Thomas, Author at Successful Blog Page

Do You Have the Executive Knowledge for a New Employer?

September 28, 2016 by Thomas

In a world where jobs can be hard to find at times (especially on the executive level), it is important for candidates to put their best foot forward when going on interviews.

That said getting to those interviews in the first place can oftentimes prove to be the biggest challenge of them all.

If you are not feeling 100 percent confident in penning your own resume, turning to an executive resume writing service can make all the difference in the world.

For starters, such a service is geared towards helping those executives who are considering a new job (be they presently employed or out of work), though may be struggling somewhat to write a winning resume, one which will get them in the door for an interview.

In the event you feel it is time for such a writing service to come to your rescue, do you know where to begin your search?

Use the Internet to Get Started

While word-of-mouth is still a good way to go about finding the products and services you need in today’s digital age, the Internet itself proves a fantastic resource.

By doing a Google search of executive resume writing services, you will have a number of them with which to choose from, setting you off in the direction of what you need.

Once you have that service selected, it then comes down to connecting one-on-one with a professional resume writer.

So that you are able to put your best foot forward when it comes to being considered a strong candidate for an executive position, remember these tips as you and your writer put your career highlights in writing:

Resume – First and foremost, what will your resume say about you? It is important that you have a resume that catches eyes, not electronic trash cans. To do the former, work with an executive resume writing service, knowing that these professionals can make your resume stand out for all the right reasons. As an example, your experience as an executive is your best attribute, but you don’t want to go on and on about that experience. A professional resume writer can help you get to the meat of the matter, all the while avoiding a lot of leftovers. Also make sure your resume is directed towards your target audience. Once again, an executive resume writer will want to sit down with you and discuss the type or types of jobs you are going after. Always make sure you provide as much direct information as possible, making it easier for a professional writer to come up with a winning resume, not one that will get tossed in a heap with many other unattractive ones;
Attitude – Nothing screams more that you are not the right person for the job than going into an interview with a negative attitude. Do your best to come across as a go-getter, not someone just looking to collect a paycheck. As an executive, you would be expected to be one of the leaders of a company, so leadership means going out there and accomplishing things. If you have led on a number of pertinent projects over the years, discuss them with the writer preparing your resume. He or she can highlight one (perhaps a couple) that will jump out when an employer or HR recruiter goes over your resume;
Drive – Finally, your executive resume writer can do a fantastic job on your resume, but it is up to you to then sell it, along with selling yourself when an interview or interviews present themselves. Be sure to show that you have the drive necessary to not only handle the prospective position, but exceed at it. While experience and education are certainly key ingredients to getting a new job, your drive can never be taken for granted. For many employers, they want to see someone walk through their door that is passionate about the job they are interviewing for, not someone who just appears lukewarm to it.

Finding the best executive resume writing service for your needs does take some time and effort, so give it your best shot.

Once you find that service, it is up to you and your professional writer to combine on the resume that will turn heads for all the right reasons.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Putting the Internet to Work for You

September 21, 2016 by Thomas

In today’s Internet-driven world, it should not come as a major surprise that both businesses and consumers rely on it far more than most people might come to expect.

For instance, businesses use the worldwide web to promote their products and services on a daily basis. While companies still use what might be regarded as “old-fashioned” methods of brand promotions (newspapers, radio and TV ads, business cards etc.), the Internet has become the go-to source for countless businesses.

Flip that over and look at how consumers are using the Internet.

Millions of them turn to the web when they want to do some browsing and shopping, not to mention oftentimes ultimately buying goods and services online.

In the event you need the Internet as a business owner or as a consumer, turn it on and let it go to work for you today.

Consumers Plugged in to Internet

For countless consumers, it is nothing short of a no-brainier that they use the worldwide web to research myriad of items.

Whether that inquiry involves looking for real estate, a new vehicle, a license plate search, healthcare options, home improvements, the list is literally endless.

In doing a search, consumers want to be able to come to company websites that are full of information and low on fluff. Consumers also want websites that are easy to maneuver around, not filled with broken links, pages that load slowly and/or crash regularly, and provide contact information or a FAQ section that is easy to find and understand.

With that information in mind, how can your business best display its website offerings, increasing the odds that consumers will find your brand’s site to be one they trust and come back to time and time again?

Investing in Your Brand

For starters, review your website on a regular basis? Why is that?

First you want to make sure you have all the necessary information required to put your brand in the best possible spot available.

If your site looks like a junkyard, full of broken links and pages that simply have no rhyme or reason to them can you really expect consumers to want to visit them time and time again?

Secondly, what does your brand say about you as a business owner if your website is not up to par with your competition?

For one, it makes many consumers think that you have not invested a lot of time or money for that matter into it. Now, what if they get the same perception (rightly or wrongly) about how you would go about investing time in them too?

Remember that mention a moment ago about making it easy for consumers to contact you?

That should always be a top priority of putting together a first-rate website for your brand.

One of the areas where this can become a major stumbling block is if you also have an online store up and running.

Let’s say a customer is in the process of ordering something, and then the site crashes or freezes at that point. In many cases, customers will not give you a third or fourth try in an attempt to complete a sale. If it doesn’t work the first, perhaps the second time around, most will move on and find the product or service they need through one of your competitors. Now, imagine if you would have just sunk a little more time and effort into your website?

Lastly, do your best to promote your website as often as possible.

One of the ways to go about this is via social media, something far too many businesses simply do not take advantage of.

Be active on a variety of sites, notably those such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, even posting some videos to YouTube.

When all is said and done, your social media activities can go a long way in swaying consumers one way or the other to consider doing business with you now and down the road.

Even though the Internet is not for everyone, it should definitely be a prime focus of your business, something that will ultimately translate into dollar signs.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers financial and business topics on the web.

Market a Brand Consumers Will Come Home to

September 14, 2016 by Thomas

In today’s world of B2C marketing, it is imperative that businesses do their utmost to get their brands properly marketed.

That said some companies are literally dropping the ball when it comes to telling consumers why the brands they have offer the public are light years better than the competition.

So, what are you doing to go out of your way to market your brand properly?

Whether it is more along the lines of traditional marketing methods, perhaps leaning more for mobile and social media marketing, there are myriad of ways to get your brand heard and recognized.

At the end of the day, the goal should always be to market a brand consumers will come home to.

Get Your Message Out There

In order to have your brand stand out from the competition, make sure you are doing the following:

Properly planning – Your first and foremost objective is to make sure you are properly planning any and all marketing initiatives. For example, if your company’s main offerings are home renovations and other home improvements, be sure your marketing efforts are geared towards the right demographics. While some senior citizens later in years do in fact make notable renovations and/or additions to their homes, many of them are content with what they have at home or are renting properties (senior center apartments or condos etc.). As a result, they’re not going to be your primary source of business. On the flip side, people who are either moving into an older home that needs work or consumers looking to upgrade the homes they have had for a number of years now, these would be some of the individuals/couples you want to target. Having done your research will help you in more effectively targeting the right audience;
Imagery is key – Even though information etc. is certainly important in the area of home renovations and additions, the impact quality imagery has can’t be overlooked. Whether you are Utah web developers or another such brand, showing consumers images that can’t be beat will help you in landing more business. This is where both your website and a quality social media presence are so important. Be sure your website is chock-full of imagery, imagery that shows how quickly a residence can go from looking rather ordinary to looking quite extra-ordinary. That imagery should also be shared on social media sites, especially ones like Instagram and Facebook, both of which are great for telling a story through pictures;
Providing unparalleled customer service – Where are you when it comes to providing customer service? This is one of the critical elements of being a successful brand, so don’t take it lightly. For example, consumers may come to you in-person or via the web to ask questions about home improvements. Don’t use the opportunity to try and push a sale down their throats, but instead use it to not only educate them on the best ways to go about home improvements/renovations/additions etc. but also to show that their interests are your interests too. By being there to answer their questions and give them the information they were hopefully looking for, you potentially gain their trust. Once that is gained, the door can quickly swing open to be a potential business-customer relationship for many years to come.

While sound marketing is not rocket science, it does take some effort and ingenuity, both of which should always be two staples of your business approach.

In the event your brand marketing techniques have been coming up a little short as of late, there is still plenty of time to change course, giving you the opportunity to make headway with consumers.

Some brands naturally sell themselves; others need a little extra push.

If your brand is one of those that needs a little extra kick in the pants to secure more business, don’t be afraid to step outside the box with your marketing initiatives.

Whatever you can do to secure more business, make sure you are doing it.

When consumers know your brand is the one that offers them the most, they are certainly more apt to come home to you.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Put Some Life Back in Protecting Your Identity

September 7, 2016 by Thomas

Running a business in 2016 means many different things.

One of those is making sure both the identities of your business and your customers are safe from I.D. theft thieves.

If an identity theft thief is able to infiltrate your business, he or she could cause irrevocable damage to your company’s reputation. In the event that occurs, you could see your revenue stream come to an abrupt halt.

If your business has an exposed identity, you are flirting with danger, danger that can very easily snowball its way into angry customers and more.

With that in mind, are you putting some life back in protecting your identity?

Know the Danger Signs

In order to stop identity theft thieves from penetrating your business, there are a number of steps you must be taking.

Among them:

Recognize the danger – For starters, don’t think identity theft can’t happen to your business. As it turns out, many businesses are prime targets for I.D. theft thieves, especially smaller ones. Those smaller companies typically do not have all the bells and whistles in place to prevent a notable identity theft attack. As a result, they become prime targets for criminals. To not be cognizant of the danger is like leaving your front doors unlocked when you go to bed in the evening. No, most people do not do that in this day and age, so don’t be the business owner who leaves his or her business exposed to I.D. theft;
Put a plan in motion – One of the best means with which to fight back against identity theft is by having a protection plan in place. For example, working with an I.D. theft protection provider allows you to give your online activities (and others involving finances) as much protection as possible. The question oftentimes becomes, how do I know which protection plan to go with? Along with asking around, do some online scouting to see which services get the highest ratings from folks who know them best. Whether you look to LifeLock reviews or another such provider, be sure to see which service best meets the needs of your brand. Once you decide on a service provider, make sure to protect not only your computers and online activities, but also other related financial activities. For example, you want to make sure that any company credit cards are secure and safe at all times. For instance, if one of your employees is tasked with wining and dining a prospective client, he or she may use the company credit card to pay for the meal etc. If for some reason the employee would misplace the card or someone got ahold of the I.D. numbers on the card, they could easily run up a sizable bill before you even knew what hit. By having a protection plan in place, you can be alerted immediately as to any suspicious activity involving the card;
Don’t overlook your employees – Finally, as much as you want to (and should) trust your employees, workers committing I.D. theft against their employers is certainly not out of the question. As a result, you should never take for granted that such an event could happen to you. Make it clear from the day each and every employee is hired that you trust them, but any breach in that trust will result in notable consequences. Such consequences could include suspensions without pay, termination of one’s job, perhaps even criminal charges being filed.

With all you have on the line, making sure your business does all it can do to minimize the I.D. theft threat is important.

Keep in mind that even just one successful identity breach can change your business and its financial safety forever.

Be the business owner who takes identity theft and its threat seriously, lessening the odds you will be the next victim.

Just as importantly, in the event your business does suffer such a breach, make sure you act immediately to limit the damage. Such actions will give you a better opportunity to stem the tide of lost trust with your customers.

If identity theft was not on your radar before, it certainly should be moving forward.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Are You Getting the Best Employees Possible?

August 31, 2016 by Thomas

In managing your company, do you take stock at times of the quality of employee you hire?

For many businesses, the people come on a rather regular rotation. In fact, you might look at it as a revolving door.

Others, meantime, are rather meticulous in the individuals they hire, looking to keep people for many years to come.

No matter how you approach the hiring process, take note that the costs to retrain employees over and over again add up more than you may think. As a result, spending a little more time on making sure you are getting the best employees possible should be a priority.

Taking Time to Review Each Candidate Carefully

So that you can see which prospective employees take the time to turn in a professional resume and cover letter and which ones do not, along with giving you an interview to remember (for all the right reasons) note these items:

Professionalism – First and foremost, how professional are the resumes that you are receiving? If they look like individuals spent time and effort putting them together, great. On the other hand, resumes looking like they were thrown together in a hurry typically tell you one thing. That is that the individual did not put a lot of emphasis on making a good first impression with you. Take that one step further, would they make a good first impression on a customer? There are typically some signs to look for in seeing how much time and effort went into the resume and cover letter process. For one, a resume writing service pro is not going to give its client a resume that has notable errors in it, let alone is badly worded. It will also be neatly organized, highlighting the client’s most recent work experience, experience that is relative to the job they are applying for. Lastly, the resume will be spaced appropriately, making it easy to follow for the intended employer. If any of these areas are not emphasized, you’re likely looking at a prospective employee who either was not capable of putting together a winning resume on their own or didn’t care who in fact produced it for them;
Skillset – Unless you’re hiring someone to work in a factory or do construction (along with some other jobs), you are typically going to want employees who have some skills for the digital age. This can be anything from overseeing running an online store for your business to promoting your brand on social media etc. While there is more to that of course, the point is that having an online skillset is all but a necessity in today’s workforce. If someone comes to you without these kinds of skills, you can of course always train them, but at what cost to you and your business? Having someone come in with these skills already under their belt makes a big difference;
Attitude – Finally, what kind of attitude are you sensing from those you interview for careers with your company? As good as the credentials on the resume may be, the attitude one brings into the interviewing process is critical. Do the individuals seem excited about the possibility of working with you? Are they interested in learning about the company or just what the salary and benefits would be? Do they seem like the kind of people who would roll up their sleeves and help co-workers out? As many company heads can tell you, personalities oftentimes outshine skills in making for a cohesive workplace.

If you’ve felt in recent times like you have not exactly been hiring the highest quality individuals, change that outcome as you move forward.

No, there isn’t a 100 percent guarantee that the person you offer a job to is a lock to be both very talented and with you for many years to come. If the process were that easy, many business owners would sleep a lot better at night.

Try your best to gauge the mindset of each and every person who comes through your doors for an interview.

In doing that, you could very well have an improved feel for getting the best employees possible.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

Finding Leadership within Your Business

August 26, 2016 by Thomas

Are you truly confident that you have some leaders from within your business?

While some company owners are quick to answer yes to such a question, others no doubt have to stop and think about it.

If you feel like you are having trouble finding leaders inside your company, do you plan to do anything about that moving forward?

If not, this does not mean your business is doomed for failure anytime soon.

What it does mean, however, is that you may want to take a little time to see if you not only do have some leadership talent within your ranks, but also how best to utilize that talent to motivate others inside your business.

Using Outside Examples to Inspire

Even though there are different ways with which to go about finding and bringing out the leaders in your company, it sometimes just comes down to simple things.

For example, you may have some budding leaders within your ranks, but for one reason or another, they are timid about putting those skills to use. If that’s the case, how do you (and should you) bring out those skills?

Always keep in mind that you should never force an employee into doing something they’re not comfortable with or becoming someone they truly are not meant to be. That said it is perfectly fine (sometimes quite necessary) to ask them to take on more authoritative roles if need be.

If you feel like you aren’t quite sure how to go about getting the most out of them, sometimes you might want to think about turning to others to provide sound examples.

For instance, having your employees view and listen to some individuals that have been proven to demonstrate leadership skills is a good start.

Public speakers such as Ron Fournier can provide their years of experience in the political world, transferring that knowledge over into the business community, all the while providing your team with valuable leadership tips.

When you stop and think about it for a moment, the political and business worlds have more in common than you may think.

For one, political leaders have to do all they can to amass support from their constituents, many of whom are either business leaders or employees of the former. While finding the true leaders from within your organization is not simply deciding by a vote which individual is the most popular and/or poised to do the job, it does mean identifying those employees willing to take on a more important role.

If you are trying to find leadership from within your ranks, remember to look at:

Motivation – First and foremost, which employees within your company seem most motivated to be leaders? This is not always something which is easy to tell, so it will likely take some doing on your part to identify such individuals. Search for those workers who come to their jobs each and every day looking to better than the day prior;
Helping co-workers – You know how some employees all but despise the idea of helping co-workers. To them, they have enough on their daily plates, so why ask them to assist others? As it turns out, those workers who are true team players within the office could be tomorrow’s leaders. Such individuals don’t think twice about lifting a finger to help their co-workers. In turn, those are the kinds of employees who will typically also go that extra mile for your customers;
Asks questions – Finally, which of your employees is always trying to learn more? While some workers may seem a little over the top when it comes to asking questions, you want those employees who are willing to roll their sleeves up and essentially get dirty. Such workers usually are interested in all facets of how the company works, with an eye on staying and growing with the business. These are typically the people who will stick around with you for a longer period of time than those who just come in and do their jobs, showing little or no effort to learn more about how things work (that is not true in all cases, so never punish or look down on those who are quiet and yet do a great job).

If finding leadership from within your business has been a challenge at times, consider taking a look outside to see how others can assist in motivating your team.

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and leadership topics on the web.