Not so long ago I realized that I had let my years in high school slip by and I was very unsatisfied with just being a burger flipping minimum wage earning citizen. Instead I started working towards the profession I wanted. I soon found that my local police sheriff was up for reelection and I soon realized that becoming a sheriff was a profession I was into.

I did some background research and soon found that this profession is most definitely not as hard as I had initially thought. Actually, it was harder than I thought but I then realized that it could be done moderately easily if a person started doing it in steps.

You see, the first thing I had to do was become a police officer. Now obviously this is harder than it sounds, becoming a member of the police force is hard enough in itself without any other aspirations. However, if you break the task down into the steps you’ll soon find it’s only hard on paper. So the first step to it is going to college and becoming an officer of the law.

To do this it should be noted that you will of course need a squeaky clean record (they do not accept cops with prior convictions and in fact look down on people who have arrests or even holding periods on their record). So if this is the case than you should most definitely check with your police department (think New York Police Department or Los Angeles Police Department) and find out if your record is as clean as you hope it is. Also find out if any spots you have can be resolved and if anything you have on your record is admissible by police officer standards.

Additionally, keep going and finding out what else needs to be done. Sheriff is not like CEO or head police chief. No, becoming a police sheriff means becoming elected. That means that in order to become a sheriff you need to run a political campaign and try to figure out how to win your particular county over. Now the problem with this is that some of us, no matter how good we may be at a job or how devoted we may be, might be really awful politicians.

In this case, you are probably better off hoping to go for some high level of police duty and trying your best to achieve this first. Another con is that there is only one sheriff per county. So your reigning sheriff might be around for quite some time and may be quite reluctant to give up his or her position.

Eric has been working to build a blog around showing people how to become a sheriff and other related careers. You can read more about his work and about his journey where he is on his way to becoming a sheriff.

What is it ‘exactly’ that motivates people? Money? Prestige? A key to the executive wash room?

Frankly, I doubt weather any of them individually work very well or for very long. Yes we all need money. We have to feed and house ourselves and our families and most people want to enjoy a lifestyle that allows some luxury, but beyond the basic needs of survival, it’s the desire for money that is the motivator, not the cash itself.

And why do we desire money?

In the short term, if we’ve never had much money before, it may initially be for material possessions that we think show status and success, but in the longer term it’s probably not so that we can fuel our consumer society.

It’s much more likely that we crave the recognition of a job well done, that an unexpected rise in salary implies.

We all want to be appreciated, to know that we are contributing and that we are considered to be an important member of the team. Yes, a hike in salary says that - but it’s the thought that counts.

What for example, is likely to be the greater motivator, a 20 per cent increase that the employee had the wait for, fight for and threaten to leave for, or 5 per cent increase given freely when it wasn’t expected?

What’s more romantic - a big bunch of expensive roses on your wife’s birthday (just like you get her every year) or a bunch of classic daises collected from the garden for no reason at all? What’s more, small increases can be given often, multiplying the motivational effect. But there’s more to life than money.

The biggest motivator of all time must be recognition and appreciation and the simple words ‘thank you’ that many employers forget.

Yes, good business is fair trade, the employer employs, the workers work, at the end of the week it’s all square. But just saying “Thank you, I really appreciate all you have done this week, well done!” is more powerful than a few extra pounds bonus. Both would be better of course!

There are lots more things that employers can do to attract, motivate and retain the very best people. Here is a short list:

1.) Be flexible, Allow people the time they need to live their lives. If they need to leave a few minutes early, why not. The time will come, when the big order comes in, that the time can be repaid.

2.) Remember a birthday.

3.) Buy something thoughtful for Christmas.

4.) Give a small gift for no particular reason.

5.) Write a personal letter to your team.

6.) Include employees in major decisions, get their input and ideas.

7.) Reward people with responsibility.

8.) Delegate some good/exciting tasks, not the ones you don’t want.

9.) Take staff to visit clients.

10.) Take people out for lunch occasionally.

11.) Include some overseas travel if possible.

12.) Map a career path and show how you are working to help them achieve it.

13.) Allow their job to evolve to match their talents and interests.

The list could go on for pages. The important message for employers is that staff motivation doesn’t have to be expensive, but the cost of replacing good people is!

If you treat people well and show them that they are valued, money is of a lesser importance. If you don’t, high wages is the only tool you’ll have left.

Remember too, something small given freely and unexpectedly is more powerful than something large given under pressure. It’s best to get in early with the daises rather than at the last minute clutching the roses.

For more information on working in London or to find financial jobs in London in some of the City’s most prestigious companies including investment banking jobs visit Financialjobsinlondon.com.

Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think.

–Niels Bohr

When I launched the 400 Year Project (a program to demonstrate ways to make 400 years of normal improvements in only 20 years to be completed by 2015), I had no idea how to do the task.

But I knew that I needed focus. Having to report of my progress was the device I chose . . . and it worked!

The semiannual steering committee meetings provided a helpful discipline for the project in the early days. I was always thinking about how to produce something new and improved that could be shared in six months or less.

We developed a habit of making the fall meeting a little more formal than the spring one and holding it at a special location.

Steering committee members were encouraged to bring spouses and children to the fall events, and there was a festive atmosphere as we pondered ways to make more progress and to share our messages.

Following the kick-off meeting, I learned my lesson about how difficult it is to create a useful meeting video.

Instead of the handheld video camera we used in 1995, the video producer would set the stage, put up lights, add microphones, do endless lighting and sound checks, and direct the action.

As a result, we have an excellent video report lasting nine minutes from the 1996 fall meeting. Why only nine minutes? People have short attention spans.

The cover of the VHS box displays the four Tobi Kahn paintings from the second commission, the BYRKA series representing health, happiness, peace, and prosperity that were unveiled at the one year anniversary of the project.

People could take the recordings home and play them. We could also send copies to steering committee members and clients who could not attend the session.

After two years, I found that the video production was driving the meeting rather than the other way around. Also, our producer took a job where he could no longer be available to create the videos for us, and we were never able to find an acceptable replacement.

In fact, we didn’t turn our last shoot into a finished video.

As had been my habit for all of our learning organizations, I also wrote reports for those who simply wanted to read about the key elements of what we had covered. What impact those reports had I’m not sure, but it made me feel more virtuous to write them.

Despite the excitement Carol Coles and I felt for the project, it was soon clear that the steering committee’s interest was waning. Attendance kept dropping from progress meeting to progress meeting.

An unexpected benefit came from this fall-off in interest: Our steering committee became more candid with us about what they perceived to be the limitations of the project.

Through these years, our most devoted steering committee members were Robert L. Guyett, Robert P. Kanee, Richard E. Koch, and Michael A. Sharp.

We cannot thank them enough for the support, encouragement, and suggestions they provided. We also appreciate all of the help everyone who ever joined the steering committee gave us.

Peter Drucker was a tougher critic of our efforts. While our steering committee would be pleased that we were still plugging away on what they felt were the most important areas, Peter expected us to be making breakthrough progress.

To him, the process for advancement was pretty clear: We needed a major company to begin using the project’s insights as a laboratory to develop the model for future performance. With each visit, we reported no progress on that front.

Peter was encouraging, however, by reminding us that every major company in the United States turned him down originally when he wanted to study management before General Motors finally agreed to let him in the door.

What are the lessons for you?

1. Set up progress report dates that cannot be shifted.

2. Share your reports with people who you greatly respect and who won’t pull any punches.

3. Keep changing the way you report in order to make the information more helpful.

4. Be always planning what you need to do today to be ready for the next two reports.

Good luck!

Donald Mitchell is an author of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist, The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution Workbook, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage. Read about creating breakthroughs through and receive tips by e-mail through registering for free at

http://www.fastforward400.com

As an older jobseeker, you may feel left out by the current job market. Whether you’ve been made redundant, been out of work for some time or just fancy a career change, you should make sure that your CV is hitting the mark in a new climate. If young recruiters don’t seem to respond to your CV, you may be the victim of age discrimination. Your CV could be responsible, making you look past it or over-the-hill.

There are many ways you should look at updating your CV, to sell your skills and experience to potential employers. Steer clear of including out-of-date technology skills, Don’t use outdated industry terminology, and make sure your CV isn’t following conventions which are archaic.

Industry Technology
When applying for jobs, look at the job description (and others in the industry) and see what technological skills employers are looking for. Find out which skills are missing from your CV, and look into learning more to fill that technology gap. You could try adult-education classes, or even e-learning.

More importantly, make sure you are using the correct terminology for your technological skills as this can be the most obvious sign of someone who is “out of the loop”.

Terminology
If you have just been adding to your CV over the years, then earlier entries are likely to be using outdated terms. One way to bring this terminology up to date is to read industry-specific publications and replace the outdated words with the current terminology.

Job descriptions in your desired field can help you update the language on your CV. Learn to use these new words as you might have to talk about them in interview at some point.

Format & Style
You should make sure that your CV reflects today’s trends in CV format and style. Some of the older “golden rules” of CV writing don’t apply any more. And they date you instantly.

CV’s no longer need to be limited to one page, as it limits your ability to show off all your skills and expertise. Two pages is generally quite standard, but if you feel you are perfectly suited to the job and have three pages’ worth of relevant skills and experience then you might as well share these with your potential employer.

Look at your references. It is not even strictly necessary to put “References available on request” at the end of your CV, since the availability of good references is assumed. There is no need to list every job you have ever held and devote an equal amount of space to all of them. Your employment history should go back as far as is relevant and only include jobs which actually relate to the post you are applying for. Think about your CV as a press release, and it is completely up to you what to include and omit.

Check4Jobs are a quick and easy to use job search engine and CV Database.

www.Check4Jobs.com

The collapse of Northern Rock, HBOS and now Bradford and Bingley spells bad news for banking and IT sectors, but the credit crunch does present new opportunities for outsourcing, as experts predict outsourcing in the banking and IT sectors is to increase during these times of financial uncertainty.

41 per cent of financial services managers questioned in a survey conducted by the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) and the British Bankers’ Association (BBA), expect to increase outsourcing because of the credit crunch.

The survey found that 90 per cent of the companies had already outsourced parts of their business, but only 54 per cent of the managers thought their organisation knew how to get good value from out sourcing.

89 per cent of those interviewed believe that there hasn’t been a significant loss of jobs as a result of outsourcing, and 58 per cent believe that out sourcing has made their businesses more competitive.

Connect, an IT support company, have revealed figures which show that IT outsourcing in particular, is increasing as a direct result of the credit crunch.

Mark MacGregor, Chief Executive of Connect said that they have experienced a 75% rise in IT support enquiries, mainly from sectors worst-hit by the credit crunch, such as Financial Services.

The trend is most prominent in middle sized companies employing between 50 and 500 people, where the costs of running their own internal IT department is seen as an unnecessary overhead.

However, it is predicted that hardware and software vendors will suffer as a result of the credit crunch, as companies hold back on hardware and software upgrades, such as dualcore PCs or updating operating systems to Windows Vista, in order to decrease immediate IT expense.

Financial concerns are expected to drive businesses away from licensed-software deals offered by companies like Microsoft and from running their own in-house IT support teams.

A move towards online software is expected, and a move towards open-source software which can be tailored to a companies’ needs without infringing on copyright regulations.

The credit crunch is predicted to produce a stream of new and renegotiated IT outsourcing deals as companies look to make extra savings on existing contracts. Outsourcers can expect tough demands from banks, but can also expect longer contracts because of such changes.

We can expect the credit crunch to erode IT jobs from high cost areas such as London and New York, to lower cost sites in the East such as Delhi, or smaller areas in the West such as Bristol or Bournemouth.

The worst hit is likely to be contract workers, recent research indicates that the long-term jobless rate among IT contractors has risen from 4.4 percent, at the end of 2007, to 5.5 percent in March 2008. Fears over job security among contract workers are growing.

Despite a predicted fall in It spending, the Economist Intelligence Unit suggest that the drop in IT spending will be below the general spending decline. It is argued that the It industry is diverse enough to weather the storm.

As companies shut offices and try to reduce overheads, more businesses are expect to adopt remote-working models. The government is currently having a consultation about new flexible working legislation due at the end of the year.

Many employees could find themselves liberated from their desks, with the growth of broadband and various secure virtual private networks aiding this development.

Check4Jobs are a quick and easy to use job search engine and CV Database.

www.Check4Jobs.com

Today’s students have grown up in an era of economic prosperity, but how are they going to deal with an economic recession? With many losing their jobs, and firms cutting back on training and recruitment, it could be the worst time to graduate.

The once buoyant graduate job market is starting to look a little bleaker, with the collapse and nationalisation of several banks this year. The graduate job market relies on jobs in the financial services sector.

At the start of this year’s recruitment cycle, of the top 100 graduate recruiters, 46 were in jobs related to finance. This has been true for years. Between 2003 and 2008 graduate vacancies in accountancy grew by 80%. Jobs in City investment banks grew by 100%.

For the first time since 2003, the total number of vacancies advertised by the top hundred recruiters has fallen this year. This is largely due to the impact of financial services sector being in turmoil.

But not all employers in the financial services sector seem to be having such a hard time, some haven’t been too badly effected. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the UK’s largest graduate recruiter still plans to recruit 1, 200 graduates this year, KPMG 1, 000, Deloitte 1, 000 and Ernst & Young 750.

High street banks are also still recruiting graduates, possibly because they fear that missing out on one year’s graduates can have long term implications when the economy picks up. Maybe they are being optimistic about the length of the recession we are entering.

Graduate recruitment is time-consuming and expensive, but managers believe that cutting back will cause problems with their talent strategy further down the line.

So how are students reacting to the recession? Whilst many live in their student loan and parental hand-out bubble, at least students of economics will understand the implications of the recession.

In research conducted by student representative officers at the University of Liverpool, a quarter of those interviewed were concerned that the global economic downturn would have a negative impact on the value of their qualifications, and 16% said it would make them more likely to consider a postgraduate course. This is a small portion, leading to the conclusion that a large amount of students don’t see the recession as having any impact upon the value of their degree.

As competition for jobs increases, employability skills and extracurricular activities will become even more important. In a volatile economy, graduates will need more than just a good degree to stand out.

John McE writes on behalf of Commercial Finance People, a financial recruitment consultancy, which was established in 1998 to place candidates in asset finance jobs, invoice finance jobs and banking jobs

Many people work with abusive and intimidating colleagues. The situation is especially difficult when they are in positions of seniority. Speaking up carries the risk that you will damage your career. Keeping quiet carries the risk that you will damage your health!

Most of us start out by putting up with abusive behaviour. Confronting it is too difficult and the stakes are too high. As time goes on we become stressed; we are permanently exhausted; we dread going to work. Eventually we ask for a transfer or leave the company. Less often we explode with pent up frustration and anger.

While confronting abusive people is always difficult, it is possible to set up a conversation where you can safely speak about how you feel and then ask that you talk through the problem.

Consider a situation where one of the executives in your organisation is constantly finding fault with your work and criticizing you in front of others. You do not understand where this is coming from and you find it hard not to be defensive. You decide to talk to him. You know it will be a difficult conversation because he is touchy and likely to blow up at the least provocation.

Keep in mind that you are having the conversation to clear the air and put your relationship onto a better footing. You might even find the person is surprised by your reaction and had no idea he was coming over as intimidating. Also remember that in some way you might be part of the problem!

First decide exactly what you are going to confront. You have to choose between talking about the pattern of the behaviour, or describing just one example. In this case, it would be safer to choose one instance and hope that he will pick up on your feelings about his behaviour as a whole.

A safe question that would get you started could be: Can I talk to you about something that is concerning me. This opening draws his attention to the conversation and sets a serious tone, without going into the content of the issue.

Then be very clear and specific about the behaviour that is upsetting you. If you choose one example of behaviour, speak up soon after it occurs, when you both have a clear memory of what was said. Keep it short. A long list of what he said or did will start to sound like an accusation and risk your getting an explosive reaction.

You might say: This morning when you gave me feedback on my project report you did so at my desk in front of the team. When you raised your voice, I noticed others looking over at us.

When you have described the behaviour that you find upsetting, describe how you feel about it. Choose your words carefully and use them tentatively. You could say: Maybe you do not intend this but sometimes I feel like you think I am incompetent.

Then invite the person to talk to you. You could use a very open question such as: How do you see it? Or you could be even less confrontational and say: Is there something I do that is creating the situation between us?

Listen very carefully to their reply. You may find it difficult to acknowledge that their view of the situation differs widely from yours and you may feel defensive if you are told that your own behaviour is at fault.

There are always two sides to a story. You will only get to the bottom of a problem when you have heard both of them. Then you can decide what can be done to resolve the situation.

Maureen Collins has a B.Sc. degree in Psychology from Edinburgh University and over 25 years of consulting experience. She specialises in communication in the workplace. In Straight Talk, she trains people how to handle difficult conversations, on difficult topics, with difficult people. Get free Straight Talk Tips. http://www.straight-talk.co.za

With the economy on the brink of collapse and the employment situation in this country in an unstable condition many people are looking to better their lives with an additional means of income or another career altogether.

Many people have gotten into a rut in their jobs in that this is all they have ever done and to think about changing is a scary thought. When faced with company downsizing and corporate mergers many are forced to take the leap and find another way to make a living. For many of these people a multi level marketing opportunity is just what the doctor ordered.

There is low start up cost and the potential for success is hard to pass up. The fact that people who are already successful are willing to work to help you to become successful also makes this an interesting proposition.

When you consider the fact that you don’t have to go back to school or move to another location in the country to get started also makes it worth a try.

There are many ways to choose a multi level marketing opportunity. Some offer great products that are usually better than what you can buy in the store. Others offer services in many different industries. I personally look for companies that have products or services that I would want to use for the rest of my life whether or not there was any money involved.

Many people get into these companies solely to get rich quick and that is not a good reason to start. In the first place if you get rich it will seldom come quickly. There is a lot of work involved because after all this is a business.

One has to work diligently and spend time assisting personally sponsored and other downline people to help them to become successful to see the riches that come later. It goes back to the principle of farming. The farmer has to plant many acres of whatever crop he plans to harvest. After planting comes cultivation which takes months and then he has to wait for growth. Many months later if he has done his part in planting and cultivating he can celebrate in a great harvest.

If the farmer decides to skip any one of the steps in the process he knows he will not have a successful harvest. Multi level marketing opportunities are no different from farming. There are certain things that if you do them you will be more successful and if you don’t do them you very likely will fail. Companies have training programs and methods of presenting their product that have proven to be successful.

The problem that many people make is in trying to build their business in a way that is not in line with what the company has laid out. This very seldom works.
Just like in marriage or relationship one needs to commit to it to make it really work well. Because there is little start up cost, sometimes it is difficult to see the potential in the business. I know franchise owners who don’t make nearly the money that people who have built successful multi level marketing opportunities make. And the time freedom is just a very nice plus.

Lee Hooker is a Multi Level Marketing seasoned veteran.
His website is a
complete training camp for new and experienced multi level pros to
gain new knowledge. 3 Get your training here You can visit his site at:

http://www.mlm-boot-camp.com

http://www.stemcelldelight.com

When applying for a new job a key fundamental in helping you to gain an advantage over the other applicants is to use resume styles in the correct way. There are several resume styles available to you. The two most common styles used are Chronological and Functional, both of which we will take a look at in this article.

If using the chronological style list under each position you have held a short description of your duties, starting with the most recent work experience. This style of has a number of advantages being easy to read and showing your career development. Attention isn’t drawn to your other skills and your main achievements are not demonstrated which are its main weaknesses.

If your career is continually progressing this style will be appropriate. The best type of Resume could well be a Chronological one if you are staying within the same field of employment.

On the other hand, a Functional Skills Resume starts with your skills and main accomplishments and ends with your job history. This style allows you to highlight your major achievements. Following your work experience is difficult for a prospective employer, which is the main disadvantage of the style.

If you haven’t progressed when changing positions or you are looking for a career in an area where you have little or no experience, using a Functional Resume style would be to your advantage. If your employment history has lots of gaps in it or if you are continually changing jobs then this style would be worth considering.

Three more Resume styles are Targeted, Imaginative and Combination. Totally focused on one specific target or position, only relevant supporting material is presented in the Targeted style of resume. For each position you are applying for you should prepare a different one.

An Imaginative Resume style is similar to a mini-portfolio and would be used when applying for a position in areas like graphic design. Some of your design skills will be showcased in the resume and should create a great first impression.

Together, the Functional and Chronological Styles give the Combination Resume Style. You would have a lot more flexibility by using different elements from each style. Carefully consider the differences in styles in the light of the position you are applying for as it is a reflection of the way you present your skills and experience. You shouldn’t feel limited by the style, instead you should change the style if necessary.

For More Information Visit Our Website www.bestchoice4jobs.co.uk Or Our Blog www.bestchoice4jobs.co.uk/blog

Unemployment in the West of England has soared over the past few months, in some areas by as much as a third, meaning there is now 17, 000 unemployed people in the region.

The first sign of the global economic downturn in the South West was felt by nearly 3, 000 who lost their jobs between June and September. For the first six months of 2008, unemployment in the region was actually falling.

According to official data there has been a 22% rise in unemployment, from 13, 817 in June to 16, 654 in September. In South East Cornwall there has been a 39% increase, in Devon there was an increase of 33%, Tiverton and Hontion a 34% increase and Plymouth a 19% increase.

Nationally, unemployment stands at 1.79 million, the highest since March 1998. North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson said: “None of the economic indicators bode well for the country or for Cornwall. We’ve seen the biggest rise in unemployment since the dark Tory days of 1993, when three million people were out of work. It’s now vital that the Government recognises the need to maintain vital jobs in our local economy.”

Falmouth and Camborne MP Julia Goldsworthy said: “There are clearly even harder times to come as the credit crunch hits the real economy.”

Finding a job in Cornwall can be tough, with few large employers and an unstable market. Still the best way to find a job is to apply directly, by calling all the companies in your chosen industry. If your looking for jobs in retail, go into every shop and ask until someone says yes. Failing that, there are some other things to consider.

Write a comprehensive CV of all your knowledge and experience. You should rewrite your CV to suit each job you apply for, but it is a good idea to get everything down into a document to work from. You’ll probably be surprised at how you can relate unrelated skills and experience with new challenges and roles.

Continue applying, even after you have been turned down. Many companies advertise positions, then withdraw them, you never really know when a company is most likely to employ you. Sometimes there are jobs available which simply haven’t been advertised, which is a great reason to just phone them up and ask.

Even in these times of financial hardship, there are still jobs available, even in badly affected areas such as Cornwall and the West Country.

John McE writes articles on a number of subjects including Jobseeking in Cornwall. For the best jobs in south-west, check out JobsSW.