#ChristmasChallenge18 - Five great causes you could give to

#ChristmasChallenge18 - Five great causes you could give to by Michael Cheary Want to give big this Christmas? We can help with that…Since the Big Give launched the campaign in 2008, the Christmas Challenge has raised over £98 million for more than 2,800 charity projects.With this year’s Christmas Challenge launching at 12PM on the 27th of November, now’s the perfect time to get involved and help make a difference to #ChristmasChallenge18.What is the Big Give?The Big Give is a non-profit organisation, which provides a platform for individuals to discover charities and make donations.They also offer the opportunity to double your donations throughout the year, through match funding campaigns â€" the biggest of which being the Christmas Challenge.What is the Christmas Challenge?The Christmas Challenge is the UK’s biggest online match funding campaign, which helps UK-registered charities raise funds for their cause.Projects span everything from water and sanitation in Africa, and child poverty in London, to the arts, education a nd more â€" so you’re sure to find a cause that you are passionate about.Discover. Donate. Double. It’s that simple.Ready to get your donation doubled? Here are five great causes you could be giving to during #ChristmasChallenge18:Be Child Cancer AwareWho they are: Be Child Cancer Aware is dedicated to raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of all cancers in children, teenagers and young adults. Young lives are being lost every year, partly due to a severe lack of understanding of the disease. By keeping people better informed of the warning signs, more children will be given a fighting chance.What they do: Aside from increasing awareness, the charity also allows children to deal with the disease and tell their story. Their Beads of Courage programme provides young cancer suffers with beads that symbolise their incredible bravery during different milestones, such as blood transfusions, bone marrow transplants, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.Why you should donate: Beads of Co urage supports over 30,000 children with serious illnesses worldwide â€" helping them understand and get to grips with their illness. And, by making people more aware of the signs, more young lives can be saved.In their own words: ‘Our Beads of Courage helps children to take ownership of their journey and make sense of what they’re going through in a very visible way. The beads gives them a tool to explain it to themselves and others, adults, medical professionals, brothers, sisters, friends and says to everybody “this is my story, this is what I’m doing â€" it’s not nice but I’m strong and I will get through it”.’Find out more about Be Child Cancer Aware  International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)Who they are: IFAW’s mission is to rescue and protect animals around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW provides hands-on assistance to animals in need, whether its dogs and cats, wildlife and livestock, or rescuing animals following disasters. The y also advocate saving populations from cruelty and depletion, such as ending commercial whaling and seal hunting.What they do: Their Community Led Animal Welfare (CLAW) treats at least 4000 animals every single month. One of their current projects involves protecting the wildlife of Malawi from poaching. Without these measures, Africas engangered elephants, rhinos, and other species are likely to continue being killed illegally.Why you should donate: Their vision is a world where animals are respected and protected. In some areas, they are the only animal welfare organisation serving impoverished communities and their domestic animals. Your money will help continue their fight against animal cruelty, and ultimately save the lives of thousands of animals.In their own words:  â€˜Do something wonderful this Christmas. Donate to IFAW, and save the lives of animals â€" in Malawi, and beyond.’Find out more about IFAW  Contact the Elderly Who they are: Contact the Elderly is a national charity which aims to alleviate loneliness amongst isolated older people aged 75 and over. Since they were established, they’ve supported over 100,000 elderly guests and want to continue to ensure individuals have a place to socialise and connect with each other, so they no longer feel so alone.What they do: Each month, a group of older guests are taken by their volunteer drivers for afternoon tea in a volunteers home. Over time friendships are made and relationships formed, giving elderly people something to really look forward to each month â€" as well as a vital support systemWhy you should donate: In our ageing population the problem of isolation among elderly people is growing. In fact, it’s forecasted that over 2 million will be isolated by 2021. To put it simply, without groups like Contact the Elderly, millions of older people could remain isolated, cut off and forgotten.In their own words: ‘Edith is 93 and lives alone. For days on end, her only contact is with her c are workers. They’re nice, but rarely have time to talk. So Edith sits and remembers, reverting to memories to cope with her lonely existence. We don’t want a world of 2 million Ediths. Donate what you can and help ensure older people don’t feel quite so alone’.Find out more about Contact the Elderly  AdvocateWho they are: Set up 20 years ago by a group of barristers, Advocate are the only national charity which can provide a volunteer barrister in any court or tribunal, on any area of law, across England and Wales.What they do: Deliver core free legal advice and representation, to help people across the UK who cant afford to pay their own legal fees.Why you should donate:  The increasing number of vulnerable people facing court alone because they have no way of paying for expert legal help. They might be struggling to see their children, be close to losing their home, have been defrauded or be facing an employment or immigration tribunal alone. Without proper legal advice a nd representation, people have much less chance of justice.In their own words: On average, we hear from 50 new people every week facing a complicated legal problem alone. We can help make a difference and, ultimately, save vulnerable people from the incredible stress of trying to present their legal case to a judge alone. Find out more about AdvocateThe Rainforest FoundationWho they are: The mission of the Rainforest Foundation is to support indigenous people and traditional populations of the worlds rainforests in their efforts to protect their environment and fulfil their rights to land, life and livelihood.What they do: Instead of evicting local people from protected areas such as National Parks in Africa’s rainforests, they want to work with them, train them, and use their presence and knowledge to help strengthen conservation of the rainforest.Why you should donate: RFUK has 25 years of experience in managing projects in tropical countries, including 18 years in the Congo B asin promoting community rights to land and resources, and supporting community participation.In their own words: ‘The rainforest is a home, a habitat, a shelter, a pharmacy, a supermarket and an ecosystem that supports many lives and livelihoods. Yet most forest dependent people are unable to defend the lands on which they live from forest destruction, land theft and resource exploitation. Your donation â€" no matter how small â€" can help us change this.’Find out more about the Rainforest Foundation  So, if you want to double your donation to a worthy cause this Christmas, take part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018.    The Christmas Challenge 2018 will be taking place from midday on 27th  November until midday on 4th December or until match funds are exhausted, whichever is first. Don’t miss the opportunity to make your money have twice the impact on a charity of your choice this Christmas. For more information on how to donate to the Big Give Christmas Challenge 20 18,  click here.  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features

7 Steps to Planning Your Job Search

7 Steps to Planning Your Job Search Searching for a new job  is almost a full-time job, as it takes hard work, time and commitment to succeed. So the last thing you want to do is to send out hundreds of resumes and wait for a reply that may never come, so its important that you are organised and know how to go about your search. In today’s fiercely competitive market, you need to have a strategic plan for your job search before you actually begin the search, from where to look, to identifying the specific kind of roles you want to apply for. Here are 7 steps that should follow when planning your job search. 1. Ask yourself why you are looking for a new job. Are you looking for a new job because you hate your current field of work? Or is it because you have become so good at your job that you no longer feel challenged in the role you are currently in and need to step up and find something more stimulating. 2. Think about what you are looking for. Figure out what you want to do AND what you don’t want to do. Even though you may feel quite strongly about wanting to get out of your current job, it’s still very important for you to take your time to do some planning before launching into your job hunt. At the very least, you should know which fields or industries you are interested in, and what types of positions you are suitable for. 3. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Now that you have a rough idea of what you’re looking for, do you have what it takes to work in those particular  fields or positions? What are you good at? Don’t wait until the job interview to figure these out. You’ll have to highlight them in your resume or you may not even be invited for an interview. 4. Do your initial research. Find out what opportunities are out there in the fields that you’re interested in. Take a look at the job boards, or even company websites of businesses you are interested in. Some job openings are not advertised, so if you know people who are already working in those fields, talk to them. Even though they may not have a job to offer you, they may be able to point you in the right direction or spread the word that you are actively looking for a job. This type of networking has proven to be very helpful throughout the job search process. 5. Set aside time to do the search. Don’t “find time” for job searching, make time! Set aside a couple of hours a day for job searching and make sure it is your sole focus for that time. Make it your “job”. 6. Set measurable goals. Your ultimate goal is to land a job, but before you get there, you’ve got work to do. Set weekly goals for yourself, based on the number of applications to send out, the number of company websites to check out, etc. It will help you to stay motivated and give you a feeling of achievement each time you meet a goal.   7. Practice your interview techniques. Even though you haven’t been granted an interview yet, you should be prepared. List out some of the common interview questions and practice, practice, and practice! This way when you are invited for an interview you feel confident and ready to impress!

How To Recover From An Online Mistake During A Job Search - VocationVillage

How To Recover From An Online Mistake During A Job Search - VocationVillage Dear Dr. Civitelli,I am writing to ask you for career advice about what to do because I made a big online mistake that could hurt my job search. I work in banking and in a burst of anger one night, I posted a rant to a popular banking industry website. I made some statements I regret, things that might make an employer cautious about hiring me.Unfortunately, I used my real name, and now when someone puts my name in a search engine, this rant comes up in the top three listings for me. My name isnt common so I cant pretend it isnt me! I repeatedly tried contacting the website to beg that they remove the information and no one has ever responded to my request. What should I do?Signed, Desperate BankerDear Desperate Banker,To answer your question, I consulted Miriam Salpeter, a career coach with expertise in managing your online reputation during a job search. I asked Ms. Salpeter what she thinks you should do to recover after an online mistake. Ms. Salpeter says, The best defense is a good offense. In other words, ideally, the person will already have a well developed online profile and a strong digital footprint. For example, if he or she is active on Google+, has a regularly updated blog, and participates on LinkedIn (for example), his or her Google results should still point to that information. It would be wise to ramp up those efforts in light of an online mistake, as the best thing you can do to salvage or save your reputation is to provide a lot of positive content for Google to index about you.She continues, A tool that may help is Vizibility, as it allows you to create some verified results, which then will show up on Google. There are services that say t hey help with reputation defending. DefendMyName claims to be able to get things deleted from search results. Another one is Reputation.com. These are fee-based options.I agree with Ms. Salpeters advice. You may get recommendations from others to be the first to bring up the online mistake so that you can come clean and apologize, but I have big concerns about that strategy. There is social science research that says when people dont know each other well, anything negative observed about someone gets greatly magnified because there is an absence of positive information to counteract the negative information. So to me, it would be very risky to bring up the online mistake when you dont even know if the prospective employer has seen it. I recommend doing everything you can to flood the Web with positive information that builds your good reputation. Also, keep trying to contact the website because the best possible outcome would be that someone at the website agrees to delete the damag ing information.I hope that helps!. Miriam Salpeter is the author of Social Networking for Career Success: Using Online Tools to Create a Personal Brand. She coaches job seekers and small business owners via her consulting firm, Keppie Careers.

Are you being transformed

Are you being transformed Most organizations we work with today consider themselves a turnaround or they are transforming to a newer more responsive version of themselves to avoid the label “Turnaround”.   What’s happening:   Customers are demanding new products, solutions and business and partner processes Organizations acquire or divest their parts Organizations need to improve financials to free cash for investment to meet customer demands We have conversations with our executive clients about how they can AI and robotics proof their own children’s careers with all the coming change.   Our research shows that careers today have evolved to be multiple, 2-3 year assignments that need to be purposefully chained together.? Each assignment needs an onboarding step and then impact and then, rapid preparation for advancement to the next assignment.??      If you look closer it may be that the roles within an assignment are continually changing.? The roles change because the business transformation challenges knowledge workers to outsource or automate selected roles and add new roles inside the apparent same assignment.? This can be done by shifting roles to company functions in lower cost locations (think off-shoring) or by leveraging IT automation.     Over a year or two, a knowledge worker could have the same title but be doing a significantly different job and at higher productivity.??This continual transformation brings risk to work-life balance and burnout.     So, the New Normal is…? I am Transforming…? continuously.     There are answers in an old book that is still very relevant today…? so, find it?and read Who Moved My Cheese? It’s a fast and easy read with a great message!   It is no longer a search for new cheese every few years? it’s a need to continuously look for new cheese and watch diligently for changes that will transform your current roles and assignment.   As Darwin might have said if he was with us now? The future will belong to the most adaptable cheese hunters.

Using HR As A Resume Writing Tip

Using HR As A Resume Writing TipThere are many popular resume writing tips you should follow to help you become a better writer. An important part of resume writing is your use of the acronym 'HR.' You should never use this acronym when writing for an employer. You need to remember that an HR department is not your resume writing advice.Many people still believe that an HR department exists, but it is actually a scam. These types of companies are not part of the resume writing tips. You can use this time to learn more about resumes and learn how to write the correct one for an employer.Employment is a very serious thing. If you want to find a job, you need to follow the proper resume writing tips. You can avoid scammers by using common sense. You should never refer to a government agency or business, because they have nothing to do with resumes.The acronym HR or Human Resources, however, does have a certain charm and authority. HR is used to describe a company's employee screening pr ocess. This is something you should never miss using.Some people assume that the letters HR written on a resume stand for human resources. This is definitely not the case. The only time you should use HR in your resume writing tips is when you are recruiting employees.You need to use HR for all of your communication with the company before you interview an employee. That means you should use the letter HR when sending a cover letter and the name HR when writing a resume. This is the best way to make sure that everything flows correctly.The HR department at your company should not be confused with your resume writing tips. The resume tips are meant to help you get the job you want. Using the HR acronym for resume writing tips is just a bad idea. It can be taken to mean something else and you might get your application rejected.HR is a meaningless phrase, so you need to stop using it on your resume. You need to remember that this type of writing advice does not apply to your resume. I t belongs to a different department entirely. Please take advantage of the good resume writing tips out there.

10 ways to get ahead in a BAD ECONOMY - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

10 ways to get ahead in a BAD ECONOMY In both my recruitment and coaching jobs, I hear from a lot of people who are currently looking for a new job, but they are starting from a defeated attitude. They figure there aren’t many jobs and there’s no money and it’s impossible to get a pay rise in the current economy. There are also others who do have a job they don’t enjoy, but they are worried they won’t find anything better so they are staying in a job that is draining them. I blame the media a lot. They turn a little bit of negativity into a mountain of pessimism which makes a lot of people financially paranoid. We become socially conditioned to expect the worst. However â€" companies are always looking for superstars. Just in the last couple of weeks, I’ve made offers to a few candidates â€" most of which had other offers on the table, often with a min. 20-25% increase on their current salary. But if you tune out all the negativity (not watching TV helps a lot!) and maintain a grip on rational thought, you’ll there are lots of opportunities for superstars, and many of them can choose from multiple offers â€" yes, even in this economy! So how do you get ahead in a ‘bad’ economy? Let me give you a few tips: 1) Put your time and energy into CREATING and DELIVERING real value. Find a way to give your employer/customers what they want and/or need. 2) Be the best. Arrive early at work, take on extra assignments, get creative and connect with your manager to see if theres anything you can help with. Outstanding performers become known through the company grapevine. 3) Attend and participate. Every event your company hosts is an opportunity to meet other managers. Be there. 4) Develop your marketing pitch. Thats the pitch that sells the product spelled Y-O-U. Have a concise statement about the impact youve made on your business unit and how your skills could translate to your next assignment. Check out my blog post: What makes you different from other candidates? and video: How to identify your value proposition. 5. Take a step back. It sounds counterintuitive, but reducing your compensation a bit in order to grow your experience can make sense when youre aiming for a new role. If you perform, responsibilities and compensation will match your performance. 6. Chase your dream job. Finding it requires speaking with a wide range of people at your company. Getting it requires developing the skills to present yourself as a serious candidate. 7. Think big picture. In order to advance, identify ways you can affect the whole organization rather than just focusing on your career. How do you get the big picture? By broadening your experience and your exposure to other managers at the company. 8. Show your passion. The number one requirement for advancement is passion and enthusiasm. Managers are impressed by people who love the business. You’d be surprised how often I need to reject candidates because they did not sound like if they were really interested in the role and the company 9. Become the go-to person. Volunteer for projects and take on leadership of the task. This gives you an opportunity to showcase your abilities. 10. Dont brush off compliments. When someone tells you, Well done! dont brush it off saying, It was nothing. (we women are particularly guilty of that!) Say that you’ve worked hard and appreciate the compliment. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this post â€" what else are you doing to get ahead? If you’d like my help in getting promoted, please answer a few questions on www.talkwithmargaret.com and I will contact you to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Thriving Through This Financial Chaos - Kathy Caprino

Thriving Through This Financial Chaos Greetings friends.   Given the state of the economy today,  women are asking me over and over, What can I do in my professional life and career to help me deal with what may be coming down the pike for me, including a lay-off? While each individuals situation requires its own evaluation and game plan,  its critical to  take three essential steps  that will allow you to thrive through change, not be crushed by it.   For those whove read my book, these  three steps will be familiar, but they bear repeating here.   They are: 1) Step Back to gain an empowered perspective 2) Let Go of thinking, assumptions,  and behaviors that hold you back and keep you stuck 3) Say Yes! to yourself,  and to knowing that you have the power you need to thrive, and achieve your life visions How to begin: 1) Step Back to Gain an Expanded, Empowered Perspective When things around us seem to be falling apart, we can feel  out of  control.   We often see ourselves as victims of a fickle world, powerless to affect positive change.   However,  this is not the case I believe we are active co-creators of our lives, and that we  have much more power to direct our lives than we are aware of.   How can  you connect to that power then?   By gaining a new perspective on whats happening to and around you.   This suggests that its time to stop in your tracks, and take a long, honest  look at where you are professionally.   Do you love your job and your career?   Would you be terribly sad to lose it (except for the money it provides)?   Do you feel its aligned with who you truly are?   If the answers to these questions are No!, then nows the time to begin on a path of expanding yourself in ways that make financial, professional,  and emotional sense.   What new training can you embark on now, that would energize and stimulate you?   What new skills can you acquire, or new projects can you embrace at work, that will help you stretch and strengthen, but also allow you to move in new directions that will be more meaningful to you (and therefore more valuable to your employer and your career)?   If you feel shaky at work because it doesnt reflect you, then you might indeed be the one who is selected for a layoff.   It happened to me after 9/11.   Outwardly very successful and a strong contributor, I was included in the downsizing, I believe, because this position and company was the worst fit in the world for me absolutely wrong, and it showed. So use this time now to take back the reins, and look at your career as something that you can shape, build, and direct.   Step back to realize that you have more power than you think.   Get on a path of aligning yourself with your work.   It will show, and youll find greater security (internally and externally) in the knowing that you are, happily and finally, in synch with what you do. Stay tuned for Steps 2 and 3! Many happy breakthroughs, Kathy