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Nicole

4 Ways To Improve Your Employment Prospects

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Are you happy with your current job role? Or do you have a longing to do something different? If it’s the latter, then now is the time to improve your employment prospects. Be it for a promotion or an entirely new career path, you should do what you can to change your life, as you don’t want to be stuck in the same job forever. 

With a new job role, you might gain more fulfillment in your life. You might be able to boost your finances too, which is something you probably want to do if you’re living on a minimum wage. You might also have more money to set aside for your saving goals, such as a family vacation, a college education for your kids, or a move into a new property. 

So, don’t procrastinate. If you don’t like your job, here’s how to improve your employment prospects. 

Be a hardworking employee

It can be very easy to lose a good ethic when you’re unhappy at work. However, if you want to move on, you owe it to yourself to work hard. Your boss might consider you for a promotion if you do, and he/she will give you a better reference if you’re looking to work elsewhere. So, no matter how you’re feeling about your job, make every effort to work harder as you will impress your boss if you do.

Learn new skills

The bigger your skillset, the more chances you will have when trying to improve your employment prospects. So, find ways to learn new skills. You can do this in your current place of employment if you agree to take on extra duties. You could also take an offline or online course, focussing on those subjects that will give you the skills you need for your dream position. Many can be taken in your free time too, so you should still be able to balance the needs of your job with your skill-building. 

Take on voluntary work

Voluntary work is great for gaining new skills and gaining experiences in career fields you might want to go into. You might even be able to find voluntary work with a firm you are interested in working for. Head online and look for volunteer opportunities in your area. If you see nothing that suits you, consider creating opportunities of your own. You could run free online tutorials in subjects you are interested in, for example. You would then be helping others while honing your skills, and both these aspects would stand you in good stead for future employment opportunities. 

Work on your resume

You probably have a resume already, but is it up to date? Go back to it, update your employment section, and add more skills to it too. The trick with a resume is to make a master version first with general details that will suit most job applications. You should then tweak it when applying for specific jobs, adding or removing anything that will improve your chances of being shortlisted. For more on your resume, check out these tips for advice on making it better. 

These are just some of the things you can do to improve your employment prospects, so consider each step today. There is always more you can do, of course, so look online for more advice, and do what you can to boost your chances of a promotion or a role within a new career. While you will need to work hard to improve your prospects, this is better than staying in a job that gives you little satisfaction.

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5 Life-altering Effects of Regular Caffeine Intake to Look Out For

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Photo by Dziana Hasanbekava from Pexels

You are no stranger to the relentless advertisements about caffeinated beverages in the U.S; you will rarely search for the contradictory effects of caffeine. Moreover, coffee intake has become a symbol of a young lifestyle. 

In the U.S. alone, 85% of the population have at least one such beverage daily. In ignorance, you may also have bought into the coffee culture of young adults. Unfortunately, caffeine is addictive, and you will eventually gain tolerance. The earliest symptom of excessive caffeine intake is ringing in the ears due to blood pressure increase. Aside from tinnitus, the following are some other health threats of caffeine:

Fibrocystic Breast Disease

This condition refers to painful, lumpy breasts a woman might experience as part of Premenstrual Symptoms. If you develop the habit of excessive caffeine intake, this condition will become your daily experience. 

Aching breasts are no small feat; sometimes, the pain spreads to your arms and armpits. Consequently, the pain might affect your productivity and concentration at work.

Insomnia

Insomnia refers to the sleep inability that occurs due to increased body activity when you need to rest. Caffeine alters your body’s normal functioning; it increases blood pressure and reduces the chances of falling asleep. 

Sleep is fundamental for healthy skin, hair, and brain functioning. Sleep deprivation is the number one cause of depression and anxiety and makes you prone to use chemical supplements to induce sleep.

Heart Attacks in Young Adults

For decades, it was unheard of for a person in their 20s to have a heart attack. That narrative has changed, thanks to the excessive caffeine intake in young people. 

Traditionally, blood pressure got associated with the constricted blood vessels in older people; caffeine has transferred this symptom to young people. Out of the 63% of youth that take up to six cups of coffee in America, 50% can have a heart attack.

As you may know, the blood pressure increases due to the arteries’ contraction, and if left unattended, it can lead to heart attacks then death.

Reduced Fertility 

In women, caffeine has a 27% reduction in the chances of getting pregnant. This fact is why, as a woman who is trying to get pregnant, you will be encouraged to stay away from coffee and alcohol.

As if that were not enough, miscarriages are more common in caffeine consumers than their caffeine-free counterparts. You must consider the above information if you are looking into conception with your partner.

Early Death

Death is always an unwelcome event. However, losing a young person gets more attention; it is very tragic. As such, you will be shocked to know that male caffeine consumers have a mortality rate of 21%; these men take as little as 8 ounces per day.

Moreover, such men are likely to start smoking and have fitness struggles, exponentially increasing their early death chances. Apart from this, heart attacks are imminent in such men.

Final Thoughts

Caffeine is the most underrated drug of the modern world, especially when it is coffee. There are multi-billion dollar Multinational Corporations that serve this slow poison to people. It is high time you took action and replaced your drinks with something less volatile.

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What Happens to Your Recycling After it is Collected

The movement to get more Americans to recycle started in the 1970s. Many consider it to be one of the best PR campaigns ever, as the vast majority of Americans are now aware of recycling, and many practices it if they get the opportunity. This is great for the planet, but with more and more people choosing to recycle their waste- rather than just throwing it in the garbage –there has been an increase in the number of people not knowing where their waste is actually going. Ultimately, this is not that big of a problem (call it useful ignorance), but if you are a curious person, you’re probably wondering where your waste ends up. 

Where is Your Recycling Taken? 

A hauler will come and pick up your recycling, dropping it off at a sorting facility that is typically nearby. This facility is known as a Material Recovery Facility or MRF. Your recycled materials then go through several different operations before they reach their final destination. After they are dropped off, they are filtered onto conveyor belt systems where workers and machines pick out the trash that has been mixed in with recycling. Cardboard and paper are separated; glass is sent through a machine where it is pulverized into a cullet; a density blower redirects plastics to their own conveyer belt system. Optic sensors then sort these plastics into different destinations depending on what the plastic is made out of. Out of the material that is left, large magnets pick up steel cans from the waste stream, transferring them onto their own area. An eddy current draws up any aluminum objects from the remaining materials. 

Where Do Raw Recycling Materials Go Next? 

Once these recyclables are fully sorted into different materials, they are compacted into cubes, in a process called baling. Now they have been compacted, they have been commoditized – they become a raw ingredient for manufacturers to use. Those manufacturers are typically driven by consumer demand for recycled products, so keep asking for recycled materials when appropriate! The more demand there is for recycled materials, the more valuable the materials will be – which means more and more MRFs will pop up. 

Paper 

The paper materials that are due to be recycled are sold to paper mills. They require this extra step of processing before being sold to most manufacturers, though some might have their own mills. This recycled paper is of lower quality but is good for toilet paper, paper towels, and egg cartons. 

Metals 

Metals are baled and sent to smelting factories. There they are melted down, ready to be made into a new product. Even recycled metals are strong and durable, so they are great to make metal cans or even larger metal items like filing cabinets. 

Glass 

The glass cullet will be processed in a glass processing facility. Unlike some other materials, glass can be recycled over and over again ad infinitum, so you don’t get as much of a limitation with glass recycling. Glass cullet ends up contributing to the manufacture of the bottles and jars that were originally recycled. 

Plastic 

Bales of plastic are typically downcycled, making furniture and items that don’t need to be as beautiful but still serve a great purpose. Park benches, lawn furniture, and even garbage cans are great destinations for recycled plastic.

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Cut Your Energy Use At Home For Lower Bills

More of us are starting to consider our use of energy around the home and want to reduce it. Whether you want to cut the amount of energy you use in order to live a more eco-friendly life, or just to lower your utility bills, then try some of these simple ways to cut down the amount of energy you use. 

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Turn Off Your Appliances

All those appliances designed to make our lives easier, like the washing machine, dryer, or dishwasher, use a lot of power to use. If you’re trying to reduce your energy use, you should try to cut back on using them as much as possible. 

You can start very easily by washing the dishes by hand instead of loading up the dishwasher. You can always save the dishwasher for occasions when you’ve had lots of people for dinner and have a lot more things to wash than usual. 

Instead of always drying clothes in the tumble dryer, hang your washing outside on a line wherever the weather is dry enough, or inside on a clothes horse if you have enough room for one. 

It’s cheaper to run appliances during off-peak hours. These hours are usually during the night. Check with your electricity company, and if you do need to run something like the washing machine or the dishwasher, put it on at night. Some of these appliances have timers built-in, or you can use a timer switch at the socket to switch it on when the power is cheaper to use. 

Consider Alternative Power

Could you add some ways to use alternative power in your home? Solar power is the most popular, and the easiest option for producing energy for homes. You can learn more about solar power at www.choosesolar.com to decide if this could be a possibility for your home. 

Fitting solar panels is a bigger change, but there are often grants available to offset the cost of fitting them in order to encourage people to produce at least some of their own power. See if a grant like this is available in your area. After the panels have been in place for a while, they will pay for themselves too with what they save you on your utility bills. 

Save Water

Reduce your water bill by reducing the amount of water that you use around the house. Taking showers uses less water than taking a bath, but only if you don’t stand under there for hours at a time. Try to keep your showers as short as you can, and encourage the rest of the family to do the same. For washing the dishes, use a washing-up bowl instead of filling the sink with water. A bowl needs less water to fill, and that small saving can really add up over time. 

If you have a garden that needs a lot of watering, don’t run the hose or fill the watering can directly from the tap. Instead of using even more water, reuse water that you’ve already used for something else. This is sometimes called gray water. Gray water could be rainwater that you have caught and saved in a waterbutt, or water saved from washing the dishes or from cooking. Used water is perfectly okay for watering your plants, and will mean you can use a lot less water. 

Turn Down The Thermostat

Nobody wants a cold house but cranking up the heating can drive up your bills. Instead, turn down the thermostat. Even dropping it one degree lower can lower the amount of energy you use, and your bill, without changing the temperature in a way that you can notice. You’ll still be warm enough but will have a lower bill. 

To cut back further on how much heating you need, you should make sure you have an adequate attic insulation and double-glazing to stop the heat from escaping out of the house. Check the walls for any cracks or gas and get them repaired to stop heat getting out of those. 

Some small changes around the house can add up to make a lot of difference to the amount of energy and water that you use. By making these changes to the way you use power at home, you can reduce your utility bills and make your home a little greener at the same time. Start with a few changes, and build up to more over time as you learn what works for you. 

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Adapting Your Business Amidst The Difficulties Posed By The Pandemic

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It looks as though society is slowly regaining control over the coronavirus, at least in terms of saving lives. However, the impacts of the pandemic will continue to affect several aspects of our world for a long time to come. This is especially noticeable in the business arena, which is why all company owners and execs must adapt to the changing landscape.

In truth, you’ve probably become acclimatized to making changes over the past year or so. Nonetheless, it is now clear that permanent updates may be required. Here are some of the most likely issues you could encounter and what to do about them.

Financial Hardships

Perhaps the most obvious problem that you are likely to face as a direct upshot of the pandemic relates to your finances. Unless you happen to own Amazon, it’s likely that your revenue figures have been a lot smaller than what you initially forecast. Therefore, it’s imperative that you take the right steps to counteract this.

The harsh reality is that a lot of companies will go under or find themselves. If the business has encountered major problems, it’s worth knowing the difference between chapter 7 and chapter 11 bankruptcy. Likewise, you may be able to seek grants or forms of financial support via government schemes.

When income levels have nosedived, the quickest way to counteract this is to reduce your spending. The key is to do it without compromising on productivity or output. Changing energy suppliers and using virtual meetings instead of traveling are good examples. If nothing else, it will allow you to price your products more competitively.

Team Management Issues

Effective recruitment and good communication sit at the heart of any business. Both aspects have been greatly impacted by the coronavirus. For starters, social distancing requirements in your location may limit your on-site numbers. Learning to embrace outsourcing and remote working can transform the venture. It’ll give you a strong platform to build upon.

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Assembling the right team is one thing, but managing them to unlock the company’s full potential is another altogether. Utilizing project management software is a particularly useful step. Meanwhile, removing time-wasting activities like unnecessary team meetings can generate even greater rewards.

Whether your employees are located on-site or around the world, team collaboration is vital. Therefore, you must also pay extra attention to the human element to build a team atmosphere. This can be done through training, away days, and other protocols. Aside from encouraging better productivity, it may enhance customer relations. Right now, this is vital.

Marketing Challenges

Consumer habits have naturally changed as a direct result of the pandemic. For starters, they are far less likely to window shop than they did in a pre-coronavirus era. Therefore, you will probably be faced with the prospect of having to completely alter your approach to branding and marketing. On a brighter note, this does create some amazing opportunities.

People now spend more time on their phones than ever before. Brands that successfully interact with their target audiences are set to thrive. You must familiarize yourself with the different stages on the path to conversion. After all, interest counts for very little if it is not followed by conversions. Social media likes alone don’t pay the bills.

SEO is naturally a great way to get traffic from hot leads. Meanwhile, partnering with social media influencers can help the brand reach new but similar audiences. Consumers may also put obstacles in the way of their proposed purchases. As such, you may want to use timed promotions and other ‘fear of missing out’ tactics to achieve more sales.

Selling Obstacles

Everything you do in business will ultimately link back to the goal of selling products and services to the clients. In these difficult times, you may find that the actual transactions are significantly different. Even if your shop layout has evolved, you may find that mobile POS terminals are an ideal way to maintain distancing. It lets sales teams offer a personal UX too.

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Now more than ever, the customer experience counts for a lot. In addition to actively seeking it, many consumers are prepared to pay more for it. Whether making a customer-centric home-business or adding multichannel client support doesn’t matter. When you show that the customers are valued, you will see positive results.

Personalization should play a central role at all times. Therefore, further updates may include translating your website or accepting more payment types. This can include repayment models, but only if you conduct the necessary credit checks on consumers. Losing a sale at the transaction stage due to not having the right systems in place would be a disaster.

Legal Obligations

Maintaining a safe work setting has always been a priority in business. The pandemic has posed a few new challenges. As such, you will be required to make adjustments in order to comply with legal regulations. The concept of capped on-site staff and customer numbers is only the start. 

Any workspace where customers or guests will enter the property will require sanitizing stations. They should be placed at the entry points and in key areas. Other safety protocols may include improved ventilation and the use of PPE. Risk assessments will ensure that your workspaces are ready to keep everybody safe throughout the next phase of the journey.

In addition to safety features, you’ll want to protect the assets. This is the perfect time to upgrade your automated security systems such as alarms and surveillance. It is also a good time to think about off-site data storage for increased security and improved financial efficiency. It won’t just help you through the pandemic but will serve you for years to come.

The Final Word

Whether you like it or not, the pandemic has changed your business forever. As such, you can no longer survive with temporary modifications and must invest in permanent improvements. The ideas above should set you on your way.

The road ahead might be a little bumpy. Still, with the right attitude, you’ve got this.

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Why You Should Buy A Car In 2021

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2020 was a year of the unexpected, and 2021 is shaping up to be an equally crazy time. The coronavirus pandemic has changed so much about our society, including the ways in which we work, travel, spend money, and communicate with each other. Many people have suffered throughout the past twelve months, and the hill is not quite climbed yet; nevertheless, we are starting to emerge from this crazy time, with vaccinations on the way and a light at the end of the tunnel.

While nobody can predict what 2021 will bring for us, one thing is for sure: the world won’t be going back to normal anytime soon. When it comes to traveling, we are all having to take extra precautions to ensure we aren’t spreading, or contracting, the coronavirus.

You might be thinking: what does this have to do with buying a car? You’re going to find out!

A Safer Way To Travel During A Pandemic

If you love traveling, you might be feeling daunted at the idea of getting on a plane or train in the current circumstances. We all love getting away for a break, but for some people, the concept of being on a crowded plane is nauseating to say the least. We are all hyper-aware of what we can pass to one another, and it is definitely putting people off buying plane or train tickets right now.

With a car, you can safely travel from A to B without having to worry about the virus. Plus, driving is far more environmentally friendly than taking air travel, meaning you are making a positive contribution to sustainability by doing so! You could take a road trip across the country instead of flying – that way, you get to see the sights too. 

Cars Are Becoming More Sustainable Than Ever

You might have avoided owning a car in the past, purely due to the fact that it isn’t good for the environment. While this is a fair enough reason, the truth is, cars are becoming more and more sustainable and eco-friendly. In fact, driving a hybrid car or an electric car is a very environmentally friendly way of getting around, making it easier to stay eco-friendly as you travel.

There Are Great Financing Options Available

Some people have been unable to afford a car in the past, due to inaccessible or inflated financing costs. However, you can buy a brand new car in 2021 with interest-free financing, making it easier to afford the car you really want. 

Financing your car allows you to pay monthly rather than all at once. This means that if you find your dream car, such as the 2021 Sonata for sale, you can pay in installments, allowing you to plan financially for the next few years in a simple way!

Final Thoughts

If you have previously avoided buying a car before 2021, you might be starting to rethink things. Driving a car is safer during the pandemic, and can be done affordably and sustainably this year and beyond!

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5 Things to Bloggers Need the PR Industry to Know

Please note, this post is being sponsored by Diamond Bloggers. All opinions are my own. Thank you.

 

 

Most of us remember the days when journalists held the key to a company’s earned publicity. Companies hired PR personnel to cultivate relationships with journalists and land coveted print and communication placements. Because with influencers growing purchasing behavior, they have become the gatekeepers to your audience. Which is why build strong relationships with online influencers are key.

As a blogger myself I know this first-hand how intricate the working blogger to PR relationship can be. If you too are looking for 5 ways your PR agency or company can reach out and better work with bloggers this year:

Bloggers know your audience

Bloggers understand the age, gender, location, interests, hobbies, and desires of your audience. These are the people you want to target your audience. They are the pulse of current social trends. Make sure to do your homework and work with bloggers who themselves fit the dynamic you are looking for in a potential online customer.

A great way to ensure a perfect blogger fit is by asking to see their lifestyle pr or cultivated media kit. The working tally of their readership’s demographic data, reach, analytics, and post sponsored work. Bloggers love sharing their portfolios and many even list them directly in their about me or disclosure section of their blogs. Never be afraid to ask to see their kits before working together!

You need to know what your offering to bloggers

Before reaching out to bloggers it’s best to have already determined what it is that you want to offer the blogger in exchange for them to do a blog post on your company or what shared information you are looking for on their social channels.

You may be thinking that a compelling interview, interesting infographic, and entertaining video would be enough. This is not the case. Bloggers should be provided with a sample of your product or service, a giveaway that they can share with their readers, and monetary compensation. Or a mix of all three. You’re looking for a total figure equals to a blogger’s current rate of promotion.

Also making sure to never ask bloggers to recommend services and products they themselves have never experienced, sampled, or used in their homes or businesses. It’s disingenuous. To your business and our readership’s time and money, respectfully.

Bloggers require funding for publicity and PR agencies and businesses to utilize their platforms. Writing to bloggers stating that “we don’t have the budget for that at this time,” is just in poor taste. It’s manipulation. When the brevity of the situation is that you don’t want to budget blogger fees in your current business plan because you’re seeking free publicity.

Bloggers may not openly say this, but they all think it: That it’s not a blogger’s responsibility to help you meet your budgets. To offer you free publicity at the expense of their own time, income, and platform. Unless you can compensate bloggers for their time, don’t reach out at all.

After all, we are not journalists. Blogging is our livelihood. Our time, value, and worth is far greater than earned publicity. Would you work for acknowledgments? Neither should we.

You might need to audit your current Blogger relationships

 Do you have any current blogger relationships? If so, make sure you are checking in with your bloggers quarterly. Feel free to ask them what they want to hear about from your company and what would make a compelling blog post. Also, ask them to recommend other blogger friends that might be interested in learning about your brand.

You need to take time to build your own lists

Blogger outreach is a time investment. Especially if you are manually researching and building lists of the bloggers you are going to contact. It’s worth investing time in finding relevant bloggers in your specific niche. Social media is a great place to start, as hashtags can help you narrow down your search greatly online. Once you’ve found your bloggers, spend some time developing your own list as to why these bloggers will want to work with your company. This will help you better pitch bloggers.

You need to learn what Bloggers want

Bloggers, like people, want personalized attention. Before reach out to them get an idea of their specific interests, needs, and life circumstances. Bloggers about me section will be a goldmine for you in this area. When it comes time to contact them, tailor, and personalize your pitch. Making sure to address them by name. I can personally attest that generic pitches are often deleted in my own business inbox.

Bloggers have come to expect one-on-one professionalism. We expect to be pitched with offers tailored to our blogs and for sponsorships we can adequately and reasonably promote.

A great first step is to directly introduce yourself via email, say hello through direct social media messaging, and be accessible in the days to come. Allow bloggers time to respond to you before circling back around with errant pitches. It also goes without saying that a please and thank you will take you far in life. Especially with bloggers.

A nice touch might be sending them a thoughtful email, handwritten letter, or even a discount code so they can continue using your product or service. I cannot tell you how much of a letdown it is to finish a post, gift guide, or media scheduling onto to hear crickets from PR agencies or agents. It’s tantamount to usury. Blogging is nothing but a symbiotic relationship.

This is why keeping in contact with bloggers and influencers is a great strategy for future blogger outreach campaigns. Don’t make it a one-and-done project. Touch base. Schmooze. Be a helpful resource for topics they are interested in, and maintain ongoing partnerships this year. Bloggers will work harder when they feel they are in a relationship with businesses and agencies.

Now I want to ask, what do you think has been your greatest misconception about working with bloggers from a PR perspective? I’d love to hear about it below!

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