Contributed Post | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

3 Awesome Futureproof Careers For 2020

November 9, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

If you are reassessing all of your priorities for 2020 because the global pandemic has forced you to adjust to a new normal, you need to consider your career. Many people slip into their roles after graduating from college. You simply take a desk job, get settled in an office, and complete your nine to five. Sure, you might have a decent salary, but do you feel professionally and personally fulfilled? Now, that we are working out the important things in life, you might want to move to pastures new. Don’t feel like you are shackled to a career. You can change your job and do something more satisfying with your days. If you want to futureproof your career, take a look at these awesome ideas.

Do Something Online

The world is becoming more technologically advanced than ever before. If you currently work within a manual environment or your tole isn’t very tech-oriented, it might be time to make a change. If you want to be forever on the cusp of new developments, getting into a career that is predominantly online could be just what you are looking for. Companies across the globe are keen on securing excellent search engine optimization services to help them to leapfrog the competition. By getting to know keywords and meta tags, you can help businesses market their wares to a global audience. You will enjoy getting to know a brand, honing a company voice, and getting maximum exposure through your online savvy skills as possible.

Cybersecurity

As the world becomes more interconnected, the need for cybersecurity professionals is increasing. You can retrain to become an expert in hacking, malware, and cyber secure strategies to protect business assets and sensitive data. This is a career that is totally futureproofed as the need for cybersecurity professionals will only increase during the twenty first century. You can head to offices and train up staff regarding passwords, online conduct, and cybersecurity policies. Designing firewalls and protective online safety nets for companies can allow you to get creative with coding and generate the finest protections for conglomerates across the world.

Artisan Craft

For those of us who cannot bear the thought of spending another day in front of a laptop, you might want to hark back to your creative flair. People are becoming more savvy than ever when it comes to their retail habits. As the pandemic has hit the high street, more shoppers are returning to a smaller, more local approach to their shopping habits. They want to know where their products come from, how sustainable they are, and who made them. If you enjoy upcycling, gardening, or craft, think about turning your hobby into a business. Gain a loyal following online and you could find that your money making venture takes off and helps you to earn a living.

If you are keen to wave goodbye to your current job to find a role that is more fulfilling and satisfying, follow this guide and explore your career options.

How To Spend Less On Business Machinery Repairs

October 30, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

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Many businesses are reliant on some form of machinery whether its computers or heavy construction equipment. When this machinery breaks, seeking out repairs fast is often necessary for reducing costly downtime.

Unfortunately, repairs themselves can be expensive – especially when it comes to complex machinery. Below are just a few useful ways in which your company can spend less on repairs.

Check if you’re covered by insurance

If your machinery is still relatively new, it may still be covered by a warranty. This could allow you to seek out free repairs and is worth looking into before you shop around for a repair technician.

In other cases, damage may be covered by business property insurance. If equipment is vandalised or damaged in a natural disaster such as a flood, you should be able to seek compensation for repairs via your insurer.

Source your own parts

If a specific part is broken, you could save money by sourcing it yourself instead of relying on a repair technician to find the right part. Most repair technicians will aim to make a profit on any parts they have to order. You can shop for specific machinery parts at sites like https://gpi.net/product-category/pumps/mobile-fuel-pumps-dc-voltage/. Just make sure you know exactly what type of part you need.

Know when to repair and when to replace

Sometimes it can be a better investment to replace a machine rather than repairing it. If the machine is old or you have previously had to make costly repairs to it, it could be time for a replacement. You should also consider the cost of repairs versus the cost of replacement. Most businesses use the 50% rule – if repairs cost more than half the value of a replacement, it’s usually a more sensible decision to cut your losses and buy a new machine.

Take preventative action

One effective way of reducing the cost of repairs is stop your machines from breaking in the first place. This involves taking preventative measures. Below are a few ways to take preventative action.

Keep your machinery serviced and well maintained: A good maintenance schedule can prevent machinery from breaking. This could include cleaning machinery, updating software or topping up fluids. Machinery should also be stored in the right conditions – it shouldn’t be exposed to the elements when not in use or stored near a heat source. Always follow the manufacturer’s guide when it comes to maintenance.
Invest in preventative repairs: Once you record a fault, consider whether it’s worth getting it fixed there and then. Don’t wait until the machine completely fails to get the problem fixed. Preventative repairs can be scheduled during times of inactivity to cause minimal disturbance and you could find that they’re less costly than waiting for complete failure.
Only buy machinery in good condition: A lot of companies save money by buying used machinery. However, machinery that has been heavily used may be more prone to faults as parts are likely to be worn. Make sure that you’re not buying machinery that’s already in poor condition. This guide http://hub.exapro.com/10-mistakes-buying-used-industrial-machinery offers more tips to buying used machinery.

How Your Business at Home May Affect Your Homeowners Insurance

October 28, 2020 by Contributed Post 2 Comments

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have turned to entrepreneurship for extra income, using their homes as their headquarters. Indeed, a small home-based business is more convenient and budget-friendly, as it avoids hefty lease costs and food and transportation expenses.

What’s more, people are confident to start a home-based business because their abodes are most likely covered byhomeowners insurance. More specifically, condo insurance for condo dwellers. With guaranteed coverage after a hurricane or theft, they can recover from property damage fast without out-of-pocket costs.

But does your coverage include your home-based business property?

Admittedly, you might be in a tricky situation. Homeowners insurance expressly states that it covers personal property, so if you use your home for business without your insurer’s knowledge, then you might risk invalidating your policy.

What is Homeowners Insurance?

Your homeowners insurance covers losses and damages to your home. Properties covered include the furnishings and other assets placed in your abode. It also supplies liability coverage for accidents that occurred in your home or within your property.

So if your furniture was damaged by a hurricane or stolen by burglars, your homeowner’s insurance will allow you to obtain claims so that you won’t spend money for a replacement likewise, if your guest has slipped and sustained an injury. As a result, your homeowners insurance can give you funds to pay for their medical bills.

How to Protect Your Home-based Business

While not useless, a homeowner’s insurance alone isn’t enough to protect your business against damage and losses. Hence, you should also invest in home-based business insurance.

Such insurance package may include coverage for the following:

Business property. This refers to your home office equipment. A business contents insurance should specifically be provided by your home insurance to ensure coverage to business property. Note, however, that your policy can only cover your business equipment if it’s in your home. Anything you use outside, like a laptop or cellphone, may require separate contents and property insurance.
General liability. This is similar to the liability coverage inhomeowners insurance. But in this case, the coverage will be provided if an employee or client suffers an accident within your home. It is advisable to get a policy with this coverage if your home-based business involves risky work.
Business vehicle. Your personal auto insurance will not provide coverage for accidents owing to business activities. That’s because, like homeowner’s insurance, the policy also expressly states that you should use your car for personal purposes only. Your insurer may cancel your policy if they found out that you used the car for business, so get business insurance with coverage for a business vehicle.
Product liability. If you’re selling products, product liability coverage will protect you from liability if one of your products malfunction or underperform.
Professional liability. If you’re a service business, professional liability coverage protects your personal assets from customers claiming that they’ve suffered damages due to your business. The coverage will also compensate customers who have indeed suffered damages due to your services.
Errors and omission. If your home-based business involves charging customers for advice, an errors and omission coverage gives you protection against customers claiming that your advice is unhelpful due to your negligence. This coverage also works on a home business that requires you to provide service on a customer’s site.
Business interruption. This refers to a suspension of operations due to floods, fires, and other disasters. Business interruption insurance will cover your lost revenue until you can resume business.

Protecting Your Business From Disaster

Even with business interruption insurance available, it’s still wiser to have a business continuity plan. It ensures that you can maintain your operations despite a disaster. This is especially beneficial nowadays, with people’s income on the line due to the pandemic.

To make an effective continuity plan, determine first the main risks of your home-based business. If you live in a coastal area, hurricanes are probably your biggest threat, so center your plans around it.

After identifying the main risks, decide what’s essential for your business to run again if the disaster disrupts your operations. The essentials are usually personal data, equipment, financial allocation, infrastructure protection, and key employees.

You may also need an evacuation plan if it’s a natural disaster that halts your operations. While at it, invest in a business emergency kit as well, and ensure that your data will stay well-protected. If you’d be closed for a period, assign someone who will spread the news.

Considering the complexities of insurances, it seems intimidating to run a home-based business, but it isn’t. The events will be more complicated if you skip the right insurance, so don’t let the information overload discourage you.

4 Signs You Should Leave Your Job

October 20, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

You would be hard-pressed to find someone who is 100% happy with their job every day. Even people who claim to love their job have “off” days and don’t always enjoy everything about it.

But, there’s a difference between having a bad day at work and truly being stuck in a dead-end job.

If you constantly find yourself wondering if your current job is actually worth it, you may want to consider looking elsewhere for employment. But, that doesn’t mean you should jump the gun on quitting before you’re ready.

Are you on the fence about whether or not to stay at your current job? Let’s look at four signs that are good indicators it’s time to leave.

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1. You’re Bringing Your Attitude Home

It’s one thing to be stressed at work. In fact, 83% of workers in the U.S. alone deal with stress in the workplace. But, if that stress leads to a negative attitude and you find that you’re bringing that attitude home, it’s a sign of a bigger problem.

If you cannot leave work at work, it’s obviously affecting your mental health, and may even start to impact you physically. Your family or roommates don’t deserve that kind of attitude, and you don’t deserve to be “stuck” with it when you’re trying to relax at home.

2. You Don’t Feel Challenged

While working at a job that is “easy” might sound like a dream, it would get boring after a while. People naturally want to be challenged, so they can work toward something and gain a sense of accomplishment.

If your job is no longer challenging you or stimulating you, you might want to consider something totally different. Look at the Construction industry if you want to work with your hands, or consider becoming a teacher if you want to inspire young minds. Think of the jobs that would be challenging and fulfilling all at once, and how they compare to what you’re feeling now.

3. You Hate Going to Work

If you don’t want to walk out the door each day to actually go to work, you probably shouldn’t be going to work.

Again, that doesn’t mean you need to love your job every day. But, if the thought of going to work in the morning leaves you with dread, worry, or sadness, it’s time to make a change. No one deserves to live that way because of a job.

4. There Is No Room for Growth

Again, people like to be challenged. And, in the working world, many of those challenges allow you to “move up” once you’ve accomplished them. But, if you’re working in an environment that doesn’t offer room for growth or is willing to give you promotions, it likely isn’t worth your time.

No one wants to remain stagnant in the exact same position for the rest of their lives. If you aren’t able to flourish in your current job, you deserve to work somewhere that will allow you to grow and succeed.

It’s never an easy decision to leave your job, especially if you’re the sole income-provider in your home. But, if it’s doing damage to your mental health or you just can’t stand the thought of going back there again, it’s likely time to move on and try a different career path.

What Has Your Business Learned From The Pandemic?

October 1, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

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No one could have seen this year coming, but all of us have had to deal with its effects. One of the silver linings of hardship is that it helps you learn new lessons to be used in the future, provided you’re lucky enough to get through relatively unscathed.

So, we put to you – what has your business learned from the pandemic? Don’t worry if it’s little, because some of us have just been concerned with survival and breaking even at a time of great uncertainty – it can feel like the reflections and lessons should come later, instead.

So, in a non-judgemental, open, friendly manner, let’s consider what businesses may have learned from the pandemic, what they could learn, and more importantly what they could do to prepare for a second wave or other issues that may rock us in the future. Depending on your industry, this can be highly appropriate or miss the mark entirely. If your restaurant has been closed down, for instance, no amount of allowing your waiters to ‘work from home’ will help you.

For office businesses however, the following might help:

Remote Working Potential

Of course, it’s quite essential for many businesses to find new methods of working outside of the ‘come to the office’ requirement, in order to slow down the transmission of the virus. But it’s also true that this has allowed meetings to become quicker and more to-the-point through programs like Zoom, and it’s also ensured apps like Slack and Hangouts have become the de-facto communication platforms. Remote working potential is a worthwhile approach to care for. Have you invested in it? How might you structure this as the norm even in a post-Covid world? Those questions can be very instructive.

Disseminating Briefs & Information

It’s worthwhile to know how to best disseminate briefs and information that may be working for you. For instance, do you send out a daily newsletter to keep people on the same page? How many conference calls are appropriate? Do you have regular cloud storage or assignment delivery systems where work can be submitted? How might this integrate with your outsourced help, allowing you to work on both fronts? Now is the time to streamline, and perfect your digital approach.

You Can Never Prepare Too Much

You can never prepare too much. From saving an operational budget in times of difficulty to using Managed IT services in order to thoroughly ensure your integrated digital access requirements are continually upheld, to ensuring cybersecurity is a thorough element of your protected, systemized productivity, you can never prepare too much for the future, and that becomes most stark when issues such as a global pandemic take centre stage. If you can focus on this approach, with care and enthusiasm, odds are you’ll be in the right place for defending your enterprise when unpredictability strikes.

With this advice, we hope your business can learn more and prepare more for uncertainty, using this pandemic as a springboard.