Six reasons to become PRINCE2® qualified right now

Six reasons to become PRINCE2 ® qualified right now by Michael Cheary Considering a PRINCE2 ® qualification, but not sure what it can do for you?Whether you’re a project management pro looking to certify your skills, or you’re just entering the industry and you’re sure where to start, becoming PRINCE2 ® qualified could be the perfect way to kick-on in your career.Don’t believe us? We spoke to the experts at Study365, who gave us their six top reasons you should take a PRINCE2 ® course right now.1. Because it’s the industry standardIf you’re looking to work in project management, look no further.PRINCE2 ® is a globally recognised qualification, endorsed by the UK government, and best practice for project management.In fact, not only is it the number one benchmark of capability within the industry, it’s also considered a key qualification for those looking to progress their project management careers.2. You’ll become more employableMany companies ask for their Project Managers to be PRINCE2 ® qualified as a prere quisite.It’s also structured in a way to help both entry-level and more experienced project managers progress their career. Completion of the PRINCE2 ® Foundation qualification will allow you to start applying for Project Administrator and PMO Co-ordinator positions right away.Once you’re PRINCE2 ® Practitioner qualified, becoming a fully-fledged Project Manager or Programme Co-ordinator is easily achievable.3. You’ll be qualified in next to no timeAll three PRINCE2 ® certifications are quick to complete, ranging from 20-50 hours for the entry-level PRINCE2 ® Foundation level, to two or three days for the PRINCE2 ® Practitioner and Professional levels.The first level can be studied online, at your own pace, allowing you to fit your studies around your schedule.And, if you’re looking to get qualified fast, there are a number of packages which bundle the different classifications together.4. You’ll earn more moneyJobs looking for PRINCE2 ® Foundation qualified candidates off er an average annual salary of £32,000.Once PRINCE2 ® Practitioner has been completed, this figure could potentially rise to the £50,000 mark.So not only is it attractive in the short term, there are also a number of long-term financial benefits of a PRINCE2 ® qualified career.5. You’ll open global doorsPRINCE2 ® qualifications are recognised and respected around the world.So, aside from reinforcing your skillset to potential employers domestically, it also opens up a number of opportunities across the globe.Ever wanted to work or travel abroad? Just want to have the option open to you later on in your career? PRINCE2 ® could be the perfect solution.6. You’ll manage projects more successfullyFinally, the successful delivery of a project depends on a number of different factors, including (but not limited to) it coming out on time, to a certain level of quality, and within budget.PRINCE2 ® provides Project Managers with the structure they need to ensure all deadlines are met, a nd that there is a framework in place to help hit core KPIs.What’s more, PRINCE2 ® is designed to be flexible, and can be tailored to any kind of project, regardless of size and industry you work in.PRINCE2 ®: What you need to knowWhy study with Study365?Study365 is one of the UK’s leading vocational and professional accredited course providers, offering over 1000 courses to students worldwide for more than seven years.Not only are their courses created by industry experts, they’re also available to be taken fully online â€" meaning the course material is delivered straight to you, and can be adapted to fit in with your lifestyle.Benefits of learning with Study365 include:Expert tutor support throughout your coursePractice papers and mock examsImmersive learning experiences, including video tutorials, narrated e-learning and quizzesFlexible and affordable pricing schemesNo hidden fees exams are included in the price of the courseFind out moreReady to let PRINCE2 ® take your p roject management career to the next level? Enquire now.Study365 is one of the UK’s leading course providers, with more than 150,000 students on their books across the globe.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

5 Ways Volunteering With Your Coworkers Will Help Your Career

5 Ways Volunteering With Your Coworkers Will Help Your Career “My company is holding a volunteer event . . . do I have to go?” Volunteering isn’t just a win-win for your company. Taking part in your company’s corporate social responsibility program can help you develop as an employeeâ€"and as a person. But, it’s up to you to make it work to your benefit. By adapting a company’s sense of responsibility toward its community and environment into your career, you can build your brand, network with like-minded individuals and even improve your health. 5 Ways Volunteering With Your Coworkers Helps Your Career 1. Enhances Your Brand Volunteering makes a company’s brand shine. In the same way, volunteering yourself can help you build your own brand. You will build your own self-esteem by volunteering. This will lift your spirit and it will energize you to give more at work and in your personal life. It’s like sprinkling your personality with good vibes. Have you ever known a grumpy volunteer? 2. Improve Your Work Happiness   Volunteering keeps employees loyal, proud, and happy. It improves employee attraction and retention. By volunteering, you can keep yourself happy at work. Being happy at work helps you commit long-term to a challenging work environment. Youll increase your longevity on the job, lower your burn-out factor, and increase the possibilities for a promotion and pay raises. An added bonus:  Meet a new colleague and get out of your business unit’s comfort zone. Don’t limit your networking opportunities only at job-related activities. Make sure to network while you’re volunteering too! 3.  Build Work Relationships Clients want to work with good citizens. They’ll be quick to walk away if you or your company are lazy about pursuing corporate social initiatives. Its important to build genuine relationships. There is no better way to solidify a relationship than by serving. Yes, you can close the deal. But, serving side-by-side with your client will not only help bring in revenue; it will make you feel personally involved. Sharing an activity is the number one way to build any relationship. 4.  Build  Trust Before your company can really serve your local and global community, it must be in touch with the needs of the community. Volunteering establishes local buy-in, and it builds relationships with people near or far. Volunteering will help you establish relationships locally and build trust. People will appreciate a sincere heart, your efforts, and your time. You will be known for your service attitude, and your local relationships and experiences will thrive. 5. Improve Your Health A study by the  Corporation for National and Community Service  found that charitable work literally makes the heart grow stronger. People who suffered from previous heart attacks were able to improve their health and longevity through volunteering and people without heart disease reduced their likelihood of developing it. Get motivated by giving back at work, and strengthen your health in the process. The  Center for Talent Innovation  has found that high-potential employees who volunteer are happy and are of a healthy mind. Don’t just look at corporate social responsibility as your company’s best practice and simply another task to complete while working. It’s up to you to make a difference. Change your life on the job by volunteering. [RELATED: Permission to Be Brace in Your Career]

Corporate Rescue Plan Case Study Lisa Wisniewski - Classy Career Girl

Corporate Rescue Plan Case Study Lisa Wisniewski Meet Lisa, Founder and CEO of Believe.Love.Succeed. Lisa came to me with a dream of a brand for her business but was unsure how to make it  a reality. She joined my 90-Day Corporate Rescue Plan and has made great strides. Her biggest accomplishment was getting LisaWisniewski.com up and running so that she can now start marketing her services. Thanks for sharing your story Lisa and inspiring us all to take action to reach our dreams! What result have you received so far by joining the Corporate Rescue Plan? Lisa: Before joining the group or before I even came across Anna, I had developed many different websites. Needless to say, that’s not one of my strengths so I had a lot of website shame before. I reached out to Anna and her team and they help me create a website that is not only beautiful but is also professionally done. I no longer have that same website shame and I’m happy to share it with others so they can now be more familiar with what I do and how I can help them. What do you like most about the course? What are some benefits? Lisa: One thing, among many, that I’m grateful for within the Corporate Rescue Plan is the community that we’ve built with one another. There’s women in the group that are in all different stages of their businesses and we help each other and overcome hurdles. We also celebrate each other’s successes. One thing I look forward to every week is getting on the group coaching calls. I love hearing how everyones businesses are doing and hearing about all of their progress. Would you recommend the course? If so, why? Lisa: I would definitely recommend the Corporate Rescue Plan to anyone who’s thinking about signing up. It is one of the best decision I’ve ever made. It’s definitely an investment in myself that I’m very happy that I did. I would definitely recommend Anna and her team and her Corporate Rescue Plan  to anyone who is interested in checking it out. Note from Anna: Want what Lisa  is having?  Click here to schedule a Create a Career or Business You Love complimentary coaching session with me!

How Blogging will Boost your Career

How Blogging will Boost your Career What better way to beam out your personal brand than to start a blog? More and more people are setting up blogs and the trend is not going to wane. Some career experts argue a blog is a prerequisite for a successful career, I am not fully convinced of that but I would certainly recommend you look into it. Blogging is simple, quick and most often completely free. This post will give you the reasons why and ways how to get going. Why should I blog? Just like you should work on personal branding right now, a blog will set you up nicely for any eventualities in your career. This is your chance to tell the world what you do and how you do it. You might already have online profiles on LinkedIn and other platforms, you may be featured on your company’s website and think this is enough. That is a great start but what you haven’t got there is full control of your own digital footprint. By having your own blog, you decide exactly what goes up and how it looks. It is your corner of cyberspace and your blog is your castle. Your blog will increase your online presence and will be how you get found on search engines like Google. Imagine how beneficial it would be when a recruiter or hiring manager runs a search on you and sees your blog which clearly demonstrates your knowledge in a particular field. Another great reason to blog is that whatever topic you choose to write about, you’ll find that you soon become an expert in the field. You have to come up with new content and you will have do a fair amount of research. Whilst doing this you will read and learn more about your subject out of necessity. Your blog will basically force you to learn (and write) more and in the process this will aid your own personal development. Furthermore, blogging will lead to opportunities that you could never conceive. As your blog is out on the web, you will become part of an online community of like minded people. This network can lead to all kinds of exciting new ventures for your career. I know people who have been ‘discovered’ from their hobby blog and landed good jobs thanks to their writing. What to write about? You can write about anything but if you want more readers than your mom, you best pick a topic that is interesting to the reader. Think to yourself, what is the purpose of my blog? What will readers actually enjoy and what will help them solve problems in their daily life? You can write about your hobby or work for instance, something that you want to share information about. A good piece of advice is to write about something you know a lot about as you can then easily come up with new content. What to name the blog? When you have decided what to write about, you’ll want to pick a name that corresponds nicely to your content, giving potential readers a nice little heads up. Lots of names are taken so you will have to use your imagination. You can also opt for naming it after yourself but this says very little about your blog unless you are famous and your name can pull the crowds. Consistency This can be the hard part. If you want people to come back to your blog, you’ll have to keep churning out valuable content. The key here is consistency, whether you write a post once a week or once a day, your readers should know what to expect and have a reason to return. What technology to use? I am not going to get techie on you but I can recommend WordPress as an excellent blogging platform for anyone with some technical understanding. WordPress is a bit like Firefox or even an iPhone in that it has lots of add on applications and plugins, allowing you to change things round to your liking. If you want the simplest form of a blog, go for Google’s Blogger application, which will have you up and writing in less than two minutes. There are a few limitations with Blogger but if you’re an absolute novice it’s the way forward. These applications are both free by the way. You will also probably want to get your own domain, which will only cost you about $10 from domain registrars such as GoDaddy. Achieving success There is no magic formula, silver bullet or quick fix to making your blog a success. I am not a grand master of the craft myself and I can only say that hard work and consistency is what has paid off for me so far. I hope that you will consider starting a blog and you will find that there are numerous resources online to help you. Good luck and see you in the blogosphere! Related: 3 Smart Ways to Brand Yourself in the Job Search Process.

Professionalizing Your CV With a Professional Resume Writing Service

Professionalizing Your CV With a Professional Resume Writing ServiceHiring a Boston resume writing service to create a professional looking CV can be a great idea for new and current employees to make sure they do not have any glaring errors on their resume. By using a professional company that understands how to properly format your resume, you will be able to impress potential employers with the best CV possible.Resume writing services in Massachusetts offer hundreds of companies the ability to submit resumes to. In fact, these companies use high quality resume writers and editors in order to offer you the best professional looking CV possible. When it comes to creating the best resume possible, there is no substitute for the experience of a resume writing service in Massachusetts.There are several things that you will want to consider when you are creating your resume. First of all, you will want to make sure that you include all of the relevant information that employers look for in a job applicant. The next thing that you should focus on is highlighting your most relevant experience so that your employer is able to find out what they need to know.A resume with a professional feel and appearance will only do you well when it comes to professional resume writing services in Massachusetts. The important aspect of your resume should be the information that you provide employers about yourself. If your resume contains any mistakes in spelling or grammar, you should expect to receive a poor response from an employer.Before you start writing your resume, take some time to review the information that you have already completed. You should try to make sure that your resume is free of any errors and that the content is as professional looking as possible. If you do not have a professional resume writer in Massachusetts on your team, you should consider hiring one before you begin writing your resume.After you have completed the outline of your resume, it is time to write the actual contents of your resume. As a rule, it is best to keep your resume short, but not too short that it is difficult to read. It is also best to put in the right contact information in the summary section so that your contact information is easy to find.Make sure that you follow up with each employer that you write a resume for. This means that you should send out a follow up letter thanking them for their time and asking them if they would like to interview you for a job in the future.Hiring a professional resume writer in Massachusetts can be the best decision that you ever make for your resume. If you would like to know more about creating your own resume, contact a resume writing service in Massachusetts today.

Tech for the Modern-Day Business Traveler 100%

Tech for the Modern-Day Business Traveler 100% In a hyper-connected, always-on and always-available world, there is some stuff for which a video conference won’t do. Sometimes you will have to go somewhere physically to get the job done. Here are some great tips for the modern day, tech-savvy, travelling business person. You don’t have time to iron clothes when you are trying to make most of your time. Be smart in what you pack, preferably clothes that are wrinkle-free. There are also wrinkle release sprays available that can save you a ton of time. And if you are a disaster at packing, consider using packing cubes to organise your luggage space. And even if you manage to end up with more clothes than you left home with, get something like VAGO, a small automated travel vacuum that can help compress your clothes into the smallest space possible. Travel cubes and a compacted bundle of clothes fit well in modern-day ‘smart’ luggage. As with most other things, your travel suitcases have gone ‘smart’. Smart luggage has functionality like electronic baggage tags, GPS tracking and electronic locks, even ones that are TSA approved. Or if you want to turn heads, consider the Travelmate, a smart suitcase that will follow you around. Clothes sorted, and the essential toiletries packed away, it might be wise also to pack filtered water bottles to carry around once at your destination. If you are an uber tech mogul, you could pack away your smart water bottle with sensors that connect to your smartphone. Or if coffee is more your thing, nowadays you can get espresso makers for on the go. A necessity that sits almost on top of the pack list (after passport and wallet) is a set of cables and cords that are necessary to power and connect your tech. The socks and mobile phone charging cords business must run off the same principle of ‘things have gone missing’. A strong power bank is also a must as you can’t always guarantee a power outlet being available. It also makes a great business card and business branding tool. Get printed power banks from USBMakers.com and get ready to make a great impression next time someone is desperately in need of one. Being powered up is one thing, being connected is the other concern. If you are a frequent traveller, you know that hotel Wi-Fi is hit and miss. Prepare for the worst and get yourself a Mi-Fi device just in case. And if you are travelling to remote places with possibly spotty coverage, see if something like goTenna is an alternative, before considering a costly satellite phone or going off the grid entirely. Once your luggage is taken care of, and you made sure you will have power and connection, its time to ensure you are taken care off. Get some relaxation and entertainment aids to accompany you on your travels. A noise cancelling headphone should be your priority, ensuring you to get rest on busy plane and rail travel. Or take a portable game console with you to kill some time on long layovers. And if everything else fails, get yourself an Ostrich Pillow. Sure, it looks a bit odd, but if it counters any jet lag, do you care?

Seeking Training- Part 1

Seeking Training- Part 1 This week I mentioned the decrease in company training budgets in one of my posts. The resultWE need to pursue our own personal and professional development. So easily said. Where do you turn for training? Before you get frustrated or give up on this initiative, lets take a step back. What is the training you are seeking? Lets look at the whole picture and not just the immediate need. Training is not a quick fix. It should be process of learning and development. Start with an assessment of where your skills are. Then look at which ones you want to develop. This is a model of general workforce competencies from the Department of Labor. It is a solid list. The DOL has a site filled with specific industry competencies, so visit their site here. Tier 3 competencies: Teamwork Adaptability/Flexibility Customer Focus Planning Organizing Creative Thinking Problem Solving Decision Making Working with Tools Technology Workplace Computer Applications Scheduling Coordinating Checking, Examining Recording Business Fundamentals Now, where do you rank and where do you need or want to be? Can you say Gap Analysis? With this information in hand, you can begin to develop your personal learning plan. It will give you an idea of what type of training and development to look for as well as prioritize. Imagine actually creating this gap analysis and bringing it in to a meeting with your manager? OK, not everyone should or could. But it will provide you with the logic to build a case for pursuing training that might need the financial support of your company. You could use the findings from your gap analysis and plan to network to find training resources. Imagine asking a colleague where you might find resources for developing creative thinking. Have they read any good books, attended any seminars or seen any webinars on the topic? Another really helpful resource for creating your personal training plan in ONet Skills Search. Especially if you are thinking about changing careers or industries or both. It maps out the skills required for hundreds of occupations. Remember, Emotional Intelligence: The ability to recognize, understand and express emotions and feelings The ability to manage and control feelings The ability to generate positive effects and be self-motivated The ability to understand how others feel and to relate to them The ability to manage change, adapt and solve problems of a personal and interpersonal nature Also remember Resiliency.