How to start your own delivery business - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to start your own delivery business Now that customers can experience the sheer joy of having almost everything they buy delivered straight to their front door, more and more companies are including deliveries as part of their service plan. If youre considering this route, there are some key issues to take into account and some simple steps to follow. These steps will allow you to break into the delivery market with as little risk as possible, and giving you a good start to your new enterprise from the get-go. Whether you’re delivering office supplies or ice cream, having a strategy means a greater chance of success. Truck, van or trailer? Finding the right tool is part of every job, and starting a delivery company is no different. Depending on your product, you need to decide on the size and style of delivery vehicle. There’s little use in delivering pizzas in an articulated lorry. You also need to take into account your repair costs when you start your budget planning, as repairs can often take you by surprise, and having easy access to a local mechanic, a supply of trailer accessories or even a spare driver on call, all might save you a costly experience with an unhappy customer. Specialist Equipment Being able to get your product from A to B is all well and good, but carrying a heavy fridge up a flight of stairs isn’t going to do anybody any good. It’s important to have the right equipment to make every task easier, whether that be a suitable wheeled Dolly or hand truck or simply a portable credit card scanner. Always remember that it is worth checking local laws for the legal requirements in order to keep your staff and customers protected. Marketing You have all of the staff, equipment, and product that you can handle but nobody even knows your business exists. Failure to market your services with a good name, a memorable logo or a striking van design, will ultimately lead to a lack of new customers, and your business is going to struggle. A good marketing campaign can all too easily be the difference between a business that fails and a business that grows, so neglecting your marketing strategy is a mistake that could cost you. These three tips will make sure you get the best foundation for your business but the work doesn’t stop there. You also need to take into account the fundamentals of business management and ensure that you have the correct insurance, your accounts are up to date and that you are building a reputation that leaves your customers satisfied and your future customers impressed with your level of commitment. Once you have all of the boxes ticked, you can start to enjoy the process of running your business on a day-to-day basis. Building your reputation is your number one priority form the first time you open your doors, and with enough planning before you officially start to operate, you can be concentrating on growing your business rather than reacting to new emergencies caused by lack of forward thinking.

Confession Im stuck. - When I Grow Up

Confession Im stuck. - When I Grow Up Inspirational Card from Nightly Doodles I wrote this on October 15th and have been keeping it in draft form. Now that Im on the other side and have decided communicated what to do with my Clubhouse with the existing members- I thought Id post it even though it scares me.  Its always scary to be vulnerable and expose that you dont always have your shit together, but so is my way. Its why I have this blog. Its why I do this work. Its what I want to encourage and bring to the surface. Things are NOT always shiny on the other side of your laptop, and the business owners you follow do NOT come to their business decisions quickly or easily very often. Heres how I got through my latest hurdle. Im stuck. It feels weird. Its so unlike me. Sure, I can be  indecisive. Or unsure.   But stuck? Figuratively paralyzed? Not making a move or a plan or a decision? Its not me. Im at a crossroads here. Thanks to my CreativeLive class and  Playing Big, Ive got a longer term vision for When I Grow Up thats, well, bigger than I have ever thought of before. Ive written a book proposal that Ill be shopping around to agents and looking to sell. Ill want to license my work and bring it into our school system. I see myself speaking at events and corporations, allowing us all to create our dream career  based around our lifestyle needs. And all these things? Not only are they big. And scary. And really unknown. But they also take a long-ass time to create, build, and grow. And in the meantime, what do I do? I know for sure that I always coach one-on-one. Always. Its my favorite part of my business, and I honestly wish it could be something that would be more scalable for me. Instead, I know  the only way to scale this offer is to keep raising my prices, and while I havent done that in too long, its not sitting well with me. Not right now, at least. Once we get the baby  a part-time nanny, Ill be able to really see how many clients I can take at once instead of just guessing, which is what I feel Im doing now. What do I do with my Clubhouse?  The whispers are telling me to open the (virtual) doors again softly, just to those whore on the list and expressed an interest. The louder voice is telling me to close it completely and bring the Clubhousers into my free Facebook  group, made up of those who took my  CreativeLive class . It would mean that the Clubhousers wouldnt get as much input from me and wouldnt have monthly group calls, but theyd have 150+ more allies in the goal of igniting their passionate, grown-up careerand I can always offer free or paid coaching that they can opt-in to. That feels the best to me, but logistically, its a bit of a nightmare. Everyone has a different day they came in, and they pay quarterlyso Ill have to find the best date to make the switch and minimize the refund. Its so interesting that, the last time I thought to close the Clubhouse, I decided against it because it was essentially bringing in $100/hour for me. Right now, I dont care about that. I trust t hat money will come to me in other ways, and will allow me to make time for the other things that are a Hell Yes for me. And Career Campmy baby. Man oh man, did I spend so much time and care crafting that program. Its my calling card, and yet I feel theres something holding it back from hitting  big. Is it the timeframe of the course that it lasts for 3 months? Is it the price point? Would it be better or worse to offer an additional option to purchase one-on-one coaching before we even start? I want to bring this to the masses and be involved in the growth of my campers, but because Im second-guessing some of the structural pieces Im just not sure. And the timing too when would be the best time for this to run? Would it be silly or smart to start next month, or do I need to wait until the credit card statements from the holidays are paid off? Im just not sure. Ooh, Grown Up Gigs, too. I just love having those interviews, but is hosting them live on Spreecast even worthwhile anymore? I love the aspect that the audience can be so involved, but turnout is never very big and the audience is often pretty quiet. Would this be more impactful as a podcast? Is that something Id even want to do? - Its been hard for me to quiet the shoulds, but I notice them all the time. For so long Ive had the goal of breaking 6 figuresand while my revenue does keep growing, Im not there yet. It makes me feel like Im doing something wrong. This is usually the time I run to hire someone to save me. A marketing person, a PR person, a social media maven. But I want to do this from my own gut, my intuition, my own advice. I want to simply! just do whats best for me. To not overcomplicate. To not plan the whole year in advance. To not feel the stress of launching. I want to just do what I feel is right and  trust that the money will flow and the impact will land. Its so much easier said than done. I was included recently in a list: 25 Career Blogs You Dont Want to Miss. I was honored to be amongst so many of those that I admire (hi Pam  and Miriam and Jenny and Penelope!), but what made the biggest impact on me was how John described my business: Unlike most of the bloggers on this list, Michelle focuses not on finding a great job, but on building a lifestyle business in order to escape the corporate environment.   Her blog is geared towards women who have decided that traditional jobs simply don’t offer the enjoyment or work-life balance they were hoping for; she offers tips on building income as a freelancer or small business owner, as well as getting by at your day job while building your side business. THIS is what Ive been struggling to articulate. After my CreativeLive course, it was apparent to me that my sweet spot and expertise is in helping creative women build their passionate, grown-up  business.  While Ive always known that about 85% of those I work with wind up doing something entrepreneurial, Ive been scared to call it out for (a) fear of scaring off those who are not yet aware that thats what they want to do and (b) because I dont wanna shout from the rooftops that being an entrepreneur is the best thing for everyone to do. But ya know what? Im not scared anymoreand Im a shouter by nature. I wont say that  everyone needs to be an entrepreneur, but the women I work with? Who want to wake up in the morning and know that whatever they have going on that day is full of stuff theyre gonna enjoy? That theyve made a difference in the lives of others and feel personally fulfilled? That is usually done best by working for yourself. So, what needs to happen right now? My braindump: Go back and fill in the blanks for your monthly money spreadsheet for 2014. Have a Big Finance Meeting with Luke and see what you need to bring in now. Figure out how to wrap-up the Clubhouse. Look into what itd take to start a podcast. Work with Jeremy on branding stuff, and do his homework. Keep up with book proposal query letters, design, finding an agent. Figure out a new way to have monthly business check-ins quicker and easier. That was the end of the draft. A braindump and lots of clarity. A No to my dear Clubhouse and a way to close its doors proudly and ethically. A Yes to the Grown Up Gigs podcast and moving forward with my new branding consultant, Jeremy. Putting my book proposal as a priority (as opposed to it being in the When I Get Time For It pile, which its been for years and never sees the light of day). I had my meeting with Luke and projected my income through the end of the year, and now that my one-on-one client spots are sold out, I can breathe a lot easier. I still need to find a better way to do my monthly check-ins, but Im not stressed about it. I also know that the start of another round of Career Camp will be right around the corner, but I still have to figure out the timing. I cant really figure it out until we get that nanny for the baby for at least 10-15 hours/week. Now, I feel back to myself. Still yearning for more time to work, but absolutely enjoying all the time I have with Baby Girl and feeling back on track. A much slower track, but one that will absolutely be worth the time it takes to complete the journey.

How Much to Charge For Professional Freelance Resume Writing?

How Much to Charge For Professional Freelance Resume Writing?Being able to write a job resume for a freelance writer, is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in the field. Whether you're looking to land a job with a large corporation or a company that hires freelancers, you will find that hiring a freelance resume writer is something that has the potential to land you a lucrative job. To get started with freelance resume writing, you should consider these tips on how to write a freelance resume that will impress your future employer.You have to make sure that your resume is formatted properly. Most of the time, resumes are written in Microsoft Word format. This means that you have to be careful about how you write and paste the text from your resume. Always make sure that you use all of the spaces in your resume and make sure that it's worded well. These can only serve to make your resume look very amateur.Once you've learned how to write it, you need to determine whether o r not you need to add a cover letter. If you have one, you should include it at the top of your resume. It should be formatted in the same manner as your resume and include the same information.Writing a resume for freelance writers is no different than writing a resume for any other job. You should include everything that a company or employer would expect to see in a resume. At the very least, you should include your work history and education. In most cases, employers will look for at least three years of experience and at least five years of education. Once you've put together the details that are most important to them, it's time to present your skills to potential employers.Depending on your skill level, you may be able to enhance your resume a bit by including the names of past employers and positions you held, along with the companies you worked for. By doing this, you're opening yourself up to your ability to land a better job and move up in the company. If you can add a pa ragraph or two to your resume that talks about the things that your skills are good at, this is a plus.While you're being considered for the job, you'll want to take all of your contact information into consideration. You should always add your full name, address, phone number, email address, and fax number, if applicable. This information will help prospective employers to contact you quickly. Sometimes, it is more important to have information than it is to have it in writing.To learn how to write a freelance resume for a freelancer, you'll want to consider the tips above. Remember, most freelance jobs will be offered via email, so you need to know how to ensure that you take advantage of this and provide enough information to gain the upper hand over your competition. Once you've mastered the art of how to write a freelance resume, it's time to start looking for a new job.

When It Isand Isn#039;tOkay to Text Your Boss

When It Isâ€"and Isn#039;tâ€"Okay to Text Your Boss Q: Is it okay to text my boss? A: The answer depends the signals you’ve received in the past from your supervisor and on the information you’re trying to convey. With the rapid rise in smartphone usage and the huge number of millennials now in the workforce, texting is indeed becoming more acceptable as a professional way to communicate, says Praful Shah, senior vice president of strategy at Ring Central, which makes business communication products. “There’s been a huge shift toward businesses using texting for communicating with customers, partners and employees,” he notes. “For the younger generation of workers, it’s a natural part of their life and they are bringing behavior from their personal life into business.” Still, it’s not right for every situation. How to Tell if Your Boss Is Open to Receiving Texts While surveys show that Gen Y is more attached to their mobile devices than older folks, across all generations more than 90% of people who own a smartphone text regularly. So age shouldn’t be a factor in deciding whether to contact your boss in this manner. Rather, look out for one of these two clues that your boss would be okay with hearing from you by text: 1) He or she has texted you in the past. OR 2) He or she has provided his or her cell number on the staff directory or in an email signature. How to Tell if a Text is the Right Way to Communicate A text is best reserved for situations in which you need an immediate response or want to provide a quick important piece of information, says Shah. But if you need more than a few brief sentences, an email is more appropriate. Also, when the information is sensitiveâ€"such as a project being cancelledâ€"it’s usually better to talk in person or by phone (though you could request the person’s time by text). Timing is important, too. If it’s late at night or you know your boss in is in a meeting, a text can be intrusive and disruptive, says Shah. “For information that can wait, use email so your boss can decide when to respond.” http://www.payscale.com/js/psextension-min.js?1 http://www.payscale.com/syndication/start_large_v3r.aspx?instance=1js=1v=1af=job=city=state=country=United%20Statestextcolor=333333backgroundcolor=a5d34c Accurate, real-time salaries for thousands of careers. You should also limit frequency. You may text back and forth a lot with friends. But you don’t want to annoy the person who decides your raises. Finally, your texts shouldn’t be as casual as the ones you send in your personal life. Use emoticons and abbreviations sparingly. “An occasional thumbs up symbol is fine,” says Shah. You’re probably not writing full sentences, so grammar isn’t that important. But spelling is. “No matter what form of communication you’re using is at work, you look sloppy if you have misspellings,” says Shah. Read a text before you send it so that you won’t have to blame autocorrect. Do you have a question about workplace etiquette for our experts? Write to Career@moneymail.com.

Survey Reveals Resumes Have 2 Minutes or Less to Capture the Employers Attention

Survey Reveals Resumes Have 2 Minutes or Less to Capture the Employers AttentionA new study by the Harris Poll conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder confirmed that an overwhelming majority of recruiters and HR professionals invest less than two minutes reviewing a candidates resume. Furthermore, almost 20% of the recruiters and HR professionals surveyed stated that they invest 30 seconds or less. So whats a job seeker to do with a shrinking window of time to capture the employers attention?WOW THEM FROM THE TOP DOWNSince the hiring manager is going to invest the bulk majority of their 30-second to 2-minute scan of your resume at the top, its important that you put the most newsworthy information FIRST. Include the most relevant metrics, specifics, accomplishments, and successes in the first third of your resume, and then as you complete the rest of the resume you can offer more details.WRITE FOR THE HUMAN AND THE MACHINEYour resume has to include keywords or buzz words that applicant tracking software will be looking for when it scans your resume, but it also has to include the right action verbs to convince the employer youre capable of offering the company value. For a list of the best-ranked terms HR is looking for on your resume check out this list. (no link included here yet because blog isnt live)ADDRESS CHALLENGES HEAD ONMinimize any red flags within the resume like job hopping, gaps, and long-term unemployment. These can be immediate deterrents for hiring managers. Invest your time focusing on the benefits an employer would receive from choosing you over another candidate. For example, experience, subject matter expertise, and verifiable successes (be specific here). Then dont hesitate to address those challenges in your cover letter. Recruiters appreciate honesty and directness. If youve taken 2 years off to care for an ailing family member, theres no shame in it and it shows you know how to prioritize and put others firstdesirable qualities in any grea t employee.Resume writing not your strong suit? Thats OK. There are professionals who keep up with trends, standard practices, and resume writing strategies so you dont have to.WANT TO WORK WITH US?You can find out more about our 99+% interview-winning success rate and more here.FURTHER READING17 Worst Words You Can Use on Your Resume15 Words Hiring Manager WANT to binnensee on Your Resume

10 Women Tell Us Why They Dont Share Their Salaries

10 Women Tell Us Why They Dont Share Their Salaries Why is money such a taboo topic? Is it competition? Guilt?Feelings ofinadequacy? Or is it just because weve all been conditioned to think talking money is tacky?There are few conversations that induce awkwardness as much as talking salaries. But have you ever given much thought as to why?Some argue that perhapsdiscussing money mora candidly could help close the gender wage gap, while others believe that it makes workplaces hostile since we, as a society, define success monetarily.In an effort to better understand what makes us steer away from the money talk, I reached out to 10 women in different fields to share the many reasons they dont discuss their salaries with others.Heres what they had to say...1. Its about competition.For me it is mostly petty reasons, because I dont want my siblings to know how much I make. Its ridiculous and petty, but there it is, saysJacque Fairbourn,SEO public relations expert.2. It feels like bragging .Most women dont like to brag and sharing how much money we make feels like boasting, explainsLaura Browne, author ofRaise Rules for Women How to Make More Money at Work and an HR senior director for a global technology company. If I tell you my salary and find out that I make mora than you, Ill feel bad and will need to apologize and make excuses to make my colleague feel better. If I find out that shes making more money than me, Im going to be upset. The only scenario that would not make me feel bad is if we both make the same amount. Thats probably not going to happen so why would I want to cause problems by comparing salaries?3. Its socialized.I have never shared salary informationthis is not something I do in my partieal life either with friends or family members, saysSarah Hague, absatzwirtschaft manager at online retail company Find Me A Gift. It may be a learnt behavior from parents as I welches always told there are certain things that are private and not to be shared, and finances are one of those. I have also seen the huge trouble sharing salary details can cause in a company. Long gone are the days of tiered salaries in many companies and, although job roles may be similar, salaries are often based on personal performance so will vary. If I was unhappy with a salary I would discuss with my manager in the first instance there would be no need for me to discuss with other colleagues.4. It feels awkward.For whatever reason, talking money makes me feel awkwardI think Ive just been conditioned to feel this way, so I never ask and I never tell, says Alyssa Lynn, a high school teacher. I just think there are some things people should keep to themselves, but maybe itd actually help women to know what each other are making and how we compare to our male colleagues. So its something Ive been mulling over a lot, but its so taboo still.5. It can be helpful only with good intentions.Depending on the person asking, I will gladly tell them, saysAmy Lynch, a marke ting manager. If it is a friend or family member, I would weigh the pros and cons. Are they in a related field to me? Will it encourage them to ask for more in their current role? Are they thinking of changing careers?Ive learned over the years as I have spent time applying for and working in contract marketing roles in different countries, the more comfortable I get with talking compensation and researching my market value, the better I am at negotiation. Whether its differentiating myself for a new role or assigning a monetary value to the work Ive already done, I try to keep emotions out of it, project confidence and back myself first.6. Money matters too much with regards to success.I dont talk about my salary because, for whatever reason, people tend to relate to you by how much money you make, saysHayley Ellis, marketing associate for Maple Holistics. There will inevitably be someone who makes less and more than you, and both situations could have uncomfortable implications bo th for you and for the other person. Also, for the same reason that French women tend to not want to talk about their beauty secrets, the amount of money you make gives people an insight into you and your preparation process that takes away the mystique.We tend to want people to relate to us to how we are in the present, to what we are letting them see. Knowing where you hold financially also takes people out of that illusion you want them to have.7. Its anxiety inducing.I think that there is an underlining faux pas when it comes to salary and I do not know why, saysAtiya Brown, a senior financial analyst. I remember getting anxiety whenever I am asked what I make. And that was when family members asked I am not sure when it started, but I do remember myfirstreal corporate job, all the new recruits were together and the male new hires started talking about salary and they were so open, but most of us women were hush hush on the topic. Then sixmonths later, we noticed a lot of the ma le counterparts made more money then we did... Not sure if it happened at the beginning or at evaluation time, but the gap started early.8. It may feel undeserved.I dont discuss my salary information because I dont want people to know how much I make, says Lauren Hughs, an investment banker. I dont always feel comfortable with people knowing my salary because I dont want them to look at me as a woman and assume I dont deserve it. I work hard, late into the night all week, and earn my paychecks. But its no ones business.9. It breeds resentment and jealousy.Like the majority of business professionals I know, I dont talk about my salary, saysCrystal McFerran, VP of marketing at Velo IT Group. Idont think theres a benefit in discussing salary, particularly with coworkers, as it breeds resentment and jealousy. Its a double-edged sword theres guilt associated with finding out youre making more money than your peers (and the possibility of resentment from others) and, on the opposite end, finding out you make less than your peers would evoke feelings of inadequacy. As a society, we correlate income with success. (Also, its difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison, as its extremely rare to find someone whose experience, education and credentials mirror your own.)10. People will make assumptions.I do not share my salary simply because I do not want people in my pockets, says Ashley Ogbonna, a federal government attorney. People will hear my salary and think I have money to waste or freely give out without knowing all of the bills I have. I also am a humble person, who does not want to intimidate anyone with what I make. I am pretty sure that as a federal government attorney, people would be surprised about what I make. Unless a person is interested in my same position in the federal government, then knowing my salary is not needed information.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinit y for solotravel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.

Why People Arent Discussing Nursing School Resume

Why People Arent Discussing Nursing School Resume The Importance of Nursing School Resume Nursing is an integral portion of the medical profession. In addition, you can look for nursing student jobs on Monster. Nursing education is a course undertaken by individuals trying to develop into successful nurses later on. Nurses might need to list all computer courses theyve taken. Based on your professional experience, you might want to look at switching the order of the expert experience and education sections. Since hands-on experience isnt something that nursing students have the advantage of, they have to compose their skills in a compelling way. You will want your latest education at the very top. Its possible to compose an exceptional nursing student resume with no work experience and totenstill get the wanted outcome. The Battle Over Nursing School Resume and How to Win It Wherever youre in your nursing career, weve got a resume sample that could help you write or updat e your nurse resume. Nurses will have to divulge a significant bit of information about themselves in a resume. A new nurse has to be in a position to convey who he or shes outside of just a number. If you wish to be a prosperous nurse, you might have to to win the trust of patients. Since youre a student, employers will see that youre in the practice of starting a new career, and thus they wont be shocked if your prior jobs are in different fields. Practicums and internships may also be considered experience. Once your resume is prepared to go, you will wish to be sure to receive it in front of as many employers as possible. If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on Nursing School Resume You may not have the experience, but you need the skills You may use the skills below. Developing your resume is vital. Along with offering expertise, Nursing Students also provide compassion, strong interpersonal abilities, and the honorable urge to help others. An actual p rofessional can help you create the correct portfolio that may help you receive the job that youve always dreamt of. Not listing the right license or certification could secure a resume rejected instantly. Completely free programs, like Google Docs, may also permit you to edit the templates. Nursing student resume should be rightly written and made with the most suitable format, simple language. however, it shows your professionalism and commitment to become hired and wont disappoint the business. Nursing School Resume Help The recruiters would have encounter similar resume patterns inside their experience, so its essential to modify the resume template to make sure that it appears distinctive from the normal a single. Make certain it is error-free and accurately reflects your background and techniques. The kind of job youre applying for should impact the skills you list. Describe your very own key expert understanding, you may add a description of specialized technical ski lls. While resume formats might vary among industries and individuals, there are a few features that are constant. If its possible to speak more than 1 language, it might be a plus to your resume. A professional LinkedIn resume writer will grant you access to different job opportunities that can enable you to construct your career. You can not ever be sure what the hiring manager prefers so you must go with your gut. You are able to still prove that youre fantastic for the job. It is possible to still complete that youre best for the job.