Career Advice | MBA Masters in Business Administration

Communication Type

In every organizations, project communication plays an important role.

According to some research, project communication takes up 90% of the time.
Thus communication is one of the key component of any projects.

Communication Type
1. Face To Face - Visual
The most ideal way of communication by far, is to have a face to face meeting. You are able to see his body language. Not many people can hide their unconscious communication expression, such as body language. A single eye movement will display whether the team member is paying attention to your message. Facial expression can also tell whether the recipient is receptive or building an invisible mental wall to block your message.

2. Phone - Verbal
If face to face is not possible, then at the very least, pick up the phone and speak with the team member.
Since there is no visual, at least you have the audio mode of communication.
The advantage of verbal communication is that, you are able to listen team member's mood.
You will know whether is the other party angry or not happy with the arrangement.
You are then able to understand his/her issues.
This will indirectly foster a better working relationship with the team.

3. Email
In my opinion, email is not the best communicating method. It has always been the least priority in my communication.

However, email is also the fastest and direct to the recipient. Most of the times, team members will crafted an email, send it across and then expect the recipient to reciprocate or revert. However, in such a busy environment, this assumption is dangerous. Recipient may overlooked or misplaced your message. It is a good practice to follow up with a call after you had sent a mail.

Why email is not the ideal method:
If the sender is writing a simple message to the recipient. You never know how the other party deciphers the message. Who knows the recipient just had a scolding from his/ her boss. A simple greetings from you may backfire. Thus email communication should be avoided.

On the contrary, email writing can sometimes provide an evidence in your verbal conversation. You can concrete your discussion by following up with your email.

Effective Communication prevents lots of unnecessary confusion.
1. Sets certain level of expectation
2. Provides direction what to provide, who to deliver, when to complete

Do weigh your communication type or method and do not allow communication cripple your project management. So are you communicating enough and what are your preferred methods?

Visit http://www.dennis-kwan.com - Dennis Kwan, PMP, offers several tele-seminars, courses, mentoring, consultancy and coaching. He is a trainer and consultant who works across Asia Pacific. Dennis contributes articles regularly to magazines, forums and local newspapers in related topics.

70 Is The New 40: Bonus Years Here We Come! | Interview with Barbara Atkins

Six Steps to a Career in Computer Science

Computer science is not for everyone. If you like math and solving puzzles, then you will probably enjoy computer programming. Give it a try and see if it's right for you. However, if you find puzzles to be tedious and frustrating then you should probably consider another line of work. Debugging computer programs can take hours of focused work with little reward until the end. Some people find this sort of work stressful.

If you think you have what it takes, here are six steps to launch your career in computer science and maintain a high salary:

Study math in high school. Computer programs rely heavily on algebra, with variables, functions, etc. Try to take the highest math classes your high school offers. Computer programmers sometimes employ trigonometry, calculus, and linear algebra depending upon the application. Take any computer classes offered as well.

Take computer science in college. While some folks can get a programming job with a high school diploma or associate's degree, most employers require a four-year bachelor's degree. Each university is different but the major is usually called "computer science", "software engineering" or "computer engineering". If they offer more than one that's even better! Find out which department has the best reputation for producing skilled computer programmers.

Learn a programming language used in the industry. Some universities only teach "toy" languages because they are well suited for teaching computer science theory. If this is the only thing on your resume, employers will not be impressed. Decide what type of work you'd like to pursue (web development, desktop applications, etc.) and find out which are the most commonly used languages in that industry.

Complete a warm up project. There's an old catch-22 about needing experience to get a job, and needing a job to get experience. A good way to gain programming experience is to volunteer on an open source project. Just choose a project that interests you. You can either start a new project on your own or contribute to an existing project on SourceForge. Prospective employers will be impressed by your initiative and you can even show them excerpts of your code as a sample.

Navigate your career path. Recent college graduates generally start in an entry-level position. With a good attitude and work ethic, you can move up the ladder to senior engineer in about five years. This may mean moving between companies. It's common for employees to change jobs every year or two in high tech industries. Sometimes that's the fastest way to get ahead and find a job you really enjoy.

Stay up to date. The technology of computers is always evolving rapidly. Make sure to continuously learn new developments in the industry. This will ensure a long and prosperous career. However, beware of short-term fads and don't waste your time and effort to learn about them.

For more information on computer science careers, visit Computer Science Salary Range where the author of this article maintains a blog.

Articles

9 Reasons Why You Should Become a Dog Walker

Tired of sitting in front of the computer everyday, dealing with unhappy clients on the phone, while your bosses keep finding things for you to do, AND reasons not to raise your pay? Do you think you need a career change?

In fact, many dog walking businesses started this way. We've heard plenty of stories where dog lovers, who spent years in corporate jobs, decided that they need a happier lifestyle and decided to do what they love doing and make money at the same time. So here I want to share with you 9 good reasons why you too should consider becoming a dog walker.

1. Your clients (especially the furry ones) are almost always happy

These poor things stay home all day long, and the only thing they look forward to is their masters coming back home late at night. Yet as soon as you enter their lives, you will now be their favorite person in the world! You will come by to give them love, take them out on a little adventure, and maybe give them a treat for their good behavior. Your furry clients will be almost always happy to see you!

Your human clients will be happier too! Many of them are either busy working professionals who don't have time to walk their dogs or busy working professionals who want to reward themselves with a nice, long trip. They love their dogs to bits, and have a photo of them on their Facebook profile, but have feelings of guilt because they just can't spend enough time with their dogs. You, as a dog walker, offer a solution not only for their dog walking but also for their bad feelings. You walk their dogs; the dogs are happy, and the owners are happy too.

2. You can start with a very small budget

I don't know many other businesses that you can start with such a small budget. To start off, you just need to register your business, create flyers and business cards, buy a few leashes, supplies, and dog walker insurance. If you have extra budget, you can invest in other marketing strategies such as local newspaper advertisements and Google/Facebook ads, but it is not necessary. You can create a website for free using WordPress or Weebly. That's a pretty good start. Spread the word through family and friends, use email and Facebook, and in no time you will be running your own dog walking business.

3. It can pay more than your desk job

According to our research, there are even job postings offering $3,000-4,000 per month for a full-time dog walker. That's double what some companies pay an administrative assistant! If you work for a dog walking company, it is common to earn anything within a range of $10-20 per hour. That's really not bad, considering today's job market.

4. You don't need a post-secondary degree or letters before/after your name

Dogs and dog owners don't care so much about what degree you have or whether you've got the 3 letters that give you a competitive edge in the corporate world. Of course, it is nice if you have pet CPR or First Aid training, but this can be obtained easily. Most importantly, they just want an honest, trustworthy and sincere person.

5. Everyday is different

As a dog walker, your day will never be like yesterday. Everyday you will be with a different dog, working in different weather, in a different neighborhood. This is what makes your work fun, entertaining and full of new discoveries!

6. You can work outside!

No more cold, dark offices where the AC keeps blowing away even though it's winter! If you love being outside, this is your dream job! You will come to appreciate nature more as well.

7. Flexible hours

It is your business, so you can decide what your work hours are. Thankfully, dogs don't need you to work 9-5. You can schedule your first few clients from noon to 3pm, have personal time from 3 to 6pm, then walk a few more dogs until 8pm. Of course, the more flexible you are, the more appointments you can get. But you definitely have a bit more control over your schedule.

8. You will never have to feel the need to go to the gym again!

If you want to make a living as a dog walker, you will be walking a few hours each day that you work. You could be running as well, if you offer a dog running service. You will never have to pay for 1-year gym membership again, half of which eventually goes to waste anyway. Say goodbye to those feelings that make you say, "Oh my, I'd better go back to the gym before summer." This job will help you stay fit and healthy, in a more fun and exciting way than running on a treadmill while reading a trash magazine!

9. Happy you

All of the above translates to a happy, energetic person. Plus, interacting with such happy animals regularly will have a positive effect on your mental health as well. Researches show that having pets or interacting with animals can reduce stress and anxiety. Dogs will make you walk, laugh, and meet new people. You will feel more energy and happiness.

So what are you waiting for? Take the step forward, find a dog walking job or start your own, and make a change in your life. In a few months, you will be so happy that you made the decision today.

Lastly, visit http://www.dogwalkingjobsonline.com/ to learn more tips and advice on finding dog walking jobs and starting your own dog walking business.

Career Advice - Business and Management Consulting

Eye Care Career Options Comparison

The vision industry is a unique healthcare specialty because it has both a medical and retail branch. Individuals who work in the industry have many options in terms of which career path they wish to pursue based on their personal employment preferences. Those who are considering a career in eye care and who are unfamiliar with the options available to them are encouraged to learn more about the role of the optometrist, ophthalmologist, optician, and optical assistant. Each of these professionals provides unique services to patients and must complete a different course of education and training. Understanding the differences between these specialists will allow individuals to make a more informed decision about which career path to pursue.

An optometrist and ophthalmologist both work primarily on the medical side of vision care, but may have some influence and business interests that stem from owning a retail optical dispensary. The ophthalmologist offers the most advanced medical services due to the fact that they are required to graduate from medical school and must complete a rigorous post-graduate training program. Most eye surgeries are performed by ophthalmologists and they can often be found working in hospitals as well as independent eye care clinics.

The optometrist specializes in prescription eye exams and basic management of eye diseases. Optometrists complete a less demanding graduate training program that requires eight years of college education and the option of a one year post-graduate fellowship. Most opticians begin working right out of graduate school and may choose to seek employment or open their own office. Both of these career options are excellent choices for individuals who want to provide medical services to patients and who are willing to subject themselves to many years of education, training, and financial hardship.

For those who are more interested in helping patients select and fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, the optician career path is a more appropriate option. Opticians are trained to identify each patient's particular sense of style so that they can direct patients to eyeglasses that are complementary to that style. In addition, an optician has the knowledge and skills required to ensure that a particular pair of frames fits comfortably on the face. The road to becoming an optician is far less demanding than that of an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Currently, there are only about 25 states that have regulations requiring opticians to complete formal education and training. In these states, an optician is generally expected to complete a two-year degree program or an apprenticeship followed by successful completion of a national certifying exam.

Unregulated states typically allow optical employers to establish their own expectations for opticians. In these states, standards for practice vary a lot and are often reflective of the particular tasks that each employer wants an optician to perform. Individuals who plan to pursue the optician career path are well-advised to voluntarily complete the certification process regardless of state requirements and employer expectations. Studies have shown that certified opticians are able to command a higher salary, obtain better benefits, pursue more career opportunities, and transfer credentials between regulated and unregulated states in the event that they decide to move. While it does require some time and effort to perform well on the certification exams, most opticians discover that the investment is well worth it.

Individuals who plan to work in regulated states will often need to decide between completing a two-year degree program or an apprenticeship. There are very few optician degree programs available and many opticians find that an apprenticeship is more convenient and provides more value. An apprenticeship is essentially an extended period of supervised training during which individuals acquire the knowledge and skills required to provide competent and comprehensive care to patients. Some states require opticians to register with the state prior to beginning the training process. Individuals who plan to complete an apprenticeship should research regulations that affect them prior to setting up an apprenticeship through a local optical employer.

Readers who want to gain experience in the vision industry prior to selecting an advanced career path may want to consider an entry-level position as an optical assistant or technician. Individuals who are employed as an assistant or technician work very closely with all other eye care providers. In most cases, the assistant is hired to work in either the medical or retail side of the business, but some individuals choose to spend some time working in both areas of the industry so that they can make a more informed career choice. This is an excellent way to observe each of the vision specialists in real-world settings.

Those who feel that they may be interested in a career as an optician are encouraged to visit http://www.opticiantraining.org/optician-salary/ where they will find additional details about the influence of optician education, training, and certification on an individual's earning power. This site also provides information on state specific education and training requirements along with links to important government offices and forms.

Abraham Hicks - The best business and career advice EVER

How To Become A PI

Are you considering becoming a private Investigator just because it does appear to be the perfect job for the nosey among us? Be honest with yourself, (it's a skill you need to develop for the job anyway) because if that's the real reason you are making this choice, then it's probably not the job for you. There is a lot more to the job than sneaking around peeping through windows and listening at keyholes. This article looks at What you will need to do to work in this field once the new regulations are in place.

First of all let's look at the skills needed to be successful:

• A background in security or the armed forces is often found to be a useful tool to draw upon when becoming a private investigator.


• You will need to be able to speak and write clearly and concisely, often presenting written and verbal reports of your findings.


• You need to be able to pay attention to detail and have top-notch observation skills.


• Once you have obtained data, the chances are you will be expected to analyse it, so you need to be analytically minded.


• You will need the ability to appear professional and confident as you give evidence in court proceedings.


• You will need some basic computer skills and some technical knowledge of key surveillance technology.


• You must understand the law surrounding privacy. The consequences of breaking the privacy laws can be quite severe.


• You must be able to work alone and be prepared for unexpected delays when completing observations.


• You need to be able to approach tasks in an organised and logical way.


• Probably the hardest skill to master, is showing empathy when you are dealing with a client who has asked to check in to personal lives of their loved ones, or ex-loved ones. They may still find your news hard to take.

The new regulation of this industry means that you will have to be trained to a minimum standard and be registered with the Security Industry Authority before you can legally practice.

The type of work that you will be asked to complete will vary, but your bread and butter work is most likely to be desk bound analysing data and interviewing people. Depending on the types of cases that you are willing to accept and can source, you can expect to carry out observations - stake out style, fraud investigations, looking for missing people and serving people legal documents to name but a few.

Ellen Ralph is an expert writer in the field of private investigation and should you need the services of a reputable private investigator, she recommends you visit http://www.merloc.co.uk

elitefts.com — 2009 Passion to Profits Seminar (Part 1)

Should You Get a Degree, a Corporate Job and Turn Over Your Destiny to a Manager

Indeed, I remember quite well my career guidance counselor attempting to tell me that I wasn't cut out to do what I had in mind. I told her she was stupid, and for her to leave me alone. I told my parents I wasn't interested in anything she had to say ever again, and my parents backed me up. Interestingly enough over the years I've heard many people say they had similar bad experiences with their career guidance counselors. Perhaps, in hindsight it is safe to say they had no idea whatsoever in suggesting careers to students. Let's talk.

You see, in Harvard Business Review (October 2013 Issue) there was an interesting article titled; "HR for Neophytes - Line Managers Are Taking on Duties That Once Belonged to Human Resources - Here Is What We Need to Know," by Peter Cappelli. In a subsection subtitle of this article, it asks the question; "How do we manage employees' career path?"

Wow, and I thought my high school guidance counselor was a problem. Are we sure we should rush out to get a degree only to have incredibly high tuition costs and loans to pay back - just to get a corporate job and turn over your destiny do some midrange line manager? No thank you.

In that same Harvard Business Review edition was yet another article "rethinking that decision factory," by Roger L Martin which states; "knowledge workers should be managed as if they are manual workers. A new approach can boost efficiency and productivity," and "companies everywhere struggle with the management of knowledge workers. They compete fiercely to find and retain the best talent, often accumulating thousands of managers in the process," then they alienate each and every one of them just as my high school guidance counselor did, in an attempt to control my destiny - again, no thank you.

Whether you are a union worker, college graduate, or MBA it looks like all this education, training, indoctrination is all about control, and they have a strategy - either outright control of your future upward mobility, or empowering you to choice their will. Now if that isn't the artful diplomacy of upper management calling you a "knowledge worker" to make you feel good, I don't know what is.

In fact, I wonder if the entire concept of going to college, going into debt, and climbing that corporate ladder isn't the most insidious trick we've ever played on our citizenry - I am concerned. Please consider all this and think on it - on a philosophical level - not one of anger but of understanding - then decide.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Career Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

elitefts.com — 2009 Passion to Profits Seminar (Part 1)

Update Your Resume or You? 3 Things To Do Before You Miss International Update Your Resume Month

The other day colleague (honored to say) Meg Guiseppi of Executive Career Branding (dot) com reminded me September is International Update Your Resume month. I almost missed it.

Meg agreed, it's no longer enough to update your resume annually. I believe there are at least three other actions you might want to take before you edit your defenseless resume. It applies to Meg's C-level clients and you and me. This article is about updating YOU first.

Update #1 - You and your identity

Master marketer, Seth Godin, way ahead of the rest of us, in the early 90s, when his sister asked Seth what he thought of her resume, he replied, "You are your resume!" The importance of Social Media (Networking) dictates your online and offline identity trumping your resume. Google your full name. Mine is Stephen Q Shannon. My "street name" is Steve Shannon. Thousands of "Steve Shannons". Only one Stephen Q Shannon or Stephen Quinby Shannon actively using that "handle", other than my Dad, deceased. There are many George Smiths and whole lot less "George Allen Smiths" and fewer still, "George Allen "Wrench" Smith. If it is true 85% of pro recruiters "Google" the name you put on your resume, be sure you are the "one and only". If you don't exist, recruiters will exclude you. One less resume.

Update #2 - You and your orphaned LinkedIn Profile

It is estimated only 40% of the 250 million-plus LI profiles are optimized and fewer than that are intensely optimized. No picture or an amateur image of you against distracting background with your head turned to your right (away from the text) says, clearly, you don't get it. According to widely accepted (does not make it right) research, you have 6.5 seconds to grab LinkedIn "face time" when someone clicks on your Profile. Professionally update your LI Profile to match your job level and don't forget to manage your privacy settings. Prevent LinkedIn software from broadcasting every tweak. Otherwise, not cool.

Update #3 - You and your connections list

It's not about quantity. It's about engagement. If you have 500+ connections on LinkedIn you might be surprised by negatives associated with that metric. One hundred active advocates crushes 500+ people you've never heard of. Quarterly, cull your connections (they won't know) and finally link up with those new people you meant to add and didn't. Test - When was the last time you voluntarily called or e-mailed (touched base) with someone who will be one of the first you call if you get laid off Friday?

Updating you first, then your resume, is akin to Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty as Harvey Mackay nails it in his iconic networking "bible" with the same title. Google your full name identity and, if necessary, include your public nickname; get back on LinkedIn now and at least 10 minutes every 168 hours; and weed out and freshen your connections who matter to you and vice-versa.

And now learn a little more about who I am and why am I writing the way I am writing via http://www.linkedin.com/in/steveqshannoncareertrainer/ I personally answer all e-mails.