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

5 Reasons to Further Your Education in 2020

May 18, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

How long has it been since you finished your education?

Perhaps you graduated from college years ago and are now well-established in your career. Or maybe you left high school and fell straight into your dream job. Either way, you probably thought the world of education was well and truly in the rearview mirror. But it doesn’t have to be over. There are plenty of options for furthering your learning at any time in your life. People do this for many different reasons, whether to gain specific qualifications, expand their knowledge, or facilitate a career change. If you’re wondering whether or not to continue your education, here are five reasons to do so.

Be more qualified

Whether you’re trying to progress up the ladder in your industry or embarking on a complete career change, you may need specific qualifications and experience to do so. Even if further education isn’t an essential criterion for your career goals, employers view it favorably. It shows you have the knowledge as well as motivation and determination.

Make more money

When applying for a new job or negotiating a raise, qualifications will give you more leverage to bargain with. And if you want to beat out the competition for the role of your dreams, show you can go that extra mile by demonstrating your dedication to your profession. Although further education will set you back financially at first, it is a long term investment that will set you up for significantly higher earning potential.

Expand your network

The more extensive your personal and business networks, the more opportunities you will have in life. Going back to college will open you up to a whole new network of like-minded people that you can learn and socialize with. You may find yourself being introduced to new career options, job opportunities, and ideas that could change your life.

Increase your knowledge

Sometimes, continuing your education isn’t about practical benefits. Knowledge is inherently valuable in and of itself. Learning about an unfamiliar topic can make you more rounded as a person. If you’ve always wanted to learn a new language or become more knowledgeable about world history, why not study towards a degree? Of course, you can learn these things from the Internet and books, but formal study provides you with something much more valuable. You will get structure, support from teachers and other students, and a wealth of resources to help you every step of the way.

Secure your future

The world is ever-changing, and all industries must adapt to new technologies, demands, and ways of life. Even if you’ve been in the same industry for 30 years, it doesn’t mean you’ll be an expert forever. Furthering your education can keep you up to date and open your eyes to new ways of doing things that will help you adapt to the inevitable changes the future brings.

There is a wealth of different education providers offering degrees in any subject of your choosing. If you want to continue your education, it’s never too late to broaden your horizons.

Returning to Education in Later Life: 5 Top Tips

April 20, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

The thought of returning to education so many years after leaving high school or college can be unsettling for many. However, it need not be a tremendous upheaval. View it as an opportunity to better yourself or help you to succeed in making a midlife career change rather than as a chore. Whatever your reason for this choice, embrace it and be sure to read on for our top five tips.

1. Choose the right course

Once you have plucked up the courage to return to education, you need to do your research thoroughly to ensure that you choose the right course. Embarking on the wrong one could lead to disappointment, complacency and a feeling that you have wasted your time. First of all, you need to decide whether you are keen to do a course in person or perhaps online via an institution such as Maryville University. Next, search for a course that interests you and see if there is a suitable place through which to study. Finally, complete your application form – what are you waiting for?

2. Set a schedule

When you are a little older, it is normal to have a range of extra commitments. Children, for example, need a lot of your time and energy. Therefore, it is vital to balance your existing life with your new education. Be sure to set a schedule to ensure that you have things in place, such as childcare, people to collect your children from school, someone who can do the cooking on certain days or cook in bulk. Find out which days you will need to attend, whether in person or online, your classes and work the rest of your week around it. You may even still be in work in order to afford this new lifestyle, so be sure to find a way to complete everything.

3. Get ahead

It is usual to be set assignments to complete at the start of modules. Students are viewed by many as the greatest procrastinators. While that might work for some people, if you are trying to find equilibrium between education and the rest of your life, you would be best getting ahead. Do this by beginning assignments in advance and not leaving things too close to the deadline.

4. Sort your finances

If you are going from having a full-time job to studying full-time, the impact on your finances will be considerable. Ensure that you have a satisfactory form of income to keep your head above water. The last thing you want during this stressful time is another thing to concern yourself about. A student loan is always a possibility.

5. Seek help if you need it

Education is not easy, and if it is, you need to consider what you are gaining from it. For some, writing assignments can be challenging. For others, trying to retain the information during lectures can be overwhelming. Educational institutions often have advisers who can support you with your academia. If you are finding any aspect of returning to school a challenge, seeking help is sure to ease your mind somewhat.

How to Take Your Project Management Career to the Next Level

April 3, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Project management is a field where professional and interpersonal skills hold equal relevance, so if you want to take your career to the next level, there are many different paths you can follow to distinguish yourself in the job market.

After making an honest assessment of your current skills and achievements, you can establish a good strategy for the future. Here are my recommendations for the steps most likely to take you closer to your ideal role in project management.

Get Professional Certification

If you’ve stumbled into project management by chance but feel limited by your current options, perhaps it’s time to demonstrate your skills with an official certification. Obtaining a professional project management certification is an intense and challenging process, which is why employers put great value on it.

Some roles specifically demand PMP qualifications. To make yourself a viable candidate for a wider range of positions, inform yourself about pmp requirements and determine whether you have what it takes to earn the certification. Adding it to your resume will make it easier to prove that you have all the skills and knowledge required to advance to a better role.

Have an Online Presence

The Internet has changed how employees and companies connect. If they wanted to make themselves more attractive to potential employers, people had to take the active role and send resumes, hoping to spark a recruiter’s interest. Nowadays, however, the roles are not as clearly defined. Recruiters can find you through a networking website like LinkedIn without you actively seeking them out.

Besides growing into a popular hiring tool, LinkedIn is a place where professionals can make a profile that goes beyond listing skills and achievements. You can write articles and case studies and connect with colleagues, employers or companies. By keeping an updated profile and having online activity in a place with a wide audience, you can happen upon new career opportunities.

Refine Your Soft Skills

A project manager must possess strong soft skills and be able to display and utilize them accordingly first at interviews and networking events, then daily in the workplace. Being able to forge meaningful and productive relationships with people is essential in project management. If you are not confident in your interpersonal skills or you haven’t reached your full potential yet, make a list of the areas you need to focus on.

If you don’t know where to start, look at key areas such as leadership, coaching, communication, problem-solving, organization, conflict management and teamwork. You can attend online and offline courses, participate in workshops and training, volunteer in projects or you can develop your personal learning strategy to work on these skills. In fact, every situation that takes you out of your comfort zone will hone your soft skills.

If you’re a committed and motivated person, you will find plenty of opportunities for career progression in project management. By applying the strategies presented above, you will get closer to your career goals and move into a rewarding role where you can make success happen for people and businesses.

Connecting with Your Market in the Age of COVID-19

March 26, 2020 by Contributed Post 2 Comments

Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay

To say that we are living in unprecedented times might be an understatement. Within a few short weeks, companies all over the globe have had to realign and regroup thanks to lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing efforts as governments struggle to stem the tide of COVID-19.Since the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic, businesses large and small have been bracing for impact as operations, services, and supply lines have been interrupted.

While the long-term effects of these multiple shutdowns across the world have yet to be determined, markets are already feeling the pinch. Wall Street plunged 12% on March 17, 2020, resulting in some of its worst numbers since 1987. In addition, the World Economic Forum reports that traders have been panic-selling over the past weeks as fears about the global pandemic feed into the market’s volatility.

CNBC claims that veteran analysts have begun warning of a global recession, possibly the worst since 1929. It’s safe to say that economists and businesspeople worldwide have certainly been in a whirlwind of concern over the state of the global economy over the past couple of weeks. However, all that doom and gloom may not necessarily have to spell disaster for your business.

In our post about the ‘4 Emerging Technologies for Small Business Growth’ we made an effort to underline the growing relationship between small businesses and technology. This period may provide an opportunity for businesses to maximize their technological capabilities. Despite the upending of traditional modes of operation, it’s still possible for businesses to reach out to their markets. After all, social distancing is about keeping each other safe, but it doesn’t mean that you have to stop marketing altogether.

Here are a few marketing tips that businesses can use to connect with customers in the age of COVID-19.

Go Back to Basics

The development of marketing strategies in the digital age has been all about jumping on to the next shiny new thing, but Small Business Trends notes that old school marketing techniques may be coming back into the saddle. The Internet and online connectivity has democratized advertising and marketing in many ways, but it’s also created a culture of expectation. Modern consumers are smart and wary of a hard sell.

Going back to the fundamentals may help your business create more meaningful connections with potential customers. Despite innovations in science, tech, and business popping up left and right, consumers are more likely to appreciate personal touches in their relationships with businesses.

Rethink Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has become a key part of marketing efforts over the past decade or so, and with good reason. It’s generally cheaper, easier, and can be executed more quickly. Everything from a grocery store to a book-buying service makes use of digital marketing, and customers are certainly used to promotional emails sitting in their inbox.

But while digital marketing is quick, easy, and affordable, it also has a downside. Customers value personalization and authenticity above all, and marketing experts like Martin Wilkins have found that most digital marketing tactics aren’t enough to create a real, personal connection with customers. The online marketing world is saturated, and businesses may find that they aren’t getting the return on advertising that they’re likely expecting due to digital ad fatigue.

Explore Direct Mail

What can businesses do when tried-and-tested digital techniques just aren’t pulling in the same ROI? Enter direct mail. Direct mail marketing may seem like a thing of the past; after all, opening your mailbox to sift through a collection of junk mail is hardly a favorite pastime. However, marketers are finding that direct mail is back and on its way up.

PFL released a survey in 2019 that found that 83% of marketers reported good or very good ROI when direct mail was fully integrated into their marketing strategies. They also found that direct mail in a multichannel marketing mix led to an improved performance in the campaign overall, ranging from moderate to major improvements.

According to Triadex Services, direct mail marketing is a more personalized approach that provides some of the highest conversion rates around, far better than electronic mail or other digital marketing techniques. Modern customers may be expecting their email inboxes to be full of promotions from this or that company, but getting a personalized die-cut postcard instead could be a welcome surprise.

During a period where customers may be feeling more isolated than ever, businesses may be able to create lasting, personal connections with their markets through the right methods. COVID-19 could have lasting effects on the economy and on our ways of working, but businesses that are able to think ahead may just come out on top.

3 Steps To Successfully Market Your Physician Practice

March 9, 2020 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Being a physician in a private practice is just like most other small businesses. You need to find new patients, keep them and keep down your costs.

People have many choices depending on their insurance on who to go to for their healthcare needs. Long gone are the days of the family doctor that treats multiple generations of the same family until they retire.

These days you have to make sure you’re attracting patients to have a steady income stream.

Some of the marketing techniques are different for a doctor than they are for other solo practitioners – so let’s take a look at how you should proceed.

1 – Build a useful website

The engine that will power your marketing has to be your website. Many doctors make the mistake of creating a site that just has basic information. While you need to have things like services and office hours, there has to be more than that.

For starters, it should have a blog. You should have articles that rank well in the search engines that will bring in traffic. It also serves to give some personality to your practice as people can see what it is that you stand for.

You should probably hire a writer who understands how to write engaging copy that doesn’t come across like a legal contract. Your blog is for your potential patients, not other doctors – so a copywriter will know the right voice to use.

2 – Grow an email list

One of the most important things to have on your website is a way to get people to give you their email. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to grow your business.

Have a landing page that offers a downloadable product in exchange for their email. Something like a checklist for the flu, or a short ebook about how to prevent diabetes, that people can download is helpful. These are called lead magnets as they attract leads (emails).

When you are sending helpful emails to your list, they will feel confident using your services. They can even be reminded to come for a check-up or for their vaccines by email.

The best part is that it is all done with automation software so you don’t have to worry about finding time to send the emails individually.

3 – Use PPC ads

Even if you have all of your SEO on point and your site is ranking in the number one spot for physicians in your area, you’re still going to be further down the results.

Pay Per Click Ads always come first. You’ll need to make sure that you are also spending money on ads to get those top spots for your keywords.

Suppose the keyword terms are “Podiatrist in Peoria”. You’ll have to bid on those keywords and come out of it with the top spot for those keywords. On the other side, you’ll have to make sure you are also excluding terms that aren’t specific to your practice so you don’t spend money on ineffective ads.