Career Diagnostics - Blogs

Considering interim work?

no@spam.com (Henry Carter) — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

If you're manager considering interim work, then it's a good idea to weigh up the pros and cons of the option. Yes, there are many benefits but there are also a few downsides you might need to factor in when making your decision.

Let's start with the pros. Becoming an interim manager will firstly provide you with varied experience. As your skills are transferable, you could find yourself working for a car manufacturer one year and for a national supermarket the next. You'll pretty much go where the skills are required, so you should well build a vast amount of multi-industry experience.

More often than not, interim managers can command quite substantial fees, too. Some even charge up to £800 or so for a day's work. That's not to be scoffed at and although you might not have enough experience to charge quite this much, you're still looking at probably £200+ per day - that's more than most managers earn in a permanent role!

You are afforded flexibility from interim work that just doesn't come with permanent roles as well. You can decide your career path; you can pretty much decide where you want to work, for how long and when to take your annual vacation! That's something money can't buy. By working in lots of different places, you'll build a great professional network too - you know what they say... it's all about who you know.

Interim managerial work has it cons though. The biggest one is the lack of security. If you can't find a suitable project to take on once your current one ends, you could be left without an income for quite some time. If you've got savings then this might not be an issue but if you're like most people, who depend on a regular income, it could prove tricky. In addition, whilst there is flexibility on offer, this isn't for everyone. Some people like to have a firm plan; to know where they're headed next.

All in all, as with everything, there are negatives and positives. It's all about working out your priorities and how these relates to the pros/cons. Only then can you make a balanced, informed decision.

Drupal Modules Support Website Development to Make Website Development Easy

no@spam.com (juliana fontana) — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Website development with the help of drupal modules really helps to make your website development process so simple and it does not require any programming skill or coding ability. With the help of core drupal module we can do anything for website development which require out of box thinking and add an extra effort to build stunning website. Drupal core is the most needed element for drupal installation. In default drupal configuration, a drupal website’s content can be contributed by either registered or anonymous users and is made accessible to web visitors by a variety of selectable criteria. Drupal core also includes a hierarchical taxonomy system, which allows content to be categorized or tagged with key words for easier access.

Drupal Core includes optional modules which can be enabled by the administrator to extend the functionality of the website development Core drupal add number of features to improve website development functionality in number of ways. With the help of core drupal we can make both static and dynamic website. Drupal core provides advance search menu, multi level menu, login with opened, RSS feed and feed aggregator, user profiles and multi language site.

Following are good and essential Drupal modules that will expand the core installation in order to make content management easier for site owners as well as web developer who deals in website development using Drupal.

Content Construction Kit

Content construction kit is really a must have drupal module for any custom content configuration. It is one of the part of core drupal which allows web developers to add content types in website development nodes as well as they can also add an additional fields like email, phone number, location in the existing content type. It helps to create new content type and helps in your website development project.

IMCE

IMCE support full control of uploaded media files on web server as well as ability to upload new files on existing web server. Website development with these IMCE modules works great for images as well as other file upload. It also provides good quality and clarity for both images and video uploads. IMCE support all browser compatibility as well different file formats so that we can easily upload it on web servers to add flavors in website development process.

WYSIWYG

WYSIWYG is what you see is what you get editor which simplify your website editing feature with rich text editor. This drupal module helps in your website development task to edit content in your client-site editor. This powerful drupal module eliminates the needs of all other editor integration modules. WYSIWYG module is capable to support any kind of client-side editor with full featured rich text editor buttons. It can be a HTML-editor, a pseudo-editor or even Flash-based applications. WYSIWYG modules support website development to edit or insert HTML code in client side editor to make web pages with full with rich text media.

Google Analytics

This Drupal module helps to analyze website traffic and website tracking to find visitor sources. Google analytics module helps in website development to configure website by analyze your visitors flow. We can customize website development code by analyzing geographical information with the help of this google analytics module. This module support single, multi or cross domain tracking. This module also support Google adsense, goals and funnels so we can easily customize our whole website development look just by observing website behavior.

Webform

This module is really very useful to add custom survey field in drupal web page. Webform module helps to add custom contact page or any other survey page which boost your

website development

analysis part. With this module we can add custom filling form in website development, which can be filled by user when surfing a website. After a submission, users may be sent an e-mail “receipt” as well as sending a notification to administrators. These Results can be exported into Excel or other spreadsheet applications in CSV file. Webform also provides some basic statistical review and have some extensive API for expanding its features.

Website Development With WordPress, Drupal or Joomla ?

no@spam.com (juliana fontana) — Sun, 06 May 2012 00:00:00 PDT

Website development is very confusing task while it come to choose between a various open source content management system. Every IT person, developer, and programmer has an different opinion when it comes to the various open source content management systems out there for website development. It often comes down to functionality and ease of use, but even then the lines are often blurred and there is rarely a clear-cut victor. Today WordPress, Drupal and Joomla are really widely used open source CMS in many website development companies. In this article I will discuss advantage and disadvantage of each of these.

There are lots of open source content management systems (CMSs) for stunning website development and website design, but the most common for websites today are three open-source tools: Joomla, Drupal and WordPress. Actually, we describe them it’s not tools for website development but it is a ‘life for website development’ — these are full-fledged platforms, with tens of thousands of add-on tools created by very active developer communities. You can choose wisely among these three open source CMS accordingly your website development needs and requirement.

All these three applications have a lot of similarities, advantages and disadvantages. For example, all three are written in the PHP programming language which is a server side scripting language to help dynamic website development. all three are licensed under the free GNU General Public License (GPL), and all three depend on the MySQL database to hold and manage the actual content within a website.

Drupal

Drupal is widely used open source CMS for personal blogs to corporate, political, and government sites.Drupal have many advantages and also have some disadvantages. Drupal CMS have good clear core PHP code helps website developers to build great website. We can acquire a good project leadership with this drupal CMS. It is very scalable and easy to use for server side scripting. It has not too much ready made plug-ins to make your website development easy as available in wordpress or joomla. It is not too easy for imposing default user interface.

Joomla/Mambo

Since Joomla is a object-oriented programming language, it is widely used and 30 million times downloaded open source CMS and Over 9,200 free and commercial extensions are available from the official Joomla Extension Directory to make website development easy and more are available from other sources. Mambo, formerly known as mambo open source (MOS), includes advanced features such as page caching to improve performance on busy sites, advanced templating techniques, and a fairly robust API. It can provide RSS feeds and automate many tasks, including web indexing of static pages.

Joomla have a good menu system and easy for static website development. It has trong static page structure and includes features such as page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, search, and support for language internationalization. Joomla have not very good in-built web performance. It has not good SEO friendly URLs. Poor weblog section. Paid plug-ins. Overall not too good CMS for website development.

WordPress

WordPress is currently the most popular CMS in use on the Internet for website development and also have strong evidence by google trends. WordPress users may install and switch between themes. It has good in built plugins, widgets. It has good multi-user and multi-blogging facility. We can also easily build mobile site with wordpress CMS. WordPress also support trackback and pingback standards. It has clean permalink structure and having ability to assign nested, multiple categories to blogs and articles. It also support for tagging of posts and articles. In wordpress, automatic filters are also included, providing standardized formatting and styling of text in articles.

Sales Resume Tips

no@spam.com (Jeff Marin) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 PST

A resume can't get you a job, but it can get you noticed. Of course, your resume can also get you eliminated from contention for a position. When you're applying for a sales job, your resume needs to show your sales experience or the skills that make you perfect for a sales career if you don't have any experience. One of the best ways to create a sales resume, or improve your resume so it's a better fit for a sales career, is to look at a sample sales resume online.

Before You Begin

Before you begin working on your resume, take a moment and think about your job history. A sales career involves overcoming objections from clients, talking to people, having a positive attitude and reaching goals. You probably have done many of these things during the course of other professional or volunteer work you've performed. Jot down notes on those experiences and refer back to them while you work on your resume.

Objective

Your sales resume should begin with an objective. An objective is a summary of the type of position you're looking for and the skills that make you a perfect fit for the position. For a sales resume, your resume objective should sum up the qualities you have that make you ideal for a sales position, such as stamina, persistence, customer service skills or public speaking skills.

Skills-based Resume

If you don't have direct sales experience, a skills-based resume may be the best way to highlight your skills. A skills-based resume lists various skills you have, then the job experience you have that shows the experience that you have that applies to that skill. For your sales resume, you might list "customer service" as one of your skills, then list the positions and experiences you've had that utilized customer service, such as a retail sales job. Follow that with another skill, such as "public speaking," then list your relevant experience. Continue with other skills, then follow your skills section with a brief listing of your work experience, beginning with the most recent.

Experienced-based Resume

An experienced-based resume works well if you have sales experience or if your pervious experience is obviously applicable to sales. When you're listing your experience, don't just make a list of the duties you performed; list your achievements and accomplishments. If you were a teacher, for example, you should include any awards you achieved or if you were able to increase your students' reading, math or other grade levels. List your work history in reverse chronological order from the most recent to the furthest in the past.

Education

You should list your highest level of education in the next section. Don't worry if you don't have a college degree; most sales positions don't require one. Only list your grade point average if it was over 3.0. If you have any professional certifications, include these as well.

Proofread

Once you've finished your resume, take a moment to reread it. Look for spelling or grammatical errors. Misspellings on resumes can eliminate you from contention and in sales, your ability to communicate professionally and clearly is critical to your success.

Administrative Resume Tips

no@spam.com (Jeff Marin) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 PDT

As the employment market has evolved with the struggling economy, so have the standards by which job candidates are evaluated. The competition amid administrative positions is fierce. In order to stand out it is essential that an administrative resume be polished and professional.

All resumes are created equally, right?
In fact, there is a substantial difference in the quality of administrative resumes. The ones that follow a generic chronological template are likely to wind up in the trashcan. The function of any resume is to pre-sell yourself as a job candidate. It is critical to realize that this is a marketing tool. What separates the great from the mediocre is the quality of advertising.

So, what are the marketing concepts that can be applied to resume writing? A great administrative resume will clearly define why you are a better candidate than everyone else is. In marketing terminology, they call this the differential benefit. Here are a few tips:

• The most basic sales concept is that of meeting the consumer’s needs. Know what qualities the employer is looking for. Read the job advertisement to see what qualifications are being asked for. Then draft a list of how your skills will help them meet their goals. Use this list to create your objective, and repeat it in the cover letter.
• Consider using a combination format of functional and chronological. These list your skills first and relevant employment information second. Here is a good source of administrative resumes that provides both types of resumes. This can be a powerful way to bring your abilities to the forefront, unless you have a history of impressive employers.
• Include testimonials. This not only lends you credibility, but also immediately makes a statement about what a valuable employee you are. If you don’t have a testimonial, then ask for one or pick a quote form a letter of recommendation.
• Market yourself as a brand. Make a list of your top five administrative skills. Write a summary underneath each one that describes how you used this particular skill to improve the company that employed you.
• Write like a professional. Administrative resumes should be free from spelling and grammar errors. Anything less than perfection will send a message you are not thorough.
• Never lie on your resume. Do not invent things that are not true about yourself or highlight a skill that you are unable to perform. Focus on the things that you do well and any special training that you have received.
• Image is everything, especially when that is all that someone has to go by. Remember, potential employers don’t know you. They will judge you based on the impression they get from your resume.

Words and Terms That Ruin Resumes

no@spam.com (Jeff Marin) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 PDT

In today's up and down economy, and with the jobs market feeling a bit strained, many people are seeking ways to differentiate themselves from the competition through their resume. In many cases, your resume is the only thing that a potential employer knows of you in the initial employment application process, so it pays to make sure it is the best it can be. However, many people do not realize that the language they use in their resume may actually be hurting their chances of getting a job, and these mistakes may be more common than you think.

First and foremost, do not omit essential information. Far too many people put things like "negotiable" when answering the question of desired salary. It is almost self explanatory that the salary an employer offers you is negotiable, as you are the one seeking employment, not them. As well, many people choose to put "references available upon request" in the references section of their resume. To do this is rather pointless, in that there was no reason to even have a section for references if you weren't going to list them. In fact, it would be better to not even include sections for salary or references if you are not willing to list specific information.

And when answering questions about previous employment and experience, it is important to cast yourself into the role of a leader. Try to use words such as "led" or "managed" to show that you took charge of your previous position. You are wanting to convince a potential employer that you are the best candidate for the position and not just someone with experience. You want to present your skills as a leader within an organization, as employers are not wanting to babysit someone that simply has "experience."

Finally, avoid using words that are overly general. By describing yourself as having "people skills," or as someone that is a "hard worker," tells an employer that you don't actually possess these skills. Why? Because you are not proving it with examples. You are simply telling them what they want to hear, and that won't cut it. If you plan to show a potential employer that you work hard at everything you attempt, then it is better to prove this with examples from previous employment and life experiences. Remember, you will have plenty of time to impress a potential employer with your people skills when you get an interview; until then, concentrate on your resume. In order to find examples of resumes that work, you might want to search online for a sample resume site that can offer you examples of a sample resume that employers will be attracted to.

Should you go for permanent or interim?

no@spam.com (Henry Carter) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 PDT

If you're in the lucky position where you can choose what job you do or even what hours you can take, then it can be beneficial to understand the value of both permanent and interim roles.

Permanent roles require to work for a company, as the name suggests, permanently. For the foreseeable future, you are their employee and they are your employer. It's a mutual agreement; providing some workers with the personal and financial security they crave.

In a permanent role, you typically work 40 hours or more per week. Many jobs offer a Monday - Friday schedule, with weekends off; however in some roles, you'll have to work shifts. Either way, you'll get a fixed salary, some benefits and a set amount of paid holiday. This means you can book a week in the sun in August, and you'll be able to head off with no worries. However, permanent work does lack a certain degree of flexibility that some people require - this is where interim work can really come into its own.

Executives with many years' experience in their particularly field often excel in interim roles. An interim role is one where a person is required for work for a fairly short period; typically anything under six months. They are generally hired by the company to achieve a certain aim - be it to facilitate a period of change, introduce a new team, complete an important project or help a CEO get settled into their role.

It can also be a way for employers to test the waters before hiring a candidate permanently; although this goes against what many interims want out of their role, so is a rare occurrence.

The main benefits of working as an interim are the flexibility, the handsome financial rewards, the benefit of being able to change jobs whenever you like (within reason) and the chance to meet lots of new people. You'll also gain lots of different skills, build up a diverse work history and tell future employers you were responsible for meeting a big goal. It's a great option to take and one you should really consider.