Hub You - Business

A Career As A Massage Therapist
When it comes to getting a great massage the most important step is always to seek out that massage therapist who has the ability to work magic on our bodies. The experience is different for everyone but, ultimately, if you find the therapist with whom you can be comfortable and relax – and who professionally and adeptly performs this strenuous work to your specific liking - than you have found the key to a really enjoyable massage.For the massage therapist, the process of a massage can be physically grueling work. Often, a therapist will not schedule more than a few massages per day as any more than that can be exhausting and result in less than optimum results for the client - and possible injury for the therapist A good massage therapist wants their last massage of the day to be just as good as their first; but it takes work to maintain this consistent level of quality. Therefore it's imp

Image is Everything
Your reputation precedes you. Like it or not, consumers choose whether or not to use your service based on how you're viewed in the market. Your name or logo will influence when and if consumers use your service. Building credibility with your target will help you in the long run. It will also polish up your image for all to see.Brand image is the physical and psychological reaction your brand receives when it is viewed or talked about. It can be brought up from seeing a logo or simply by two people having a conversation. It is also impacted by where they see your brand and how they perceive what it is you’re selling. When customers purchase a product, they're not just buying that product; they're buying the image that comes with that product. Users can associate with each other because by using the product they become an advocate for it.If you've ever been around avid sports

As a manager many years ago when faced with my first challenge of selecting an external consultant, I found myself all at sea. Fortunately for me, I intuitively hit two of the three selection targets. The project was to produce a communication video, so it was relatively easy to see and compare what each consultant had previously produced. I had a number of consultants to choose from, but finally chose the one that I felt most comfortable with and whose work impressed me most. The project was succesful and in the process, I learned a lot.

Since that time, I have had to employ a number of consultants, I have been a consultant myself for almost 20 years, and I have worked with many other consultancies both large and small. The following suggestions for selecting a consultant are based on my experience as a manager and in the consultancy field.

What are the three targets that one must hit to successfully select a consultant? (Note; I am using the term “consultant” to refer to either one person or a consultancy firm). Firstly and most obviously, the consultant must be able to actually do the work. Secondly, the consultant must be able to fit in with the people in your organisation and particularly those who will be working on this project. Finally, if the consultant is good, you should always improve your own knowledge as a result of the project.

1. Can the consultant do the work? Seems obvious, but there are some traps. For instance, I remember when starting out as a consultant in partnership with another (who was also new to the role), submitting a tender for a fairly large job and being selected in the final few for interview. Individually, we’d had some experience in the type of work, but not as a partnership, nor had we wor

Career Strategies Important to Your Success
All of us want to discover success, yet too often we move in paths that take us to the wrong destination. You can find your dream job, IF..... and that's the KEY to your success.... knowing or fixing the IF in your life.Let's think about your goal. You do have one, right? If not, then your first step must be to sit down and THINK. What's my objective? You've got to KNOW what and where it is that you are heading before success can be achieved.Yes, it's ugly. WORK without pay, full-time to boot! Every morning, you get up, dress up, fix up, like you're going to an executive job downtown. You are, but it's without pay for now. Your investment of energy, time, and research will pay huge dividends in your future dream job, I promise, income potential, too.Truth is... NO ONE likes to interview for a new position, at least I never did. Few of us like to work withou

ber of consultants to choose from, but finally chose the one that I felt most comfortable with and whose work impressed me most. The project was succesful and in the process, I learned a lot.

Job Interviews -- How to Follow Up Effectively
Getting a job is not just about your performance in an interview. The post-interview follow up you do has a critical role in a successful job hunt. Here’s how to do it effectively.On the day of the interview or at most the next day, send a thank you note to each of the interviewers. Apart from saying that you’re keen to take up the job, mention two or three of your key strengths or skills that are directly useful for the position.During the interview, you should find out how soon they plan to have a person in place. Ask “In what timeframe do you expect to make a decision?” That’ll give you an idea about how much time is involved.Schedule your follow-up depending on this information. If the interviewer says they’ll make a decision in two to three months’ time, it makes no sense to follow up daily or even weekly.Keep common sense in mind. If you were the interviewer, would

ncies both large and small. The following suggestions for selecting a consultant are based on my experience as a manager and in the consultancy field.

Confessions of a Reformed Manager: Seven Principles for Becoming a Good Manager
Another one walked out the door. With him, $25,000 in recruitment fees, $3,000 in relocation expenses and a $31,000 learning curve went down the drain. Clients became uneasy, employee morale suffered and my firm's ability to recruit top talent was negatively impacted.My management style was costing my firm money and it was exacting an emotional toll on me. Taking each departure personally, I was beginning to feel like a failure.Like so many young managers, I had been bumped up into management because I was a good producer. No one had considered that production and management require two different skill sets, and that those skill sets are often at odds with one another.I wanted to be a good manager. I took management courses, read a plethora of self-help books and hired a management coach, but I still hadn't hit on the right formula for management.Totally ill equipped

ously, the consultant must be able to actually do the work. Secondly, the consultant must be able to fit in with the people in your organisation and particularly those who will be working on this project. Finally, if the consultant is good, you should always improve your own knowledge as a result of the project.

Avoid Your CV Always Ending Up in the Bin
Cover Letters must grab the reader's interest so that they immediately want to learn more about the writer (you).Your cover letter is generally the first document those potential employers will read. So your job is to make sure it introduces you effectively and positively.The 5 Best ways to make sure your CV or resume does get thrown aside: • You don't include a powerful cover letter• The same cover letter was photocopied or obviously used for another job• The cover letter doesn't include all the information the employer specified• The cover letter contains spelling, grammar or typo errors• Your skills and qualifications don't match the job description or person specificationYou really want to avoid your CV always ending up in the bin don't you, so when writing your cover letters, be sur

Seems obvious, but there are some traps. For instance, I remember when starting out as a consultant in partnership with another (who was also new to the role), submitting a tender for a fairly large job and being selected in the final few for interview. Individually, we’d had some experience in the type of work, but not as a partnership, nor had we worked in the prospective client’s industry. We won the job. Why? The client saw in us some creativity and freshness that was not evident in our competitors. However, this was an unusual client. Normally, I would not suggest taking on a consultant (like us) who has not had the depth nor breadth of experience in the project. So, unless one of your criteria is “freshness”, in terms of selecting for experience here are some tips:

• What are your specifications? Be very clear on the outputs you will require in the project. These should always be measured in terms of quality, quantity, time and cost. Use these output criteria to compare consultants.

• Who has recommended this consultant? Check their references – ask for the contact of the last job they did. When checking references, use your above “output criteria” as a guide.

• Are you looking for someone to implement solutions to a problem you have identified, or are you looking for someone to help you identify and clarify the problem? Or both? Sometimes it can be useful to split the project into these two parts.

• In discussion with the prospective consultants, do they really give you the time to say what you want before jumping to conclsuons? If they appear to “have all the answers”, chances are they do not listen very well.

• Does their suggested solution appear to be specifically designed for you or is it a “one

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This article lists the various reasons for the failure of internet businesses and ways to avoid the pitfalls.

The recent Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires far more detailed disclosure of your public company's filings with SEC then ever before. In this article, you'll discover how to properly protect and meet all of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requirements for your company's valuable Intellectual Property assets.

Your direct mail fundraising results never lie. But they mislead you if you let them.

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