab a bite, having a set schedule for your meals can help put your mind at ease. Not only does planning save time and money, but it also allows you to make healthier food choices and avoid the temptation of grabbing a quick, unhealthy option on the go. By planning your meals, you can prioritise your health and well-being and enjoy each meal without worrying about what you will eat next.
Reach out to colleagues in advance. – introducing yourself before the first day of work can make the transition easier.
Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking, especially when building relationships with your colleagues. However, reaching out to your future colleagues in advance can make all the difference in easing that transition. A quick email introducing yourself and expressing your excitement to join the team can go a long way. It shows initiative and eagerness to integrate into the company culture, allowing recipients to start a conversation and offer their friendly welcome. This step can help set a positive tone for future interactions, leading to a smoother start in your new role.
Get an early night’s sleep – being well-rested can help ease the stress of starting a new job.
Starting a new job can be a daunting experience. One of the best ways to prepare for the challenges ahead is by getting a good night’s sleep. When well-rested, we are better equipped to handle stress and are more alert and focused during the day. Sleep also plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being, helping us recharge our bodies and minds to perform at our best. So, priorities sleep if you’re starting a new job. By giving yourself the rest you need, you’ll be better equipped to tackle whatever comes your way with confidence and clarity.
In conclusion – First day in a new job
Your first day in a new job can be a daunting. The more prepared you are, the better you will be. Take the time to research the company and role. Put together a professional outfit that is appropriate for the job and environment. Familiarise yourself with your route to work so that you avoid any unexpected delays on your first day. Plan your meals ahead of time so that you don’t have to worry about lunchtime logistics. Ensure that you get an early night’s sleep – this will all give you confidence in starting this exciting new opportunity. With these steps taken care of beforehand, your first day at work should enable you to immediately make an informed and positive impression!
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Are you preparing for an upcoming interview? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the details and logistics involved in showing up on time and ready to impress? From selecting and ironing the right outfit, planning your journey there, and researching the company to having multiple copies of your CV, you must have everything prepared to ensure your application makes it through. However, with careful preparation, this process can be more straightforward. In this article, we’ll cover all these aspects in detail so that nothing important is forgotten! Read on for tips and tricks for a successful job interview experience.
Research the company – Learn about its history and values to show enthusiasm and interest.
To impress a potential employer, showing that you have researched and understand the company’s history and values is essential. You can distinguish yourself from other job applicants by demonstrating your enthusiasm and interest in their organisation. Review the company’s website to better understand its mission, values, and culture. Explore their social media channels and read any news articles or press releases to stay current on their latest developments. The more knowledge you have about the company, the better equipped you will be to showcase your skills and experiences in a way that aligns with their values and goals.
Have a copy of your CV on hand during the interview.
During an interview, it’s always best to be prepared; having a copy of your CV on hand is one way to do that. It shows that you’ve taken the time to review and familiarise yourself with your work experience, and it can also help steer the conversation in a positive direction. This extra documentation can also show the interviewer how serious and committed you are to the job. Add a copy of your CV to your interview checklist – How to prepare for a job interview.
Dress for Success – Business casual attire is often a safe bet.
Regarding professional attire, balancing being comfortable and looking polished is essential. Business casual is often a safe bet for those who want to dress for success without feeling too stuffy. This dress code typically allows for more comfortable clothing choices while maintaining a professional appearance. But what exactly does “business casual” mean? It can vary depending on the company or industry, but a good rule of thumb is to opt for clean, well-fitting clothing in neutral colours. This may include khakis, trousers or skirts, collared shirts, and blouses. By dressing the part, you can exude confidence and show you’re serious about your career.
Plan your journey in advance to make sure you arrive on time.
Whether heading to a job interview, business meeting, or just trying to catch a flight, arriving on time is crucial. That’s why planning your journey ahead of time is so important. You can confidently avoid the stress of rushing and arriving at your destination by taking a few minutes to map out your route, check for traffic updates, and look up the public transport schedules. It’s also a good idea to allow extra time in case of unexpected delays. Whether you’re travelling by car, bus, train or plane, a little preparation can go a long way in ensuring that you arrive on time and are ready to take on whatever the day may bring. If you are driving, find out where you may park. Do you need a parking permit, or will there be off-site parking? How long will it take you to walk to the interview location if off-road parking?
When should you arrive before the interview starts? How to prepare for a job interview.
A rule of thumb, aim to arrive at least 20 minutes before the interview is due to start. This will give you enough time to park the car, get off public transport and find where the interview will take place. 10 minutes before the interview, enter the building and speak to the receptionist or person who opened the door and explain why you are there and who you will meet. As you wait, this will give you time to settle your nerves and prepare for the interview.
Practise typical job interview questions with a friend or family member.
To prepare for a job interview can seem daunting, but there are steps you can take to boost your confidence and increase your chances of success. One effective strategy is to practise answering typical job interview questions with a friend or family member. By doing so, you’ll not only become more familiar with common questions, but you’ll also gain valuable feedback on your answers. Practising with someone you trust can also help you feel more at ease and prepare for unexpected curveballs.
Think of examples showing your skills and experience relevant to the job.
When showcasing your skills and experience, you must draw from concrete examples showing your proficiency in the areas relevant to the job. Perhaps you have gained extensive experience in project management through successfully leading a team to complete a complex task, or you have gained excellent communication skills by working in a customer-facing role. Whatever your unique strengths may be, it’s essential to highlight them in a way that highlights both your skills and their applicability to the position. Doing so shows your suitability for the role and showcases your enthusiasm and commitment to contributing to the team.
In Conclusion – Prepare for a job interview
To ace an interview does not have to be daunting! Preparation goes a long way. Do your research and learn as much about the company as possible. Have a copy of your CV in hand. Dress appropriately and professionally for the position you are applying for. Business attire is often the best choice. Getting there on time can make or break your chances, so plan and leave with plenty of buffer time. Last but not least, think of examples that show your skills and practising on-the-spot responses to common questions beforehand can give you more confidence when it comes time for the interview. Even when it may seem overwhelming, preparing for an interview is essential to landing that dream job. – relax and show them what you’ve got!
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Are you ready to enter or re-enter the job market? Are you searching for your first opportunity? If so, ensuring your CV stands out is vitally important. Your information and skill sets need to grab a potential employer’s attention instantly. Writing a tailored CV is vital if you want to be noticed by recruiters. Still, it also provides an opportunity for self-reflection as you consider how best to position yourself in the job market. This article will give helpful tips on creating a solid CV, focusing on showcasing relevant skills and successes so employers are motivated to note what makes you unique!
Start with an overview of your qualifications to give potential employers a snapshot of what you bring.
In today’s competitive job market, it’s crucial to highlight your unique strengths and experiences to stand out from the crowd. When crafting your CV or cover letter, focus on your relevant accomplishments and skills rather than listing every job you’ve ever had. Think about what sets you apart from other applicants and emphasise those qualities. Maybe you have a rare skill set in your field or achieved outstanding results in a previous role. Whatever it is, showcase it. By highlighting your most substantial assets, you’ll make a lasting impression on potential employers and increase your chances of landing your dream job. Focus on relevant experience and accomplishments, emphasising the skills and successes that make you stand out from other applicants.
For Example:
As a recent Oxford University graduate studying law and politics, I have exceptional learning and recall skills. I am confident that my skills and experiences will significantly benefit any potential employer. I have a proven track record of analytical research and practical data application and interpretation. My qualifications and achievements are a testament to my ability to deliver results. I am committed to staying current with the latest developments in law and politics. I always perform at my best and am eager to bring my skills to a new challenge. As a confident, driven, and determined individual, I want to succeed in any role within your organisation.
As an exceptional criminal solicitor, I am confident that my legal background and experiences within the Criminal Justice System will significantly benefit your organisation. With a proven track record in the Crown Prosecution Service, I possess the expertise and knowledge to start your criminal division. My qualifications and achievements are a testament to my ability. I am committed to continuing with my personal legal development and training, staying up to date with the latest developments in criminal law to ensure I am always performing at my best. I am eager to bring my skills to a new challenge, and I am confident I have the drive and determination to succeed in any role.
Write a catchy but professional headline for each job, highlighting the most impressive achievements when you write a CV.
Grabbing a potential employer’s attention, the headline of your resume can make all the difference. It’s important to highlight your most impressive achievements and skills in a catchy and professional way. Catching the reader’s eye with a well-crafted headline can increase your chances of getting noticed for that dream job. Take the time to think outside the box and develop a headline showcasing your unique strengths and accomplishments. After all, it could be the difference between landing the job or getting passed over.
For example
EdaLouise – Chief Editor of the online magazine
EdaLouise – Author, Writer and Serial Entrepreneur
Keep formatting consistent throughout the document, using bullet points to make it easier to read.
Maintaining formatting consistency can make or break a CV, especially regarding clarity of information. One way to ensure that your CV is clear and easy to read is by utilising bullet point lists. These concise, itemised notes can make information more digestible for potential employers, allowing them to scan quickly and find the salient points. Keeping the formatting consistent throughout your CV will reduce confusion and increase legibility.
Include details about any awards you have won. Include noteworthy projects you took part in when you write a cv.
This is your opportunity to demonstrate how good you are. Don’t hide away, tell your potential employer how good you are.
For example
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate enough to have been involved in several noteworthy projects and recognised for my contributions with several awards. One such project was my involvement in developing and implementing a new software system for a large financial services company. This project was a tremendous success, resulting in significant improvements in efficiency and cost savings for the company. I was awarded the company’s prestigious Employee of the Year Award for my contributions to the project. I oversaw the launch’s marketing and advertising campaign and helped increase sales by 25%. As a result, I received an industry award for Best Marketing Campaign of the Year. These experiences have taught me the importance of hard work, dedication, and collaboration in achieving success. I am proud to have been a part of them.
Proofread multiple times for mistakes – having a typo can ruin an otherwise excellent CV.
Your CV speaks volumes about you, even before you’ve said a word. That’s why when you write a CV it has to be flawless before submitting it to potential employers is crucial. A simple typo or grammatical error can make a strong CV forgettable. So, take the time to proofread your CV multiple times, and even consider having a trusted friend or family member check it over. Remember, first impressions are everything, and you want to ensure your potential employer sees you in the best light possible.
In Conclusion on how to write a CV
When you write a CV to show a strong message that values you is vitally important. Start with an overview of your qualifications, focusing on your relevant experience. Include your accomplishments concerning the job and person specification. Include a catchy but professional headline highlighting your impressive achievements. Be sure to keep formatting consistent throughout with bullet points for easier reading. Showcase any awards you won. Finally, proofread multiple times and ensure there aren’t any syntactical errors that can prevent potential employers from understanding how great of a fit you are for the job. It’s worth investing time into writing a solid CV tailored to each job; it will pay off when you land more interviews!
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How to fill in a job application form to get an interview
Are you ready to get back into the workplace? If so, you may be asked to fill out a job application form. You need to fill out the job application form in a way that makes you stand out. An application form should leave a lasting impression on employers and improve your chances of getting an interview. In this article, we’ll cover all aspects of how to fill in a job application form. This will include:
Understanding what you are being asked
Discovering what the person’s specifications are
How can you show your skills to fit the person’s specifications?
Understanding what the job requirements are.
Relaying them back to your skills.
Show relevant skills and experiences with examples.
We hope that following these steps increases your chances of getting an interview!
Understand the job you are applying for and read through the job specification.
When searching for a job, understanding the position you are applying for is critical. Before applying, it is essential to read through the job specification thoroughly. This will give you a good understanding of the expectations and requirements of the role, which can help you tailor your application accordingly. It’s also an excellent opportunity to identify questions or clarifications you may need before proceeding to fill in a job application form. Take the time to review the job specification carefully – it could make a big difference in the success of your job search.
Prepare examples of experiences or qualifications that match the job description.
When considering a job application, it is essential to be prepared to highlight your experiences and qualifications that align with the job description. This shows your understanding of the job requirements and shows your potential employer that you have the skills and knowledge to excel in the role. As you prepare for your interview or submit your application materials, look closely at the job description and think of specific examples from your experiences and education that showcase your ability to perform the tasks listed. By doing so, you can showcase your strengths and stand out as a top candidate.
For example: Have you ever managed a budget?
Reply: My previous position as a PA had the responsibility of managing the office budget for stationary and petty cash as well as the expenses account for all our sales team.
Alternatively
Reply: As a housewife, we live on a budget, and I am responsible for paying all bills and ensuring our services offer my household the best value for money. These are transferable skills.
Read through the questions carefully, answering truthfully.
When filling out any job application form, it’s essential to read through the questions carefully, ensuring that you’ve understood them before answering truthfully. This is especially important when you fill in a job application form that requires specific information. Taking the time to read each question carefully will help to prevent errors that could affect the accuracy of your responses. Don’t rush through the questions; take your time and give thoughtful answers.
Remember, your responses will provide valuable information to help you get that all-important interview. Read the question, and when answering it, relay it back to the job specification and job description. The goal of any job application is to get an interview. The job application form may be the only information the company will see about you. Take the extra time to be truthful and accurate in your answers. You are, after all, selling yourself to the reader.
Please note that when you fill in a job application form, you do so for a particular job. The next form and questions may require different answers and examples of your experience. Take your time.
Align your experiences with the person’s specifications listed in the job description.
When considering a job application, reviewing the person’s specifications in the job description is essential. These specifications outline the skills and experiences the employer seeks in a candidate. By aligning your experiences with these specifications, you show that you have the qualifications for the job to the employer. If and when you write a cover letter or prepare for an interview, highlight specific examples from your previous experiences that showcase how you possess the skills and traits listed in the job description and person specifications. Doing so increases your chances of being considered for the position and taking your career to the next level.
Before filling out any form or application for a company, it is always recommended to do your research to show your knowledge and enthusiasm. By taking the time to understand the company’s mission, values, and culture, you will come across as well-prepared and knowledgeable and genuinely interested in the opportunity at hand. A little research can also help you tailor your application to fit the company’s specific needs, making it even more likely that you will stand out among the other applicants.
Proofread your answers for any errors or typos before submitting your application.
When submitting a job application, ensuring everything is in order is essential. One of the most overlooked steps is proofreading. It may seem tedious, but it could mean the difference between landing the job or not. A single typo can make an applicant appear careless or unprofessional. Taking the extra time to double-check for spelling and grammar errors shows attention to detail and competence. So before hitting submit, take a step back, take a deep breath, and give your application a thorough scan. It’s a crucial step in ensuring error-free and leaves a positive impression.
In Conclusion, when you fill in a job application form, remember…
It is an exciting and daunting process to search for a job in today’s modern world – as it requires immense effort, research and time. A successful job application differs from individual to individual. It depends heavily on the type of role applied for, but creating a well-rounded personalised resume can give you that extra edge in the recruitment process. Whether you are applying for your first professional role or seeking to further your career, following our tips will help you ensure that any application form is completed with precision and accuracy. Remember to read the job description and person specification thoroughly and use this as a reference when completing the task. As each job opportunity is unique, use examples that best reflect the required skill set and explain why these experiences make you the ideal candidate for this position. Finally, don’t forget to research the company in question! Keeping informed on industry news related to them will show your enthusiasm during any interview phase. Wishing you the best of luck with your search – we hope our advice was helpful!
Finding the perfect job can feel like an uphill battle, so getting clear on your goals and expectations before starting is essential. With so many places to review and find jobs, from online postings, and employment agencies to paper adverts and word of mouth – searching for a job can seem overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created this guide: so that you can find the perfect job based on criteria such as salary, location, personal requirements, or whatever works best for you! Read on to learn how women returning to work (or any other job seeker) can narrow their options and discover work they love.
Analyse your skills and qualifications. When analysing your skills, you will need to answer the following questions:
Select the criteria that best suits your needs.
Think of your availability and current commitments.
Do you want a part-time job, or are you looking for a full-time position?
What is your experience level?
Will you need to re-train or brush up on your skills?
Do you want to go into a different environment and learn something new?
What do you want to get from the job?
Are you after just a salary, or do you want more from a job?
You must clearly understand your skills and qualifications as a professional to determine the best job fit. Looking at your experience level and aspirations can be helpful. Do you prefer working with numbers? Are you more of a creative type? Or do you enjoy interacting with people and problem-solving? It’s important to reflect on your unique strengths and interests to identify the ideal job that will allow you to leverage these abilities.
Furthermore, consider what you hope to gain from the position. Are you looking to advance your career, gain new skills, or contribute to a cause? By carefully analysing your skills, qualifications, and career goals, you can confidently pursue your dream job and make meaningful contributions in your field.
Assess the job market to find your perfect job.
In today’s ever-changing job market, staying informed on which industries are in demand and which areas show the most promise is essential. Conducting thorough research can help job seekers to make educated choices for their career paths. According to recent studies, healthcare, technology, and finance industries show high demand and growth potential. Of course, every individual’s situation is unique, so it’s vital to consider factors such as education, experience, and personal preferences when deciding which profession and location are the best fit. By staying up to date on job market trends and conducting thorough research, job seekers can position themselves for success in the long run.
Make a list of your requirements:
Salary expectations
Location preferences
Type of work desired.
When finding the right job, it’s essential to have a clear idea of what you’re looking for. Making a list of your requirements is a great way to stay organised and focused during your job search.
Your Expectations when looking for the perfect job.
Start with salary expectations – what do you need to earn to meet monthly outgoings? Next, consider location preferences – are you willing to relocate for the right opportunity, or do you need to stay close to home? Finally, think about the work you enjoy – prefer a fast-paced environment or a more relaxed atmosphere? By defining your requirements, you’ll be better equipped to find a job that meets your needs and helps you reach your goals.
Utilise online resources – take advantage of job boards, networking sites, classified ads, etc., to find potential jobs that fit your criteria.
In today’s job market, it’s essential to utilise all available resources to find potential job opportunities that fit your criteria. Online resources such as job boards, networking sites, and classified ads have become increasingly popular and can provide information. Job boards are a great way to search for specific job titles and locations. At the same time, networking sites can help you connect with professionals in your industry and potentially learn about unadvertised job openings. Classified ads can also be a valuable resource, especially for local jobs or smaller businesses. By taking advantage of these online resources, you’ll have a better chance of finding your dream job and landing your next career opportunity.
Network with industry professionals – establish relationships with key players in your chosen field who can advise about available openings.
Networking with industry professionals is crucial to building a successful career in any field. By establishing relationships with key players in your industry, you can gain valuable insight into the job market and receive helpful advice that will guide you towards available openings. But networking isn’t just about getting ahead. It’s also about building meaningful connections with other professionals who share your passion and drive. Whether you attend industry conferences, join professional groups, or even reach out to potential mentors on social media, the benefits of networking are endless. So don’t underestimate the power of building relationships – it could be the key to unlocking your career potential.
Remember, the perfect job could be working in your local supermarket or in a design agency. Job requirements change at different stages in your life. Networking, where you will meet other like-minded people, is so important.
Attend career events – attend conferences and seminars related to your desired profession; these can be great resources for learning about new opportunities.
Attending career events, such as conferences and seminars, is a wise move for anyone looking to learn about new opportunities within their desired field. These events provide unique opportunities to network with professionals in the industry, gain insight into industry trends, and learn about new job openings. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, attending these events can expand your knowledge and build essential connections. Many conferences and seminars also offer workshops and training sessions on topics pertinent to your career advancement. So, mark your calendar and take the time to invest in your professional growth by attending career events.
In conclusion – finding the perfect job.
Looking for the perfect job is no easy task; there’s much to consider when starting the search. While it may be tempting to apply for anything that seems remotely related to your profession, assessing your skills and qualifications is always essential before taking any steps forward. Additionally, researching the job market and developing a list of requirements will help you narrow down your options.
Furthermore, leveraging online resources and connecting with industry professionals in your desired field will support finding the perfect job. Last, attending conferences and other career events can give you an inside look at the networking opportunities available within the industry. The critical takeaway is to take all the necessary steps to ensure that you find the best job for yourself, and with an organised approach, you’ll be sure to land something that suits all of your needs!
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Why Sundays Matter: The Importance of Taking Time to Unwind
For most of us, Sundays are the perfect time to unwind and recharge for the upcoming week. It’s a day reserved for rest, relaxation, and spending quality time with family and friends. However, not everyone realises how important this day is for our mental, physical, and emotional well-being. As someone who works six days a week, I look forward to my Sundays, and I hope this article can help you appreciate the value of your Sunday too.
We are often pulled in several directions simultaneously. We have careers to manage, families to care for, homes to upkeep, and social lives to maintain. There’s always something that needs our attention, and it can be easy to get lost in the demands of everyday life. That’s why it’s essential to take time for ourselves, specifically, to set aside a day each week to relax, reflect, and recharge. Let’s explore the importance of having a designated day off, why Sunday is an excellent choice, and the benefits of committing to it.
The Science of Resting: The Importance of Taking a Break
Stress takes its toll on us, and if we don’t take the time to decompress, it can lead to making poor decisions. When we’re constantly on the go, our minds and bodies don’t get the rest, leading to fatigue and irrational decision-making. Our Sundays are a perfect time to de-stress and recharge our batteries. Whether scheduling a massage, practising relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation, or listening to your favourite music, anything that helps you unwind can benefit your well-being, leading to better decision-making.
Experts agree that regular breaks from work or stress are essential for maintaining good health. When under constant pressure, the body produces a hormone called cortisol, which can lead to various medical problems, including anxiety, depression, and heart disease. Taking a day off helps to reduce cortisol levels, which can leave us feeling more relaxed, centred, and better equipped to handle life’s challenges.
The Blessing of Sundays: Why it Matters
Taking a day off doesn’t always have to be on a Sunday. However, it is an excellent option for many reasons. For one, Sundays are typically less busy than other days of the week. Which means you can take full advantage of the day without worrying about other commitments. Sundays are traditionally associated with rest, family time, and spiritual reflection. Making it a perfect choice for anyone who needs to slow down and connect with their loved ones. Sundays allow us to care for ourselves and our needs, improving overall well-being. We honour ourselves and our health by intentionally setting aside this time to relax and recharge. When we don’t take the time to rest and recharge, our mental and physical health may suffer. We must recognise the vital role that Sundays play in our lives and ensure they are a top priority.
The Importance of Reconnection: Why Time with Family and friends is Vital
Sundays offer an ideal opportunity to reconnect with the people who matter most. Losing touch with the people who matter most to us is easy. Work and other obligations can consume our time, leaving little room for socialising or building meaningful connections. Taking a day to spend time with family and friends can help strengthen those bonds and remind us of what’s truly important in life. The memories, laughter, and support we get from our loved ones can give us the strength and resilience we need to face life’s challenges head-on. Our Sundays can provide us the time to get together, relax, and enjoy each other’s company, practice, or hobbies. Whether having brunch, walking, watching a movie, knitting, or even running with our family and friends can help us feel more connected and supported, leading to better overall health and happiness.
The Consequences of Not Taking a Break: Why Rest is Vital for Productivity
We often equate productivity with working hard and pushing ourselves to the limit. Still, that approach can quickly lead to burnout. When we’re tired and stressed, our decisions suffer, and we’re more likely to make mistakes or lapses in judgment. Taking a day off to rest can benefit our productivity in the long run. We’re alert, engaged, and better equipped to tackle the tasks when well-rested and relaxed.
The Benefits of Making it a Habit: Why Consistency is Key
Making a day off a regular habit can hugely benefit our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Committing to taking a day off each week creates a sense of rhythm and routine in our lives, which can give us a sense of control and stability. Over time, we’ll notice that we’re better able to manage stress, make better decisions, and approach life with more clarity and focus. We’ll also enjoy all the intangible benefits of having a rich and fulfilling personal life, such as self-love, peace of mind, connection, and joy.
Since Sundays are often slower-paced, they give us the perfect opportunity to plan for the upcoming week. It’s a chance to evaluate the past week, what went well, and what needs improvement. It’s also the time to plan the week ahead, prioritise tasks, and set achievable goals. Doing this reduces the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed during the week, leading to less stress and a better work-life balance.
In conclusion – Why Sundays are important
Taking a day off each week may seem like a luxury, but it’s essential for our overall health and well-being. Sundays are perfect for anyone who wants to slow down, spend time with loved ones, and recharge their batteries. By making it a habit, we’ll enjoy rest, reconnection, and productivity, which can only enhance our lives and lead to more significant success and happiness. Sundays are not just another day of the week; they are a valuable time to take care of ourselves and rejuvenate.
By taking the time to rest and recharge on Sundays, we become more productive, energised, and motivated, leading to better decision-making and overall quality of life. So, let’s prioritise Sundays and use them wisely, incorporating a self-care practice into our Sunday routine, spending time with loved ones, and planning for the week ahead. Trust me, you’ll feel much better about it. You deserve it! So go ahead, take that Sunday off, and let yourself recharge.
How Outsourcing Can Help Grow Your Business with a Virtual Assistant
Are you looking for an efficient and cost-effective way to supercharge the growth of your business? Virtual Assistants (VAs) can provide businesses with a powerful solution that can help to hone internal operations. Help streamline processes, increase efficiency, and ultimately maximise profits. With the right virtual assistant, businesses can unlock the potential of outsourcing. Make their operations more productive and cost-efficient than ever before.
What is A Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistants are highly skilled professionals who provide services remotely, usually via the Internet. They can help businesses with various tasks like customer service, email management, data entry, marketing, etc. With a VA on board, companies can free up their time to focus on what’s important – growing their business. VAs offer a unique value that is difficult to replicate in an in-house team: flexibility and scalability. Businesses of any size or budget can leverage the skills of a virtual assistant. Introducing flexible working, most office staff has been introduced into the concept of remote working. A VA can meet business needs without investing in additional resources or personnel.
The key to success with a virtual assistant is finding the right one for your business. Finding the perfect match for tasks can be tricky and requires research and patience. But when you finally find the ideal VA, it’s worth all the effort. The quality of work that they provide can make a real difference in how successful your business is overall.
What can a Virtual Assistant do?
Outsourcing specific tasks to virtual assistants will free up business time. This gives business time to focus on other areas of their operations. A VA can allow business owners to expand their services and offerings. VAs can take care of:
Customer service
Managing emails
Data entry
Software Testing
Social Media Management
Bookkeeping
Research
Travel and Conference Booking
Website updates and maintenance
The results of working with a VA mean that business owners have more time available to pursue new opportunities. Which could lead to significant successes down the road!
A virtual assistant is an invaluable asset to any business. With their help, companies can unlock the power of outsourcing. They can access a range of skills, services, and expertise that would otherwise be inaccessible. If you’re looking for ways to grow your business quickly and effectively, consider bringing on board a virtual assistant today!
You will need time and dedication to find the perfect VA. Any business can reap the rewards associated with harnessing the power of a virtual assistant. Besides saving money, reducing overhead, and freeing up valuable personnel resources, VAs can give businesses access to specialised skills without having to commit substantial financial resources or long-term contracts. The power of outsourcing should not be underestimated. Make sure that you can take full advantage of the opportunities presented by virtual assistants to help your business reach its full potential.
In conclusion
Virtual Assistants offer a powerful solution for businesses looking to unlock the potential of outsourcing and maximise their operations. With a suitable VA, businesses can free up valuable time and resources to focus on growth while streamlining everyday tasks. If you’re ready to supercharge your business, investing in a Virtual Assistant is an excellent place to start!
Have you heard of the term CPD? Do you know what it means, and, more importantly, do you know what it involves?
CPD stands for Continued Personal/Professional Development. In short, it means that you continue to study after you finish school, college or graduate from university. There are a number of professions that, once you achieve a pass mark in the basic qualifications, will be the start of a lifetime of study, for example, a solicitor, a doctor or a planner. What about your profession? Do you need to embark on CPD?
If your profession does not demand Continued Professional Development, have you made the decision to discontinue studying? To have a successful career, we advocate a continued approach to education/studies. Continued Professional Development is there to help you excel in your chosen field. CPD will also keep you abreast of the latest trends, legal changes and current business relationships, which ultimately could give you an advantage over your colleagues.
Education never stops
Making a personal decision to continue your education/studies and improve your knowledge in your chosen field may become a prerequisite for your employment. An example of this is the IT Industry. Information Technology is changing all the time and good developers, support staff and programmers need to keep abreast of current technology, languages and innovations. If you decided to terminate your studies, this could have a detrimental effect on your career.
Once you have made the decision to continue with your education, what should you do? There are a number of organisations that can facilitate your education. The only decision you need to make will be, which route suits your personal circumstances:
Online training courses
Studies in a classroom setting – often given by trade bodies
Correspondence courses
Seminars and Open days
Trade Federations
Professional Magazines in a chosen field
What is CPD for your occupation?
You could be in an occupation where CPD is not required. Nevertheless, this does not mean that further study is not for you. It could be advantageous for you to engage in a study course with a local college or night class in one of the hobbies you enjoy for example, cooking or sewing. Furthermore, you could learn a new skill, for example, car maintenance.
Further, more studying has a number of wonderful side effects. You could meet new people, gain skills and, more importantly, keep your brain active. Indeed, the Alzheimer’s community have suggested that keeping your brain active could help prevent many mind degenerative disease.
All studying requires is your dedication to the course, you will be receptive to new concepts, your time and the drive to become successful.
Cloud backup is also referred to as online back and comprises sending a selection of your computer data over the internet to a computer in a different building or country.
The computer (also referred to as a server) is hosted by a third party who will charge the backup company a fee depending on the space required on their computers, the bandwidth needed, or the number of users/computers being backed up.
You will have heard of some of these
OneDrive
Google Drive
Dropbox
For Example
A Server is owned by Company A.
They rent out space to Company B. (They may not deal directly with the public).
Company B will hire space on Company A’s computer.
Company B will provide you with the online software needed to back up your computer.
Your home/office computer that has the data that needs to be backed up
Why Should I Backup My Computer
Your computer is home to vital pieces of information that you want to maintain for many years to come. Stored data could include client records, financial records and legal documentation. There is a legal requirement to hold critical information for a set period of time. A secure location for data storage is essential.
A backup system will keep these documents in a safe place if something were to happen to your computer, and you may read below to learn how a backup system operates.
1: Why Do You Need A Backup System?
A backup system is the only guaranteed way to protect the data you keep on your computer.
The backup system may save data to an online server, a particular disk or a drive that you can attach to your computer. Ensure all essential documents are backup regularly just in case your computer fails.
2: Cloud, Onsite and Offsite Backups
Cloud backup systems use the virtual cloud server to protect your documents. You save directly to a server that you can access from any other computer, and the system is much faster than any other you might use. Onsite backups are disk drivers or hard drives that save all your information. Disks are portable and recovery of data is easy to access. The disadvantage is you could lose the disk.
Offsite backups are servers that connect with your computer via your Internet connection. The company that manages the servers must help you recover your documents. Data storage is completely secure. Most offsite backup servers will comply is ISO 27001.
3: Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Cloud vs. A Disk
Any computer can connect to a disk drive. Additionally, disk drives are portable and easily lost or stolen. However, disk drives are slow, hold limited data and are time-consuming. In addition, the security of data could be an issue when relying on a disk drive for backing up data.
A cloud server recovers your data via your Internet connection. The service you restore your whole computer, but you must have a signal to complete the process. Finally, disks are valuable if you travel to places without Internet service.
4: How Often does my data need to be backed up?
Cloud backup software can be scheduled to back up changed data every hour. Those with a disk drive may choose to update at the end of each day for safety’s sake.
In Conclusion, Why should I back up my computer
In conclusion, the simple answer is to protect the data you have stored. You should back up your regularly and check the backup files. A fatal hardware crash will make it virtually impossible to recover the data.
Virtual Assistant can work anywhere anytimeHaving run a successful Virtual Assistant business for nearly ten years, I am frequently asked What is a Virtual Assistant. I suppose the term is not familiar to everybody and it can sound like quite a strange concept. The question is then followed with “Why would I use a Virtual Assistant?” Let us look at the idea of the Virtual Assistant and the reasons why people and businesses choose to employ one.
I would describe a Virtual Assistant (VA) as. Someone who works for a small business or organisation but not directly employed by them. They are accountable for the work they do on their behalf. They are, in effect, a subcontractor who provides secretarial and/or administrative support.
The duties of a VA can include scheduling activities such as meetings, organising travel, social media, customer service, email campaigns, book-keeping and much more. A VA can work from their office (they might, for example, rent office space in a shared building), from their home office, or from the offices of their clients. They can also do a combination of any of these.
The definition of a Virtual Assistant on the Wikipedia website is as follows:
“A Virtual Assistant (typically abbreviated to VA, also called a virtual office assistant) is an entrepreneur who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients from a home office…. They usually work for other small businesses, brokers and consultancy groups. Reports state that there are as few as 5,000-8,000 or as many as 25,000 Virtual Assistants worldwide; the profession is growing in centralised economies with “fly-in, fly-out” (FIFO) staffing practices.” www.wikipedia.org.
There is currently a debate in the industry about the title of a Virtual Assistant and whether ‘we’ as an industry should change it. The general feeling is that the title ‘Assistant’, (to those who aren’t familiar with the industry), doesn’t give an accurate impression of the variety of roles a VA can fulfil.
I believe there are four types of Virtual Assistants:
Virtual Assistant (VA). A VA is someone who can assist their client with some secretarial and administrative tasks, usually on a short-term project basis. Equally, they may undertake individual jobs over a period; for example, creating a database of business cards.
Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA). A VPA is someone who works in close collaboration with a small business owner, providing secretarial and administrative support. The VPA will be there long-term. The relationship is similar to that of employer and employee. Nevertheless, the VPA will only visit the client once or twice a week, and despite the longevity of the relationship, is self-employed.
Virtual Executive Assistant (VEA). A VEA is someone who works in close collaboration with a small business owner to provide secretarial and administrative support. A VEA could be part of the business development strategy for the company. The VEA is an important part of the business, becoming one of the planners and authorising partners.
Personal Assistant. A PA is someone who works for one person in one organisation. However, in the VA world, many VAs call themselves PAs as many employers/clients understand this term better.
What is a Virtual Assistant
In conclusion, the answer to What is a Virtual Assistant is that the role has many different nuances. However, the role is primarily an administrative role that helps people and businesses undertake the numerous administrative activities. It is very similar to that of an Executive PA.
This is an extract from my book entitled Becoming a Virtual Assistant and avoid the Mistakes I made. In this book, you will discover many PA tips on starting your own business or discover some PA tips and Secretarial Support if you are in full-time employment that will help you understand your boss and their reason and reactions on many of the tasks they undertake.
What is a Virtual Assistant and How to Become a Virtual Assistant
What does a PA Do? and indeed, what is a PA. A PA is Personal Assistant to the manager, department or CEO. They provide administrative support and take care of their boss so that they can
What does a PA do?
Perform their jobs with ease and confidence. A Personal Assistant could also be called an Executive Assistant or even a Virtual PA or Virtual EA. In this article, I will use the term PA to cover all of above.
Being a Personal Assistant (PA) is like being a fine artist. You have to have the ability to see an end product using the raw materials you have available to you. Anticipate the likes and needs of those you are looking after, without them knowing or understanding what they like or dislike. A PA has to be meticulous about their time management, planning and organisational skills and then make these tasks look smooth and effortless. Any PA unable to master these three skills will inevitably find the role as a Personal Assistant difficult. A PA should have their finger on the proverbial button of any activity their boss is undertaking at any time. Not only that, a PA has to anticipate what the boss requires today tomorrow and next month.
So What does a PA do to make sure they are on the ball?
A PAs mantra or go to question should always be “What is the next question” their boss is going to ask. Ensure they can answer that question and then the next question their boss will ask. The standard Who, What, Where, When, Why and How questions should be applied to any and all tasks a PA undertakes. Once a PA has mastered this tool they will start to see and show improvements in their PA ability and demonstrate how capable and competent they are in their role.
All PAs need to demonstrate consistency in their workload and be as enthusiastic on Monday morning at 9 am as they are on Friday at 5 pm. They need to be effective and efficient in all the tasks that they undertake and become proactive instead of reactive. It is recommended that a PA schedules at least 60% of their working day. This will leave 40% of their day to be reactive. We, therefore, advise each PA to plan tasks in advance. Taking note of business deadlines and the expectation is essential. A PA will also have to remember their boss has deadlines that could rely on work they have to do.
PAs Personal Recommendations
We would also recommend that every PA take a few minutes at the end of the day to note at least five successes they have had that day. It is true to say that everyone will have a bad day at work at some point. Noting down any success they have will help any PA remember how good they are. How well they perform their job and organising their boss.
In conclusion, What does a PA Do?
When the role of a PA is performed correctly, it is a work of art. The position is seamless, timeless and a thing of beauty. Their boss will never know the amount of work, effort and organisational skills the PA will put into their role. All of this, to ensure that the boss has a perfect working environment so they can perform at their peak.
The PA is indeed the unsung hero of any organisation. It is time for all PAs to stand up and be proud of the jobs that they do. The tasks they undertake and show what a strong, determined woman can do. For more information about becoming a PA or attending a training course click here.
The PA Tips on this post are those that are highly recommended to become an effective PA. It is also vitally important that a PA keeps on track of all new technology, new ways of working and are open to any PA Tips they can glean from colleagues and even their boss.
Services I should not have offered as a Virtual Assistant is easy to say when I look back at my career. When setting up your own business as a virtual assistant, one of the first things you have to decide, is what services should you offer. Like most businesses, this can be one of the fun aspects of starting from scratch and being your boss. However, at some point, you’re going to need to earn money, and this is when your creative skills are going to have to come to the forefront.
When I started as a virtual assistant in 2005, I was determined only to do the jobs that I wanted to do. I’d worked in the corporate arena for many years. I knew the majority of office tasks that businesses would need. I also knew the tasks that I didn’t particularly enjoy doing. It was therefore easy not to offer those tasks.
Nevertheless one of my first clients asked if I would undertake telephone answering for him. Having no income coming at att at this time, I jumped at the task. It is only with hindsight that we can look back upon the tasks that we do and decide whether they are good or bad. The decision to answer his phone calls directed the way myPA operated ever since.
Services I should not have offered as Virtual Assistant
My client wanted me to answer the telephone for his business when he couldn’t. That meant I had to be in the office from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. On the whole, for a small business that sounds like a good idea. I am at my desk, growing my business and earning money. However, offering a telephone answering service that only pays when you answer the telephone is hugely limiting. I found that I was sitting in my office and the phone only rang once a day. That meant that I was in the position to invoice for one telephone call. If I charged £250 per call that would be fantastic and I earned £250 that day. However, the majority of telephone answering fees are circa £1 per call. That meant I was sitting at my desk all day waiting for a telephone call and earnt £1.
Task Limitations
As a result of this contract, I had to find other work, which would mean I earned an income while I stayed at my desk, nine till five. This meant that I answered more telephone calls for additional people. I was, therefore, making my desk job financially viable. However, as a small business, I need to go out and network and earn more money. That meant I had to employ staff. Employing staff means paying national insurance, holiday pay, sick pay and now pensions. All these increases in outgoings meant that they had to earn more incoming. It then becomes a vicious circle. I employed staff to answer a phone when I wasn’t there which meant I had to go out and earn more money to pay the salaries of the staff I was employing so that I could go out
What services should a Virtual Assistant offer?
Those that you enjoy and are good at. Those that will give you a good return for your hard work and are profitable.
I’m not saying that answering telephones is a bad service to offer, but you do need to make sure you have the infrastructure in place to make sure that the service becomes financially viable for you. Selecting the services, you offer as a virtual assistant is vitally important. You need to understand the ramifications of their services. Having said that, if the infrastructure is in place and you offer a time-consuming service that requires additional staff and you make a decent profit then the service is of benefit to you and your business.
When setting up your virtual PA business always remember that the first client is your business. The services you offer hax to be rewarding to you and your business emotionally, financially and suit your skillset.
Have you ever been asked to take the minutes of a meeting and then started to worry about missing the important points when taking minutes. Don’t worry, this is always the first question I get when I start to run my Minute Taking Training Course.
The first misconception of taking minutes of a meeting is that the entire responsibiliyt rests with the minute taker. This is just not the case. The Minute taker is the first line of defence when taking mintues, but then the chiar is there to check the minutes are a true and accurate representation of the disucssion of the meeting. Finally the delegates of the meeting also agree and check the mintues. All of these people form part of a team, the meeting team.
Missing the important points when taking minutes?
So please, if you are the minute taker and worry about missing the important points in a meeting don’t. Here are my Tips for Preparing for a Meeting so that you won’t miss anything.
Tip One – missing the important points when taking minutes?
Read the last three months (or if a weekly meeting read the last 6 copies) of meetings. This is to that you can get an understanding of the language used, the projects underway and the topics you will be reporting on.
Tip Two – missing the important points when taking minutes
Meet with the Chair 10-15 minutes before the meeting to discuss any items on the agenda
Tip Three – missing the important ponts when taking minutes
Sit to the left of the Chair, unless the Chair is left handed then sit on the left. You, as the minute taker are there to support the Chair and you can only do this if you can discuss any issues that may arise during the meeting.
Tip Four- missing the important points when taking minutes
Take a bottle of water into the meeting with you, you need to stay hydrated and alert.
Tip Five – missing the important points when taking minutes
Take some boiled sweets or fruit with you so that you can keep your sugar levels up. Remember when taking the minutes of a meeting for 1 hour it is the same as taking a 3 hour A level maths exam.
Tip Six- missing the important points when taking minutes
Practice your listening skills especially Active Listening.
Tip Seven – missing the important points when taking minutes
Practice your Critically thinking processes.
Good luck and try and enjoy the process of taking minutes of a meeting. Remember you are your companies Historian, you are a paid voyeur.
Do you want to change the signature image in Outlook 2016 to make your emails look professional, elegant and smart? With more and more options in MS Office and outlook, sometimes we just need a few hints along the way. To make sure your signature image in outlook 2016 is perfect then just follow these very simple instructions.
Instructions to resize a Signature Image in Outlook 2016
Open outlook as you would ordinarily do select the option to create an email as you would typically do.
A new email window will then appear.
Select the option Insert and then Signature.
A list of all the current signatures installed on your computer will appear. At the very bottom is the word Signature. Select this option, see below.
A new window will appear.
Select the email signature you want to edit, if you have not created an email signature select the option New, see above, in this example I will collect Corrigo free trial. Enter the narrative you wish to have on the signature in the box provided. Then add your image by selecting add picture icon, see above. This will then require you to find the location of the image on your computer or server.
Once the image has been selected, it will appear in the dialogue box. See below.
Using your mouse, click ONCE on the image. You will notice little squares appearing on the image, see below.
Once these little squares appear, press the right-hand button on your mouse and click once only.
A new screen will appear. Select the option Picture, see below.
This will open another window, see below. On this window select the option Size, see below.
The following screen will appear. It is from here that you can now resize your image. Please make sure that the Lock aspect ratio option is selected. If you have decided that 7.63 cm would be perfect, enter 7.63 in the Height option and press the enter button only. This will automatically adjust the Width.
Once the image is of the right size, please copy this narrative and place it under the image. Then select OK.
Does it cost money to take someone to Small Claims?
Working out the interest on a Small Claims request
You’ll have to go to court if…
After the Hearing
1 Introduction – Small Claims
You can take court action against someone who owes you money and won’t pay. This is known as making a court claim. It can also be known as taking someone to a ‘small claims court’. You usually have to pay a court fee, and you may not win your case or get your money back.
2 How to take Court Action
The government has tried to make the process as easy as possible. The easiest way to claim it be completing the form online
3 What happens next in a Small Claims application?
If they deny owing you money, you may have to go to court.
You can get the court to order them to pay if they admit owing the money or don’t respond.
If they still won’t pay, you’ll need to ask the court to take extra steps to collect the money – e.g. using bailiffs. This is called enforcing a judgment.
4 Does it cost money to take someone to Small Claims?
Yes! It costs money to go to submit a small claims application.
The fee is based on how much you are claiming + interest
Using the Money Claim Online is cheaper than sending in the form.
amount
Sending the form to court centre
Using Money Claim Online
Up to £300
£35
£25
£300.01 to £500
£50
£35
£500.01 to £1,000
£70
£60
£1,000.01 to £1,500
£80
£70
£1,500.01 to £3,000
£115
£105
£3,000.01 to £5,000
£205
£185
£5,000.01 to £10,000
£455
£410
£10,0
00.01 to £100,000
5% of the value of the claim
4.5% of the value of the claim
£100,000.01 to £200,000
5% of the value of the claim
You can’t claim using Money Claim Online
More than £200 000
£10 000
You can’t claim using Money Claim Online
5 Working out your small claims interest
The interest you can charge if another business is late paying for goods or a service is ‘statutory interest’ – this is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate for business to business transactions.
You can’t claim statutory interest if there’s a different rate of interest in a contract.
After you have submitted your small claims
The person or business who owes you money must respond to your claim within 14 days of receiving it.
If you don’t get a response, you’ll have to ask the Court to order them to pay. You do this by continuing with the Money Claim Online form.
If you do get a response – YIPPEE!
Tell them you are withdrawing your claim and also tell the Money Claim Online help desk.
6 You’ll have to go to court if…
The person or business says they don’t owe you any money.
They disagree with the amount.
You can’t agree on how the money will be repaid.
The court will send you a questionnaire asking for more information on the case. Fill this in and return it to the court.
This will incur additional costs.
If your case is a small claim, under £10,000, it can be dealt with using written evidence, and not need a hearing.
If there is a hearing you can:
Represent yourself
Pay for a barrister or solicitor to represent you
Ask someone to speak on your behalf, like your partner or an advice worker – you must get the court’s permission
7 After the Hearing
You’ll receive a letter from the court, stating its decisions, and any actions you need to take.
Additional Resources
I highly recommend using your local Citizens Advice Bureau for additional advice and support.
At PA Tips and Secretarial Support, we want to give you all the information you need to keep ahead of your boss and those around you. To help you stay ahead, we have created a number of posts that will help you understand some of the technical terminologies that are being spoken about in the press and workplace. Today we would like to talk about Computer Ransomware.
So, What is Computer Ransomware?
It is a specific type of computer virus that is made to trick people into paying money to have the virus taken off of their computer. However, there are several types of Ransomware, and some are much more serious than others.
Types of Computer Ransomware
Encryption Ransomware – These viruses will encrypt some or all of a computer’s hard drive, and it is often not possible to get the files back until a person has the decryption key. Encryption Ransomware is the most severe form of Ransomware as it can cause people to lose data on their computer.
Lock-screen Ransomware – Lock-screen viruses will lock a person’s screen after their computer boots and tell them that they need to pay money to access their computer.
Scareware – Scareware is designed to scare people into believing that their computer has a more severe virus. The resulting in a payment to remove the infection. These are usually fake antivirus programs that tell people their computer or laptop has a number of viruses.
How do you get Computer Ransomware?
You get Computer Ransomware on your computers in the same ways that you get other computer viruses. Ransomware normally affects a computer after you have opened an infected file. These usually come in things like email attachments, but they could also be files that you have downloaded off of the Internet.
How do you know you’ve got it!
You will usually find out that you have Ransomware on your computer when a screen pops up that tells them they need to pay money to have a virus removed. A pop might take several forms depending on the type of Ransomware utilised.
Preventing and Removing Computer Ransomware
To avoid getting Ransomware on a computer, it is best to run antivirus software all of the time.
Also, you should make sure that all of the software that your browsers use is up to date. This includes things like Java and Flash.
After determining that Ransomware has infected a computer, it is best to run an antivirus check. Then remove any viruses found and inform your IT department.
If a computer is completely locked down, it is recommended that the computer is started in Safe Mode. Alternatively from a flash drive and run a virus scan from there. This should clear up most Ransomware viruses. However, those who are unlucky enough to contract a virus that encrypts their file system may be forced to reformat their hard drive and reinstall the operating system. When this happens, you will lose all of the files on the hard drive. Because of this, regular backups are essential. Report any such virus or attack on your computer to the IT Department immediately.
In Conclusion, Computer Ransomware is nasty
All of us at PA Tips and Secretarial Support think that Computer Ransomware is a nasty piece of code. It is created by people who just want to cause trouble and extort money from us. Gone are the days when someone would rob you in person, now they want to extract money digitally. The perpetrators may see this as a victimless crime, only attacking companies or big organisations.
However, at PA Tips and Secretarial Support, we have one question to ask. When was the last time you heard your boss say, ‘Yes we have lots of money lets just buy…’. We don’t as businesses are struggling and now we have to take into account extorsion. Alternatively, everytime your company spends money, it could be your bonus or pay rise they are spending. This is just my opinion, but I hope you will agree with some of it.
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I am a great believer in having an email signature on all my emails. I am also a great believer in keeping up with modern work techniques and changes that take place. Which is why I started this blog giving PA Tips and Secretarial Support.
When I started school things changed every decade, then the age of computing arrived, and things changed every 18 months, and now, with the aid of social media, they seem to change every minute. As a consequence; I attended a training course myself to find out what changes may be occurring over the next few months in our industry.
What is an email signature for?
To my utter amazement, it seems to be with emails and email signatures. It is one of the strangest changes and I would never have thought about 12 months ago. To be fair, even last week. The standard convention has always been that when you send a business email, you add a signature. The signature tells the recipient your name, your job title, and contact details. Quite often there is a legal disclaimer. The disclaimer will state that the information provided is for the recipient only and if misdirected, please delete the email. Then, of course, there is the small advertisement about the company or a testimonial telling prospective customers or clients how good your business is. As I said, this is the standard, but each company may be different and offer different guidelines. My company abides by the above, and I have been pleased with this style of format.
Never the less, it has come to my attention that large organisations have started to remove surnames from people’s email signatures to have a generic email address. When I have called organisations and the person on the other end of the phone has given me an email address that is generic I am told that they will receive the email or that their first name is sufficient, and the message will reach them. It is not something I have given much thought to in the past.
However, it has been brought to my attention that the reason for this is that many staff (especially ladies) have found that during their working day they have given out their name, their email, and works telephone number. All useful forms of communication for a client or customer to contact them. This is where it gets interesting. Some of those people have then been stalked out of the office by the clients or customers. The client or customer has been able to locate them from the minimal amount of detail they obtained from the regular communication they had during a working relationship and then taken it one step further.
Facebook is an excellent tool for communication, as is Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc. However, we know there are risks associated with our personal data on these sites. For example, I have never put my birthday on social media or any reference to the day or month. I don’t put my address or house number, including photos of my home that could identify where I live. I have even found that I moderate my Facebook posts and opinions when using the various social media platforms. A form of self-restriction.
It only takes a few minutes for someone to find out those details, and you could have lost your identity or find that you are the proud owner of a new credit card that owes circa £10,000 worth of debt. It has never really occurred to me to extend some of that security to the emails I send, and the details people can glean from that.
In Conclusion, what will my email signature look like
As I said at the beginning, I had never thought about an email signature in this contex. It is fascinating when you spend a few minutes thinking about how vulnerable we have, and are becoming, digitally. So, the big question. Will I change? My email address only uses my first name, so there is no change there. What about my signature? You know, I think I may get the ladies in my office to change there’s. As the owner of a business and advising about PA Tips and Secretarial Support, I have put myself forward as the face of my company. I don’t feel I can then hide behind a title. I will, however, take a little more care about what I put in my emails and the amount of details people could glean from them.
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The term firewall is thrown about by those in the know about computer security, but what is it?
In the most general of terms, a firewall is a defence measure that your computer uses in an effort to protect itself from unwanted programmes and outside access to your computer. Think of it as a kind of filter that guards you against the dangers of the internet.
How does a Firewall work?
A firewall works by comparing information to a set of rules. For instance, if a website or online (more…)
When you think of a PA or a Secretary, you immediately think of someone organised, who is ultra-efficient and has their hand on the heartbeat of the department or their Boss’s Day. In effect, being proactive. Being Proactive is management speech stating that ‘a person is creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened’. (more…)
Have you ever wondered what your net worth is, as a human being? What your experience from birth to right now, this very moment has made you worth? It is one of those questions we can often think about, but as women never answer or avoid at all costs. There are some women will go directly to their current hourly rate, in employment. There are some who will say instantly say I am worthless and those who will tell you they are worth a million pounds. The truth could be in-between all of the above.
With that in mind, let’s do a little task. This task could take you a few minutes, hours or days (especially if you decide to do the task truthfully). Arrange to get some time on your own, without any distractions, interruptions and in a quiet place that will allow you to think freely.
Now, grab a pen and paper and write down all your qualifications, even those swimming qualifications and gymnastic badges you had as a child. Include any exams you gained from school, college and or university. Don’t forget those extracurricular activities like piano or guitar qualifications. Just write them down and do not re-read them. Once you have finished, turn the piece of paper over. Then, on a separate piece of paper add all the experiences you have had over the last few years. Include your jobs, your home and family responsibilities. These will include your personal responsibilities. Those responsibilities that you do every day without even thinking about it. For example, do you have a pet that you look after or have older parents or younger siblings that depend on you? All of these experiences create value to you as a person. Once you have finished, I would like you to put these two lists away for 24 hours. Don’t read them, don’t look at them, just put them away.
24 Hours Later
Now, I would like you to take your lists and read them.
Read out aloud all the qualifications you have.
Read the list of all your experiences.
Did you find anything on these lists as a surprise?
Do you have more qualifications than you expected, do you have more experience than you realised?
Money is the key or is it?
Just for fun, on your qualifications list and experience list, how much do you think it would cost to get those qualifications and that experience if you were starting from scratch. State education cost per child circa £48,000. A degree can cost up £37,000 (without accommodation and living expenses). That is £85,000 we have had spent on us already, and we have not even started on our experience!
Now ask yourself the question, ‘If you had to pay someone else, with all those skills, what would their hourly rate be?’ It could be argued that this be your net worth.
Personal Reflection on Your Net Worth
I undertook this task a few years ago, and I was surprised and a little intimidated by the person who had acquired all my skills and experiences. We take ourselves for granted so often, that sometimes we just need to stop, take a look at ourselves and congratulate us for what we have done and what we will be doing in the future.
Your net worth is not the amount you get paid. It is the amount of money you would have to pay someone to do what you do, daily.
During your appraisal or work performance interview, you may be asked to set some SMART Objectives or goals for your future development within the company or department. Goal setting is of particular importance for a PA and Secretary if you want a promotion to become an Executive PA. When setting goals, it is always advisable to ensure that the goals set are easy to understand and attainable by you. However, the goals should also tax you and ensure that you stretch your current skill base to learn something new.
I am a great believer in continued professional development and, as a result, I listen to some podcasts on different business practices. This evening, I was listening to a podcast by an Australian Pro-blogger called Darren Rowse. He made an interesting
New Year’s Resolutions
suggestion about a New Year’s Resolution you could make. Further, how you could make a slight change this year and, turn the idea on its head. This is a fascinating concept for PAs, Secretaries and Executive PA in a business environment as we spend most of our time looking after other people. In his podcast, he suggested that instead of making a New Year’s resolution about you and what you are going to do this year or stop this year; you should turn it around and make the resolution about how you can help other people, yet stay within your chosen resolution. I would also add, to help you advance your chosen career.
Depending on your company internal calendar of events and procedures the appraisal process isn’t that far away. Most appraisals start in March/April in preparation for the new financial year. For a PA,
EA and Secretary this is the time when the task of organising appraisals or preparing for appraisals starts. It is, however, worth noting that the business year begins April (often referred to as the New Financial Year), so the business year has another three months to run, (the last quarter). It is, therefore, time to start thinking about what you want to achieve in the final quarter of the financial year and what you want to achieve in the coming year.
As a PA (Personal Assistant), an EA (Executive Assistant) or secretary you may be asked to undertake an appraisal, this could be for junior members of staff. An Appraisal, Performance Review or Staff Review happens once a year. The appraisal gives the employee and the employer an opportunity to openly discuss the previous years working structure.
Some General Guidelines
Conducting an appraisal if you are a PA
Appraisals are on an individual employee’s job description. If you are conducting the appraisal you need to ensure that you are aware of the employee’s job description and not undertake a comparison with other employees. You also have to be aware that the appraisal is on their past performance and not on what you would like them to do. That is the value of job analysis and detailed job descriptions.
A rating system may form part of the appraisal process. The rating system could be a numerical, alphabetical system or a combination. All PAs or secretaries conducting an appraisal should be trained on the rating system used. A good rating could result in a pay rise or promotion. It is important that the rating system is robust, understood and utilised.
Whether you are starting a business, expand an existing business or looking for a new PA Job, a SWOT analysis could help you to make the right choices for your business or career. SWOT is an acronym to remind you of subject headings you should think of when making those decisions.
A Performance review or appraisal is one of the tasks managers hate to do, and employees hate to receive. The entire process can cause sleepless nights for both concerned and create lots of anguish. However, I would like to suggest that you may be looking at a performance review in a rather negative way.
A performance review should be a process that you look forward to and not something to be feared or dreaded. An Appraisal is an opportunity for you to talk to your employer about you. Within the conversation, you will discuss your current role as a PA or Secretary within the organisation and your Job Description. You could also discuss any potential career development or progression that you would like to achieve in the company.
Businesses work hard to get contact details from existing clients and new possible clients. Just take a look at your local supermarkets and insurance companies. They all want your contact details.
Businesses also work hard to keep a client happy, loyal and hopefully become an advocate for the services or products. There is just as much hard work and time invested in finding a new client. This all has a cost to the business because:
Listening Skills for a Secretary, PA or Minute Taker are essential. When we talk to our work colleagues, we are there to obtain information and to understand their needs. We need to learn and know what tasks they would like us to undertake quickly and efficiently. Interestingly, on average we hear about 30-50% of what a person speaks in a conversation, we then we faze out. This is where your skill as a Secretary, PA or Minute Taker needs to come into play. You need to become an active listener.
Credit control gives the impression that it is a dark art surrounded by mystery. People think it’s a hard task to undertake; they feel that the person on the other end of the telephone is going to be rude to them or they could ask questions that they simply don’t have the answers. However; the biggest fear appears to be the fact that; we can become very uncomfortable asking people for money. If a business has provided a product or service they are entitled to receive full recompense for that product or service.
Credit Control doesn’t have to become a difficult endeavour, once you have momentum, you will become exceptional at credit control. Below are some suggestions on how to tackle credit control.
Credit Control Tips
Make sure you are clear of all distractions as you are going to have to concentrate on one task at a time. That task has to be credit control.
Have a copy of the document/invoice(s) in front of you for reference.
Ensure you are familiar with the lay of the invoice as you will have questions. These questions will range from the invoice number, the quantity of goods purchased, the unit price of the goods, total price of the goods. There could be other questions that can easily be answered with a copy of the invoice in front of you.
In a calm manner, pick up the telephone and ask to speak to the accounts payable or ask to be put through to the person who deals with accounts queries.
Firstly introduce yourself and ask for the name of the person you are talking to. Explain in a friendly voice that you are calling on behalf of your employer (or yourself). You need to engage them in friendly conversation and explain that you are chasing payment for an outstanding invoice(s). There is no need to be aggressive or abrupt and will appreciate your calm approach. They may ask you a few questions about the invoice. Above all be helpful and reply to all the questions asked. The object of the call is to make sure they become receptive to your request for payment of your invoice.
Stay your ground
Ask when can you expect remit of the invoice. They may ask you to resend the invoice. If they do, send a copy via email and put a copy in the post. Then ask them again when can you expect to receive full payment of the invoice. Ascertain any problems with the invoice. What is preventing them paying the invoice as payment is overdue in accordance with your terms and conditions.
A cheque may need to be authorised by am a manager, or the invoice needs to be approved. In that instance, ask them when you can expect this to happen.
Thank them for their time.
Write on the invoice, on your accounts package or on an excel spreadsheet the outcome of your conversation. Write clearly the date that they said you can expect payment. In addition if you have sent a copy invoice, write the day you emailed the copy invoice and sent one in the post.
Enter a note in your diary to make an additional call to the person to make sure they have received a copy of the invoice. If the payment was expected on a particular date and has not been received, call again on that date. Tell the person that the payment has not been received and find out if there are any issues.
How to do credit control successfully
What if your client won’t pay you if you are a Virtual Assistant?
There could be occasions when your client, simply isn’t going to pay your invoice. On occasions like this, you are going to have to make the decision if you are going to embark on legal action. Legal Action could involve a solicitor or small claims court. In some circumstances, it may advantageous to write the debt off. In conclusion, the amount of the outstanding invoice may dictate the severity of your action.
Have you heard of the term CPD? Do you know what it means and more importantly, do you know what it involves?
CPD stands for Continued Personal/Professional Development. In short, it means that you continue to study after you finish school, college or graduate from university. There are a number of professions that once you achieve a pass mark in the basic qualifications will be the start of a lifetime of study, for example, a solicitor, a doctor or a planner. What about your profession? Do you need to embark on CPD?
If your profession does not demand Continued Professional Development, have you made the decision to discontinue studying? To have a successful career, we advocate a continued approach to education/studies. Continued Professional Development is there to help you excel in your chosen field. CPD will also keep you abreast of the latest trends, legal changes and current business relationships which ultimately could give you an advantage over your colleagues.
Education never stops
Making a personal decision to continue your education/studies and improve your knowledge in your chosen field may become a prerequisite for your employment. An example of this is the IT Industry. Information Technology is changing all the time and good developers, support staff and programmers need to keep abreast of current technology, languages and innovations. If you decided to terminate your studies, this could have a detrimental effect on your career.
Once you have made the decision to continue with your education, what should you do? There are a number of organisations that can facilitate your education. The only decision you need to make will be, which route suits your personal circumstances:
Online training courses
Studies in a classroom setting – often given by trade bodies
Correspondence courses
Seminars and Open days
Trade Federations
Professional Magazines in a chosen field
What is CPD for your occupaation?
You could be in an occupation where CPD is not required. Nevertheless, this does not mean that further study is not for you. It could be advantageous for you to engage in a study course with a local college or night class in one of the hobbies you enjoy for example cooking or sewing. Furthermore, you could learn a new skill, for example, car maintenance.
Further, more studying has a number of wonderful side effects. You could meet new people, gain skills and more importantly keep your brain active. Indeed, the Alzheimer’s community have suggested that keeping your brain active could help prevent many mind degenerative disease.
All studying requires is your dedication to the course, that you will be receptive to new concepts, your time and the drive to become successful
Welcome
Welcome to our online magazine from Julie and the team. If you have been on one of Julie’s training courses, you know she is passionate about PA, EAs and Secretaries being the best they can be. She also has very strong opinions about what a PA, EA and Secretary should and shouldn’t do. If you have a question, or would like to add an article, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
