Original Riches

We are seeing growing evidence that the UK manufacturing sector is using interim change managers to improve its performance. Change Management is a specialist skill and often requires implementation by experienced, innovative managers who understand the implications change can have on organisations’ employees, stakeholders and customers alike.

I have personally visited a number of manufacturing companies in recent weeks which have made the conscious decision to use specialist interim change managers to bring about change in their existing working practices. Typically change may be required to bring existing business methods up to date or perhaps bring about long term cultural change or even change may be required in order to bring about business stability and survival.

We are currently engaged on a number of projects with clients, mainly in operations, to introduce philosophies such as lean manufacturing and business process re-engineering. As the economic climate is still uncertain many companies have realised that by optimising their businesses processes they can increase their gross margin by removing waste from the value chain leaving their business leaner and fitter to deal with any impending recession. I think this trend will continue as companies put on hold their permanent recruitment decisions until such time as they can see an end to the uncertain business climate.

As a result, specialist Interim Management providers like ourselves which focus on the manufacturing sector, should be able to fill the void will well qualified, interim change managers. Change Management is a growing sector of our business and whilst the economic conditions remain uncertain I can foresee this being a business segment where demand may genuinely outstrip supply.

Paul Wilson’s interim management blog.

Why is it that some business owners just create a mediocre business while other can develop multiple businesses that all skyrocket to success?  Well it’s simple really.  They have one major but distinct difference.  It’s their mindset. 

The entrepreneurs that seem to have “The Midis Touch” and everything turns to gold and their businesses always seem to just boom look at life and look at business in a particular way.  They see things differently than the masses of people and other entrepreneurs; they have a true entrepreneurial mindset. 

Now why is that?  Were they born with a certain way of looking at life?  No, they have spent time and spent energy developing themselves to have a particular set of beliefs and to think a certain way.  They have developed this mindset.

So does this mean that anyone can develop the true entrepreneurial mindset?  Yes, absolutely.  So let’s get into them so that you can start developing your own mindset.

There are 10 key points that we will cover for the entrepreneurial mindset. 

1)      They are committed people.  They have fully committed themselves to the task at hand.  They do not waiver or back down from the challenge of building their business.  It really is easier to quit and to go back to life the way it was but they have committed to their goals and dreams and that’s what they are going to do.

2)      They know that they will overcome the challenges.  Because of this mindset, this way of looking at life, challenges just become a part of the process.  Challenges don’t stop the entrepreneur; the entrepreneur knows that they will get challenges so they are ready for them.

3)      They are problem solvers.  When they come across a problem, they solve it.  This is actually how most entrepreneurs get the idea for their business.  It was a problem for people and they solved it and profited from the solution.

4)      They have discipline.  Since entrepreneurs do not have a boss, they are the boss, they must have discipline.  They choose when to keep at it and to work more or when it’s time for a break. 

5)      They know their self worth.  Having the right mindset also means that the entrepreneur knows the value that they can offer and what they can bring to the table.  They understand the power that they have inside and how to harness it. 

6)      The think long term.  They know their vision of what they are trying to achieve and they focus on it.  They are looking towards the future that they are creating and what steps need to be accomplished to reach their vision.  Basically, they know where they are going.

7)      They are free thinker.  If you have the entrepreneurial mindset, then you do not think inside the box.  You are expanding the box a pushing the boundaries as best as you can. 

8)      They are innovative.  They create and they build.  They pave the way for others to follow.

9)      They are willing to fail.  Most people are afraid of failing.  The true entrepreneur fails and looks at these failures as a way to grow and to better themselves.  After they fail at something they say to themselves “Well, that didn’t work, let’s try this way.”  They fail and keep moving forward.

10)   Finally and most importantly, they are driven by growth.  They want to learn and to develop themselves as a person.  The want to grow as a person to be the best person that they can be and from this, everything else falls into place. 

Having a mindset with all of these components, you will be a true entrepreneur with a great entrepreneurial mindset. 

Develop your entrepreneurial mindset and learn how to build your own business. www.HowYouMakeMoneyFromHome.com

The days of simply browsing through the Sunday newspaper and sending out a few resumes in order to win your next career opportunity are over. The days of retiring after having worked for just one or two companies are also over. Downsizings, mergers, offshoring, acquisitions, corporate reorganizations, consolidation, and other change initiatives have required rapid adaptation of workers, hard career decisions, and frequent transitions. These days, the average worker will hold approximately ten jobs before the age of 36. The average worker will change careers several times during his or her lifetime.

While the timeframe for your job search will vary with the specifics of your situation, a commonly cited statistic is that the average job search will take anywhere from three to six months from initiation to the day you begin your new job. The U.S. Department of Labor indicates that the average length of unemployment in the U.S. is currently 18 weeks (a little over four months), but this figure covers all professions, all industries, and all professional levels. Another common job search statistic tells us that you can expect to spend approximately one month job searching for each ,000 in salary you are seeking.

Do you have a job search planned in 2008? If you do, and if you are looking forward to your next job search with dread, you are definitely not alone! Job searching can be incredibly stressful. But, with some planning, genuine effort, and sincere commitment, you can minimize that stress and land a new job – one that is personally, professionally, and financially rewarding – faster than you may have thought possible.

Here is a checklist to help you achieve a fast, successful job search in 2008.

_____ Set a clear target. Put yourself in the driver’s seat of your career by clearly defining your job search focus. In general, the more precise and focused your job search is, the better. For most people, the best and strongest job targets will include a statement of the job function and professional level paired with other indicators, sometimes just one and sometimes more than one, to make the job target more precise and ultimately more effective. These other indicators may be criteria such as industry, company size, company culture, or geographic location.

_____ Build your network of support. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a strong support network to offer encouragement and advice, to brainstorm and share ideas with you, to help keep you accountable to the goals you set for yourself, and to help keep you on track throughout the emotional roller coaster that a job search can be. Family and friends are often included in the support network, but also consider joining a job search group or working with a career coach, particularly one who is very familiar with job search mechanics.

_____ Adjust your attitude. An enthusiastic, “can-do” attitude that exudes self-confidence and a clear understanding of the value you offer in the workplace will make all the difference. Always put a smile on your face when you talk on the phone; it will shine through in your voice. Make eye contact and watch your body signals and posture when you meet with contacts in person. Your positive, confident attitude is one that people will like to be around and will make it more likely that you will be hired.

_____ Update and revive your resume. Your resume is your first introduction to employers. Don’t underestimate the importance of making a positive first impression with it! Your resume should be up-to-date, focused for the current search, employer-centered, and results-oriented. YOU are a commodity in the job market and your resume is your advertisement. If your resume needs refreshing, now is the time to do it. If you need help with your resume, you should definitely consider hiring a professional resume writer.

_____ Cultivate and strengthen your professional network. With more than 80% of available jobs never advertised, it is essential that you have the ability to access the hidden job market. Your professional network will be one of your most effective sources for information and referrals relating to the hidden job market. Of course, networking is all about relationships and so you should continuously nurture your network relationships regardless of whether you are job searching or not. But, whether you have or haven’t (If you haven’t, building network relationships would make a great New Year’s Resolution), now is the time to reach out to everyone you know to inform them of your search and to ask for advice and referrals. Consider using a website like LinkedIn to help with your effort.

_____ Establish and promote your personal branding. At its essence, personal branding is about the authentic and unique promise of value you offer. In relation to your career, it is about the promise of value you offer that differentiates you from your peers and competitors in the workplace and job market. Branding yourself can actually have such a dramatic effect that you will become hunted rather than being the hunter for your next job opportunity.

_____ Get organized and create a system for managing your job search. An organized plan and system will help keep you motivated, moving forward, and focused on achieving the ultimate goal. At the very least, you need a calendaring system, a system of logging inter-related and follow-up activities, a contact management system, and a filing system.

_____ Create and follow a written, multi-pronged job search plan. Answering ads or posting your resume on the Internet are the easiest, but usually least effective job search techniques. Your job search plan should include a balance of techniques to access both the published and unpublished job market. Further, it should include activities prioritized and strategically selected to fit in each of the five major job search approaches: 1) Networking and referral building; 2) Targeting and contacting employers; 3) Working with recruiters and agencies; 4) Internet job searching (which also has some overlap with the 5th technique); 5) Answering advertisements.

Nationally certified resume writer and career coach, Michelle Dumas is the director of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Through Distinctive Documents http://www.distinctiveweb.com and her Executive VIP Services http://www.100kcareermarketing.com Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S. and worldwide. Michelle is also the author of Secrets of a Successful Job Search http://www.job-search-secrets.com

Do it now or do it over – with strategic planning, mission and vision statements come first. Proper building blocks for strategic planning, whether for-profit or non-profit organizations, begins with well crafted mission and vision statements.

“There aren’t short cuts for such important actions,” states Don Midgett, business consultant and author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. “Laying the right foundation provides the accurate guide for strategic and long-range planning as well as day-to-day operations.” In short, do it from the start or do it over later. Some real-world examples of non-profit and for-profit organizations using a vision driven approach to strategic planning are given below.

“I had been through other planning processes and inevitably they would only take you so far” said Tim Logerquist, Association Director for the non-profit Gold Coast Baptist Association in southern California. “As we continued the mission and vision process I was able to align my mission and vision statements with strategies and actions that would yield results. This investment in time and effort up front proved successful to the strategic planning process as we now have initiated strategies with real impact.”

“Visionary businesses excel because they set goals that relate directly to their vision. They communicate the vision and vision-based goals to their customers and employees” continues Midgett. “They come up with strategies and actions to reach their goals and achieve their vision. It is in this way that a for-profit or non-profit organization or business can control its destiny in the marketplace rather than let outside forces determine a business direction.”

An early pioneer in internet consulting, Novo Solutions, Inc. in Virginia Beach, Va. began with the initial mission and vision statements providing affordable, innovative business solutions to small and mid size companies. Now in its sixth year, Novo has begun a process of realignment of its business focus centering on newly revised mission and vision statements which called for changes in their strategic planning.

“Using the model of mission and vision statements as a foundation made it easier to frame our mission, define our market products and understand the benefits of having a visionary, market driven company” said Anne Sych, Novo’s Marketing Manager.

Both time and effort can be used successfully when organizations and businesses see the value in doing “their homework” from the beginning and building on solid plans and actions.

So remember! Don’t do it over – do it now! Create your mission and vision statement today. Begin to lay the solid foundation for your organization’s strategic plan and strategic planning process. To learn more on a vision driven approach to strategic planning, go to http://www.missionvisionstatement.com/.

Since 1986 Don has dedicated his expertise to helping business owners understand how to use clear, effective mission and vision statements, success goals and strategic planning to grow their businesses. With additional skills in leadership development, organizational dynamics and teambuilding, Don has extensive experience ranging from government agencies, (including a White House Commission for Small and Minority Businesses), new business owners, and to privately and publicly held companies. Don personally helped a prominent government organization turn around a multi-million dollar loss in less than 12 months by implementing a vision-driven strategic planning and leadership process.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average length of unemployment is about 18 weeks. But this statistic accounts for all industries, sectors, and professional levels. While you may be one of the lucky few, other statistics indicate that the average job search for a professional or mid-manager can take six months (25-26 weeks) or more. Of course, if you are changing careers, your job search may be even longer. And if you are currently employed, your search will often take longer simply because you have less time to devote to it.

Clearly, for most professionals, the days of just going through the Sunday paper and sending out a few resumes is over. Today, conducting a multi-pronged search is critical. While the individual techniques and tactics of job searching are relatively simple, there are multiple steps you have to take, often simultaneously, and you will be dealing with massive amounts of information. Unless you find a way to keep this information organized in an easily maintained and managed system, you can quickly become overwhelmed, bogged down, and confused. If you let yourself get caught up in the details, you can easily lose sight of the big picture and lose momentum. An organized plan and system will help keep you motivated, moving forward, and focused on achieving the ultimate goal.

In this excerpt from “Secrets of a Successful Job Search: 7 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want in Half the Time,” I will describe a simple, easy-to-maintain system that you can begin using today to immediately improve the efficiency and productivity of your job search.

The 4 Major Job Search Phases

In the overall job search process, there are essentially four key phases:

1) Option evaluation, goal setting & campaign planning

2) Job search & follow-up campaign

3) Job offers & negotiations

4) Accept and begin new job

At the start of your search, it is essential to create a system to schedule, track, and log all of your activities for the first three phases. At the very least, you need a calendaring system, a system of logging inter-related and follow-up activities, a contact management system, and a filing system. Create the Ultimate Job Search Filing System The foundation of your organizational system will be your filing system. It is possible to do this on your computer, to use a traditional filing method, or to use a large three-ring binder. Because it allows you to physically pick it up and carry it with you anywhere, I actually prefer the three-ring binder method, so that is what I will describe in this article. But if you prefer one of the other methods, just adapt these suggestions accordingly. Before you go any further, I suggest going out and buying a large three-ring binder right now. A large-capacity one like a 4 or 5 inch will be easiest. You will also need some tab sheets to label the sections. Some hole-punched pocket sheets that allow you to store loose sheets of paper and computer disks would also be really helpful. Now you will want to use the tabs to create 9 categories:

1) Career Vision & Job Target

Begin your filing system by including a very clear written statement of your current job target in a divided section named “Career Vision & Job Target.” You should also include a written copy of your Personal Branding Statement. In this same binder, you can keep copies of any assessments you may have completed recently or in the past, to help you in setting your career goals. This is also the place where you will want to keep references, printouts, or copies of any industry or profession-related articles or research related to your job target.

2) Career Marketing Documents

In this section, store clean master copies of your resume, biography, all job search letters and correspondence, a list of references, a salary history, and any other documents that you might use in your search. This is also a good place to keep letters of reference written for you by others, copies of awards, educational transcripts, training certificates, and any other documents supporting and proving your qualifications.

3) Company & Industry Research

This section is a great place keep printouts or copies of any articles or other research that you have collected on companies that interest you and that you have targeted or plan to target during your search. This is also a good place to store research on industry trends and competitive data of relevance to these companies.

4) Job Advertisements

While you should keep more detailed activity logs elsewhere, in the Job Advertisements section of your filing binder, you should keep a copy of every ad you have answered along with some basic notes about the date you responded and the documents that you sent.

5) Internet Job Searching

The Internet Job Searching section is a perfect place to keep records of the websites you are using in your job search, places where you have posted your resume, and any passwords and user names associated with the sites.

6) Networking & Referrals

Again, you should keep more thorough records and logs elsewhere, but the Networking and Referrals section is a good place to keep a hard-copy printout of your networking address book along with any notes of information you want to remember in relation to particular individuals.

7) Recruiters & Agencies

In the recruiters and agencies section, you should keep detailed notes about every headhunter firm or job search agency you have worked with or contacted.

Interview Preparation

The interview preparation section can be used to keep all of the notes you will accumulate as you prepare for interviews. This is also a good place to keep notes on questions you want to ask during interviews and notes about interviews you have been on.

9) Salary Research

In the Salary Research section, you can keep data and research you have collected to help you define your own market value and to prepare for salary negotiations once you have been offered a job.

In short, this binder gives you the ability to store all of the documentation related to your job search in one central place. Keeping accurate, up-to-date records of your job search activities, logs of contacts you have made, and step-by-step, calendared plans of the activities you must complete in order to reach your job search goals will pay you back for your effort multiple times over through a faster and more successful job search. By creating a plan and system for your job search, you will always know where to focus your attention and what you should be doing next.

But remember, while this step of getting organized and creating your job search system is a critically important one, you must remember to NOT get bogged down. It is important to be organized but it is also critical that you get started on your search. Don’t let not having a perfect system prevent you from moving forward. At the most, spend just a couple of days establishing your organizational system.

Nationally certified resume writer and career marketing expert, Michelle Dumas is the director of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Through Distinctive Documents http://www.distinctiveweb.com and her Executive VIP Services http://www.100kcareermarketing.com Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S. and worldwide. Michelle is also the author of Secrets of a Successful Job Search http://www.job-search-secrets.com