Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Modern Businesses Local Versus Global

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Modern Businesses Local Versus Global Not long ago, offshoring of goods and services was a foolproof way to keep costs downâ€"if you could manage it. Now, however, due to changing markets, local sourcing is experiencing an upswing. Helped by Gabriele Rizzo, futurist adviser for private and public international defense organizations, and Alexander Bird, CEO of micronutrient food manufacturerKiss My Keto, lets look at the pros and cons of local versus global supply chains. Benefits and Drawbacks of Local and Global Supply Chains Since local supply chains are often smaller, local suppliers may require less of an initial investment and allow smaller orders, which results inlower stored inventory costs. In some foreign countries, worker wages are increasing, so the gap in labor costs between local and global supply chain strategies is diminishing. For instance, according toEurostatdata released in the fall of 2018, wage growth in the eurozone reached its fastest rate for two years, accelerating in the second quarter of 2017. Also, goods and services production is becoming more specialized and geared to local customers, and in such cases, there is often an advantage of being physically close to the buyer. These factors led global management consulting firmAlixPartnersto report that 69 percent of the 106 U.S. and western European manufacturing firms that responded to their 2016 annual survey were considering moving production closer to their home bases. But global supply chains have substantial benefits as well. Todays economy is unquestionablyglobaland having only local operations may result in lost opportunities and stalled growth. Also, depending on your industryâ€"and especially if you are in manufacturingâ€"you may face significant skills shortages in certain U.S. regions, but can readily find available labor in countries such as China and Mexico. Raw materials may also be less expensive in aforeign market, and global supply chains also allow businesses to take advantage of theinnovationafforded by emerging markets. That said, time lags, shipping delays and language and communication barriers associated with global supply chains may negatively impact a businesss speed,agilityand on-time delivery record. Finally,political situationscan sour quickly, so global supply chains in certain regions of the world may carry a higher risk of business disruption overall. For more where this came from, check out the American Express Business site.

Are Your Expectations Realistic

Are Your Expectations Realistic Im currently taking a three-week workshop with an amazing psychologist who has really opened my eyes. I enrolled myself in the course initially because of my hot temper and figured I could use to learn a few things. It turns out that this class has pointed out so many things I never thought about before. My favorite lesson so far has been to let go of unrealistic expectations. This applies to almost any situation you are in whether it is in regards to a friend, co-worker, significant other or even standards you place upon yourself. If you wake up each morning with a pre-defined blue print in your mind of how the day or even a situation is going to go, I promise that you will end up being disappointed. Saying things like my boss should realize how hard Im working or my boyfriend should know that I want/need this if he loves me is probably going to lead you to disappointment. Another example that pertains especially to women is thinking we need to please everyone at all times. Give it up before you go insane sister. So, if you are feeling disappointed, down or angry about a situation today, I challenge you to stop for a minute and write down the triggering event which made you mad, and then write down what your expectations were before going into the situation. I bet you will find that you may have been holding on to your expectations way too rigidly!

Clarification on the UK Visa Situation for International Students Graduates and a Look at Plan B University of Manchester Careers Blog

Clarification on the UK Visa Situation for International Students Graduates and a Look at Plan B University of Manchester Careers Blog There has been a lot of reference to visa caps in the news recently and this has put recent graduates and students on edge. The caps that are being referred to relate to applications from outside the UK from applicants. The graduates in the UK on tier 4 visas are not affected by this cap. All applications from within the UK for example if you are moving from a tier 4 visa to a tier 2 visa, or extensions on tier 2 visas are considered unrestricted and therefore have no limits ( as not adding to net migration). If you are applying from outside of the UK (your visa expired and you have gone home) you are subject to the visa cap and a labour market test. The more information you know about the visa system in the UK the more you can educate others including employers increasing your chances of sponsorship. To ensure you are complying with visa regulations if you have any questions make sure you consult an immigration lawyer.   It is important however to have a  Plan B!  What does this really mean? This means that although you may be motivated to work in the UK and feel that this will add to your career experience you need to have at least one alternative plan. The immigration laws are strict in the UK and it is difficult for international graduates to get roles in the UK so think about your home market. Is an international career experience in the UK at the start of of your career essential? For most of you NO! Would going home getting a job in your field of interest, building your experience, knowledge, skills and brand make you more attractive to employers later in your career? YES it would. Keeping up to date on the labour market in your home country as well as other countries you are interested in working in is essential so that you have the most up to date information. Be prepared if your job applications in the UK dont work out and have applications ready for employers back home. Having a plan B, C, D, E etc is not failure it is preparedness. It shows that you are a passionate, determined and informed graduate. Top Tips for International Graduates: Do your research! Be prepared! Know your home market as well as the UK market. Make connections with alumni in the businesses you want to work for. Build your commercial awareness. Apply to jobs back home at the same time you are applying in the UK Dont wait until your visa expires and go home you could miss out on great opportunities. All else fails be the best you can be wherever you are in the world build your reputation, brand, knowledge and skills and look at an international career later in life when you have more to offer an employer!!!!!!!! International careers international jobs international students visas

Why Good Grammar (and Teeth) are Important for Getting a Job

Why Good Grammar (and Teeth) are Important for Getting a Job Earlier this week, the online dating website Match.com released the results of a study on what singles look for in potential dating partners. The results weren’t particularly surprising, but the prioritization was. Number one on the list â€" nice teeth. Number two â€" good grammar. It makes sense. A first date is an introduction to what could possibly (and for some, hopefully) be a long-term relationship. And who wants to spend the next several years of their life with someone who sounds uneducated…or who has bad teeth? It’s not hard to make the analogy to a job interview. Again, we’re talking about an introduction that could potentially lead to a long-term relationship between an employer and employee. Granted, nice teeth will probably not get you the job (though we have established that appearance does play an important role in the workplace). Grammar skills, on the other hand, are essential! There are a number of reasons why someone may use poor grammar. Whether it be cultural background, educational background or simply not knowing the difference between good or bad grammar, here’s an important piece of advice when interviewing for a job: learn the difference in good and bad grammar, and know when to use it. Every good performer knows his or her audience, and plays to it. No matter how talented a pop or hip-hop artist may be, they know that their music probably would not be well received by the audience at a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra concert. When interviewing for a job, the interview is your stage, and your potential future employer is your audience. Give them the show they came to see, and if you do well, you’ll be invited back for an encore. Now, I know there are plenty of exceptions to every rule. If I were interviewing with Citibank, the way I presented myself would be very different than if I were interviewing with Wu-Tang Corp., and grammar would be no exception. But my advice remains the same â€" know your audience, and play to it. Keep in mind that grammar isn’t limited to verbal communication. Most of the time, a candidate’s resume is the first contact he or she has with an employer. Obviously, I shouldn’t have to stress how important spelling and grammar are on a resume. One of the most overused descriptors when describing oneself to a prospective employer is “detail-oriented.” What better way to disprove that than applying for a job with a resume full of grammatical errors? I know, some will say that unless you’re applying for a writing or editing position, a lack of grammar skills doesn’t inhibit your ability to do your job. But I beg to differ. EVERY job requires attention to detail in some aspect. Bad grammar shows a lack of it. Lack of attention to detail translates into mistakes, regardless of industry, and no employer wants to hire an employee who requires damage control. So before you ask a potential employer to entrust you with confidential company information or thousands of dollars o f company equipment, you should prove you know the difference between “you’re” and “your.” In addition to screening applicants’ resumes by spelling and grammar, some employers will go as far as issuing a grammar test to prospective employees. Online repair community iFixit and software company Dozuki are two such companies. According to the companies’ CEO Kyle Wiens: Grammar signifies more than just a person’s ability to remember high school English. People who make fewer mistakes on a grammar test also make fewer mistakes when they are doing something completely unrelated to writing â€" like stocking shelves or labeling parts. In the same vein, programmers who pay attention to how they construct written language also tend to pay a lot more attention to how they code. All applicants say they’re detail-oriented; I just make my employees prove it. Of course, exceptions can be made for those who are not native English speakers. But for those who are speaking their native tongue, consider the learning curve you’re demonstrating to employers. “You’ve been speaking the language how long? And you still haven’t mastered it? Is this the same learning curve we can expect when taking on a new assignment, or learning our company’s products?” Make no mistake, if you aren’t detail-oriented, your interviewer will be. With all the preparation that goes into a job interview and all the skills you’ve worked to acquire that led to your being offered the interview, don’t eliminate yourself because of something as fundamental as grammar.

Can You Get Along Without Resume Summaries?

Can You Get Along Without Resume Summaries?In the world of resume writing, many writers are unaware of the importance of resume summary examples. There are many who see these examples as a waste of time. This is because they understand that these examples are not necessary. Therefore, they have a mindset of thinking that they will not be successful if they use them in their resume writing.Now, it is important to know what the purpose of resume summary examples are. These summaries give you some help in creating a more effective resume and eliminating any errors. They are a must in resume writing. Once you have identified what to put in your resume, you can identify where you might be making mistakes.You should go ahead and find out where your resume summary examples are. A good place to find this information is in a common resume writer's resource. A resource such as this is written to assist people in completing their resumes. Most companies have a section in their resource box that should be filled out by everyone who applies for the job. This would include your resume.It would also include information such as where you live, education, etc. It is necessary to indicate your interests in this box because you will want to highlight the skills you possess that would be advantageous to the potential employer. Since you may need a little help filling out this section, it is best to utilize resume summary examples.While looking for your resume writer's resource, you will find several examples that can be used in your resume. These include career outlines, academic examples, career listings, job responsibilities, etc. Any one of these pieces of information can be incorporated into your resume without a problem.The only problem that is present here is the fact that it might be difficult to find everything you need. However, this does not mean that you should look elsewhere. Resume examples are so effective that they can be found anywhere. This is especially true for those who just start out in the field of resume writing. There are also online sources such as resume.com, which contains thousands of examples for those who want to get started.As long as you do not hesitate to use a resume sample, then you will find that your resume will be more cohesive. With a professionally designed resume, you can be certain that you will be successful in your application. This is because these resumes offer a professional touch.No matter how large or small your resume is, you can be sure that it will be complete. As long as you use a resume example and fill out your resume correctly, you will be well on your way to becoming a successful applicant. For this reason, there is no reason for you to sit back and wait for a while.

The 4 secrets to an effective recruiter relationship - Sterling Career Concepts

The 4 secrets to an effective recruiter relationship The 4 secrets to an effective recruiter relationship As a member of theCareer Collectiveblogging community of resume writers and career coaches, this post is one of many this month discussing HR or job search-related misconceptions. I encourage you to visit other members responses linked at the end of my post and follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.__________________________ Has an executive recruiter placed you in the past?Have you always wondered if a headhuntercould help you? Have you been frustrated trying to get results with recruiters or placement firms? Today, I am going to share with you some insights gleaned from mypast lifeas a New York City-basedexecutive recruiter. Thisknowledge will help youmake the most of recruiter relationshipsand determine if it can bea functional part of your job search plan. Here are four things you need to know when working with a recruiter: Executive recruiters dontwork for you. They are paid by the companies who hire them to fill open positions so their loyalty and their priorities are based those client companies needs. If your background matches a current need,youll get their ear, but ifnot, and if theirplate is full, they may file your resume away for the future. Do not be offended by this.Byvirtue of how their business model functions,youare important piece of the puzzle, but they do not need to find you a job. They need to fill their clients open recs. This is what dictates how they spend their time each day. Not every job search candidate canwork with recruiters. Let me explain myself.Its not based on salary levels or seniority. When Irecruited, I placed $40,000 candidates just as often as I placed candidates with $250,000 packages. Salary aside, your relevance fora recruiter is based on your skillset, yourexperience, and your job search goals. Recruiters dont typically work with career changers or entry level professionals. They are charged by their client companies to find, pre-screen, and presentparticular candidate profiles. Those tend to be candidates looking to stay in their field and who are ready fortheir logical next step or promotion or who are open to lateral moves to a competitor company.Whether a recruiter can assist youcan alsovary throughout your career dependingon yourcareer goals.At one point of your career, a recruiter may be able to present you to a clientcompany for a promotion, but a few years later, if youre looking to transition into a different part of the busines s, a recruiter may not be your best source of leads networking may be. Please remember, if a recruiter is not able to present your resume for a particular position, it does not necessarily mean you are not qualified for that role. It just means that the company isnt willing to pay a placement fee for your background to fill that role. You can always submit your resume to the company directly. This is often the case with junior or entry-level roles. Information is gold for a recruiter. They key to building an effective long-term relationship with a talented recruiter is the give and take of industry information. Offer leads or refer a good recruiter to colleagues or friends who are open to new opportunities. Let a recruiter know if you hear a particular company is hiring. If youre sent on an interview by a recruiter, share information and details with him or her afterwards names, titles, particular interview questions that you were asked, background as towhy the position is open (though good recruiters will already know this last tidbit). These details will help the recruiter with their process and will keep you in his or her good graces where you want to be when the right opportunity for your background comes across his or her desk. Trust the recruiter to negotiate for you. Theres two parts to this be honest with the recruiter in both the beginning and the end of the process. When you meetwith a recruiter (either on the phone or in person) andthe discussion turns to the details of your salary, for a number of reasons, please dont misrepresent yourself or inflate the numbers. First, recruiters speak with so many people, they tend to have a stronggrasp of market value so they may see straight through your elevated numbers. Not a great way to start off a relationship. Secondly, and more importantly, you can get caught in your lies later on if a company looking to hire you conducts a background check.I have seen candidates offers rescinded because of inconsistencies caught duringbackground checks. Its not fun andcompletely avoidable. So, at the start of your relationship. be honest and up front about your current or most recent salary and be realistic and honest about what its going to take to get you to accept a n ew position.A recruiter will go to bat for you to get as much as possible since it positively affects their commission. You are both on the same team here! More money in your pocket is more money in your recruiters pocket. Let them do their job and negotiate for you. Recruiters can be a great source of interviews and do place people in new positions. Its just important to be realistic about what they can do for you. Hopefully this inside perspective has cleared up misconceptions on how to best integrate executive recruiters into your job search plan. The followingare posts discussing the same topic frommy esteemed colleagues in the Career Collective: 5 Misconceptions Entry-Level Job Seekers Make, @heatherhuhman How Interview Savvy Are You?, @careersherpa Employers Dont Care, @ValueIntoWords Misconceptions about Using Recruiters, @DebraWheatman 15 Myths and Misconceptions about Job-Hunting, @KatCareerGal Are You Boring HR? @resumeservice Job Search Misconceptions Put Right, @GayleHoward Who Cares About What You Want in a Job? Only YOU!, @KCCareerCoach How to get your resume read (sort of), @barbarasafani Job Interviews, Chronic Illness and 3 Big Ideas, @WorkWithIllness The secret to effective job search, @Keppie_Careers Superstars Need Not Apply, @WalterAkana The Jobs Under the Mistletoe, @chandlee 8 Common Sense Interview Tips @erinkennedycprw Still no job interview? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes Misconceptions about the Hiring Process: Your Online Identity is a Critical Part of Getting Hired, @expatcoachmegan

Preparing for a Career Change

Preparing for a Career Change Do you find yourself not loving what you do anymore? Are you considering pursuing a different passion? You’re not alone. As you age, interests change. This leads many to contemplate changing careers, but don’t due to the financial risks. Fortunately, there are several tips to changing careers at any age such as creating a budget, staying aware of debt, and timing your transition.   When seriously contemplating a career change, it’s crucial to refine your general budget. Entering a new industry can be financially worrisome for some people because they generally have to start entry-level. This means a decrease in income. However, many people will alter their lifestyles to pursue a passion. Refine your budget by identifying places to save. Keep in mind the essentials like rent and groceries will predominantly remain the same. Sacrificing entertainment and other unnecessary expenses tend to go first.   Before making a career change, consider paying off high-interest debt. Some people’s debt-to-income ratio changes when switching to a lower paying job, so strategically prioritizing high-interest debt while in a higher paying role can be more beneficial. Credit.com recommends reducing debt to 25% of your estimated income before vacating your current career.   Remaining strategic with debt reveals the third aspect of preparing for a career change: timing. Define what major goals you have planned for the next five years. If buying a home or starting a family comes to mind, reevaluate if making an industry change is financially smart for you. Avoid taking on too much financial risk at once. It could be more wise to spread major life events out every few years.   Spend time researching the industry you want to enter and talk with a financial advisor. Changing careers is possible and can lead to an increased work satisfaction, but sternly analyze your financial situation before making the switch! Please include attribution to Credit.com with this graphic.