How To Publish Ebooks For Amazon Kindle Customers

Electronic books have become even more popular than ever before thanks to the easy access to mobile devices. Ebooks are available on many different types of devices, including cell phones. If you’re thinking about creating an eBook or have already created one, it’s time to learn more about getting it published. Using a reputable resource such as Amazon for digital publishing is the best way to get started.

As an author, it is rewarding to finally see your work published and available to thousands of people.

 Amazon.com makes it easy to access their publishing tools and they reach millions of potential buyers for your niche eBook.

 You don’t even have to know HTML formatting or other formats because Amazon has made it easy for everyone.

Writers typically don’t want to lose time with the technical aspects of publishing so this is the perfect solution.

Amazon.com has already sold over a quarter of a million Kindle eBook readers which is the tool used by many people to read books.

With that number increasing every day, it’s easy to see why publishing on Amazon can be financially lucrative. It’s a tremendous opportunity to reach an audience that is already seeking electronic books.

The Kindle is a wireless device that allows people to purchase books and download them for reading at any time.  The device does not have to be connected to a computer so that makes it very appealing to people who are on the go.

Books published on Amazon.com are sold to customers who read the books with their Kindle readers. The good news is that you can write your eBook without having a Kindle, but then you can upload the content to be read by a Kindle.

Using Microsoft Word is a popular format for eBooks uploaded to Amazon.com. The content is converted automatically once you upload it to the website.

Amazon.com also offers MobiPocket Creator Software for eBook creation and publishing. The software is free and just like Kindle publishing, it is easy to follow the directions provided on the website by Amazon.com.

Logging in to the Amazon Digital Text Platform is the first step in the process. If you aren’t already registered, you can easily register in a matter of minutes.

Then you are ready to upload your content, review what customers will see, edit and make any necessary changes, and publish your book. It is really that simple.

You get paid a 35% royalty percentage on retail sales of your eBooks based on today’s terms with Amazon.com (since terms may change quickly, be sure and check out the current royalty percentage paid to authors).

 Amazon may decide to offer your book at a discount price in the future and this could increase sales. The good news is that sales increase but you still get the set percentage of YOUR original list price.

Amazon takes the hit on the lower price – not you. Before you decide that publishing is too technical and complex for you, check out the easy publishing resource on Amazon.com.

Visit their Amazon Digital Text Platform for more information and get started on your publication today.

Once you succeed with your first eBook, you’ll be inspired to write many more. Happy writing and publishing. Have a Wonderful Day.

How To Setup Ebooks For Sale On The Amazon

More and more people are using electronic means to keep up with the fast-paced world today.

That makes Ebooks the perfect solution for people ‘on the go’. They can quickly download an Ebook and read it at their leisure, while traveling, spending time between business meetings, and any other time they choose. 

Amazon makes it quick and easy for aspiring publishers to upload their Ebooks for sale to millions of potential customers.

To get started, you simply need to register for an Amazon account.
It only takes a few seconds and you are ready to enter the world of publishing with your Ebook.

One of the most important things you will encounter when preparing your Ebook for sale on Amazon is pricing. You spent a lot of valuable time creating a book for a specific audience and now it’s time to reap your rewards. 

Setting your price takes consideration for the subject matter, the intended audience, and the timeliness of the information.

Think about what people are willing to pay for the content and compare pricing to others with similar publications on the market. As the publisher of the Ebook, Amazon will reimburse you a set percentage of the suggested retail price of the book. 

The good news is that you have complete control over setting that retail price so you can determine your estimated earnings based on this information.

 Amazon provides terms and conditions that must be adhered to, but other than that, you have freedom to set your price. Establishing a price that is commensurate with the value of the Ebook content will help ensure that sales are successful.

Over time, you may decide to change your list price and adjust it upward or downward based on sales or other factors. You can easily change the list price on Amazon. Visit the “My Shelf” tab on the dashboard to make changes.

It just takes a click of the mouse to enter a new price and then you’re done.

Once you set the suggested retail price, which is the list price, your book is promoted through the Kindle Store on Amazon. This is where Ebook content is sold and it is an invoice-free service. This means that Amazon pays you automatically based on the sales of the product.

Amazon makes it easy for you to receive payment because 60 days following the end of the calendar month, any payments due to you are automatically sent to you by electronic funds transfer (ETF) to a  bank. As an author, creating your Ebook content is a rewarding experience. And as a publisher, you will enjoy seeing your content being promoted across the Internet and around the world.

Once you begin receiving the financial benefits of your work, you’ll want to fill your bookshelf on Amazon with even more great books.
All the best.

How Publishers Can Earn Money With The Amazon Advantage

Have you decided you want to get into the book publishing business after creating your own eBooks but aren’t sure how to get started?

 If you could reach millions of people simply by spending a little time uploading your content, editing, pricing, and publishing a book, would it be worth your time?

Absolutely!

And now it’s easier than ever with Amazon and their Digital Publishing Tool (DPT).

It is easier than you may think to publish books and Amazon has made it easily accessible for anyone.

Self-publishers are able to quickly get their content uploaded and formatted for publication.


Imagine seeing your books on the ‘best seller’ list.

The standard DPT publishing tool pays you a percentage of your sales.

However, there is also a program called Amazon Advantage which allows you to make a higher percentage of retail (list price) when you join.

Just like their traditional publishing tool, Amazon Advantage is easy to use.

Uploading your content, editing, pricing, and publishing are simple steps and they guide you through the process.

The Amazon Advantage model is a consignment sales model meaning payments are based on how many books are sold to customers.

You receive automatic payment when books are purchased and money is deposited in your bank account through electronic transfers, just like the original DPT program with Amazon.

As of this writing, the percentage paid through Amazon Advantage is 45% of retail and the original DPT program is 35% (check current pricing models and percentage paid to authors since it may change periodically).

 If you have distribution rights to your book and a scannable bar code of the ISBN, you are eligible for Amazon Advantage.

There is an annual fee to participate in Advantage (about $29.95 as of this writing) and it is deducted from your account automatically.

 But you also have access to a massive audience and you receive a higher percentage of retail sales prices than other options.

If you’re considering publishing several books and you believe you have a good focused niche market, it is recommended that you consider the Advantage program with Amazon.

Your rewards will be great when you see your book published and presented to millions of potential customers.

For more information about Amazon and the Amazon Advantage program, search google.

If you want information on the original Amazon publishing tool that carries no annual fee, check out the link and find out more at the Amazon Digital Text Platform “Quick Start Guide”.

8 Ways To Enhance Salary Negotiation Skills

Congratulations! You've landed the job. Now to take home the package that is most commensurate with your skills, ability, experience and the job responsibilities.

Yes, do negotiate.

Employers actually EXPECT you to negotiate your package even when they pretend they don't so don't deprive them, or yourself, of that pleasure.

1. Negotiate After You Have An Offer

The time to negotiate your salary is after the employer has decided he wants you on board and has made you a concrete offer - not in the elevator on the way up to the Interview or after an interview question you think you've particularly aced.

An offer indicates that the employer wants you on board and is convinced you have the skill set and potential to be a valuable addition to the team.

You now have the upper hand and should use it to secure a compensation package commensurate with your worth.


 It is far easier to negotiate a satisfactory package at this stage when the employer really wants you and is focused on getting you on board, than after you are on board and firmly entrenched at a given salary level and job description.

It is unlikely you will ever be in a better position to negotiate a good package than you are at this stage.

2. Establish Job Responsibilities

Clarify your job responsibilities before beginning to negotiate the compensation.

Make sure you have all the facts pertaining to the new position and are very clear about your role, responsibilities and the job title.

 This detailed knowledge of the position will come in handy as you negotiate your package.

3. Determine Your Salary Range Beforehand

Before you can begin negotiating, you need to determine a salary range that you can base your discussions with the employer on.

Firstly, determine the minimum salary you could possibly accept, and make sure this is a salary that you can survive on.

This minimum is not to be revealed to the employer in your negotiations.

Next, determine a reasonable mid-point salary based on what the job responsibilities are, what you have to offer the employer and what you are worth in the market.

To get a realistic idea of what the position is worth, research the market.

Look at published annual salary surveys and job ads for similar positions in newspapers, magazines and on internet job sites and talk to friends in the industry and recruitment agents.

 If you are applying to a position at the right level, there should not be a large discrepancy between what the position is worth based on your research and what you are worth based on your experience, education, compensation history and what you have to offer the position.

Finally, determine an extremely generous salary level that is not too unrealistic for the position and that you would be extremely ecstatically happy to receive.

4. Get the Employer to Reveal his Hand First

Always get your employer to reveal his hand first to avoid pricing yourself out of the game or limiting the discussions prematurely.

If you are first to put a number on the table, you run the risk of being perceived as 'overqualified' if your range is too high or casting doubts on your professional abilities and track record if you short sell yourself.

 Revealing your expectations or salary history will limit your negotiating range and remove a lot of the leverage you otherwise have.

Often, the employer will make you a verbal offer and throw the salary ball into your field by asking you what salary you expect, or what salary you made in your previous position.

 Try to throw the ball right back in the employer's field by countering with another question, such as "What do you think someone with my track record, experience and skills could make in this position?" or "You now have a good idea of my skills and track record and potential.

What do you think is a fair salary given the job's requirements and responsibilities?"

Do not reveal your previous salary if you can possibly help it.

Focus the discussion instead on what your background, responsibilities and potential contributions are worth in this position.

Your goal should be to maximize your worth and potential value to this employer through effective negotiation - the value your previous employer placed on you should be irrelevant.

 Remember, what you are worth to this employer is a function of the value-added you can bring to this particular job and your potential contributions in the new role, not a function of how your skills were utilized (or less utilized) in the last job.

If absolutely pressed for a number and the employer will not give you an idea of his target range despite all your best efforts to gain the upper hand, you can present the employer with the range you have determined beforehand.

The 'expected' salary range you reveal will have what is really your midpoint as the minimum, with the upper bound representing your 'dream' salary.

Make sure you always start your negotiations with a range, not a specific salary level.

5. Let the Games Begin

You are now officially at the starting line, equipped with a verbal offer, your own well-studied salary range and a solid understanding of your job responsibilities in this new role.

The negotiations will be fired either with the employer revealing his salary range for the position or, despite all your best efforts to reverse the roles, you revealing your predetermined 'expected' salary range first.

Best case scenario: You have played your cards right and the employer extends you an offer that is at the upper bound or significantly above your expectations.

 Your downside risk has been eliminated and you can now focus your discussions on making a good situation even better.

 If your predetermined salary range was $75,000-$90,000 and the employer has offered you $90,000 - $95,000, you can counter with something akin to "That is close to the range I had in mind.

My expectations given my background and the job responsibilities were closer to $95,000 - $105,000 with $95,000 really having been my very minimum. How much flexibility do you have on the upside?"

Worst case scenario: You have prematurely limited your negotiating range by revealing your hand too soon and the employer counters with a lower range, or the employer starts the negotiations with an offer below your expectations.

This is where your negotiating savvy really comes into play.

Before you begin to negotiate, make sure you and the employer are roughly in the same ballpark.

If your well researched and well thought out range of $75-90,000 was met with an offer of $50-55,000 from the employer, you have either misconstrued the job responsibilities or the employer is paying significantly below the market.

This is where your minimum salary comes in.

Does the range meet your minimum threshold?

If not and your negotiations don't bring you up to that minimum requirement, this may well be the wrong position and/or company for you!

6. Justify Your Counter-Offer

Your $75-90,000 range was met with a $70-75,000 offer from the employer. All is not lost.

You will keep the discussion alive by coming back with a sell proposition along the lines of "Well let me see, the job's responsibilities as I understand them are ABC" at which time you carefully recite in detail all the various aspects of the job.

"I really feel that someone with my track record and qualifications could be making a minimum of $75,000 on the job.

 I was actually looking for a salary much closer to the $80,000 mark."

You then proceed to justify your range.

 Confirm to the employer that you are very interested in working with the company and that you feel you would really fit into the team and could make a significant contribution there.

Recap on your most relevant work experience and mention again the skills you will immediately put to productive use on the job.

Mention that you feel your ideal salary is actually very realistic given your experience and the job requirements.

7. Gain Leverage by Negotiating the Job Responsibilities

If the employer's range is carved in stone despite all your well-rehearsed negotiation tactics, move to another stone.

You do this by altering the role, albeit modestly to justify a higher salary. This is where your detailed knowledge of the position comes in.

You can do this in three ways. Firstly, you can add to the list of job requirements a task or responsibility you have thought of beforehand; one that you have either read about, thought of yourself or heard about from a friend in the industry.

Secondly, you can seize on one of the problems the employer mentioned during the Interview and offer a solution that you would personally be responsible for.

Thirdly, you can ask the employer outright, what added responsibilities he would ideally like to have the person holding this job ultimately assume if they were brought up to speed quickly enough.

Another way to pose the latter question is what added responsibilities or areas does the employer wish your predecessor had taken charge of.

Asking the question "What are some of the areas you would like improved on" or "What are some of the problems that my predecessor faced" during the Interview comes in useful at this stage of the negotiations as you try to establish additional value-added ground.

The 'business solution' or added responsibility you come up with need not be monumental; in fact you should refrain from making any big promises.

It can be something as simple as a Marketing Executive offering to arrange a brief monthly newsletter for the firm's clients, or a database that would speed client reporting up, or a slightly revised format for the monthly reports that would be more visually appealing.

The important thing is that once you have elevated the position to a slightly higher plateau, you can then proceed to justify your 'ideal' salary as commensurate with the increased responsibilities.

 You can go back to the employer with "From what I understand, my role in this position would be XYZ.

However, I am also bringing to the job the following function(s) and responsibilities . . . " at which point you recant the additional responsibilities.

Justifying your desired salary as being commensurate with a higher level of responsibility is an excellent way to jump start stalled negotiations.

8. Negotiate the Package not just the Salary

You should be ready to negotiate the entire package, not just the salary.

Remember that you can enhance a less than stellar salary by negotiating the perks.

 If your most ardent, well-rehearsed salary negotiation tactics were ineffective at boosting the starting salary, you can try to gain the lost ground at this stage of the game.

Your discussions can include medical insurance, car and housing allowance, children's education, plane tickets home for expats, club memberships and further education and professional training for yourself.

Try to get any courses, seminars or further education you intend to take included in your package.

In many industries you can negotiate a guaranteed bonus at a given date or a sign-up bonus.

You can try to secure a commitment to a minimum salary increase and/or title promotion at a prespecified date in the future providing you meet certain performance criteria.

At the very minimum, you can ask for a performance (and salary) review a few months after joining.

Have a Splendid Day.

10 Questions You Should Not Ask At Job Interviews

You know enough to bring a list of questions to a job interview. When the interviewer asks you, "So, do you have any questions for me?" the last thing? You want to say is "No." But that could be the best option if you're at a loss for words, because some interview questions are better left unasked, It's Good You Ask the Right Questions Though..
Here are 10 highly unsuitable interview questions that should never make an appearance, unless you don't want the job:

1. "What does your company do?"

This was a reasonable interview question in 1950 or in 1980, before the Internet existed.

Today, it's your job to research any company you're interviewing with before setting foot in the door.

We need to show up for a job interview knowing what the employer does, who its competitors are, and which of its accomplishments (or challenges) have made the news lately.

2. "Are you going to do a background check?"

It is amazing how many job candidates ask this question, which provokes alarm on the part of the interviewer, instead of the more general, "Can you please tell me a little about your selection process, from this point on?"

 Lots of people have credit issues that cause them worry during a job search, or aren't sure how solid their references from a previous job might be.

If you're invited for a second interview, you can broach any sensitive topics from your past then.

Asking "Will you do a background check?" makes you look like a person with something to hide.

3. "When will I be eligible for a raise?"
Companies fear underpaying people almost as much as they fear overpaying them, because a person who's underpaid vis-a-vis his counterparts in the job market is a person with one eye on the career sites.
Instead of asking about your first raise before you've got the job, you can ask (at a second interview) "Does your organization do a conventional one-year performance and salary review?"
4. "Do you have any other jobs available?"

A job search requires quick thinking about straight talk, and if a job is far below your abilities, you're better off saying so than beating around the bush with this question.

You don't have to take yourself out of the running; you can say, "The job sounds interesting, but frankly I was earning 30% more and supervising people in my last job.

 Could you help me understand the career path for this role?" That's the cue for the interviewer, if he or she is on the ball, to highlight another job opening that might exist.

5. "How soon can I transfer to another position?"

You're broadcasting "I'm outta here at the first chance" when you ask this question. If you like the job, take the job. If it's not for you, wait for the right opportunity.

Almost every employer will keep you in your seat for at least one year before approving an internal transfer, so a job-search bait-and-switch probably won't work out the way you'd hoped.

6. "Can you tell me about bus lines to your facility?"

Get online and research this yourself. It's not your employer's problem to figure out how you get to work.

7. "Do you have smoking breaks?"

If you're working in retail or in a call center, you could ask about breaks.

Everyone else, keep mum; if your need to smoke intrudes so much on your work life that you feel the need to ask about it, ask your best friend or significant other for smoking-cessation help as a new-job present.

 Lots of companies don't permit smoking anywhere on the premises, and some don't like to hire smokers at all. Why give an employer a reason to turn you down?

8. "Is [my medical condition] covered under your insurance?"

This is a bad question on two counts. You don't want to tell a perfect stranger about your medical issues, especially one who's deciding whether or not to hire you.
Ask to see a copy of the company's benefits booklet when an offer has been extended.
This is also a bad question from a judgment standpoint; no department managers and only a tiny percentage of HR people could be expected to know on a condition-by-condition basis what's covered under the health plan.

 Anyway, your pre-existing condition won't be covered under most corporate plans for at least a year.

9. "Do you do a drug test?"
If you have a philosophical objection to drug tests, wait until they ask you to take a drug test and tell them about your objection. Otherwise, your question sounds like, "I'd fail a drug test," so don't ask.

10. "If you hire me, can I wait until [more than three weeks from now] to start the job?"

Employers expect you to give two weeks' notice. If you're not working, they'd love to see you more quickly.
If you ask for tons of time off before you start working -- unless you have a very good reason -- the employer may think, "How serious is this candidate about working?"
 In any case, a start-date extension is something to request after you've got the offer in hand, not before.

13 Impressive Questions You May Ask During A Job Interview

Are You Preparing For An Interview? You should ways be prepared for Questions.

 But you also may want to ask questions.

 Here are some questions you can ask to know what you're getting into.

1. Why is this position open? 

2. What level of experience or skill are you looking for in the person who fills this role?

3. What kind of training would be available?

4. What would my initial responsibilities on the job be?


5. What would a typical day look like in terms of projects, responsibilities, deadlines etc?

6. Can you tell me something about the team I would be working with?

7. What objectives would you like the person in this role to accomplish?

8. Is there a specific career progression path that I would have with your company?

9. What are some of the more difficult problems I might face in this role?

 10. What resources would the person in this role have in terms of support, budget etc.

11. What significant changes do you foresee in the company in the near future?

12. In what areas do you consider your company to have the greatest strength?

13. How would my performance be evaluated in this position?

All the Best.

7 Tips To Become Successful In e-Commerce

1) Never give up on your dreams – by Holly Becker
In this very inspirational article Holly shares her experience about her way to success. There was no elevator, she says and she had to take the stairs.

She continued climbing it, though everybody around was saying to give up. Now looking at her more than successful business, isn’t it wise to follow her advise?

2) It’s never too late – by Kelly Hoppen
For me it was very important to hear this. Of course, it might seem ridiculous at my 29, however I really needed these words and I will explain you why. Have you ever heard that young people learn driving much faster than old?
 Why do you think it happens – they are more clever or what? No, it’s just that they have no fear.
The older you are, the more fear is inside you.
Now I feel completely different than I was feeling at my 21, for example, when I thought that everything is possible, you just need to really want it. I was very determined and ambitious. I still am, however the weight of all my past failures is lying now on my shoulders, and of course I have become more conscious than before.
 Maybe I make less mistakes, but it takes me longer to succeed too.

3) Network, network, network
One more tip from Kelly. Online business despite is virtual is based on the same rules as the real one: you will never get a lot of customers until you start to spread a word about it.
 The best way is to do it in person. Of course Social Media is a good marketing tool, but… additional  tool. You can’t run a business solely relying on it. Personal contacts are always more productive and effective. Think about people who you know: relatives, friends, acquaintances.
 Think, if anybody of them can help you to promote your business or might be interested in the products you sell. Don’t feel shy to talk about your business with people you barely know – you never know what kind of opportunities they might bring.

4) Presentation is the key
Since the clients don’t have opportunity to see and touch the products, they should be able to understand everything from online presentation. Good photography is crucial here. It is preferable to have several photos of the product showing it from different sides and distances. Short pithy descriptions about the products are as much important as beautiful photos.

5) Research and Analyze
  Analyze where majority of your clients come from, which products are more successful than  the others and what makes them so. Once you learn this information, use it to develop your business further: focus on the profitable markets and goods to make them even more profitable.

6) Quantity and Quality
You can’t expect a buyer to stay long in you store if you have only a couple of products to sell.
The range of the products must be big enough to give your customer a choice.
However, here it is important not to sacrifice quality for quantity – it is better to gave few nice products than a big stock of nonsense.

7) Marketing is crucial
Perceive yourself as 24/7 marketing manager of your business.
Never get tired of promoting it and use every possible tool. Social media is really powerful and you shouldn’t neglect it. Make business page on Facebook, Twitter account,  join communities on Google+, post photos on Tumblr and Pinterest and participate in LinkedIn discussions.
Every day post at least one update about your business.
However don’t be focused only on yourself, engage with other people too.
If you run an online business, I hope these tips were helpful for you – I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts. What other keys to success can you name?
Now I am going to be very shameless but I really need your help to spread a word about my small business. I really appreciate your effort!







Source: http://essenziale-hd.com/2013/09/23/some-updates-on-my-boutique-and-7-tips-to-run-successful-online-store/

Top 10 Simple CV Mistakes To Avoid

The CV is often the first impression a hiring manager has of you and more often than not you will only have a few seconds to grab his/her attention and leave him/her wanting to read more and invite you in for an interview.

It is essential that you get this vital piece of communication right and use it as a springboard to the next stage of the job search.

The following, from the career experts, are some common CV mistakes to avoid at all costs.

 1. Insufficient contact details

Make sure your CV clearly details your full name, address and contact details for a prospective employer to reach you including phone numbers and email address.

This may sound obvious but remarkably, a few candidates will send their CV out omitting key contact information or with outdated contact details.

 If your email address reads particularly unprofessionally (eg hot-babe) or is a work email address it may be well worth while changing it for a different one to utilize for correspondence with employers.

2. No objective

Every CV should begin with a clear and concise objective citing the position you are seeking and a supporting short skills statement summarizing the reason you are highly qualified for this role; e.g. "Seeking a senior marketing analyst role where I can apply my 3 years experience in marketing analysis gained with a leading Fortune 500 FMCG company as well as my skills in copy writing, strategic analysis, business development, client servicing and media planning."

Remember, the goal of the CV is to outline what you can do for your prospective employer not what your employer can do for you.

3. Passive language

Remember to use active verbs that show leadership and accomplishments rather than weak passive words.

Words like achieved, spearheaded, managed, exceeded, pioneered, led, created, developed and motivated convey an active, dynamic successful professional.

Substitute all weak descriptive sentences for sentences that detail accomplishments in no uncertain terms eg instead of "Managed the firm's emerging markets equity portfolio" try "Managed and achieved a 34% annualized return on the firm's flagship USD200 million emerging markets equity portfolio."

4. Writing in the first person

Do not start sentences with the word 'I' or use the personal pronoun in your job descriptions.

Keep your sentences short and dynamic and begin them wherever possible with strong action words.

5. Lack of focus

Every CV should be focused on the particular job and industry you are targeting.

If you are applying to jobs in 2 different industries make sure you have different CVs that cater specifically to the different skills required in each industry.

 The best CVs are customized for the individual job at hand and emphasize objectives, skill sets, past accomplishments, aptitudes and qualifications that are uniquely relevant to that role. Generic, unfocused CVs rarely make the mark.

6. Poor formatting

Your CV will get no more than a cursory glance if the formatting is poor and it shows bad planning, poor organization or clutter.

Makes sure you adhere to an acceptable format that is professional, simple and attractive to the eye.

Use bullet points wherever possible rather than long, winding prose and be consistent with font, headings, spaces and layout.

Avoid the colored paper, illustrations and glitzy touches - if you are applying for a creative position show your creativity in your portfolio not by jazzing up your CV.

Aim to send your CV on high quality paper (if not on-line) and make sure it is no longer than 1 page if you are entry level and a maximum of 2 pages if you are a seasoned professional.

7. No proofreading

Spelling mistakes, poor grammar and glaring errors are a surefire way to get your CV dismissed and stop the job search process in its tracks.

Read and reread your CV before sending it to the employer, run a spell check and have some-one else read it for an extra check before sending it out.

8. Omission of key facts

Educational qualifications and professional experience must be included in your CV with proper dates, titles, institution names and descriptions.

Use plenty of keywords in describing your role and accomplishments in each job as well as in the Skills section - these will often be the hook that makes the difference between your CV being considered or overlooked, particularly with an online employer CV search.

If you are unsure what keywords to use, read the job description thoroughly, read detailed job descriptions for similar jobs with other companies and ask peers in the industry what skills/qualifications are particularly relevant for this role.

9. Lies

Lies and half-truths will be discovered sooner or later and you are better off omitting them from the
start.

If you have not finished a university degree make that clear on your CV without neglecting to include the coursework you did complete and the educational accomplishments you do have.

 Similarly do not list promotions, jobs, titles, dates or job descriptions that do not accurately reflect your work history.

Most companies run very detailed background checks and lies and exaggerations that are not glaringly obvious on the CV or at the interview will often be discovered at the reference or background check.

10. Poor targeting

Make sure you send your CV to the right person at the company and accompany it with a short, concise cover letter that personalizes it and summarizes your skills, objectives and the value you will bring to the job.

 Spend some time researching who heads the division you are targeting and what the most relevant skills are to target in your correspondence and send your introductory CV and cover letter directly to them.

Your CV is more likely than not to be disregarded completely if you send it to the wrong person or to a nameless "To whom it may concern".

The Internet In 60 Seconds ( 2022 Update)

The year 2020, the statistics below have doubled if not tripled, especially with the corona virus pandemic that led to quarantine and lock down in most countries all over the world. Below still shows an insight of internet activities before now. 

A minute might not seem like much in the life of the Internet, but the info below shows just how much happens in just 60 seconds.

In about the time it will take you to read this blog post there will be:

    5,000,000 searches on Google
    4,460,000 Facebook updates
    25,000 minutes of calls on Skype
    577,000 tweets, 50,000 posts on Tumblr
    70,141 hours of music streaming on Pandora
    47,000 new ads on Craigslist
    41,000 pictures uploaded to Flickr
    100,000 new blog posts
    55,000 new YouTube videos…

…and people are still joining in the global conversation.  Every minute:
   900 new Twitter accounts are registered 500 new LinkedIn accounts re opened
    And 200 new blogs were created


Perhaps most mind blowing of all: Over 400 million emails are sent every 60 seconds!

This infographic is from late 2016, so all of these numbers have almost certainly increased since then since the Internet continues to grow.

Here is another cool Infographic called Every Minute of the day on the Internet.

It claims that every 60 seconds: 984,478 pieces of content are shared on Facebook
    Over 4 million search queries are made on Google
    78 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube
    51,000 apps are downloaded from the App Store
    230,000 photos are shared on Instagram
    900 new websites are created

…and perhaps most impressively, $1,000,000 is spent by consumers on web shopping.

But the fun does not here!  


Intel also created an infographic about 60 seconds on the internet as well called What happens in an Internet minute.

Take the above stats into consideration and realize how massive the opportunity of an online business can be.

The Internet is so massive all you need is a small slice of the pie to create a strong and successful business!


Have a wonderful day..

12 Tips To Survive Tough Interviews

You read the books, did your research, knew what to expect and impressed the HR recruiters and line managers equally. So much so in fact that they have now been elevated to a different level of questioning altogether; you have made it the final round, the lion’s ring, the platinum enclave, and the employer is now trying to determine if you really are as perfect, as unquestionably suited for the job as you seem to be. In the most professional behavioral based interviews you will often not even be aware of the exact behavior or history of behaviors the interviewer is probing for or trying to ascertain.
Below are some of the questions/tactics you might expect during a really tough interview as the employer struggles with the decision of are you really the right candidate for the job are have you simply memorized the latest Interview Skills Almanac and rehearsed at length with the Interview Brigade.

1. Silence

The silence left by an interviewer is not an invitation to babble or a license to ramble. In fact, it is a calculated tactic used by many a sophisticated employer to make you do precisely that. Avoid breaking the silence and above all don’t lose your cool. Stay casual and relaxed, maintain your friendly demeanor and wait for the employer to break the silence. Remember in an interview the nonverbal cues you give are being observed as closely as your words, tone and diction.

2. Tell Me A Little About Yourself

Stick to business and to those aspects of yourself that specifically related to the job at hand. This is not the time to pretend to enjoy soccer if you don’t know how many people play in a team, who won the last World Cup and what the rules of the game are.
Nor is it the time to reveal personal information that has no bearing to the professional setting and might impede your chances of success. This is your chance to really sell yourself and expound on all those character traits, accomplishments and success stories that have a direct bearing on the job.
Reassert why you are there and your interest in the position and reaffirm why you are uniquely qualified and suitable for the role at hand. Substantiate your claims with concrete and positive examples from your past experience that reflect on your abilities, aptitudes and values. Show that you understand the requirements of the role and portray yourself in the best light possible to occupy that role by virtue of your goals, interests,strengths, skills and past successes.

3. Tell Me a Story

Trust us, the interviewer is not interested at this specific moment in pop culture, nursery rhymes or the sequel to the latest blockbuster.
He is interested in his bottom line and in finding a candidate who can augment that while being a pleasant and welcome member of the team.
 Stay focused on why you are there and what the interviewer is looking for.
Asking a question to get the conversation back on the most relevant professional track is your best course of action.
“What would you like to hear about?” may narrow the parameters but then again the interviewer may not be forthcoming.
 You can then volunteer “Can I tell you about why I am here today and why I truly believe I am uniquely suitable for this specific job” and proceed to reiterate with passion and sincerity why you firmly believe you are unequivocally the best person for the job.

4. Why Should We Hire You?

This question delivered sometimes in a condescending manner may come at a late stage of the interview by which time you thought you’d already expounded on all your virtues or it may be used as a shocker right at the beginning. Either way don’t be discouraged or exasperated. Use it to drive home exactly why you believe you are uniquely and fundamentally and beyond any shade of a doubt qualified for the very specific role being discussed. This is where your homework comes into play and you need to really understand what the employer is looking for in terms of skills, strengths, values, track record and cultural fit. Align your goals and interests with the employer’s and reiterate that you are confident you can not only meet the deliverables and perform the requirements of the role but really excel!
Show confidence, enthusiasm and energy without being boastful or arrogant. Above all be sincere.
Your sincere and honest interest in the job and faith that you will perform beyond all your expectations will communicate itself to the employer better than any canned superlatives and coined metaphors.

5. What kind of people do you find it difficult to work with?

Every workplace has its unique personalities and character profiles, some less ideal to work with than others. This is not the time to point fingers, generalize, compartmentalize or wax lyrical about your ideal team environment. Show you are tolerant, flexible, easygoing and able to get along with practically anyone and resolve conflicts professionally and productively.
Say you understand everyone brings to the table their very own skills, strengths and experiences, that you enjoy the challenge of working with new people and can really appreciate the differences.
 Emphasize that you are a team player who enjoys interacting with and bouncing ideas off of others and thrives on the feedback and reinforcement, the energy and vitality inherent in effective and collaborative teamwork.

6. How do you handle stress?

Stress is an inevitable part of life and the employer needs to hear you realize that and have already mastered the art of recognizing stress and coping with it effectively.
 Mention that you take time to really think through a situation before reacting and never allow matters to blow out of proportion or lose your calm. Give an example of a particularly stressful project you worked on and how you managed to reduce the stress level through proper planning, organization time management. Show you have an arsenal of real stress-busting habits too which successfully serve you in ameliorating stress whether they be yoga, running once a week, meditation at night, swimming, meeting up with friends, or some other sport, hobby or activity that shows you positively for the well-rounded person you are.

7. What was your biggest failure?

Obviously this is potentially your opportunity to talk yourself out of the job so be very careful and above all don’t bring up a failure that has any impact or ramifications whatsoever on the job at hand.
You may bring up something relatively insignificant that happened very early in your career and turn it into a story of remedial action and great success as directly affects and impacts your potential for contribution to the present job. Demonstrate that you have dramatically learned and grew from that experience. You may mention for instance a formal training program you really wanted to get into that you were not permitted to join and how that forced you to pursue your own learning tangent which actually proved much more rich, fruitful and relevant to your chosen career path.
Or talk about an account you lost very early on in your career due to sheer inexperience and how you instantly took remedial action, learned from your mistakes, took the counsel and advice of your boss and mentors and won the account back and have since made them into one of your biggest customers.

8. To what do you attribute your success?

The interviewer probably wants to verify that you really are successful professional at this stage by gauging your sincerity when you respond to this question. He/she is also interested in your value system and character. Mention some of the values you hold most dear to you – honesty, integrity, character, discipline, and mention that you are an energetic, ambitious “doer” who has always been very persistent, organized and disciplined in setting and meeting goals.
Don’t be arrogant or over-confident when answering this question or ramble on endlessly as this is also a “likability” question. Remember to attribute some of the success to the wonderful people you have been blessed to work/ learn with – whether it is a unique boss, mentor, teacher, peer or group of people.

9. Describe a situation where you were faced with a problem that had no precedent?

This question probes your problem-solving and analytical skills.
How well can you think outside the box, wrap your mind around a particular quandary, get the full measure of it and formulate the means and method to resolve it in an exemplary fashion?
 This question is especially relevant in the case of start-up companies or divisions, consultancy roles and many positions which require braving uncharted territory and designing new systems and procedures and operating apparatus.
You need to show creativity, clarity of thought, confidence in your analytical and problem-solving skills and willingness to take a risk and create your own precedent.

10. How do you deal with difficult customers?

Give an example of a difficult client you had to work with and how you maintained the relationship and made it profitable by really listening to him, respecting his needs, issues and constraints, following-up rigorously, maintaining very high professional standards and not allowing ego to get in the way.
Chose an example where you were able to really turn the situation around to everyone’s advantage.

11. What has been your greatest accomplishment?

Choose a significant success story and make sure you position it in terms of how it positively impacts your potential for success in the new role. Give facts and figures to elaborate if possible.
You may want to talk about winning the most important account in the industry if that is relevant to the job at hand, about your relationships with clients which have won you an unrivaled track record at client retention, or about exceeding ambitions goals through hard work, perseverance, client follow-up, effective communication and cohesive teamwork.
Show how you mobilized resources and gained approvals and how you then carried through to successful implementation and follow-up without losing sight of either the big picture or the details and while effectively negotiating several difficulties on the way.

12. What is your ideal work environment?

Emphasize your flexibility and your ability to be productive, happy and efficient in any number of environments. This is not the time to demand the corner office with the park view or uninterrupted close-door policy.
Versatility goes a long way in today’s fluid workplaces and you need to show that you are able to focus on the job at hand and “fit in” seamlessly regardless of extraneous factors be they the physical surroundings, team dynamics or general level of noise and activity in the office.
Indicate examples of how you have managed to excel in the past in sub optimal work environments and done so quite happily. Convey that you like the challenge of fitting into a new role and know from your history and track record that you can adapt immediately regardless of the environment.

6 Steps To Start Your Price Action Trading Journey

So you’ve acquired an interest in price action forex trading and you want to get started as soon as possible, but you aren’t quite sure how to begin, or perhaps you aren’t quite sure if what you are currently doing is getting you started on the right track.

Does this sound like you? If so, read on, because today’s article is going to take you step by step through the very beginning stages of learning to trade forex with price action.

 I am going to lay out in very clear terms exactly what you should do to get your forex trading career off and running to a solid start. Let’s get started…

After Reading – Please Remember to Make A Comment Below to Show Your Support.

The first thing you need to do after deciding you want to learn how to trade the forex market, is find a trading strategy or trading setup that makes logical sense to you and that you know has worked for other traders.

Once you find this strategy, study it intensely, focus in on the main concepts and don’t deviate from your chosen strategy; genuinely focus and embrace it.

Too often beginning forex traders will switch trading strategies after not really giving the current one they are using a serious effort.

 No trading strategy is going to bring you instant success without any study and effort, and the ones that claim to do this are almost certainly scams.

If you want to learn how to trade the forex market with price action strategies, then you need to truly commit to this trading strategy and embrace it completely, don’t get distracted by the myriad of other trading systems and strategies out there, you must put all of your focus and mental energy into mastering the art and skill of price action if you want to be a consistently profitable price action trader.

2. Begin your forex education and begin demo trading…

Now that you have picked your forex trading strategy it is time to find a quality source of forex trading education on the particular strategy you want to learn to trade with.

Once you find a trusted and genuine forex trading education source, you should begin to absorb and learn from all the materials they offer.

While you are studying this material you should be observing the charts, watching the price action, and generally studying how the concepts you are learning apply to real-time price movement.

You can open a demo account to get this process rolling; begin taking notes and logging any demo trades that you take which are in-line with the concepts of the forex trading strategy you are learning.

You can record your demo trades in a spreadsheet or notebook, include a snapshot of the chart containing the demo-trade setup that you took, save it in a folder on your computer or print it out to use as a reference later on.

3. Begin to morph your demo-trade observations into a draft forex trading plan…

As you build your demo-trading track record and you get a decent amount of trades logged, you will begin to notice that some trade setups worked better than others in certain market conditions.

Keep record of the types of setups that you see working most often, record the specific setup and the market conditions that it formed in (trending/consolidating/quiet/volatile), make sure you note all important factors in these records; the type of signal or setup, the direction of the market at the time of entry and exit, nearby levels that acted as turning points, note the time frame, and make sure you record the potential risk / reward that these setups are providing.

By doing this you are building the basic foundations of your trading journal that we discussed in step 2, this will become your actual trading plan later on as you progress and master the trading strategy you have chosen.

This 3rd step of building your trading journal and drafting your trading plan is essentially just about you making and recording observations of things you see working in the market, according to the concepts you have learned in your trading strategy educational material.

Record as much as you can and keep it all for later reference, this step is about learning to use the concepts of the trading strategy that you will employ, so figuring out what works and why, is very important in building your final forex trading plan.

4. Start trading with your draft plan…

Now that you have a draft forex trading plan, it is time to start logging your demo trades officially; as if you were trading them for real.

At this point you are training yourself to stick to the basic concepts in your trading plan, during this period you will also be tweaking and improving your trading plan; adding the finishing touches.
 This means you will really be focusing on and recording the concepts that you see really working and that you understand clearly, this will work to solidify your trading plan.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions of your trading mentor or trading peers at this point, if you feel like you need to study more and go back and re-read or re-watch the educational materials that you learned from, then by all means do it, you want to make sure you thoroughly understand all the concepts now and that you are completely happy and confident with your trading plan.

5. Finalize your trading plan…

At this point you want to finalize your draft trading plan and trading experiences into a final forex trading plan.

If you are a price action trading student your plan should focus on one or two core price action setups, after you finalize your trading plan you should repeat the process from step 4; log demo trades and keep up your study and discussion with peers and mentors.

By this final step you will likely have simplified and condensed your thoughts and ideas from the earlier stages of your forex trading educational journey; at this point it is time to begin implementing and testing risk reward and money management techniques on the trading strategies in your trading plan.

6. Making it all work…

Implementing all of the steps above will not mean much if you are not using an effective forex trading strategy like price action.  

Learning to master the charts by gaining a thorough understanding of daily price dynamics in the forex market will allow you to clearly see what is happening in the market at any given point in time.

The simple and realistic approach of learning to trade off naturally occurring price action setups is a trading strategy that has been effectively used for hundreds of years.

 Once you are properly trained in the unique and proprietary way that I personally have successfully traded price action for years, the setups that I teach will begin to “jump” off the chart at you; practically begging you to trade them.

 There is no confusion or doubt once you become a proficient price action trader, this is because you are trading with the first-hand data of the market; pure price action.

SOURCE:http://www.learntotradethemarket.com/forex-currency-trading-blog/how-to-start-your-price-action-trading-journey

5 Offline Lead Generation Ideas For Your Small Business

Building streams of leads from multiple marketing channels can help you explode your small business profits.
Too many business owners stick with one or two lead generation techniques, and only experience limited success.
Lead generation is a numbers game, so the more leads you can bring into your sales funnel, the more likely you will be to close more business.
Here are 5 offline lead generation ideas you might consider using.

1. Send mailings – Sending mailings to targeted lists can be extremely cost-effective. Use the principles of direct-response advertising by including an attention-grabbing headline, attractive offer, and call to action. Always use your recipient’s name and personalize the mailing as much as you can. If you purchase a mailing list, test small batches rigorously before spending a lot to mail to everyone. The wrong message to a poor, unresponsive list can translate into a lot of wasted money. 
2. Send personal letters – Personal letters work well for introducing yourself to business executives, as a cover letter for your marketing materials or special report, or as a “thank you” for products and services recently purchased. Personalized letters work better than standard mass mailings. If you introduce yourself, include a paragraph about your recipient’s business and how you’ve helped companies like theirs. If you send a thank you note, mention what they bought and offer tips for how they can use their product or service better. Always hand sign the note.
3. Give out brochures – If you sell high-end services, your prospects may expect a brochure.   The best brochures focus on prospects’ problems and are designed to sell, not brag about your company. Use a persuasive headline, copy that walks prospects through key questions they have in their buying process, and a call to action that prompts them to take the next step. Your design (the high-quality paper, nice graphics and full-color printing) should be the finishing touch, not your selling point. Your words, not your design, will make or break the piece.
4. Add an invoice stuffer – If you send paper invoices to clients, add a second sheet that announces an upcoming sale, upsells a product or service, or offers a coupon or special discount. These act like free advertising because you will still be paying for postage to mail the invoice.
5. Send a postcard – Postcards offer a number of advantages over mailings and letters. They are cheaper to produce, cost less to mail and don’t need to be opened. They can be great follow ups to send after sales letters or as part of a sequence to show off your portfolio.