From Travel to Tech

From Travel to Tech Success Story > From: Job To: Job From Travel to Tech “The most difficult thing was making the leap to something completely different. I didn't know how things would turn out, if I would like it, or even if I'd be any good at it.” * From Travel to Tech Michelle Brideau started her career in the travel industry, but quickly became bored. After an intensive coding course, she's kicking off a new career in a start-up. Read on to discover how she made it work. What work were you doing previously? Previously I worked in various roles in the travel industry in both Canada and the UK. I was also a Production Travel Co-ordinator for Sky Sports. What are you doing now? I am currently working as an intern Junior Developer at a start-up in London called Enternships. Why did you change? Once I realized Sports TV production wasn’t going to be my new career path I started to consider other options. When was the moment you decided to make the change? I had been bored with my work in travel, and I had hoped at Sky Sports I would be able to branch out into creating a new career path. I enjoyed working at Sky, but the boredom of doing the same thing week after week got to me, and the career options available had working hours which didn't appeal to my lifestyle. I ended up taking a job that combined my TV production experience and my travel background. Based on the job description, it seemed as if the job was made for me! However, it turned out to be a terrible work experience, and left me considering more drastic options, such as going back to school or starting my own business. Are you happy with the change? I’m very happy with the change! I feel I'm on a career path that will keep me challenged, and provide me with flexibility in the future. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I don’t miss anything about working in travel. The industry changes over the years haven’t been for the better, and I’m happy to have left it behind. How did you go about making the shift? I took a 10 week course to learn to code at Makers Academy in London, an intensive, immersive course. Then as soon as I got out I started looking for opportunities to get my foot in the door and gain experience as a developer. How did you handle your finances to make your change possible? I had been saving for a few years with the idea that I might like to start my own business one day. I like to stay flexible in life, so I tend to live below my means and keep my living costs low. In this case it paid off, giving me the right financial situation to focus fully on my new career. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Taking the leap to doing something completely different from my previous career. I didn't know how things would turn out, if I would like it, or even if I'd be any good at programming! What help did you get? Makers Academy was great at helping students get to know the tech industry in London and making introductions to various companies and contacts. My partner was also really understanding about the long hours of study and moments of stress that career-change can bring. What have you learnt in the process? That when I put my mind to something I can achieve it, and that risk can’t be avoided in this process. It’s similar in a lot of ways to my move abroad from Canada to the UK. You keep moving forward with a lot of unanswered questions, not knowing how it will all turn out, until one day you find yourself at home in your new surroundings. What do you wish you'd done differently? At this point it's too early to say, as I am just at the early stages of the change. All I can really say is that I wish I had done it sooner. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Make sure to get out and meet people in your new industry as soon as possible. These contacts will be helpful in gaining insight to an industry you are unfamiliar with and will have to navigate. I found the tech industry in London a small world and usually see a familiar face when I go to events now. What resources would you recommend to others? I read lots of career advice books and took tests, but it wasn't until I got out and actually tried different things that I really learned what I wanted. So I'd advise people to get out and talk to others. Try something related to the new career you are thinking of, even if it is only in a small way. Michelle took her coursein London with The Makers Academy. What lessons could you take from Michelle's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

The Magic Ingredient that Creates a High Performing Workplace - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Magic Ingredient that Creates a High Performing Workplace - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Developing a high-performing workplace is not as mysterious as small business owners make it seem. So many struggle with getting employees to: do more than the minimum job requirements to take initiative on their own to get things done to make decisions for which the owner feels they are paying them for to show up on time and serve internal and external customers at minimum levels. In last weeks PersonalBrandingBlog.com article I wrote about two ingredients (autonomy and transparency) that can create a motivated workforce, yet, even with those there is something missing necessary to tie it all together to make it work. The missing ingredient is accountability. And, it’s the hardest of all ingredients to get right, especially in a small business. Too often, because of the many hats small business owners wear, focus on accountability never gets to the top of the priority list. The reason it never gets to the top of the priority list is because its uncomfortable for most small business owners, who prefer to focus on their areas of strength and comfort. Yet, accountability, or lack of it, is at the core of most business owners’ biggest stresses. Few know how to set performance expectations, and accountability to them, at the beginning of the employee relationship. Even fewer know how to effectively address accountability as performance plays out through the performance period. Accountability is what allows small business owners to offer high levels of autonomy to employees. The other component I wrote about last week that creates a highly motivated workforce, transparency, also requires accountability. In the context of transparency, though, the accountability pendulum swings to the small business owner. Transparency in the workplace speaks directly to accountability of the small business owner in how they are running the business and whether they are using the business to finance their own lifestyle at a fair and equitable level. As you might imagine, this is a touchy subject. The small business owner often feels that the risk they are taking and the extraordinary personal energy they need to invest, entitle them to significant return on that investment. They would be right. Often, though, the fear of the small business owner, is that their employees will not understand this equation and will resent what financial benefits they reap. In my experience I’ve found most employees are surprised to learn at how little the business owner takes out of the business to keep it running so that the employees can continue to have jobs. By offering greater transparency and being more accountable to employees for the financial operation of the company, it creates a powerful employee-business owner partnership that creates the desired high-performance workplace to the benefit of all. Small business owners should absolutely expect accountability to job performance from employees in exchange for their paycheck and benefits package, and they should also expect to be accountable for operating a fiscally successful business. Having this type of symbiotic relationship around accountability creates high levels of comfort and certainty on both sides. When people are comfortable and certain about their situation and future, they are free to perform at their best. Everybody wins!

Business Owner Shares Lessons Learned Building Her Side Hustle - Classy Career Girl

Business Owner Shares Lessons Learned Building Her Side Hustle Sometimes, as a business owner building her side hustle, we must do what we cannot stand to do in order to move ourselves, our family, or our finances further: we must go to a job. As much as we might hate it, we know if we don’t, then we will sink  and  our businesses will too. My Story Back in September, I was forced to get a part time job. My husband and I were not in a place financially to pull off a one person income. I could no longer deny the fact that if I didn’t get a part time job, we were going to sink quickly. I hated this fact and I didn’t tell  anyone. My parents didn’t find out until after my first day of working! I was so ashamed of working and so angry that I didn’t want to tell anyone. In my mind, getting a part time job said I was a failure as a business owner â€" my business was a failure. It didn’t take off, so now I must work for some other person fulfilling their dream as mine was on “hold.” I have never even mentioned where I work on my personal Facebook page, even to this day. iFlash forward three months later and I’m still working. Do I enjoy it? No. Do I want out? ASAP. Have I come to the realization that this job is temporary? Yes. Have I accepted this fact? Yes I had to. Working part time is no longer a problem for me anymore and I don’t see it as a failure now either. I know it is income to help me boost my business as well as provide for our home. It actually makes me proud to see the little money I make go towards helping us pay our bills or buying a new shirt. It makes me feel like I’m contributing to our bank account, even if it’s in the way I don’t want to contribute. I don’t have to worry so much about my business because I’m taking care of my family in other ways too. What I am Learning But what I am learning is that I’m constantly in brainstorming mode as I’m looking for opportunities to get out of my job. Unfortunately, I can’t network as much as I would like. However, I can continue to move myself forward using social media, my newsletter, and building my brand more clearly. 1. Dont Waste Time on Social Media I have learned some lessons while being in my part time job, such as I have to use my time carefully now. I went to a conference last month where I learned that I have been spending too much time on social media and not enough time using it to move my business forward. So I shifted my focus and my time. Since I work on Monday and Tuesday, I am forced to use the little time I have on my business on updating and planning my social media campaign. This is done through Hootsuite and it is so nice planning out my social media week. It’s a good feeling to let it run on autopilot! During these days, I’ll also answer any emails, make any calls, and set up any appointments on those days, since I have Toastmasters and Bible study on these nights as well. 2. Block Out Time For Networking and Business Building Wednesdays are my networking days and my one on one meeting days (when I can network though weather permitting). Thursdays and Fridays are the days I work on my business; I will work on up and coming classes, pulling together content for blogs, getting my webinar ready (or whatever I’m putting on at the time), talking with potential leads, and the investing in myself and business. I try to make one of these days my CEO days as a business owner, which means making my business go forward, planning for future classes and workshops, and investing in myself and business. I usually work every Saturday at my part time job as well as have Bible study that night, so whatever time I have, I cram anything I didn’t get done in the week during this time. Sundays can be my days off, but sometimes they are not. Life of an entrepreneur, right? [RELATED: How I Asked to Go Part Time to Grow My Business] 3. Apply What I Learned From  My Day Job to My Business I am also learning that the people I work with are just preparing me for people I could work with in my business. How will I talk about them or how will I present myself to these types of people? It helps me to put myself in a position to say, “Do I care enough about my image outside of my business?” I fail sometimes, but I try to remember that whatever I’m displaying for my co-workers to see is what I could be displaying to my professional peers. Now that’s something to think about. Yes it’s aggravating not moving forward as fast as I would like, but it’s definitely growing me and being a CEO for a business owner should be all about growth, right? Even when it’s not fun or pleasant. I always try to remember my Grandmama’s saying, “This too shall pass.” I know this job is not permanent and it won’t last forever. I have goals to get out of it as soon as I can, but during the wait, I can enjoy the friendships I am building and the people I’m meeting. If you’re in a part time job (or even full time) and you’re getting frustrated, just remember that this is a time for you to grow (even though you hate it â€" I hate it too!) and to succeed in ways that others won’t. To all my friends who are working on two jobs: one is an employee position and one building an empire as a business owner to rule the world. Continue on my friends! This too shall pass and one day, we’ll rule the world together! Continue to build your empire one brick at a time, one day at a time! You were born to be a CEO, don’t let this time in your life get you down!

Top 10 Career Tips for Young Professionals - Career Geek

Top 10 Career Tips for Young Professionals - Career Geek When you are just starting a new job and you would like to get off on the right foot, these career tips can certainly assist your efforts. Remember that young people who are dedicated to their job already have an advantage in the work force. Young people are energetic and quick thinkers. When youre young, you are more likely to pick up on concepts and tasks quicker. It makes you a desirable employee already and if you follow these career tips for young professionals, the business you work for will appreciate your efforts and reward you for your dedication. 1 Dress the Part While saggy pants and loose fitted shirts may have been popular for men in high school, they arent going to impress an employer. Its very important to dress the part as a young professional. As a rule of thumb, just take a look at what everyone else is wearing. Even if theyre dressed business casual, its a good idea to go one step above that and dress more professionally. 2 Never Text or Call unless Required at Work Texting or calling on your cellphone is a good way to get fired. Young people have a tendency to want to keep in touch with their friends and family members at all hours of the day. However, if your job is something you value highly, its a good idea to keep your phone in your pocket, or even the car. 3 Be Clean Cut Dont forget to shave! As a man, shaving is very important to being perceived well by collogues and bosses. By shaving regularly, you will look the part and your superiors will notice. 4 Wear Cologne/Perfume and Maintain a Fresh Breath There is nothing worse than working alongside someone that fails to keep up with their basic hygiene. Its very important to smell the same way you look. If you dress professionally, then you need to smell like a professional, too. Dont be afraid to pop a few mints in your mouth and freshen up with some cologne or perfume during your lunch break. 5 Concentrate on Customer Satisfaction A young person that understands the importance of customer satisfaction is incredibly important. There is one golden rule to remember: The customer is always right. If you keep this belief and you do everything you can to make each customer happy, your manager is undoubtedly going to notice your good effort. Not to mention, customers are what make businesses successful. 6 Create a Boundary between Work and Play Its important to understand that having fun comes after your work obligations are completed. Before you can go out with your friends and have a beer, you have to get everything done at work. A boss is not going to appreciate an employee that puts personal interests ahead of their work life. 7 Know that Things Dont always Go Your Way If you were expecting a raise and you didnt get it, if you were hoping for a promotion but it never came, or if you wanted better hours but never received them, this is all part of the working life. There are times where the business is not successful enough to give the employees everything they want. When times are rough, you have to cope and not complain. Understand that things will not always go your way. 8 Strive for Maximum Efficiency When youre efficient, youre working to your highest potential. As a young professional, you should strive to be as efficient as you possibly can. Efficiency is key to doing well everything that you do. When your manager places a new task in front of you, try to find a way to improve your turnaround time and impress them. 9 Find Solutions that Produce Results Your bosses are going to love anything you do that provides strong results for the business. If you can come up with solutions that produce results, you will be much more likely to get promoted. Good things come to those who deserve them. 10 Do Your Best at Everything Whenever your boss comes to you for something, act motivated and delighted to work on it. Its very important to do your best at everything. As an employee, the success of the business you work for relies on your ability to perform well with whats required of you.

Create a Writing Resume Online Free

Create a Writing Resume Online FreeYou've probably heard about how easy it is to create a writing resume online free. After all, you can do it right at your computer. But how do you know whether or not it's good enough?Before you begin filling out your writing resumes, it's a good idea to look around at the hundreds of samples that are available on the Internet. You want to see what the professional writers are using in order to turn your application into a very professional looking resume. It might seem obvious that you should hire someone who has done this sort of thing before.But there's another reason to choose a company that has made a career out of helping writers that have specific skills. There are a lot of people that feel that writing resumes is something that they should be able to do on their own. This is a big mistake. These people are putting their career at risk.If you're going to be the next professional person that's going to get a job offer, you need to make sure th at your resume is ready for this stage. No matter how much experience you have, you should be able to stand out in the crowd. But if you're not, no one is going to want to hire you. So it's important that you know what people are looking for.One of the things that makes a lot of sense when you're creating a writing resumes is to incorporate a bit of your personality into it. A lot of people that use these services will just send in a resume and never follow up with any kind of contact information. This is going to cost you money because you're not going to be getting calls from anyone that you don't actually have a record with.One of the bestways to create a high quality resume is to pick the companies that you will work with first. Then you can look over their sample resumes to see how they are written. Then you can choose which ones you like the best.Another benefit to creating a writing resumes online free is that you'll save a ton of time. You don't have to search for a company to help you when you can do it yourself. And it doesn't matter if you're a very experienced writer or a beginner, you'll be able to create a resume that is going to get you hired.If you think about it, using an online service for writing resumes is kind of like having an assistant that will help you throughout the entire process. You can get this kind of assistance for a very small fee. There's no reason to spend a lot of money trying to create a writing resume online free when you can simply do it yourself and have it done in a matter of minutes.

Change Jobs, Or Change Careers - Sterling Career Concepts

Change Jobs, Or Change Careers Change Jobs, Or Change Careers? Once you’ve decided it’s time to make a change, the next thing to consider is whether you want to change the company you work for, or change your career path entirely. Think back to the internal and external reasons that factor in to wanting a change. Ask yourself if making a change to a new company would fix the issue or issues you identified. Or are they issues that are embedded within the industry itself, and would only be fixed if you changed industries entirely? Also, think about how you feel about the actual work you’re doing. Do you still have a passion for the type of work you’re doing, but maybe not in this particular work environment? If that’s the case, changing jobs could improve your situation. You might not need to change careers. This is a critical distinction to make before you start moving forward with a job search so take the time for a thoughtful analysis on the topic. The next and third post will review five things to consider before starting a job search.

Setting the Pace for Your Job Search

Setting the Pace for Your Job Search You want a new job.   You want it fast.   How will YOU make it happen? Sometimes it feels like securing a new job is out of our control. I hear too often today people say There arent any jobs out there.   I know there are jobs out there and so do you.   The trick is finding them.   Like a good old fashioned Easter Egg Hunt; you have to really look and quickness counts.   If you dont move quickly, someone else is going to find those eggs.   You look in the obvious, visible spots first.   After a while, you are going to have to look in out of the way, less obvious, hiding spots. How does setting goals fit into this?   You will want to set long term and short term goals to truly make things happen.   Keep moving forward towards your goals. Say your long-term goal is to have a job by ______________ (fill in the date).    How many individuals will you need to meet to make that happen?   How many interviews will you be turned down from?   How many jobs will you need to apply for online?   How many recruiters will you need to develop relationships with?   These are the numbers you want to set in stone and strive for.   Why these?   Because these are the ways people secure jobs.   Just take a look at CareerXroads survey from early this year.   The study asked companies how they filled their openings. Referral, Corporate websites, job boards and other made up the greatest sources of EXTERNAL hiring.     Lets use that logic to set goals for meeting your target hiring date! 12% of your time:   Applying for Jobs on-line (would that be 10 to 20 per week?) 27% of your time:   In Face to Face  meetings (can you set a goal of 5 conversations per week?) 20% of your time:   Visiting the websites of target companies to apply for jobs (can you set a goal of 50 target companies to monitor?) 40% of your time:     Divide this up among career fairs, working with recruiters, and all the other traditional search methods?) Reaching these conservative numbers proves that you have your work cut out for you.   It is going to take discipline and time management to maintain these goals. This is a Numbers Game Older statistics stated that 1 out of 4 interviews would result in an offer.   I am pretty sure that number is higher now.   This goes to show that you will not get every job you apply for, nor would you want every job you interviewed for.   In order to get interviews, you will have to meet a lot of people and apply thoughtfully to a lot of jobs. Quantity AND Quality The other thing to consider is the quality of these efforts versus the quality.   You are investing your time, do so wisely.   Give more time to those meetings or job postings that are worth your investment. Are you setting these kinds of goals?   Can you sustain this activity? If you are seeking for the golden egg, move swiftly and investigate every option.