Good morning, I’m spending a lot of this week at Cheltenham Science Festival, it’s not just ‘pure’ science and I’ve been to interesting sessions on technology and health.
What have you done to learn and develop yourself this week?
I can take learning from many things from attending a conference to going through an online course or watching a TED Talk.
It doesn’t have to be something directly related to my job, and I especially like to be taken beyond my work field, something a speaker says or a conversation with the person sat next to me can lead on to a new idea, or a new way of describing something,
If I was out of work any of these activities would also give me something extra to add to my CV and to refer to in applications and at interview.
I’m also volunteering, only part-time, but I definitely enjoy being helpful and also getting to chat to the other volunteers. Many are students/graduates or retired but there’s also a minority like me who work for themselves and fit in volunteering around their own business.
I regular suggest people volunteer at conferences and workshops
Organisers often need people to sign people in, check tickets and show delegates to their seats. If you are seeking to move into a profession, can’t afford the conference fee this can be a way to get to listen in on some of the sessions and to network with members.
Free learning online
There are so many free courses available have you looked at Corsera and links to MOOCs? Here’s some helpful links
https://www.coursera.org/ – Take the world’s best courses, online for free. Links from here to 665 courses
http://www.mooc-list.com/ – this is the list of all free courses.
I’ve recently found out about Grova, as a good way of learning professional skills via video. It’s looking good and you complete an online short questionnaire and it suggests courses to complete
http://www.grovo.com/
You may also want to pay for some online training which is much more cost effective than a residential training course. For exmaple if you want to update your IT skills you could go to – www.onlineitcourses.com
I’m working on the 25th edition of the eBook – How to Use LinkedIn to Find a New Job. I’m making a lot of changes but I may have missed something, LinkedIn may have changed it’s layout and i’m still referring to an older version. I’m looking for someone who wants to work through every step in the eBook, make sure it is all current and to use the information to update and enhance their profile
In exchange I will do a careful review of their whole profile, the service normally costs £200-£250.
I’ll be ready to email it over on Monday next week and I’d want it turned around in 3 days latest.
Interested – email me and I’ll choose one person. A win-win!
Free eBook to help with productivity
Work Smarter: 350+ Online Resources for Today’s Top Entrepreneurs Use to Increase Productivity and Achieve Their Goals
Not sure how long this is free but it’s worth downloading to read later. If you don’t have a Kindle you can get an app to read on your PC. Here’s the shortened link to the UK site, if you are based elsewhere input the title to your own Amazon site.
http://amzn.to/1kBp1xP
The blurb I got – I’ve spent the past few weeks compiling the BEST online tools and resources from more than 500 entrepreneurs. These are the secret weapons today’s online business owners use to get more done and earn more money.
Success Story – Judy has got a new job!
Judy dropped out of University and has spent the past year struggling to get a job. She hasn’t done anything since working in retail last Christmas and in the January sales. She was really down and frustrated. Like many she’s applied for many jobs –
‘ … I’ve applied for well over 100 jobs and just got nothing’
Like many she’s applying for jobs to large organisations where applications are shortlisted by someone faceless in HR.
Change your approach I said.
With money tight we didn’t review her CV, I just set her out on a challenge.
To go into the shopping area, ignoring any chain store and focus on the boutique shops. To go in, looking good, being friendly and ask if they had any vacancies. If not to leave her CV and ask for them to call.
The good thing about this is people can see that you would be a real asset to the store – it’s a great way of demonstating customer skills.
Wonderful news – she did this for 2 days – spending about 3 hours each day and yesterday called to say she’s got a job offer and starts next week.
Website and Blog
New on the blog: Recent changes to LinkedIn – How You Rank and SWAM – Site Wide Automated Monitoring
https://www.amazingpeople.co.uk/recent-changes-to-linkedin-how-you-rank-and-swam-site-wide-automated-monitoring/
The website is functioning again and I’ve set the backup to be weekly from now on. Blog posts are missing for around 3 months but thank goodness we’ve found them. They will be uploaded one a week so if you are getting the RSS post and you think you’ve read something before … you probably have.
Till next time
Denise x
Photo credit – www.freedigitalphoto.net/fotographic1980
