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Tips for Starting a Successful Home Business in Retirement

 

Tips for Starting a Successful Home Business in Retirement

 

Retirement can be tough after spending the majority of your life working, especially when a reduced income threatens the lifestyle you’ve become accustomed to. This may be why more and more seniors are starting their own businesses. Whether you’re looking for a fulfilling way to fill your days or produce a little extra cash, starting a home-based business is an excellent idea. The following tips can help you get started on the entrepreneurial path.

Choose a Business Idea That Excites You

Coming up with an idea can be the hardest part of starting a business. Fortunately, you have a whole lifetime of experience developing skills and discovering your passions. Use this to generate your business idea. If you have a background in advertising or sales, consider selling items online. If you enjoy a hands-on hobby like landscaping or photography, monetize it by selling your services to locals. You can also write a book, sell courses online, or start a podcast  to share your knowledge with others. Your options are endless!

 

 

 

If you want to sell things online but don’t have the room or capital to hold inventory, consider dropshipping. Dropshipping allows you to buy individual products from a manufacturer or supplier and ship them directly to your customer. It costs very little to get started because you only pay for products when you make a sale. According to The Next Scoop, dropshipping can be a particularly desirable business model for people who want flexibility—you can work on your dropshipping business while you travel the world! Not only that, but you can automate many parts of your dropshipping business to save time and money. Research products on Oberlo to see what kinds of items you can sell on your dropshipping store.

Do Some Research

Before starting any business, it’s important to research your target market and your competitors. Market research involves assessing the demand for your business in your industry. This will ensure that making money with your business is viable and can help you develop the best path to success. Whether or not you’re familiar with doing research online, your local Chamber of Commerce may be the best place to go for in-depth information on your industry. You can also check out specific online forums to learn from like-minded entrepreneurs in your niche.

Decide What Sets You Apart

Once you’ve done your homework, you’ll have a better idea of what makes your business unique and valuable compared to your competitors. Can you offer better customer service? Are your goods hand-made? Do you source eco-friendly materials? Think about what sets your business apart.

If you’re running an ecommerce store, you may not be able to compete against major retailers on price or shipping speeds. You can, however, beat them when it comes to customer satisfaction. Set up social media pages for your business, reply to comments, and do everything you can to keep those customers happy. Home-based businesses are in the perfect position to engage with their customers on a personal level. According to Zendesk, customer satisfaction is essential to business success.

Interview questions and answers

Learn About Business Laws and Taxes

Before you move forward with your business idea, learn about the licenses and permits you need to acquire. First, all home-based businesses must have a business license. You can learn more about this at your local licensing department or tax office. If you’re providing professional services, like haircutting, financial advising, or daycare, you may also need certification or professional licensing. Likewise, you will need a health department permit if you’re selling food or beverages from your home.

Self-employed seniors also need to know how their home-based business may interfere with their taxes and benefits. For example, you will have to pay social security and Medicare tax on your earnings, even if you’re receiving social security benefits. Remember that you will have to calculate the tax you owe and pay this amount yourself.

Starting a home-based business is both affordable and accessible, so it’s a great option for seniors limited by a tight budget or mobility problems. With just a small investment, you can turn your passion into a profitable venture. To increase your chances of enjoying small-business success, take your time and do plenty of research before jumping in.

 

Author: “Carla Lopez kept her entrepreneurial spirit even after retiring a couple of years ago. She created Boomerbig.org for retirees who still desire to work and achieve – a site that offers business resources for people in their golden years.”

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The Best 10 Salary Negotiations Tips for Women

 

The Best 10 Salary Negotiations Tips for Women

 

When it comes to salary, even the most skilled of women can find themselves receiving less than their male colleagues. The tendency for women to earn less merges many generations of gender perceptions with modern business habits. Knowing what these perceptions and habits are can help women take control.

The campaign for equal pay will continue to march on. In the meantime, here are 10 of the best tips from London negotiation training workshop for women to take their own steps towards securing the salary or raise they deserve.

 

 

 

 

Stop Falling for Outdated Conventions

Women are simply less likely to negotiate their salary or raise than men. Historically, men have been taught to view women as gentle, unassertive creatures. Equally, women have been taught to view women—including themselves—that way, too.

 

Women’s reluctance to assert themselves in the workplace is grounded in social perceptions. The view that women are nurturers who rely on men for their ambition and assertiveness is an outdated concept.

Knowing the sociology behind female subservience means women can be empowered to turn these conventions on their head. Women can then begin the process of training out centuries-old misconceptions in themselves and others.

Interview questions and answers

 

… Or Use Those Conventions to Your Advantage

As much as the perception of women has improved since the Industrial era, the idea of women as gentle nurturers rather than competitive entrepreneurs is still prevalent. However, smart women can use this perception to their advantage at the negotiating table.

Rather than going in with a negotiating style that’s more typically viewed as a masculine approach, it can sometimes be advisable for women to approach salary talks with a more community-oriented mindset. This means grounding your reasons for wanting a raise or higher salary to be not just based on your skills, but how your skills can positively affect the company.

     

 

 

Know Your Skills

One thing that can make salary negotiations more effective is a strong résumé to use as a foundation. You could be negotiating a starting salary or seeking a raise. Either way, preparing a list of what you bring to the company is important when entering salary talks.

Remember that talking about your pay from other employers is a topic best avoided. A suitable response if asked about previous salaries is, “it’s confidential.”

Know Your Worth

Another bargaining chip with a lot of leverage is knowing what the going rate for your work is. It pays to research how much people with your skills and experience locally are being paid for your job role. Be sure to consider any employee perks you receive that represent a cost saving elsewhere. These could include health insurance and gym memberships. Research the likelihood that others in your role receive these perks, too.

Entering talks with a strong understanding of how much your skills are worth is an important way to justify your position.

Aim High

Once you know what your skills are worth, the next step is establishing your request. Work out the minimum salary you would accept. Base this figure on what others in your profession generally earn. Be careful not to undervalue yourself.

Consider making your opening position based on the highest figure you come up with. It’s important to be the first suggest a figure to anchor negotiations in your favor. Opening with this higher amount means counteroffers by the employer should revolve around the figure you have in mind.

Don’t be afraid to push beyond your expectations (while being careful not to be unreasonable). You might be surprised.

 

Train to Negotiate

Brushing up on your negotiation skills is an excellent way to find out what your best moves are for negotiating your salary. Knowing you’re trained in the most up-to-date theory and techniques is a great confidence booster. Taking a workshop in negotiations, or taking the time to do some self-training online, is a solid approach that complements your research and enables you to plan well.

Plan and Practice

Once you’ve planned your approach to your salary negotiation, it’s advisable to think about how you want to present this information. It’s also important to practice with friends or family until you are confident in your message.

Know every aspect of your plan so you can present your points naturally and confidently.

Don’t Take a Low Offer as a Final Offer

Don’t be deterred if the employer first offers you too low a figure. Too often, women accept the first offer as the final offer. Many women will turn down the job without negotiating salary further.

Sometimes the employer will insist that they are offering the starting salary. Don’t take a low offer as a reflection of your skills, and don’t allow an opportunity for negotiation to pass. Use low offers as jumping-off points for your negotiations.

Don’t Assume a Higher Offer Is Final, Either

Often, women feel obligated to just take what is being offered. The female trait of a tendency toward humbleness can cause confusion between what is self-compassion and what is self-indulgence. This confusion can lead to women undervaluing themselves, especially in the workplace.

Accepting a higher offer because it’s higher than what you were expecting can be a mistake. Negotiation trainers often teach that knowing the signs for when a final offer really is final is crucial when assessing your salary negotiation position. Make sure to read the room. If you sense the “final offer” is more of a bargaining point, don’t be afraid to continue negotiating for an even better offer.

Know When to Be Quiet

Sometimes silence really is golden, even when it’s awkward. Don’t feel obligated to fill a silence imposed by employers. Give the employer their turn to talk, allowing them plenty of time.

Knowing when to be quiet can make or break a negotiation. Often, the employer is considering their next move in the negotiation. Talking could be seen as an interruption.

Conclusion

Women in the workplace still have many hurdles to jump when it comes to gender equality. As we continue to make headway socially and professionally, these once seemingly insurmountable obstacles are gradually becoming less so. We may eventually find ourselves on a much leveler playing field.

For now, employing the above skills from negotiation training can help women negotiate better salaries. Understanding how women are viewed by themselves and by men can help turn salary negotiations in your favor. You can also help pave the way for a future where women won’t need to think twice about negotiating their pay.

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How To Set Up A Life Coaching Business

train as a life coach

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Coaching Business in Box

You are probably aware of all the reasons why you want to quit your job and set up a Life Coaching Business.

For many the list is endless;

  • Depressed working in an Unsatisfying Role
  • Looming Redundancies
  • Lack of Incentive
  • No Freedom
  • Over Bearing Managers
  • Lack of Current Promotions
  • No Job Opportunities

“What do you hate about your current job?”    

Dear Future Coach,

You have already started to look at how you can become a life coach.

You already know that you like to help people, that you get a buzz from making a difference in people’s lives and the idea of working for yourself feels exciting, doesn’t it?  

Get paid for coaching people to achieve their goals and Start Up Your Own Life Coaching Business

Benefits of Being a Self Employed Life Coach

  • Get paid for helping people to achieve their goals
  • Become your own boss; work from home, full time or part-time
  • Flexible Hours – work when you want to
  • Make a real difference in peoples lives
  • Earn a passive income – make money while you sleep 

Have Your First Booked Coaching Client By This Time Tomorrow

  • Is your goal to work full-time or have a second part-time lucrative income?
  • Are you an experienced coach looking for additional support or are you starting your journey to becoming a coach from scratch?
  • Do you want to help people or you to just want to make lots of money?  

I don’t know what has inspired you to become a Life Coach, but The Coaching Business in a Box will give you the tools and expertise to be one of the few highly successful coaches;

You Will…

  • Learn the Secrets of Internet Marketing – increase hits to your website, double your referrals and make more money helping clients
  • Become a Specialist Coach – earn more money, increase referrals to starts and become a worldwide expert guest blogging on other coaching sites
  • Increase Your Coaching Tool Box – learn new techniques using NLP, Solution Focus, and Life Coaching (Recieve Over 101 Coaching Tools and 101 Coaching Questions)

The Coaching Business in a Box will help you start your business from scratch and help current coaches make their business a success.

Becoming a life coach is easy, the hard part is increasing your web presence, gaining ongoing referrals, and making money from your business.

The Coaching Business in a Box gives you the tools to take your passion for helping others and turn it into a professional and profitable business:

  • Master Online Marketing – gain page one ranking in 15 minutes!! FACT – The higher up in Google you rank, the more clients referrals you will receive, increasing your profit
  • Get Quoted in National Newspapers and Blogs – this technique will not only highlight your expertise, it will also increase the amount of coaching clients who book you for a sessions
  • How to be Seen as an Expert – competition for clients is high, potential clients looking for a coach will only book and pay for experts; learn to be seen as an expert in the eyes of your clients

You will learn the techniques that I have developed and mastered over my career as an NLP Life Coach, Careers Advisor, and Hypnotherapist.

But more importantly, I have made many costly mistakes that you don’t have.

Follow my instructions and get the same results I achieve NOW without having to initially lose money, learning from the mistakes I made as a new coach.

And…

  • You Can Start Your Coaching Business Today; the coaching business in a box will give you the tools and knowledge to set your business up in one day
  • Rank on Google Page One in 15 Minutes; my expert internet marketing team has shared how to be seen at the top of Google within 15 minutes
  • Increase Your Coaching Tool Box; you will receive all my best coaching techniques allowing you to help all your clients

FACT: There are some very good coaches out there that don’t make any money. To be a successful coach, you need to have a passion for helping, which you already have and the coaching business in a box will teach you how to market yourself, how to manipulate the internet, how to sell your services and how to make money.

3 Key Facts That Every Coach Needs to Know

  • Internet is king: You will only survive in this competitive field if you have a good internet presence
  • Expert coaches gain more referrals: once seen as an expert in your niche, will increase your client bookings because people trust experts
  • Having a list of techniques increases the number of clients you can help: with 101 coaching techniques you will learn how to help a number of people with a wide range of barriers and problems

Before you Think about Buying this Package, first you need to know – What you will receive?

Business Start-Up E-Book Was £12.99

  • You will learn how to turn “Life Coaching” into a well paid full or part-time Business
  • Start a coaching business with no overheads within 24hrs
  • Create a website that you can edit easily and monitor your website hits
  • Learn the secrets of a website marketer; learn how to make money on your website, how to create intrigue in your products and services
  • Be seen as a professional coach, doubling your hourly rate, increasing your income and profits 
  • Learn how to increase customer retention on your website which leads to additional sales
  • Master the art of creating a ‘list’ and the secrets of list marketing that you can use to sell more products
  • Understand the coaching regulations that govern this industry
  • Uncover how to take customer payments online securely and cheaply

MASTER MARKETING E-Book Was £12.99

  • Uncover the secret to getting FREE online advertisements 
  • Learn the Hidden Mystery for Ranking on Search Engines First Page
  • Master how to been seen on Google Page One for FREE using Google Business Maps
  • Understand the power of Backlinking and Social Media
  • Become the Authority in your field of expertise
  • Increase your website hits, get more visitors and make more money
  • Rank on Google PAGE ONE in just 15 minutes using PPC
  • Master Google Adwords and increase conversions to sales
  • Learn the psychology of sales
  • Make money while you sleep with Google Adsends (No Work Involved)

The Expert Coach E-Book Was £9.99

  • Be viewed as an expert and triple your income
  • Master the little known secrets to get quoted in high ranking websites and well-known magazines
  • Increase links, website hits and be featured in national newspapers
  • Learn why YOU need to have a coaching Niche within a Niche and increase your conversion rate
  • Uncover the techniques to get other coaching bloggers to link to you, increasing your traffic and profits
  • Let Google do the hard for you and make get more clients via Google 
  • Exploit Facebook and Twitter to make more money

101 Coaching Techniques E-Book Was £29.99

  • 101 Coaching Techniques designed with your clients in mind.
  • This includes the most popular life coaching techniques; The Wheel of Life, Image Board, Changing Beliefs,
  • Goal Setting, Overcoming Barriers,  The Grow Model, Stress Scale, Your Mission, 10, 000 Hours
  • Donut Exercise, Building Confidence, Daily Diary, and Many More
  • Lots of NLP Techniques; Deleting Negative Self Talk, Limiting Beliefs, Perceptual Positions, Moving Images, Modelling, Circle of Excellence, Metaphors, and much more
  • Extra Coaching Techniques; Commitment Cards, Animals, What Do You Like About Me?  Music Booster, Scaling, The Bucket List…too many to mention!!!!
  • Pre-session techniques to prepare your clients for coaching
  • Homework sessions to keep clients motivated and moving forward

And I will also give you 101 Coaching Questions for FREE

****PLUS Access to 6 Coaching Video Tutorials to Help You Set Up Your Coaching Business****

A successful Life coach armed with a list of techniques and an in-depth understanding of internet marketing can make hundreds, even thousands of pounds a day.

Coaches often charged between £50-£180 per session.

Expert coaches will often charge £300-£400 per session…

And I will add this package will teach you how to become an expert coach quickly helping you increase your fees, making you more money and more successful.

Did You Know?

  • Most clients will book 4-5 coaching sessions with you ( X Sessions by Cost per Session = Profit)
  • Satisfied clients will often refer two friends, who once satisfied will also refer tow friends ( 3 Clients x 2 Referrals Each = 6 New Clients)
  • Coaches make 50% of their profits from selling becoming an affiliate or selling e-products on their websites, YES this means they make hundreds of pounds without having to lift a finger (by adding an affiliate banner to your website, you can earn 50% of a £2000 course)

Depending on the stage of your coaching business you can choose to Buy one of three packages

Bronze Package

Ideal for life coaches who already have a coaching business, but you struggle to get paying clients and you have a limited knowledge of coaching techniques; you will learn how to get more client referrals, you will increase your paid starts which can only lead to an increase in your profits and you increase your knowledge of coaching techniques  

Silver Package

For a Coach who is just starting out; learn how to set up your business from scratch. Create a coaching website, learn to master internet marketing, become a professional coach quickly, make money through coaching sessions and e-products, master Google and understand how to get one to page one Google within minutes  

Gold Package

 The Gold package is for the coach who wants to have everything set up for them; we will create your website for you and write the website content, we will embed your PayPal code so you can make money straight away. You will get everything above and more, rather than waste time creating your own business we will give you a business that is ready to go.

Full Breakdown

Content

Bronze

Silver

Gold

Business Start-Up E-book

Y

Y

Y

Master Marketing E-book

Y

Y

Y

The Expert Coach E-book

Y

Y

Y

101 Coaching Sessions

Y

Y

Y

101 Coaching Questions and 6 Coaching Video Tutorials  Y

 

                 Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

4 Online Video Coaching Sessions  (all you need is a webcam) 

                 Y

Y x3

Total 12 Online Coaching Sessions

A word press coaching website URL 

Y

Y

Website Content  

Y

12 month Unlimited e-mail 

 Y

Y

5 Coaching Blog Articles 

Y

Y

Coaching E-book that you can sell to your customers  

Y

Life Coaching Certificate  

Y

Total Cost  £199 £699 £2499
Today’s Price  £99 £349 (Save £350) £1249 Save (£1250)
You Have Saved  £100

Special Deal *Bronze Package*

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If you charge £80 per session and you only book 5 clients a week, that’s a total of £400 which means potentially you can be making a high profit within weeks of starting your business

YES that’s right; You Can Pay For This Package With Your Profits Within a Week of Purchasing This Amazing Offer

Massive Discount Today

Half-Price Sale – Save 50% If You Buy Today

Coaching Business in Box

WARNING – This Is a Limited Offer Only

INSTANT DOWNLOAD – All PDF Docs

Once You Make Payment You Will be Sent Directly to a Thank You Page Where You Can Download Your E-Products Instantly

No Questions Asked, Simply Return the Product in 60 Days and We Will Refund Your Money in Full.

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Career Advice From an Actor

 

Edward Darling a full-time actor is currently starring in Adam – the history of man, a Manchester Fringe production.

In today’s interview, I ask Ed’s his advice on becoming an actor 

Ed Darling Interview 

Chris: Hi Ed, thank you for joining me today. Let me start by asking you what made you choose the acting profession? 
 
Ed: I went to an audition one day – almost on a whim – as a kind of personal challenge to myself. I was dealing with a lot of anxiety at the time and wanted to push my comfort-zone. Then I unexpectedly got the part and realised I’d be pushing my comfort zone FAR more than intended… that’s a whole other story, but from there I just kept going, and here we are!
 
Chris: Wow, great story. I was expecting that this was a childhood dream. It’s interesting really, this ‘doing something on a whim’ is a common way people accidentally fall into a career.  So new actors want to know one thing – how do you find new acting roles?
 
Ed: You can find new acting roles via casting databases such as Mandy.com & Spotlight, as well as through an agent once you have representation. Social media is also a good place to look for auditions happening locally. 
 
Chris: And what is the average salary for a new actor per job?
 
Ed: Average salary? For an actor? Wouldn’t that be nice! There really is no average in the way most careers would have a set salary, each job pays differently & a lot of work – especially when you’re starting out – is going to be un-paid/low-paid. Until you “make it” as a regular in professional theatre, film or TV, every actor has to supplement their income through other means. 
 
Chris: ha-ha I don’t know why I asked you for an average salary. But it’s good for new actors to realise that starting out as an actor you are likely to do a number of free gigs. I wanted to ask has technology changed how you audition?
 
Ed: The big tech-change at the minute is “Self Tapes”, which means filming your own audition at home and emailing the video. It does mean less money spent traveling to auditions, but also runs the risk that you’ll spend five hours recording yourself over and over and over to get it just right… then, exhausted, decide the first take was probably the best.
 

Chris:  Most new actors worry about confidence, do you have techniques to control your nerves?  

 
Ed: It all comes down to preparation: Firstly in terms of the rehearsal process in the weeks beforehand, where you’ll hopefully have put in the work to learn your lines & stage-movements from heart (otherwise, you deserve to be nervous!). Then secondly your preparation on the day – warming up the voice and body and getting in “the zone” – which means something different for everyone. Personally, I like to enjoy being sociable and feeling the excitement build, then maybe 10-20 minutes before curtains up, I’ll find somewhere quiet to be with my own thoughts, focus on breathing techniques and get into character. 
 
Chris: In what way has your confidence increased over the years?  
 
Ed: I went from socially-anxious to performing in front of audiences all over the UK and abroad… so something’s done the trick! Performing under pressure, learning to trust yourself, developing your expressiveness and communication skills, all of these things make acting a unique way to gain confidence. 
 
Chris: That’s great. Its a kind of like exposure therapy. How can a new actor find an agent
 
Ed: Generally, you’d either attend a drama school or course, which results in a final “showcase” where agents are invited to attend. Or get involved with local theatre, fringe, acting classes, short films, etc etc, building up your experience and credits, then approach agents directly – ideally with professional headshots and some credits, or a show you can invite them to. 
 
Chris: What play are you rehearsing at the moment
 
Ed: I’m currently rehearsing “Adam: The History Of Man”, a newly wrote comedy showing at this summers GM Fringe. It’s immersive-theatre with lots of laughs and some deeper, thoughtful moments. 
 
It’s also got a big ‘Historical’ angle, which is ideal for me as a huge History geek. The age-old problem with History, is that we can only learn so much from archeology and what evidence remains. There are so many unanswered questions! What if we could bring back ancient man and learn the truth about our past from ‘the horses mouth’? 
 
Chris: How will you prepare for this role? 
 
Ed: Ideally, I’d be “going method”, which for this would mean wearing a loincloth and living hand-to-mouth in the wilderness for the next few weeks. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, this isn’t possible. But I’ll be researching my characters background(s), working on accents, physical movements, and also what they’re like as people – their personalities – are they shy, energetic, aggressive, obedient? Maybe all of the above! 
 
Chris: ha-ha, I would love to see you living in the wild for a couple of months. Where did you train as an actor?
 
Ed: I currently train at the Manchester School Of Acting under Mark Hudson. 
 
Chris: Thank you for joining me today. 
 
Facebook: Edward Darling
Instagram @edwardodarling

 

Interview questions and answers

 

Interview Preparation Resources

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Common Asked Housing Officer Questions

A housing officer will often be employed for housing associations or the local authority, supporting clients with the assessment of needs in terms of housing applications.

The housing officer may also specialise in working with homeless people and/or service users with additional needs.

How competitive is a Housing Officer job Interview?

Medium in competitiveness

Interview Specifics

Structural job interview last 45 minutes with 8 interview questions being asked

This article will list the commonly asked job interview questions for a housing officer.

By understanding the job interview structure and by knowing the commonly asked housing officer interview questions, applicants can prepare answers that highlight their level of competencies within this industry.

Common Asked Housing  Officer Interview Questions 

Can you tell me about your housing officer experience?

This housing officer interview question is asked for two reasons; 1 it is an open question to get you talking/feeling relax at the job interview start. 2, to gain a general overview of your experience (generic because the follow-up questions will go into more detail)

To answer this job interview question, start by summarising your experience as a housing officer, your relevant qualifications and a key unique skill relevant to the industry – something that makes you stand out, this could be a specialism you have IE working to house homeless service users.

How do you assess the needs of a client?

This interview question is key because this is the crux of the job role.

Split this answer into two sections. Section one is your people skills; explain how you build rapport, how you use effective listening skills, how open and closed questions have a powerful impact, and how you remain calm in stressful situations. Give a short example to highlight your level of expertise and competencies.

Section two should explain the interview structure; the questions you should ask, the information you need to collate, and how you follow GDPR, data protection and confidentiality legislation.

What does customer service mean to you?

You may be asked several customer services-related interview questions.

In the housing association sector often the service users can be stressed or angry. Some service users may have alcohol or drug addiction. In some cases, you will be speaking to clients who are struggling with finances and have been turned down for financial support.

When answering interview questions relating to customer service and communication,  explain how you can handle these situations;

What was the situation – why was the service user angry or upset?

How did you handle the situation – what did you say or do to help calm down the client?

What was the positive outcome – how did the client respond to you?

What do you look for during a housing inspection?

Competency-based job interview questions require you to fall back on your experience.

Give an example of when you have carried out an inspection that had issues (you need to pick an inspection with issues to show that you can deal with this in a professional way)

In the example explain what you look for during a general inspection, the inspection process you follow and quote safeguarding regulations, and how you, when required, challenge a service user.

Follow this up with the example “one time during an inspection I saw…” Give details of what you found, the potential safeguarding issue, and what you did to address this

How would you have a positive effect on your colleagues and team? 

A big part of the housing officers’ job criteria is to have the ability to work as part of a close-knit team. You will be asked one way or another about your ability to work within a team.

Open the teamwork answer by simply explaining how you enjoy working as part of a team and how in all previous housing roles teamwork has been an important aspect of the role. This opening confirmation statement shows how you have this required skill.

Now you have ticked the ‘teamwork’ box, you need to give a real-life example. A good frame for this job interview answer is to give a ‘helper’ perspective.

Describe how a colleague was having a problem with a housing issue and how this problem affected the output of the whole team.

Go on to describe how you took action and explain the action you took. Follow this up with the positive outcome focusing on how the whole team benefited from your quick actions.

You can also talk about the larger team – in this role, you will need to work with a range of agencies and stakeholders, including social services, jobcentre plus, citizens’ advice service.

Which other agencies would you refer a service user to? 

Part of a housing officer’s job role is to work with the tenants to help them to be successful.

To be effective in this job duty you will need to work with, signpost or refer to a large number of partner agencies from social services to the local job center, from doctor surgeries to career advice officers.

In your answer list the relevant agencies you would partner with and give an example of when you would make a referral compared to signposting.

The example has to be specific. First, explain the service users situation and the key block that was holding them back. Explain the limitations of your roles and how the service user required expert advice.

Go on to explain how the service user had attempted to get support but had failed. End the interview answer by stating what you did to ensure the client got the support and advice they required.

Do you have any questions for me?

A guaranteed question is the “do you have any questions for me?” question. And your answer should be YES! Always ask a question.

Good questions to ask in a housing officer job interview are;

  • What is your approach to supporting service users with their many barriers?
  • What development opportunities do you have to help upskill a housing officer?
  • How many hostels/houses do the organisations look after?
  • What is the best part of your day?

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Do You Want to Be a Public Speaker?

 

Today I met with Danny Riley – a Ted X Speaker Coach, Motivational Speaker and Trainer, to find out more about becoming a paid public speaker. 

I asked to interview Danny because he has the ability to take on new challenges. Currently, Danny is rehearsing for his debut acting role as Professor Peter Potty Potts in Adam – the history of man, a Manchester Fringe production. 

 

Danny Riley Interview 

Chris: Danny let me start by asking you what made you choose a career in public speaking?

Danny: I faced a long-standing fear head on and decided I was deeply passionate about it. 

Chris: That is something I admire about you, that you take action and face all challenges head-on. The big question that wanna be public speakers want to know is how do you get paid speaking gigs

Danny: Personally I get paid as a trainer to deliver workshops and talks. Outside of this, I have spoken in schools, colleges, and universities. 

Chris: As a speaker what is the average salary, let’s say a new speaker could earn?

Danny: There’s no one answer for this. A teacher is a essentially a public speaker and so is a politician. You can earn as much or as little as people think you’re worth. For keynotes, you can earn £15k or more with the right contacts, content, and competence. 

Chris: Has technology changed your audiences?

Danny: I would like to say that public speaking is one of the few remaining forms of entertainment that still hasn’t been effectively digitised. There are very few talks or speeches that have the same gravity online as they do in person. 

However, I like the way that technology is headed towards creating virtual environments to learn to deliver to AI audiences that can respond your talk. 

 

Chris: Ted Talks are really popular at the moment and I believe that you are currently coaching a group of TedX speakers? Can you explain what you do as a ted talk coach?

Danny: I help to break down what a speaker has created and show them new angles of presenting their talks. 

Chris: That’s really interesting and I totally know what you mean.  Many of the courses I create start off as something completely different. 

Danny: It’s like photography. Sometimes you see something beautiful and try to take a snap of it. When you look back later it just doesn’t look the same. I help the speakers to get the snapshot they see in their mind onto paper and them help them deliver it to an audience in a polished and effective way. 

Chris: What qualifications do you have and how have they helped you with your career?

Danny: I now have a degree, im a chartered manager and CIPD member and I’m studying  towards a qualification in training and coaching. 

Qualifications help me feel more confident but so far I have to say they haven’t been the thing that’s gotten me any further. A university degree is amazing though. Learning about research and how to cite the work of others is so important. 

Chris: Before we wrap up can you tell me a little more about your new venture as a first-time actor?

Danny: I’m working on a play called Adam – the history of man. This will be my acting debut and will be yet another ambition and fear I will have conquered. I wouldn’t have imagined myself doing this seven years ago. 

I play a genius professor who has just created a breakthrough invention that can bring a caveman into the modern era. 

It has some good laughs, twists, and turns and most importantly it has some serious conflict! 

Chris: Thanks for coming in today, its been really interesting to hear about your journey. Where will can people get in contact with you? 

Danny: Find me on social media: Danny Riley 

 

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How to Ensure a Successful Career in the Hospitality Industry

 

Are you thinking of jumping into the hospitality industry? There is a broad spectrum of opportunities, and some statistics indicate the industry is seeing steady growth with no signs of slowing down. What’s more, there is a shortage of staff throughout the industry, meaning the time is ripe for those interested in developing a career in hospitality.

Deciding on an Avenue

Oftentimes, people think of hotels and restaurants when they think of hospitality, when, in fact, the hospitality industry is a service-oriented arena with a wide variety of career choices. Basically, all careers supporting tourism fall into the selection pool, from theme parks to transportation and event planning. If you are uncertain of your particular direction, spend some time in locations you might like to work and pay attention to the duties taken on by those in your desired position.

Building Blocks

They say there is no greater teacher than experience, and when it comes to working in the hospitality industry, the expression holds true. There is no substitute for hands-on learning in an entry-level position. It allows you to understand the ins and outs of whatever avenue you intend to pursue. Whether you opt to make beds in a hotel or pour coffee in a cafe, it’s a chance to learn what it’s like interacting with your customers, as well as what management practices feel like on the receiving end. You can absorb the mechanics of business directly, seeing how efficiency and customer service come into play from the ground up. With the current climate, a degree is often unnecessary for becoming established in hospitality, but hard work and on-the-job experience will matter in whatever direction you pursue.

Making a Go

Are you considering an entrepreneurial venture? If you already have experience in the industry, were raised in the environment, or have a degree in hospitality, jumping in with both feet could be your next step. Take a self-inventory, considering these three questions to decide if becoming an entrepreneur is fitting for you:

How much time can you dedicate to your career? Becoming a business owner is time-consuming, with some experts suggesting a schedule including 13-hour days and working through weekends not unusual.

How big will your venture be? Weigh whether you will be satisfied with a small, local venture or if you want to enjoy national or international outreach.

What sort of investment are you considering? Finances for small businesses can be complicated and significant, and unless you have substantial savings in place you will most likely need to borrow funds.

Relationships and Reputations

No section of the hospitality industry can survive without a solid customer base. With that in mind, providing outstanding customer service and remaining in touch are keys to your success in whatever direction you go. Most industry experts assert that the primary secret to excellent customer service is to empower those who are on your frontline so they can properly satisfy clientele. Ensure those employees are people-oriented and understand how to sincerely satiate customers, even when a complaint arises. If you are that frontline person, your skills should include listening to your customers, staying positive, and solving problems creatively.

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Complaints vs. Accolades

When you serve someone in the hospitality industry, bear in mind they generally come to you with an expectation and are looking forward to you meeting it. As a result, they will either feel good about the experience, or they will feel you fell short. Some statistics indicate those who are dissatisfied are more inclined to talk about your business than those who are happy. With that in mind, it’s vital to remain informed of the chatter about your business. Seek methods for effective reputation management, ensuring your customers are responded to in a manner that provides a personal touch. There are a number of tools available, so weigh your options and decide what method will be efficient in your circumstances.

The hospitality industry offers many opportunities and rewarding experiences. Do some self-introspection and consider your best fit. With hard work, success can be yours.

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5 Job interview Tips That Will Get You Hired Faster

 

With the increasing competition in the job market, job interviews never seem to get any easier. With every next job interview you need to sell yourself and your skills, and often have to hear some embarrassing remarks.

That said, there are a few ways that can make the entire job process interview a less painful one. Only a little planning can go a long way. In fact, the more time you prepare yourself for an interview in advance, the higher you feel more comfortable during the actual interview.

Getting done with job interviews is not as difficult as you may think. Rather, you simply need to do your homework in inquiring about the organization, see precisely what they are searching for in a new hire, and make sure you’re ready to discuss your experience and what makes you a perfect fit for the vacancy.

Essentially, a well-designed game plan is crucial to get hired!

Here are five job interview tips you need that will hopefully get you hired faster.

  • Prepare well in advance

The first and the foremost thing you need to make sure you is that you are completely prepared for the big day. The easiest way to start is by reviewing all the typical job interview questions the employer asks, and prepare your responses. Good responses are those that are precise and completely specific to the question asked.

Go through the job description; check out all the requirements and find relevancies to your experience. Make sure that your experience and education are directly relevant to the vacant job position so that you can prepare yourself in the best way. Also, don’t forget to have at least one or two questions to ask the interviewer, as you will most probably be asked if you have any questions. And when you don’t have any, it’s a turnoff for hiring managers.

  • Research about the company

It’s all important to research about the company you have an interview scheduled. Make sure you do your homework and know whatever you can before you are being asked the all-important and repetitive question, “What do you know about our company?

It’s recommended never to go to a job interview without having the information about the company’s history, mission, and its values. Therefore, check out all the available information online and gather information precisely what you need to know.

  • Be ready and be on time

You can make or break on the interview so make sure you are completely ready and leave nothing for the interview day. Get everything ready from your outfit to copies of your resume a night before.

In addition, make sure you reach the interview location on time. For that, plan your route ahead of time and leave some margin for any sort of unexpected delays. Don’t forget to give yourself some extra minutes so you can calm your nerves and check your outfit.

  • Create a first Strong Impression and be calm

Unquestionably, the first impression you give to your interviewer counts a lot. A confident handshake, good eye contact, and a confident smile can create a strong impression. Moreover, matching your dress style to that of the company is a really good idea. In most cases, a formal dress code works pretty well on most job interviews. Also, it projects your personality and charisma.

On the other hand, you may be asked tough questions in your interview sessions so make sure to stay calm and relax as possible. A cool and calm body language will allow you to exude confidence. While a less confident one will make you look jittery.

If you need a moment to think and answer a question, it’s totally fine rather sounding nervous answering the question.

  • Keep It Simple

Job interviews are a good way to express your abilities and experiences relating to a job. Therefore, don’t make things completed in any way. Answer to the point and keep things simple. And make sure you don’t confuse or mislead the interviewer as it will do more harm than good.

Author Bio:

Kirsten Pike is recruitment specialists who also carry great writing skills. She is currently associated with 6 Pound Essay – a well-known online academic writing company operating from the UK. Over the year of her professional career, she has assisted hundreds of students to do exceptionally well at a number of academic papers.

 

 

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The Pyschology of Job Interview First Impressions

 

Everyone talks about how the first ten seconds of a job interview is the most important – well they are wrong and here’s why

So what is this 10-second rule in a job interview all about? The interviewer comes to the reception to invite you into the interview room, it is in this initial meeting when the first impression is received. 

Many job interview coaches will tell you “make a good impression in the first 10 seconds and the rest is easy” Well the 10-second rule is a lie and even when you make a good first impression that doesn’t mean the job interview will be easy, it only means that the interviewers will listen to your job interview answers more favourable …without even knowing it 

Is the 10 Second Rule a Lie?

A psychologist will tell you the truth about the 10-second rule; that its a lie. 

Because first impressions are made in milliseconds. 

That’s right, the first impression is made instantaneous.

The subconscious will take billions of pieces of information; your stance, hairstyle, posture, micro facial expressions, the colour of your interview clothes, the material of said clothes, your voice, tonality, the words you say…the list does go on a bit so I will stop there. And without conscious awareness creates a first impression – the interviewer will feel an emotional association to you – this could be positive or negative

Make The First Impression a Good One…

Here’s a great trick to help improve your first impression.

So, I’m not going to say dress in a nice suit blah blah blah…if you’re not already doing the basics stop reading this blog. 

When you arrive at your interview, you will, in most situations, be greeted by the receptionist. The receptionist will take your name and you will be asked to take a seat until the interviewer is ready to collect you.

Most people, in this situation, will sit nervously thinking (thinking is an internal process) about how they can sell themselves. This is bad because if you start thinking like this you are sure to increase your nerves – not a good start.

Secondly, when the interviewer comes to meet you, what do they find someone daydreaming – not a good first impression. 

Instead, apply this little trick using interveiw psychology: 

Ask the receptionist about her day? I know not what you expected? Follow this up with more questions – basically get the receptionist into a conversation with you (you could even ask questions about the organisation to see if you would like to work there) 

 

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What happens now is that when the interviewer arrives to greet you, their first impression is a friendly, confident and professional person engaged in a conversation – that’s just the conscious first impression.

Remember we said that the subconscious makes an automatic first impression in milliseconds based on, well, everything about you.

When you are involved in a conversation your body language to your voice is more charismatic compared to when you are sat nervously in a waiting room chair. The interviewers subconscious will be screaming they’re amazing, hire them now – well not quite but you can see how this simple strategy creates a better first impression

 

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Hypnotic Language Patterns in Job Interviews, Do They Work?

 

Influencing with Language

If you were a hypnotist could you simply hypnotize the job interviewer into offering you a job?

Hypnosis is all about suggestion. In hypnosis, you use various language patterns to embed suggestions ensuring your subject think in a certain way. 

In this article, you will learn several easy to use hypnotic language patterns that can be tailored in a job interview environment. 

Hypnotic Language Patterns for Job Interviews 

If I asked you to repeat “Black, White, Orange” several times, then asked you to name a vegetable – the first vegetable that popped into your head, around 80% would say “carrot” as the colour exercise linked the colour orange with an orange vegetable (there aren’t many black or white vegetables) 

This is ‘priming’ Your thoughts are influenced by what we see and hear around us. And what you think about effects what you notice. In the job interview, we want the interviewer to notice, well search for your best qualities – we want them to associate positiveness to you.

If you use a variety of positive strength words when describing yourself (when answering the interview questions) the interviewer will naturally start to look for your qualities, strengths and positive characteristics. 

Create Sentence That Are Accepted Without Question 

I know you’re excited to learn this compliance technique, but before I go on, there are two things I need to share with you first. This is an example of an acceptance sentence. Let me ask you, did you question the opening statement? “I know you’re excited to learn this compliance technique…” Most people didn’t, they accepted it and wondered what the “two things” are.

You can embed this type of compliance sentence in your job interview answer. Heres an example that you can tailor for your industry

“You may be thinking about how I will increase your profits within the first 3 months of being employed. If I explain what I did in my last organisation you will have a better idea of how I will tailor this strategy to increase your profits…..go on to give a real example”

The employer wasn’t, in all likelihood, thinking about how you will increase their profits, but this statement will be taken as red. They will now think about you and what you can achieve and believe that this was on their own accord. 

It’s the same psychology as when I say, “Don’t think about a pink elephant.” To make sense of my words, you have to visually think of a pink elephant.

 

When given a positive statement “I can do X” the interviewer can easily have doubt in the intention. In the job interview environment, you need to ensure that doubt is left outside the interview room.

To ensure there is no doubt you need to always give an explanation to any statement. In hypnosis, we call this “linking” link one statement to another using a linking word such as “because” 

You can see the power of this simple linkage here

“I always achieve my targets.”

“I always achieve my targets because I have three years’ experience in the sales industry.”

With a reason for the statement, the interviewer doesn’t need to think, they simply believe what you are suggesting 

 

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