From PR to Art

From PR to Art Success Story > From: Job To: Portfolio career From PR to Art “I finally felt that I was correcting my career path to what it always should have been.” * From PR to Art How often do you dismiss your inner voice that tells you what you'remeant for, and follow the 'acceptable' path instead? Nami Chikhlia was stuck in work that just didn't feel right, until a trip to Japan unlocked her creative side. Here's how she made the leap â€"and how it felt like coming home. What work were you doing previously? I began my career working in Fashion PR. What are you doing now? At the moment, I'm working for a charity that exhibits art created by prisoners, and I'm also illustrating in my spare time. Why did you change? At university I studied for a BA (Hons) in Business Management, but I never really took to it. I wasn't good at it and I didn't enjoy it in the slightest. I took a year out to work in Fashion PR, before going back to finish my studies. After I graduated I had the opportunity to go to Japan to teach English. It was too good a chance to miss. It turned out to be a very creative time for me. I started drawing in my spare time and gradually I began to develop the confidence to pursue art. I finally felt that I was correcting my career path to what it always should have been â€" art. When was the moment you decided to make the change? When I realised that I would regret it if I didn't. I knew that if I didn't study art when I had the chance and money to, it would always be something that I'd regret later in life. Are you happy with the change? Absolutely, I couldn't be happier. I knew that studying art was right for me as soon as I walked in that art studio on day one. I felt so at home there and every day felt like a treat. What do you miss and what don't you miss? Fashion PR was a crazy world. I miss the creative projects I worked on. I don't miss the ridiculous pace. How did you go about making the shift? While I was in Japan I gradually built a portfolio of drawing work. I realised that this would allow me to apply to art college. On returning to London, I went for it, and I got in! My next step was firstly volunteering at, and then later getting a job with, a major museum in London. From there, I went on to do a Conservation Internship with the National Trust and then spent some time in India working for an Artist. I also studied for an MA in Curating Contemporary Design. Last year I took up illustrating and decided to open a stall at Spitalfield Markets. It's been an incredible experience and I've met loads of people, some of whom have become clients for private commissions. Really, it was being abroad in Japan that changed everything. Suddenly I found myself in a country where not everyone understood me and I didn't always understand them. It gave me space to go 'wild' and be creative. I even started to learn how to play the drums and was eventually in a band. I started drawing loads and carried a sketchbook around with me everywhere I went. It was these sketchbooks that impressed my art tutor when I had my interview for my course at art college. What didn't go well? What 'wrong turns' did you take? My wrong turn was my degree; however, without it, Japan would not have been possible, as the programme I joined required a degree in any subject. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? I'd saved a bit of money whilst working in Japan, so I was able to pay my tuition fees when I started my foundation course in art and design. I was able to pay for my later MA in Curating Contemporary Design by having a second part-time job. When I began working at the market last year, I had very little money to do it. But I managed to create a space I was really happy with â€" one that represented me and my work, all within a small budget. What was the most difficult thing about changing? When I returned to London to go to art college, I didn't believe I'd be good enough. But I proved myself wrong! The biggest challenge was getting out there and making it happen for myself. Being slightly older than the others on my course could have put me off, but actually in the end I think my age helped. I'd been observing art for years; I think my work was thoughtful and a lot more informed as a result. What help did you get? I got a lot of encouragement and advice from my art tutors. Later I received a lot of support from my colleagues at work while I was doing my MA in Curating Contemporary Design. What have you learnt in the process? Loads! Being in the art and design industry has completely changed my life, and world. In the process of making the decision to go back to school and take a different path, I learned that I was always meant to be on that path; it was just a matter of time before I found it. Since I've started illustrating, I've picked up loads of new skills and techniques, simply by experimenting. What do you wish you'd done differently? This is a tricky one. I could say I wish I'd not done my business degree. But then again, I did eventually correct my path, and actually that business degree played an important part in my story. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Take up courses in what you're passionate about. One of the most gratifying things you will get out of it is meeting like-minded people. What resources would you recommend to others? Try Hotcourses, or go directly to university websites to find short courses that offer a taster in the subject you're interested in. Meet-up groups are also great for pursuing an interest. I began volunteering at the museum I worked at, before I became an employee there; I'd recommend exploring this as an option if you have the time. What lessons could you take from Nami's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

5 Secrets to help you find Discount Codes for (almost) everything you Purchase Online

5 Secrets to help you find Discount Codes for (almost) everything you Purchase Online Cheap products and low quality are often inseparable. However, there is an exception: you can still buy your goods online at low prices but still get the highest quality available. While the use of coupon codes is unknown to many, it is a superb way of saving your money. Nevertheless, most people do not have the time or the patience to check whether the products they plan to purchase have coupon codes. It is, therefore, judicious to be armed with the right information on exactly what coupon codes are available before you even log into a retailer’s site for shopping. To help you out, here are some of the best ways to find discount codes in anything that you purchase online. Search Engines Search engines have the power to provide information on almost everything in the world. The best coupon code deals are no exception. Just type the name of the brand or retailer you are looking for together with the words ‘coupon code’. In order to get complete results to interchange the words ‘coupon codes’ with ‘discount codes’ or ‘promo codes’ on the next search. The search results will lead you to some of the best discount deals offered by the online retailer. Coupon Code Sites There are certain sites dedicated to helping shoppers save their money by identifying coupons codes and retailers offering the greatest discounts. Among the best is CouponCause.com. In addition to saving your money, they will help you save the effort and the time you would have spent on search engines. Automated Shopping Tools Another excellent way of finding great discounts online is through automation. You can use the various automated shopping tools available on the internet to find the best deals. The tools automatically show coupon codes whenever you check out or visit retailers’ sites. Keep in mind that automated sites are best used when there is a need to find discounts offered by a particular retailer than shopping for a certain product. Know your Price Codes Online stores offer discounts for various reasons but it’s not easy for shoppers to differentiate between a good deal and something that is not worth their efforts. Fortunately, secret price codes displayed on the price tag are a good source of information on the extent to which the products have been discounted. Leave your Shopping Cart It might seem like pushing it too far, but it’s a trick that has been proven to work. Put your mail in the shopping cart and abandon it for some time. You may just find a coupon in your email as an attempt to get you to check out. Last Thoughts Coupon codes come in different names including discount codes and promo codes. While online retailers use them as a way of enticing you to buy their products, you can use them as an advantage in reducing the amount of money you will part with at the checkout page.  Nevertheless, you often have to find the best deals your own way. Thanks to the internet, you can find information about almost everything you want. You only need to know what you are looking for and where you want to begin your search and you will have it in seconds.

How To Build Your Brand And Sell More Books - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How To Build Your Brand And Sell More Books - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If youre an author who has written a book to build your personal brand, one of the best ways to sell more books is to offer bonus content that helps readers implement your ideas and encourages others to recommend your book. Bonus content is one of the easiest and most practical ways you can set your book apart from the competition. Its more important today than ever before. Its not enough just to deliver on the promise expressed in your book title. Today, you have to over-deliver if you want to build a lasting personal brand and continue to sell more books in the years to come. Content marketing with a study guide Youll find several excellent examples of bonus content on  Charles Duhiggs Additional Resources page. Resources include videos, a concise QA, a 13-page Readers Guide to Using These Ideas, andmost importanta 37-page Study Guide for Teachers. Charles Duhigg is the author of the best-selling Power of Habits: Why We Do What We Do in Life and In Business. (For more information, see Habits, Blogging, and Personal Branding Success.) The Study Guide is a content marketing masterstroke. It helps readers learn more from the book plus ensures widespread and continuing adaptation of the book as a textbook in college classrooms, providing years of residual income. It also encourages psychologists and social workers to refer The Power of Focus to their patients, another important source of book sales. Lessons from the Power of Focus Study Guide Here are some of the lessons the Power of Focus Study Guide teaches: Branding. As you can see from the graphic, above, the colors used in the Study Guide are consistent with the colors on Charles Duhiggs website and the front cover of The Power of Focus. Note the yellow circle with orange chapter number, shown on the second page. The chapter opening graphics continue the color scheme from the books front cover. Efficiency. Although it builds on the books brand, the design is simple and straightforward. Shaded backgrounds are used to organize contents associated with each chapter. The Study Guide projects a practical image, rather than over-designed, image. Easy updating. Theres another benefit to the Study Guides simple, practical design. The design permits easy updating as new research and online resources appear and new editions of the book are published. Length. At 37-pages, the Study Guide is long enough to be taken seriously, without adding to the burden of more things to read. Organization. The contents of each chapter of the Study Guide are consistently organized into the following sections, Chapter Summary, Discussion Questions, and Activities. Activities include exercises, questions, and resources for further study. Sections Expanded Activity. In addition to the resources associated with the 9 individual chapters, the Study Guide also includes Expanded Activities which help readers review the important lessons of the 3 sections in the Power of Habit. The Expanded Activities sections help readers better understand the context of each chapter and helps them apply the lessons to their own lives. For clarity, the layout of section content differs slightly from the layout of the individual chapters. Easy access. Readers and others can download the Study Guide without cost or registration. Takeaways for brand-conscious authors If youre currently writing and publishing a book to build your personal brand, consider preparing a Study Guide to help readers apply your ideas and encourage referrals from experts in your field. The Study Guide is a win-win strategy for both you and your readers. Plus, if youre pressed for time, you can contract others to prepare the Study Guide, as Charles Duhigg did. On the other hand, if youve already already written a book, and youre considering writing another book,   or an updated edition of your older book, perhaps all you really need to do to strengthen your brand and sell more copies is to create a Study Guide for your existing book. The Study Guide can provide a shot in the arm of promotion opportunities to revive book sales and strengthen your brand. Which of these strategies would work best for you? Share your thoughts. Author: Roger C. Parker is an author, book coach, designer, consultant who works with authors, marketers, business professionals to achieve success with brand-building books practical marketing strategy. He helps create successful marketing materials that look great get results, and can turn any complex marketing or writing task into baby steps. Visit his blog to learn more or ask a question.

How Big Data is Taking Recruiters from I Think to I Know

How Big Data is Taking Recruiters from I Think to I Know Anyone who knows the recruiting field understands the intense workload and fast pace that recruiters must operate in. Additionally, recruiting isn’t a skill you learn once and then spend the rest of your career on autopilot, either. As a result, recruiters have always needed to be the early adopters of the HR world, passionate about finding the best tools and the hottest sources for candidates to get the job done. No  sooner have recruiters begun to incorporate the latest tool (i.e. social media) into their daily practices than they come upon the new It Girl of business:  Big Data. It would be easy to dismiss Big Data as a fad, if for no other reason than technology fatigue. But that would be a huge mistake. Data, in general, informs decisions and can help you make better decisions faster. Big Data, specifically, serves up an entirely new world of questions that can be asked and new ways to apply insights based on the answers. It is not a replacement for all other tools; it’s a new tool to be added to the decision-making toolbox. Big Data is the new frontier for innovation, competition and productivityâ€"across all industries and functions. By leveraging Big Data, recruiters can transform their image from “reactive,” responding to the “just-in-time” talent needs of the business, to a “proactive” business partner that has the foresight to make better and faster talent acquisition-related decisions. Big Data is currently being applied to the talent acquisition process in a number of ways. Here are just a few: Diving Deep to Reduce Turnover: Gate Gourmet, a provider of catering and provisioning for the airline industry, recently looked at a variety of large data sets for its one thousand employees at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Gate Gourmet was experiencing 50 percent turnover, and they suspected that it had to do with commute time. To test this theory, they gathered the information in their internal systems â€" ATS, HRIS, performance review systems, POS data, sales performance and comp systems â€" and data from external systems â€" compensation, demographics, recruiting informatics, traffic and transportation, and social media. The company discovered that the attrition rate was closely connected to factors such as how far away an employee lived from the job site and how accessible public transportation was. The patterns that Big Data analysis revealed enabled the company to adjust its hiring strategies to achieve “fully staffed” status for the first time ever, and to lower unwanted turnover to 27 percent. Targeted Recruitment Marketing: Job boards are evolving to provide a gold mine of information for employers and talent acquisition professionals. Part of job posting evolution is the poster’s ability to tag aspects of job listings that provide essential information. This new functionality yields analysis that enables HR to precisely target sources that have the greatest likelihood of increasing candidate flow for specific positions. This builds stronger talent pipelines and accelerates time-to-filland enables smarter marketing spend as well, since you won’t be wasting money on job boards that don’t perform for you. Predictive analytics can be derived from the huge volumes of data job board collect, such as how easy or hard it will be to fill a nursing position in Cincinnati or the best day of the week to post a software engineer job on a particular board. Big Data can also help uncover valuable trends and patterns on “click decisions”â€"that is, why or why not a candidate takes the critical step to apply for your posted jobâ€"so that you can quickly adjust your course of action to attract more candidates. Mining the Internet for Hidden (Programmer) Gems: A startup called Gild has garnered a great deal of attention for its combination of data aggregation technology and a proprietary algorithm to analyze developers’ code and professional contributions. Gild says that it “goes where developers hang out” on the Internet and scores developers on the quality of their public code and professional knowledge. It then scores these developersâ€"and has done so millions of timesâ€"to offer recruiters a deeper look into a candidate’s true skills. This eliminates some of the guesswork and blind faith that recruiters who don’t happen to be developers must employ. In addition, Gild also gathers social media activity for each candidate to help you determine culture fit. Great, but what if you’re not looking for developers? Gild offers a taste of what the Brave New World of Big Data offers recruiters. The company has been featured in the  New York Times  and snagged some high-profile clients, and that means it’s only a matter of time until other enterprising souls create ways to harness Big Data to discover all kinds of talent. Proactive Talent Acquisition: For organizations with mountains of internal data and a large workforce, Big Data analysis can be put to work to help determine how many employees are needed now and forecast how many will be needed in the future. IBM is doing just that. The company recently did a Big Data mash-up of internal data from two sources: its HR database and its global services billing database. IBM’s Big Data consultants were able to detect dozens of patterns that would not have been detectable otherwise. This helped IBM forecast shortfalls in critical talent areas; they then began the process of training or hiring the talent needed to fill projected gaps. IBM also could see via this analysis where they had talent overages and trimmed accordingly. Conclusions: Big Data takes the blinders off and eliminates the element of guesswork that has been of necessity embedded in the recruiting process. Armed with predictive analytic insights, recruiters can not only anticipate what will happen but be able to act on it as well. That kind of advantage is invaluable to an organization. Big Data can take you from reactive to proactive, from gut instinct or habit to evidence-based decision-making, from “I think” to “I know.” Jennifer Boulanger, Director of Talent Acquisition at a Big Data-driven company called Opower, recently framed the importance of Big Data in a LinkedIn article  on the future of recruiting: “Recruiters will become competitive intelligence to companies. Recruiters will know what is going to happen within companies and talent markets before it happens.” Peter Cappelli, Director of  Wharton’s  Center for Human Resources, recently remarked  that until now, companies have been flying blind in their recruiting efforts. Big Data takes the blinders off and eliminates the element of guesswork that has been of necessity embedded in the recruiting process. Armed with predictive analytic insights, recruiters can not only anticipate what will happen but be able to act on it as well. That kind of advantage is invaluable to an organization. Big Data can take you from reactive to proactive, from gut instinct or habit to evidence-based decision-making, from “I think” to “I know.” Author:  David Bernstein is the VP of eQuest’s Big Data division and their Big Data for HR service. He writes and speaks regularly on how data analytics can predict future behavioral patterns of candidates and create a competitive advantage in candidate sourcing.

Resume Writing Service - What You Need to Know About a Professional Resume Writing Service

Resume Writing Service - What You Need to Know About a Professional Resume Writing ServiceWhen you go to hire a resume writing service in North County San Diego, you should be wary of those that don't have a true understanding of what's needed. You can find any number of writers who are knowledgeable, skilled and professional. However, it is very important that you work with one that meets or exceeds your expectations.Resume writing service is not the same as resume writing for a company. The professionalism, credentials and level of experience will vary, even if the client is looking for one for an individual resume.The last thing you want is to work with a writing service in North County San Diego who doesn't understand that what they do for you is all about how the information is presented. If the presentation is not professional, you are wasting your time. It may seem like a waste of time, but you need to understand that it could end up being the most important part of your caree r. You need to ensure that you are going to get what you are paying for.Resume writing service services in San Diego are usually pretty good at explaining what the basics of resume writing are. They can explain to you that there are five main sections that you will want to include on your resume. You will want to give yourself enough space so that you are able to be honest without compromising the integrity of your resume.Resume writing service companies have the skills, expertise and training that you will need to write your resume the right way. Your objective should be presented in a positive light without mentioning your past mistakes or anything that could cause you to be seen as unprofessional. This is where a professional writing service will come in handy.What is so important about using a resume writing service is that they can help you create a cover letter. Your cover letter is the first step in getting a job, so make sure you make a good one. A cover letter is simply an introduction to your resume, your qualifications and your goals.A cover letter needs to be professional and present a clear and concise idea of who you are and what you hope to accomplish. A great way to have a professional looking resume is to have a cover letter that is well written and professionally done. As you are drafting your resume, this is also the section where you can add in some relevant experience that you have in mind. This will allow you to showcase your current skills in a manner that is appealing to the hiring manager.Finally, the last thing you want to be doing is reading over another person's resume. Why should you have to do that when you can give your resume the same professional touch by working with a professional resume writing service in North County San Diego?

Top 5 Bookkeeping Tips

Top 5 Bookkeeping Tips Bookkeeping is a rewarding and very popular profession. The demand for bookkeepers is constantly growing, with more and more businesses choosing to hire out professionals instead of sorting out their own finances. You might be wondering, what qualities do you need to become a bookkeeper, and how can you make a success of yourself in the role? In this blog, we’ll provide you with our list of top bookkeeping tips.Top Bookkeeping TipsStay organised. Good organisation is absolutely fundamental for bookkeepers. Whether you are self-employed, or working for an organisation, you will need to be extremely organised in order to keep up with paperwork such as statements and invoices. You’ll also need to be able to deal with queries from customers and suppliers, and maintain your composure during audit season. The best bookkeepers have a fantastic ability to organise their time efficiently.Training. Many new bookkeepers overlook the crucial period of training needed before getting a job. As a result, they are wholly unprepared for what is to come. Getting the right training is fundamental for new bookkeepers. One great tip is to try and gain a part-time bookkeeping role, in order to increase your knowledge and experience. The more knowledge and experience you have, the better you will be at the job, the more attractive you will be to employers. Never be afraid to take part in extra 1 day training courses and events, to broaden your skillset.Good communication. If you are planning on becoming a bookkeeper, then good communication will be absolutely vital to the role. You will spend huge amounts of time in communication with other people, via many different forms of contact, including email, one- to-one-meetings and phone calls. Many bookkeepers will also be tasked with chasing up payment for overdue invoices. If you are uncomfortable with human interaction, then this will be very difficult for you. You need to be someone who is able to remain professional,  patient and polite at all times.Be Efficient. Efficiency is key for bookkeepers. You need to work both quickly and accurately in order to ensure that the person you are working for has a good idea of their finances. If you are too slow, then this could have negative effects on the business. Therefore, it’s really important that paperwork such as invoices are processed as quickly as possible.Honesty. A trustworthy nature is one of the fundamental principles that a bookkeeper must adhere to. Bookkeepers have access to a wealth of important information, including salaries. Publicly discussing or gossiping about this information is highly unprofessional. Remember that your employer is putting huge trust in you, by giving you access to their finances. Therefore, if you make mistakes, you need to own up to them. It is much better to be honest, rather than attempt to hide your error. This will severely damage the trust between you and your employer.For more amazing bookkeeping tips, tricks and secr ets, please purchase How To Become A Bookkeeper. Written by Sharmell Day, an expert in the industry, it is the ultimate source of information for both aspiring and qualified bookkeepers. This entry was posted in Career Advice. Bookmark the permalink. Jordan Cooke How To Pass Non-Verbal Reasoning TestsPrison Officer Interview Questions in 2015

10 Ways to Use Social Media to Manage Your Career

10 Ways to Use Social Media to Manage Your Career Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram go everywhere we go. Were always connected. Why not use social media to help you manage your career! No matter where you are in your work life: recent college graduate, mid-career or closing in on retirement, “there is an app for that” as the saying goes. Social media is about word of mouth marketing, developing relationships and connecting with people. There  will always be competition for jobs. The good news is that you don’t have to hire an ad agency to help spread the word about your  talent and expertise. All you need is a goal. Use these 10 strategies to help you leverage the power of social media to manage your career and expand your reputation of excellence. 1.   Expand your sphere of influence Use LinkedIn to connect with past colleagues, professional association members, and professional peers Connect with high school friends, college friends and friends of friends on Facebook Pay attention to the “Who to Follow” recommendations on Twitter and LinkedIn Join and participate in relevant LinkedIn groups 2.   Secure your brand When someone searches for your name, you want them to find the best references online. Creating social media profiles is one good way to do this. You may also want to publish content, get mentioned in newspapers, and own your own domain (website URL). Build a complete profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Use Slideshare to host your presentations Create Google alerts using your name to see when you are mentioned (read Meg Guiseppis post) 3.   Keep Current with Industry Trends By staying up-to-date with whats happening in your industry, you add value to your current organization and prepare yourself for future shifts. You may begin learning new skills or technology as a result of what you learn. Subscribe to industry newsletters Use tools to find articles related to your occupation or industry Join professional associations 4.   Share current information Demonstrate you are “in the know” by regularly adding status updates to your social media accounts. Share articles and links to great content on LinkedIn as a status update (get ideas here) “Like” good articles on Facebook so others can see what you know Re-tweet industry experts Create your own list of “who’s who” on Twitter or follow other lists (heres how) 5.   Give to get Take the initiative and proactively give a shoutout or complement to people you respect. It goes a long way and shows you value them. You cant expect reciprocity, but you may just get it. Give a recommendation on LinkedIn to get one Offer a friend help on Facebook Respond to a tweet or re-tweet (always tag the person you are retweeting or who wrote the article) 6.   Be your own PR firm Use video and audio to promote your personal brand Create Slideshare presentations (see examples) Create a LinkedIn profile and incorporate multiple forms of media (get ideas) Update your status regularly across Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram 7.   Nurture relationships Respond to questions and comments related to your niche on user forums, blogs and LinkedIn Engage with people across social media and take the relationship to the next level Develop trusting online relationships by promoting their services, thoughts or ideas 8.   Demonstrate technical savvy If you worry that you may be perceived as old, using social media is a fantastic way to debunk the myth that older workers are behind in technology. Read about cutting-edge social media strategies and test them yourself 9.   Monitor your work Do you know what type of status updates do best with your network?   Every week or so, assess your progress. Look at your activity on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram and see how many likes and comments you received 10.   Don’t knock it before you  try it This may seem like a lot of work. But if you are already using social media, then most of these actions wont take much more time. It just requires you to have a goal to promote yourself and share your professional side. Originally posted on BrandYourself.com