Education | Mike McRitchie | Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writer | Telecom Marketing Content Writer

More Qualifications More Opportunities

July 24, 2019 by Contributed Post 1 Comment

We really do underestimate the power of education. Education is something we would have took for granted, but that’s only because we were forced to go there every single day of our young lives.

Unless you’re someone who really did love learning, then perhaps it would have been harder to let go of the tight grasp that education had on us. Now, depending on how far into your life you are at the minute, it might have been a good few years since you sat down, and actually learned a new subject that wasn’t what school made you do.

You might have had a little bit of training when you moved into a new job, but that’s pretty much it. So what happens here, is our minds go into limp mode. We spend our days doing the same things, over and over again, until one day we’re able to retire. So to kickstart your brain, and show you some of the amazing things that you could learn, that will lead to qualifications that will give you more opportunities, we’ve created this great article. You might surprise yourself with how much you enjoy the learning process, and where it can take you.

Find A Subject That Interests You

So there’s no point forcing yourself to learn a new subject that you don’t like, because wouldn’t that just be a blast from the past. So think about the subjects that are going to truly interest you, and ones that you think are going to benefit your life. A good thing to think about, is what’s up and coming in the world right now, because that’s where most of the opportunities lie. The world is revolving heavily around data at the minute, and there’s so many parts of this subject that you can learn about, that would take you down a completely new path in your life. Norwich University is just one of the universities that will offer courses related to data. It might pay off in the long run, because computers and data will be controlling the world more than we know it, and understanding how to process and manipulate it could lead to a big career for you.

Qualifications Within Your Company

So it might not be that you have to put yourself back into education and learn a new subject, it might be that so many of you are missing out on opportunities that your own company is providing you. So many companies now are offering courses to develop their employees skills, and in turn develop the company. So ask what relevant courses you might be able to be put on!

Random Qualifications That Could Help Others

So taking a completely random turn here, but why not think about qualifications that could help others. So for example, why not learn sign language. Technology has developed so much that it’s not as common for people to be totally deaf, but it is still a major health issues for those suffering. And if you were one of the ones that could sign with them, and help them in a situation, it would be amazing!

What You Need to Know When Applying to Grad School

October 11, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Applying to Grad School

Graduate courses usually last between one and two years and are offered in a wide range of different disciplines, so no matter what type you are looking for you will be able to find the course for you. Apply for graduate programmes can be a stressful time as it can require you to take tests, spend time researching different school, filling out applications and many recruit at different times of the year to make everything even more confusing. Below, you can find all the information you need to know when applying for grad school and what steps you should be taking throughout the application process.

Research

As we mentioned before, graduate programmes cost a lot of time and money and so it is vital that you choose the one that is right for you. Look into the different graduate schools and programmes available to you and how they will be beneficial to your career. At this stage, you should also be looking at what their requirements are and the deadlines for submissions that you need to keep track of.

Meeting the Requirements

After completing this research, you will then need to ensure that you have met their requirements. For many graduate programmes, you will need to take further exams such as the GRE which you will need to make sure you have the time scheduled in to study and prepare for. The TestPrepSelect.com best GRE courses that were reviewed will help you to prepare and will ensure you make the requirements for the course and will give you a good idea of what exactly you can expect.

Ask Professors

Another step you should take early in the application process is speaking with the professors that you have worked with closely during your previous studies. They will be able to help you with a letter of recommendation and can help to support you in backing up of success and achievements.

Prepare Your Resume

You will tend to find that the majority of graduate programmes will require you to submit some sort of resume with your application. Spend time updating your resume as this is where you can really highlight any work experience achievements that you have undertaken which can make a huge difference in being accepted when everyone is applying with similar degrees! This is also a great place to put any of your academic achievements and references that you may have.

Prepare Your Interview

Graduate programs can be extremely competitive and it is highly likely that you will be called in for an interview. This will be the time to ensure you are prepared with answers and that you also have a think about any questions that you may want to ask at the end of your interview.

As you can see, the process of applying for a graduate course can be long and stressful, however, it is worth your while in the end to put in the time now as it could ultimately lead to you achieving your dream course and job.

It’s Time to Rethink Your Career and Get Qualified

April 12, 2018 by Contributed Post Leave a Comment

Rethinking Your Career — Image Credit: Stock Snap

You’ve been doing your job well for several years. It’s fine, but that’s really all you can say about it. You go in, sit at your desk all day and then go home. The salary gets you by. The people are nice enough and you go for drinks every so often. The most exciting thing that happens in your day is the arrival of the sandwiches at lunch.

You need to have a rethink.

The average age of retirement is 62 and, unless you are ticking off the last couple of years, you definitely need to consider what you are going to do with that time. If you start work at 21, that’s a significant chunk of your life to be excited about sandwiches for. And when you think of it like that, it’s clear that you need to do something much more special with your life.

One of the main reasons that people tend to stay in dead-end jobs is that they have no idea what to move on to or how to get there. It’s natural to be a bit scared of change but having a little courage and taking the plunge will make a huge difference to your self-value, your confidence and to the world.

Is a Career Change Right For You?

Before you chuck it all for a new industry, do your research. And don’t make these 10 career change mistakes. But if you got past that part and still see potential, take these next steps to ready yourself for that next career move.

Identify the Qualifications that Appeal to You

The first step to figuring out a career move is looking at various courses and degrees that might appeal to you. Getting qualified is a great way to burst onto your new scene and it will give you a chance to see whether a job is suited to you. Even if you don’t end up using your new qualification to get into a new field, it might show your boss that you are determined to climb the ladder and encourage them to give you new challenges.

If you need to work while you study, online courses like an online masters in school counseling or a business degree are really popular options. This way you can work at your own pace and in your own time and you won’t be forced to move in order to study. However, do look at the value of the course before you agree to start. Look at the accreditations the school has and where the course could lead you before you pay.

Think About Your Current Skills and What You Want to Develop

The best way to choose a course is always to go with your main interests as this will keep your attention and lead to a much more fulfilling role. As you already know, there’s no point in doing something you don’t enjoy for your whole life.

Do think about your current skill sets and what you would like to develop. You will need to be prepared to work hard and do plenty of research on your own to make the most of this type of course. While you might assume that vocational courses are best, you can also do more academic courses if you want to. These may not lead directly to a new career but they will give you the time to think about what you really want and indulge your passions while you can.

Marketing Lessons from Jiffy Lube – Part II – Education

May 19, 2015 by Mike McRitchie Leave a Comment

In yesterday’s post we looked at the three price points and the psychology behind how someone would evaluate the options. And how you might profit from that by redesigning your price point options in your business.

So today lets look at another aspect of Jiffy Lube’s marketing approach.

Educating the customer.

On the left side of the “Jiffy Lube Signature Service Oil Change” they list out the inclusions.

So what does this do?

Pictures and Headers

First off they have headers with pictures next to them:

“Change” with a drip picture for oil
“Inspect” with a magnifying glass
“Check/Fill” with a checkmark
“Clean” with a sparkle shape

These give you a quick, at a glance sense of what is going to happen when you get an oil change at Jiffy Lube. They’ll change your oil and oil filter, inspect the major operating fluids and components, check and fill your tire pressure and fluids, and finally clean your windows and vacuum your floors.

Headline and Bullet Points

Below each headline they give you a bullet point list of what is included under that headline. Easy to ready and understand quickly.

The other nice thing about this is when you drop your car off, they walk you inside the building, offer you water or coffee, point out where you can take a seat until they’re ready for you. This gives you a chance to look at the sign, absorb what the services are, and review the offering before you’re called up to write up the estimate and make those service choices.

Fine Print and Addressing Objections

We covered what’s included. But there is more as well. If you check out the fine print at the bottom of the first board, you’ll see,

“As an added value, between service visits up to 3,000 miles, customers receive free top-offs on motor oil with same type of oil purchased originally and on any of the vital fluids, with a maximum of 2 quarts per fluid.”

So what’s this about?

It does several things.

Free Sells

It is something free. People love free things. And if you have an older car that is leaking fluids, wouldn’t that be the place you want to take your car for oil changes? That gets you a customer for life. Because if you get your fluids filled there, would you take your car somewhere else next time for an oil change? Probably not.

And as we all know, it is significantly less expensive to resell to an existing customer than acquire a new one – particularly when you add advertising costs to the equation.

It also breeds confidence in your offering. “Why would they offer free top offs if they did shoddy work?”

And also for those who are wary and suspicious of the too-good-to-be-true-offering, they’ll check out the fine print. And you tackled their concerns and objections head on.

Go Implement

How might you do the same with your offering? Have you addressed everything up front? Pre-sold them to turn a sales situation into a more profitable order taking situation that is smoother to process (and achieve the sales results of using a salesman without the sales pressure…your marketing did that for you).

So that’s it for today’s edition. So how can you educate your customers with your headlines, bullet points, and fine print, along with addressing their concerns ? And make more sales?

In tomorrow’s edition we’ll check out board #2…the upsells.