4 (Other) Reasons Why Your Company Should Support a Charity

4 (Other) Reasons Why Your Company Should Support a Charity Let’s firstly acknowledge the founding principle of philanthropy: a care for humanity and others. The world isn’t perfect, and a charity venture can make it just a little bit more fair. If you value the social good done by a charity then you should get involved. And while the first reason for supporting a charity should be a genuine desire to make a difference, there are also many rewards for your company. Here are four (other) reasons why your company should support a charity. 1. Boost employee retention Making a real impact on others can infuse our lives with more meaning. The warm glow one gets from giving is so real, it’s scientific. In one study, researchers found that donating to charity activated pleasure centres in the brain. The act of giving can reignite motivation amongst employees as they feel more fulfilled knowing they are making a difference in this world. Not all jobs can offer the opportunity to make a great impact for change, but by supporting a charity, your company and employees can make a difference in your own way. Most of us want to get involved with charity but some struggle to find the time to do so, and participating in employer-sponsored fundraising gives staff the opportunity to make a difference, at the ease and practicalities of the workplace. Many volunteering and fundraising schemes can also provide learning and leadership opportunities, increasing productivity and engagement. Giving back is rewarding, and can be the catalyst to boost employee morale, promoting a sense of pride and purpose in themselves and the company. 2. Team building Supporting a charity can help build a motivated and collaborative team. Raising money can be, and should be fun, with many charities offering fundraising ideas that bring people together. Whether it’s a charity run, volunteering, or doing something silly for something serious, there’s an inclusiveness that offers all employees of different levels and departments to work together in an environment outside of their usual work parameters. This strengthens relationships and instills a sense of unity and camaraderie, as they work together towards a shared goal for a better good. 3. Networking opportunities We all know the importance of networking in business. Charity organisations allows you to build a mutual trust and respect with like-minded business people, with a regular platform to nurture those relations. Being part of a charity can open the doors to a powerful network of business owners. To quote a popular character from TV show  Mad Men: Philanthropy is the gateway to power. This can be met with some cynicism, but charity organisations are often associated with the world’s most influential individuals, and belonging to these groups can offer invaluable resources and opportunities. 4.  Stronger employer brand Making philanthropy a part of your identity can build positivity around your brand that will engage with the outside community, including clients, customers and prospective candidates. People respect and connect with leaders who show a social responsibility, with research showing that people want to work for an ethical company that is dedicated to helping others. In the world of business and corporation where motives are largely profit driven, the ethical element to a company can balance a positive image, defining your company from your competitors, which not only builds a stronger brand image but can attract the best talent.

Twentysomething Paychecks are boring

Twentysomething Paychecks are boring By Ryan Healy Unless you are a professional athlete or working on Wall Street, an entry-level salary is not very exciting. When you couple this with the fact that the average college student graduates with tens of thousands in student loan and credit card debt and the cost of renting a place in any major city is an absolute rip off, a paycheck does not go very far. If I am paying an arm and a leg just to have a roof over my head and pay back an education that wasnt exactly optional, how can I possibly save any decent amount of money? Realistically, I cant. But that is alright. If I stay in the corporate world, the paychecks will keep coming, I will pay down debt, I will pay my rent and I will spend the majority of the rest on food, entertainment and happy hours. The remainder will go to savings. One thing I will not waste my money on is stuff. Nothing bothers me more than seeing people living in houses above their means and driving cars they cant afford. I am not foolish enough to believe a paycheck will ever make me rich. The only reason I get excited about a 3% raise is because of what it represents; my hard work. The increase in money is barely noticeable and will disappear into my 3% lifestyle increase. Sure, I could invest that 3% in stocks, mutual funds or better yet an IRA, but what exactly am I saving for? Its a forgone conclusion that I will never retire, and anyone my age who believes they will, is mistaken. First of all, by the time I have children to send off to college, the average tuition will probably be around $100,000 a year. If I have 2.5 kids that is $1 million dollars out of my pocket (or more realistically out of loans). Even if I deprive myself of vacations, entertainment and fun to save throughout my twenties, I cant possibly save enough money to retire. I cant imagine what I would do if I ever did retire. Sure you may be thinking that Im barely out of college and wouldnt be saying this if I had been working for 10 or 20 years. But this is exactly why I am so desperate to find meaning and happiness out of work, rather than just a paycheck. I guess if the end goal is riding off into the sunset and retiring, then you can put up with a boring, well paid job for 30 years (I guess). This is not my end goal. I would rather find fulfillment in a job that gives me flexible hours and is accommodating to my lifestyle. Of course, if I am lucky enough to make it to my golden years, I will cut back on the amount I work and supplement my smaller income with the earnings from the smart investments I made along the way. But I certainly wont be moving south to sit around and do nothing for the last ten years of my life. The way I see it my life will turn out one of two ways. 1. I will get lucky somewhere along the way and strike it rich. I will pay for my kids education, I will buy a moderate house and moderate cars and I will make smart investments for the future. I will use the money to make a difference in one way or another. I will be happy. 2. I will find meaningful, fulfilling jobs with decent salaries or start a mildly successful business. My kids will take out loans for their education, I will buy a moderate house and moderate cars and I will continue to work and invest a reasonable amount. I will donate my time rather than my money to make a difference in one way or another. I will be happy. Before you assume I am a naïve kid, who needs some financial education, keep in mind, I have a degree in accounting and finance and I regularly read financial books, magazines, newspapers and blogs. Despite all of this, I have come to the conclusion that life is too short to spend worrying about how much money is in my bank account. I will not chase a paycheck.

Recruitment Apprentices Time to Get Involved

Recruitment Apprentices â€" Time to Get Involved Employing apprentices is a new thing for the recruitment sector and I know that many will be asking, why bother, why not just employ graduates? And if I do employ apprentices won’t they be a lot of hassle? I hope to dispel those worries. It is a myth that all the best people go to university, with rising costs I know that many of my generation have taken a very conscious decision not to incur that sort of debt. Many of the most able and energetic young people are also impatient to get into the world of work. I know I was. I then decided that the career that I’d chosen, child-care, wasn’t for me, so I had to make a career change. At that stage, like most career changers, giving up my income was not an option. So by not employing apprentices, you’re missing out of some of the best talent. Graduates come with certain income expectations; I’m sure you’re well aware of that! Apprentices know that we’re learning on the job, so our expectations are a lot lower, and you get to train us in your good habits and needs, so we are tailored made for you. For example, we have clients in Germany, so part of my apprenticeship is learning German. I love the hands-on work experience that the apprenticeship offers, the fact that I can get involved, rather learn from the side lines. I chose a career in recruitment because I’m highly driven by targets and I love being able to help others find their dream job. I chose BPS primarily because of their “people first” culture. At my interview, I was present at the weekly meeting and saw the passion that the management team has for delivering a good service. The culture of the office is supportive, hardworking, active and most importantly happy, and that really appealed to me. I was also really impressed with their Stars programme which offers training and education across all areas of the business. The programme develops people from apprentice level through to director  level so there is great  opportunity for progression. I can work towards industry specific  qualifications and there is a wealth of opportunity for self-improvement. I access the training in a  variety of ways including online tutorials from LinkedIn Learning  platform and internal group training on more specific recruiting topics like  â€œWriting a Job Ad” or  â€œTwitter for Recruiting”. This learning is in  addition to  studying for my NVQ Level 3 in  Recruitment Resourcing and learning German. The first day can seem very daunting, but I suspect that is the same for all new recruits, whatever their background and even if, like me, you’ve been used to the most demanding of customers of all, pre-school children! However the structure of the apprenticeship learning programme has made it straightforward for my employer and me to get up to speed in no time at all. I was quickly hitting my targets and that was incredibly rewarding. I really hope that apprenticeships catch on in the sector. There is lots of support for employers who do offer them and I know, from my own experience, how soon we contribute to the business goals. To find out more the Government offers some great advice. About the author:  Natalie Winterton  started as an apprentice at global resourcing company BPS World two years ago. BPS was one of the first recruitment companies to offer apprenticeships in the sector. Last year they won REC apprentice of the year, and this year BPS have recommended Natalie for entry into the same category.

When its Safe to Say, Hey, Boss, Im Looking! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

When it’s ‘Safe’ to Say, ‘Hey, Boss, I’m Looking!’ - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Editor’s Note: This blog is a modified excerpt from professional “headhunter” and bestselling job-hunting book author Skip Freeman’s next book in the “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets series of job-hunting books, Career Stalled? Publication is scheduled for late fall. At what point during her new job search do you suppose Marissa Mayer, the new CEO of Yahoo, advised her boss at Google that she was “looking”? (The answer to this question, which may very well surprise you, is at the end of this blog.) The truth of the matter is, if you are like most people, you are happy in your job most of the time. That does not alter the fact, however, that there are also times when you may honestly wonder if you’re not overlooking other genuine career opportunities outside your current company. You may begin to feel that you might just be “settling” for what you now have in your current job and be leaving money and career advancement opportunities “on the table.” That’s when you are most likely to . . . Occasionally visit indeed.com and  similar online sites to see what may be available “out there.” Set up “saved searches,” so that the  right career opportunities start being emailed to you. Update your LinkedIn profile. Begin receiving (and taking!) calls  from “headhunters.” All simply to “test the waters,” of course. And, since you are already “flirting” with the job market, you may decide to go on a few “dates,” too, i.e., job interviews. Again, though, simply to “test the waters.” But what happens if these “dates” (interviews) begin to strongly suggest that, as you somewhat suspected, you may indeed be overlooking some genuine opportunities to advance your career? Well, the adrenaline can start pumping, suddenly a new-found sense of excitement can kick in, you start to get “butterflies” in your stomach, your heart beats just a little bit faster. . . and soon thereafter here they come . . . The old GUILT feelings! Dealing with the Guilt Feelings Why am I doing this? you ask yourself. Then, in answer to your own question, you’re quite likely to come up with answers such as these: Because I am not totally happy with my current job, or  at least not as happy as I know  I should be. I know for a fact that I am not  being paid what I am worth. Will I ever receive a promotion, or am I destined to remain at  basically the same level throughout my career with this companyâ€"no matter  what I accomplish or how well I perform? Why won’t my boss trust me with more  responsibility and authority? Still, the guilt feelings persist. In order to alleviate these guilt feelings, you decide that the best thing to do at this point is to “come clean” with your boss. After all, you do have a good relationship with herâ€"actually, a very good relationship with herâ€"right? She told you during your last  performance review that she genuinely cared about you and wanted only the best for you and your family, didn’t she? Certainly, the boss will want to do what’s right for you, right? Maybe, after you “cleanse your soul,” by telling her you’re “looking,” you might actually end up getting a nice raise, perhaps even a promotion, right? Wrong! Two Reasons ‘Cleansing Your Soul’ with Your Boss is NOT a Good Idea  Here are at least TWO reasons why your reasoning is very wrong and filled with significant risks to your career:  First, how  can you tell, for sure, that you  do indeed have a “good” relationship with your boss? What if you guess  wrong about the true nature of  the relationship you have with her? What if you think you have a goodâ€"even GREAT!â€"relationship with her but  she would beg to differ, if asked? Or, what if you do indeed currently have a “good  relationship” with her but it quickly “sours” once you’ve told her of your  â€œindiscretions”?  Second, an  employment relationship is not  like a marriage contract or any other type of binding, legal contract or arrangement. Nonetheless,  many people continue to view it as such. The fact of the matter is, almost  all employment arrangements today are what’s known as “at will”  arrangements. That means that, like political appointees, an employee “serves”  at the “pleasure” of the company. If and when it is no longer your  employer’s “pleasure” to keep you, you will be gone, gone, gone. Still,  many want to believe that their co-workers  (and yes, sometimes, even their boss) are true “friends,” their “family-in-residence,”  as it were, but that really isn’t true at all. If you currently find yourself facing a career dilemma such as the one described in this blog, I suggest that you STOP and ask yourself these questions: “If I stay where I am for the rest of my career, am I okay with that?” “Has my ‘story’ at my current job been completely written yet? “If I were unemployed and had a chance to interview for my current job, would I do it?” “Money aside, do I really love this job?” If your answers to these questions is a resounding “yes,” then stop looking NOW . . . get control over the urge to “confess” and get back to work! Risks Inherent in Confessing Your Career ‘Affair’ or ‘Indiscretion’ On the other hand, if your answers to these questions are even qualified “no’s,” then the only question becomes whether or not to “confess.” The short answer is: Don’t even think about it unless you want your career to tank at your current company! If you choose to ignore this advice, here is what, at a minimum, awaits you for as long as you remain with your current employer: Don’t expect to any longer be  seriously considered for any promotions  that may come up. If you get a salary increase, it  will be miniscule at best. Don’t expect to any longer even be  considered for involvement in any long-term, high-profile company  projects. Expect your professional brand to be  quickly and irretrievably “tarnished,” and expect it to grow even more  â€œtarnished” the longer you stay with the company. Anticipate that the “great  relationship” you thought you  had with your current boss will soon head south. Do you still believe, then, that “coming clean” with the boss if you are “looking” is a good idea? I hope not. Don’t make the mistake so many excellent candidates tend to make by telling your boss you’re “looking.” There is absolutely no way whatsoever that this can ever be to your benefit or advantage. Rather, take a cue from the new Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer. This savvy young executive  demonstrated that she definitely knows how the hiring  â€œgame” is played. She also showed that she is an expert player at the game. The “advance warning” she gave her boss at Google that she was “looking”â€"exactly 30 minutes before she left! Author: Skip Freeman  is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever!  and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of  The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

4 steps to carry out as a disabled person applying for university - Debut

4 steps to carry out as a disabled person applying for university - Debut We all know that applying for university places is stressful. There’s a massive checklist of things you need to get sorted, you need to decide on a degree, narrow your choices down, and then there’s your UCAS application to fill out. If you’re a prospective disabled university student, that list will probably be a bit longer, too. So to make sure you don’t miss anything when you’re applying, here are 4 important steps you need to carry out if you’re a disabled person applying for uni. 1) Declare your disability When filling out your UCAS application, you will be asked to disclose whether you have a disability. While you could choose not to do this and that’s totally fine, it’s a personal thing it’s better in the long term if you do. Ticking the box and letting universities know that you’re disabled earlier on in the application process. This means that any adjustments or adaptations that you could need when you start university can be completed ASAP. If you don’t like the idea of declaring it on UCAS specifically, then there is also the option of letting the universities know individually, by email or phone.  In my experience, the sooner they know and can get everything sorted for you, the better. 2) Apply for DSA If you’ve declared your disability on UCAS, you can also apply for DSA, (Disabled Student’s Allowance) through your student finance supplier. This is a grant that disabled students won’t have to pay back. That will mean that you have all the equipment and adaptations in place so that youre ready to attend university in September. From helping with transport costs to laptops and specialist software this grant is there to make sure that, you’re able to do everything your peers can. You’re recommended to apply for DSA straight away, but you can apply at any stage of your course. Some think that they’re not ‘disabled enough’ to apply for this. But as long as you have a diagnosis of a disability or mental health condition, there will be something that will make your university life easier. Why not just send off the application and see how they can help? 3) Contact the university’s disability services Even if you’ve declared your disability and applied for DSA, I’d definitely get in touch with the disability services at the universities you’re applying to. Why? Well, they’ll likely want to know some specifics about what adaptations you’ll need. Visit their offices and see what they can do for you. When I got in contact with the disability services at my university, for example, they put me in touch with a 2nd-year  disabled student who was a wheelchair-user. It gave me a better idea of how accessible the campus was, which was really helpful. Even if it’s just to ask or confirm whether they can offer any adaptations that you currently have in place, it’s worth reaching out to them to see how they can help. It’s a good indicator of how good they’ll be over the next 3 years. 4) Visit the universities As I’ve just mentioned, some universities can arrange extra tours for prospective disabled students, alongside Open Days. This will definitely help you get a real feel of the university outside of the visit days where everyone is trying to impress you. Here, you can see how accessible various parts of the campus are. You could also talk to staff members on your course and ask them questions. Disability services at universities should accommodate extra visits for you because they know how important choosing a university is. So if you can, definitely take the chance to visit universities outside of Open Days. This is so you know youre making the right choice for you both on the academics and the accessibility side. So there you go 4 important steps that you should carry out as a disabled person applying for university. Schools and colleges don’t always include additional steps that apply to us when they’re talking to the masses. I hope this list helps you not to miss out some of the less well-known parts of the application process. Best of luck with your applications! Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

LinkedIn Job Search Tips From the Pros

LinkedIn Job Search Tips From the Pros Last week Brian Tietje, Sales Manager for LinkedIn, delivered an excellent presentation on LinkedIn to members of the Human Resources Association of New York networking group. Here are my top ten takeaways for job seekers.Create a keyword driven summary. Forget about the summaries that describe you as passionate, a great communicator, and a team player. LinkedIn is all about searchability and recruiters and hiring managers dont search on those cliched phrases, Instead, focus on the relevant keywords for your industry and job function and be sure to really build out the specialties section. Like resumes, no recruiter is really reading your LinkedIn profile. They are performing multiple sophisticated keyword searches looking for a match. Make every word count.Monitor your profile views. Check the jobs tab regularly to see how many people have viewed your profile. If the number is exceptionally low, perhaps you need to tweak your profile to improve your searchability.Dont ignore the eve nts listings. Many hiring authorities search for top talent on LinkedIn by looking in the events section. They scour the list of events on LinkedIn to see who is attending certain industry events and often make connections directly through the events section rather than the user profile section.Spend time in the answers section. Again, hiring managers are looking for the trend setters and industry leaders. Often these people are participating in the answers section of LinkedIn, providing leadership and guidance, building credibility, and demonstrating authority.Include a picture. People want to see who they are doing business with. The picture starts solidifying the trust. The picture is part of your personal brand. Get over your insecurities about having the picture up on LinkedIn. It is here to stay and it is an important component in the relationship building process.Use applications that help you track company information. The Company Buzz application on LinkedIn lets you track in real time who is saying what about certain companies and people on Twitter. This is an excellent way to be in the know about companies you are targeting.Dont worry about upgrading to the paid level of service. This level is designed for recruiters and marketers, not job seekers. LinkedIn has an enormous amount of utility for job seekers at the free level of service.Pay attention to your privacy settings. LinkedIn generally assumes you want a high level of privacy and will default to that setting unless you tell it otherwise. But everyone should review their settings and make sure they are aligned with your professional goals. For example, you can control who can tell that you have reviewed their profile. As a job seeker you will probably be researching multiple LinkedIn profilesyou dont necessarily want everyone to know you are searching their profile and you can change this setting to anonymous.Ditch connections that dont make sense. It is ok to terminate a connection with someo ne who you dont know and dont plan on building a relationship with. The degrees of separation work best when there is some affinity between you and the person you are connected to. Without that affinity it will be more difficult to reach out to that person for an introduction to someone in their network.Keep learning about LinkedIn. Take advantage of the LinkedIn Learning Center and the LinkedIn blog to get the most out of LinkedIn and stay on top of new features.

How to Write a Resume For Writing Students With No Work Experience

How to Write a Resume For Writing Students With No Work ExperienceThe most important step for writing a resume is the decision to buy one. Why buy one when you can create one yourself? Creating a resume is not as hard as it sounds, it's just a matter of picking which components are most important to include and how to organize them in the right way. You do not have to know a lot about resumes or how to write one, so this article will give you a step by step guide on how to write a resume for writing students with no work experience.The first and most vital component of a resume is the job title. It should be brief and easy to remember. It's usually the first thing that the hiring manager is going to see when you present your resume to him. If you are aware of the company that you are applying for, put the name of the company where you worked before in the first job you worked there. The same goes for your field of employment. If you were an accountant, explain this in your resume and if you were a landscaper, mention the job title you held there.Next you need to put your job description in your resume. In most cases the description will be a good part of your resume, but sometimes it's just enough to fill the first page of your resume. You do not need to fill the whole page on your job description because this is where most recruiters skim through.The next step in writing a resume is to define your skills. You may choose to place your skills in a section that is at the bottom of your resume or put them in another section. It's up to you what works best for you.The next section you can add to your resume is the reasons for your skills. The words 'to learn more' in front of your skills can really help you sell yourself. If you were laid off from your job, do not write 'learned new skills' instead write 'Learning new Skills'.The third section in writing a resume for writing students with no work experience is your abilities. This is the section where you list the abilities you possess. Whether you have some degree or diploma or you have a degree, you can put this section in your resume.Fourth step in writing a resume for writing students with no work experience is to make sure your resume is formatted properly. Many people create resumes in Microsoft Word. You should know that it is a piece of software that you cannot create your own resume in. So if you are using Microsoft Word, just go back to Microsoft and pick a template to use.This is why it is best to avoid any college graduates from completing their resume with this type of software. It does not work the way that you want it to work and therefore you will be wasting both your time and money.