Look at the type of business you choose and ask "do you see yourself doing it when you reach
retirement age"? Some business ventures need time to brew and some are immediate but your desire is what will push it. A lot of people who wish to start a business start it for various reasons and those reasons are what drives the implementation of it.
Some are happy at their current jobs but may wish to grow their life because they have envisioned that they may not be able to grow within the organisation they are in presently. Some start a business because they have a story to tell. Now how does this work? They wish to prove someone or a society that they are missing out on a vital aspect, these businesses are usually activist types and may end up being NGO's. Some start businesses because they wish to leave a legacy to their kids but the danger of it may be that the kids wouldn't take it up so make sure that your kids are a part of the business before they leave school or university. Family businesses do work but not without them being in it. An option is you can develop it and sell it.
Starting a business for job security isn't the best of options in my view as there is no security in owning a business except for emotional reasons such as pride in what you are doing because markets fluctuate. You will experience financial lifts and setbacks and it is during the ups you must prepare for the moments of downfalls. One can define security in various levels; for some it is in recognition even if they are not making much but enough. For me my reasons revolve around helping in changing the world to be a better place by creating jobs and opportunities for others as well as having what to do when i grow old and what will help me take care of my kids. Don't know if these personal reasons are good enough for you but for me it pushes me regardless of where i am at any stage in my business.
Some startup because they just want to be busy and some because they want to make money. For me being busy is a better reason as during financial lows many stop their ventures but those who want to be busy will keep at it even during financial lows. Most often entrepreneurs whether they are successful at their business or not at a stage find themselves very unhappy because we may have outgrown the passion behind why it all started in the first place. Set yourself Life present and future goals that one can use as landmarks. Look at business as a tool, this way you wouldn't be too anxious in slow times because you will see you are still achieving your life goals.
I am excited because i know who i am, what i am doing to get there and i wish the same for you.
Hiding your business idea is dangerous because ideas don't really belong to you alone, you will be surprised how many people have thought of the same thing. How? Someone in Europe may not have the same line of thought as some in Timbuktu but different experience can produce same needs/drive, the difference is in execution.
It helps if you have a grand project or dream you wish to bring to life. This is what will bind you and motivate you to push on in the face of adversity. Follow the dream; create your reality through your solution. It will get you back on track if you step out of track. The vision helps to bare the ups and downs.
Create a pipeline of new products: You have been working for someone for a few years and during that period you have been stumbling on complaints. Refresh an existing product by introducing new, exciting features; accessories are the kings of cash flow. A shirt with new buttons has a new life. The skill is to find various ways not to let go of a product, resell, renew, repackage, recycle, change cost or distribution to new markets. Come up with completely new ideas for products.
You may have also heard when they say "there is more than one way to skin a cat" find your way; innovation is the art of creation. Service brands are about; what is done, when it is done, who does it. Freelancers usually perform services but then you can become a solution developer. This is the moment where most beginners fail at selling a service. You need to tell a story with your solution. Remember you can’t see a service.
An experiment was conducted on a One year old. There were 3 types of liquids; Milk, Water & Sprite. She threw away the milk got tired of it! She has it every day. Then she was given Water, in the process of drinking she saw the Sprite bottle and demanded for it. It didn’t sit well with her throat, she choked on the gas. Milk is a variable based on need, between these sources of hydration the child set priorities which doesn’t make either less or more preferable.
This is the same effects on brands. Understanding the visual taste of consumers is one thing, knowing the taste and establishing loyalty is another. You can't cater to all. Not everyone likes Coke and it’s not healthy for everyone and in excess but water is a necessity and keeps health (loyalty).
Let’s take for instance the COCA Cola Brand. People needed something order than water. Coca cola decided to create a drink that can satisfy the thirst. COCA Cola satisfies the individual thirst, supports social events and business events through creating entrepreneurs distributing their product as a reseller.
A brand is a strategy that opens opportunities to increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Coca-cola has made itself the most valuable brand in the world, with the name alone worth billions of dollars but why? It is Loyal; always the same but modernises its looks.
Looks is one of the many and most important aspects to anything. You are presenting to draw attention whether to yourself or your business. Honestly speaking any promotion is good promotion even Notoriety :) for those who can handle it. Circumstance dictates people choices and usefulness determines loyalty, boredom forces change. Its all about the need and habits of your market.
What do people need? Study the hierarchy of needs. Remember all needs are always individualistic. There are sets of needs: personal, social and business needs. Needs "thirst" are the thriving force of human nature. If we don’t need we don’t ask as well as if we don’t know we don’t care.
There are levels at which we communicate about needs: object, experience and concept. As we go up the levels of abstraction ideas increase, reality recedes.
At the 'object' level, we talk about tangible material things, many of which we can touch and pick up. The truth of an object is independent of people
At the experience level, we talk about the experiences we’ve had. This now has the abstraction of interpretation, however, it is still very real to us at least
When two people talk about common experiences they refer to the same object but may have different feelings and solutions about them. This is a common source of conversation; interest & conflicts, as we often expect others to have the same experiences as us, we try to make people into ourselves. At the conceptual level of communication, we talk about ideas and thoughts we have had. Concepts include our beliefs, values and schemas. Are there aliens?
Words are effectively concepts, in a way they are little packets of meanings by which we try to communicate. Concepts can be accepted or rejected, it is in how it was or is interpreted in the mind of the receiver. When you listen to experiences, receive it as a concept, evaluate it and put your own interpretation on it. When you communicate, what you say is conceptual. Wonder is the platform of ideas, abandonment to those wonders creates a map to follow. What you believe is what creates your reality; Explore, Create, Show! Whether you are conducting an interview, motivating or delivering a keynote address, your success is defined by your ability to persuade with clarity & passion.
Investors buy into the person first then into the concept. Why? Because at the end of the day everyone knows that the driver is the person at the wheel. If you don’t believe in something you can’t sell it, your confidence in your concept brings confidence within you and your clients, staff, partners, suppliers through relatable truths or facts presented.
A brand should develop a habit. What will lure them like addicts? Addiction through promotion, easy access and at the same time not to bore them. In order to grow a brand must change its face but not its taste. There is always more than one way to skin a cat, devise ways to implement something in a way that no one can.
We are all attracted to glam but after you find out that it is just that we loose interest, same it is with a business that has nothing to support its face value, it will be dumped. As said "not all that glitters is gold" hence the need to create/sustain brand quality, not just in visuals but its benefits. A solution at its startup phase is like a diamond in the rough but continuously filing it will give you that brand recognition and loyalty you need.
Imagine you were given a diamond stone in its rough state, you can't pretty much do anything with it, but put it on a shelf or sell it to the dealers but if you want to use it you file it out. This is why you need to test it to find the value. Build your brand on quality, efficiency and integrity, people are always loyal to what they trust.
The creator is the ultimate brander; he has made everyone & everything unique. Even to the smallest of molecules and the brands have their specific purpose. Life is about fulfilling a purpose. Don't be limited in mind, be liberated in your spirit. Everything or everyone has potential. You are amidst other brands. Be different be transforming. Stand out, not just in looks but in value and in a purpose driven life.
Entrepreneurship is like a game of chess. The goal of the game is to checkmate. Play or be Played! Calling upon a higher-order of thinking skills, analyse actions to foresee consequences and visualise future possibilities; this in a nutshell describes the journey of an entrepreneur.
You may discover that you are in fact temperamentally unsuited to self-employment, or that there is training you need to undertake before you begin the venture. It is essential to make a realistic assessment of your talents and work out whether you lack any of the skills essential to the success of your venture. How well organized are you? You have to be an excellent time manager. If you do not already possess this skill it can and must be learned. How else will you: Juggle tasks; meet multiple deadlines; prioritise conflicting demands; cope with basic administration such as sending out invoices.
If you were ever an employee you will be able to reflect on the hurdles your previous employer went through with you and others as well as the business. This should have prepared you for the steps you would need to take. Knowledge in this area will help you manage and plan being the best boss and entrepreneur.
To start first find out the areas you can become a supplier/freelance this allows you to gain insight into the administrative aspects of doing business if you didn't climb high enough on the corporate ladder as well as it will allow you to see loopholes to test your concept.
When you drive do you see beyond the car in front of you? Do you plan ahead? Seeing steps ahead allows you to prepare. The business needs this to minimize uncertainties.
Will you be able to network? Do you really like people? Well there are some businesses that doesn’t require physically meeting people but it is essential to market yourself and your business, often in social situations. Putting yourself in a position of contact is a prerequisite at different intervals.
Are you literate and numerate? What is your relationship with computers? If you are not totally familiar with any of the admin functions you need to or pay others. It may take time to learn but it can also save you some money you may not have at start.
How committed are you? Do you believe in yourself / business idea? Self-employment is not a comfortable option, half-hearted approach can be disastrous. Are you self-motivated? Running a business can be a lonely occupation, no one is going to motivate you other than yourself, strength is from within. Being your own boss seems like an idyllic life away from the drudgery of a 9 to 5 job, find out if you've got what it takes to be an entrepreneur. What does professionalism mean to you? Will you turn up to meetings on time; present a businesslike image; do the necessary homework?
Volunteering, supplying and freelance jobs help build your profile which is like a cv, it also gives you the opportunities to explore other business interest or add more skills. As a general rule, so long as you operate under your own name you do not need to register as a business. This makes it possible to start overnight without hassle. At start try to submit your address and a copy of your ID/Passport for security satisfaction.
The first thing to recognize when starting your own business is that your degree rarely has a bearing on your ability to succeed. Entrepreneurship is about will, creativity and skill. It is not unusual for newly self-employed people to have a second job to help provide a guaranteed source of income for day-to-day living costs. Understand the current employment Market; Africa is underdeveloped & therefore there is always a job to do. A business is like employment but with more responsibilities. It is a challenge for those who don't understand the concept of commitment. Dreams are built not gotten. If YOU ask any successful person how they got there they will say take the path and follow through, you will find out it was not as smooth as they look now.
Could you be a (calculated) risk taker? No business is risk free. What is your response to uncertainty? Do you find this exciting rather than worrying? Are you prepared for changing markets, competition, economic fluctuations? Are you opportunity aware? Given even half a chance do you take it? Better still, can you see it coming before anyone else does or are you too over-analytical? Sometimes gut is a better guide than facts.
How hard can you work? Being self-employed is not an easy option, especially if you are working on your own, results are produced by working long hours. Do you see change as a challenge? Can you minimize its downsides by careful thought and planning? Are you a realist? Can you judge in practical terms what can be achieved or produced within a certain period? In business terms this translates into….:
Your Loves: What You Really Like Doing. If what you love is not what you r planning to convert into a business you may struggle in the motivation department.
Your Skills & Capabilities: What You Do Well? Confidence has a lot to do with comfort in your will and in the knowledge that you are good at what you do. List your abilities, you can build on to attain that ideal life. Your skills need not be strictly from your professional life, list your life’s stories as well.
Your Track Record: What You Have Experience Doing, List those accomplishments in your professional and personal life of which you're most proud of.
Your Ideal Work Style- Whether full-time or part-time, at-home, on the road, working behind the scenes or interacting with lots of people - define the environment. Work Styles describe work patterns that we develop in our early life, that tend to stay with us throughout our lives.
Entrepreneurs Work styles are usually: Realistic. Investigative, Artistic. Social, Enterprising, Conventional/ Google work style quizzes to find out where you belong. For example, researchers-have an Investigative Preference. Construction Workers-Realistic in their preferences. People with similar Work styles tend to gather in certain types of work environments. We get along easier with people who are more like us but that doesn't necessarily bring growth. Your Manifesto: This is your personal mission, your values and what drives you forward, all wrapped up into a one-page (maximum) statement. Once you have done this thinking you may find out that the business you initially was planning on starting might not just fit your life or work style vision.
Time management in business also involves pissing off your market. Get them thirsty for the solution.
Do you have commercial awareness? Do you know how to attract and retain customers; make a profit; corner a share of the market? Your business value is not just based on the market potential but to what level of potential you bring. The brain & entire nervous system is driven by electricity and so is the market. Can YOU feel and fill the market? How much energy you put in multiplies by thousands if not millions. You need to understand the driving forces of your market. Check out the hierarchy of needs and see where your business fits in with the various market levels. When a stimulus is applied in the form of a charge the potential swings over a period of time before settling back to normal so expect some reverse reactions. Too weak to cause an action? then your potential is passive, like a resistive cable. Your expectations on interest should be based on the level of awareness of the need and you as a solution. Being aware of limitations; striving for speed, efficiency and quality; pricing your output so that it appeals to clients and pays you a realistic wage. Can you see the consumer's point of view? Are you able to visualize the product or service you are offering through your customer's eyes? Business is busyness.
Starting entrepreneurs want promises; there are no subjective promises, only objective opportunities. Ideas need to become concepts "a brand of understanding in the markets mind". The market needs the promise in return they will give you the opportunity to deliver. Create a dream. A global dream. A dream that unites and builds, people always want to belong and follow the dream.
It doesn’t matter if it seems big hold it in your heart, its the picture that will keep you going in dark moments. Go as far as creating an anthem. You may need it as a jingle.
Entrepreneurship gives you a chance to excel, gain a form of recognition and take care of retirement. If mediocrity upsets you this is your ship. Sail in!!!
You may have not gone to school but you have a number of unique talents that also sets a foundation
for getting a job and a future in entrepreneurship. We understand that the normally propagated news in the market is that only degree holders get the best jobs but have a look closely at the skills required to get a job done. It is not often the paper that gets things done besides take a close look at job descriptions they are generalistic not specific to a business that should be unique! For a startup the job descriptions that apply is that of the movie industry! Film Director can be replaced with concept director, script writers are like the marketing functions and the operations is that of the producers!
Imagine a company is in need of advertising or marketing, these are jobs that require creativity and a level of talent. In order to create an "add" one needs to have a series of tools such as Computer literacy involving graphics, so if you are a kid who likes to paint then you have a shot at making it. If you have a voice which can be used for creating a jingle then again you have a chance; what after that maybe required is to get some skills in music or voice editing which is available these days from apps developed for Pc's Mac or Windows and you don't need to go to university for that. You may even find out if you test your voice for either singing or delivering a voice over! Now this is why career advisors are needed, they are to give the best options to utilise an opportunity given their talents and or skills/personal experience with life and not just saying go to this university and read this course because when government systems change the only thing that a human being has to fall back on is the Talents and Skills/personal experience with life that can be transferable into other areas. Have a watch on the film called Million Dollar Arm; a story that shows how cricket players became baseball players. Very inspiring.
You must know and remember that everything on this planet was recreated/rediscovered by humans with the inspiration of the creator. What stops you? If you believe you achieve.
The way you think works for you when you are performing a task on your own, but if you were put in a team, would it work? Would your personality shine or dim-out? Bringing You “Product” to the Market "work environment". If you structure your CV with the following method/format, you will be guaranteed getting through the gates. Companies have business profiles, brochures websites etc they present to the market or clients, your CV should look same for it to stand out. Personally I am tired of sheets of paper, open a mobile website and it's more tactical in getting it through to the employer bypassing some lazy ass HR managers who may be seeking to put through their own people rather than the right people for a job!
Understand Yourself as a Product. “T-I-G-E-R” T = Talents, I = Interests, G = Goals, E = Experiences, R = Resources.
T = Talents What are you good at? What do you like to do? What would you like to be able to do well?
I = Interests: Related to Talents. What do you like? What are you good at? What would you like to know more about?
G = Goals “When you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” Set Long-Term Goals. Set Short-Term Goals align them to a proposed company. Have a Regular Review
E = Experiences. Every experience can be a résumé builder. Write Your Résumé Now! Review During Step - Increasing Your Market Value
R = Resources. Education & Experience, Family, Friends of the above, “Don’t send nobody sent.” Its important they know as much about you from start.
Identify the vacancy: every business needs personnel, whether they advertised or not. Applying as a volunteer for a month will give you an insight before you apply. Understand the recruitment process. Step back for a moment put yourself in the shoe of the employer. Its like dating, you need to get to know each other before a commitment. How do you get noticed? Remember coming in for an interview in suit for a position of a DJ may not work, some banks employ individuals with dreadlocks in order to attract a target in the creative world to open an account with them! The other day I saw a chap at the cashier in a bank with dreadlocks and was pleased to see that some level of individuality was respected!
When being interviewed you also need to interview the company so prepare a list of questions as regards to your & the company needs. The
Interview process is a game of elimination and most employers realise that more than half the time they probably eliminated the wrong applicant. Do not be timid as you also have the right to dismiss a company for having standards that may become detrimental to your life plan! Best to say no at start than regret later with both your physical or mental health!
What makes employers continiously search for good employees is the savings in time and resources they will have rather than dealing with bad employees! Make sure during the interview you show them how you can save them money and time while moving them forward towards their goal! On your list of skills identify how your skills will enrich their current state! What makes a good employee?
Shows up for work, gets along with co-workers, follows orders or disobeys but delivers :), listens to instructions, is trustworthy, will not leave work undone. During the interview the employer will look to see how reliable you are. What makes a good employee different from a potential problem employee?
Child Care Issues - this is not a question of if you have children, it is a question of if you have reliable childcare to keep a work schedule.
Transportation - the employer does not need to know how much of a hassle the bus system is or how bad your car trouble is; only that you will be at work on time, given that some utilities need to be handled by the government some of those hassles need to be taken to the government. It is the responsibility of the citizens to question their leaders.
Time- no employer wants to feel they are second place to another job or responsibility; show that you consider the work schedule an important part of your day or propose a better solution to the schedule.
Health Issues - the interview is not the place to discuss your recent health problems; an employer wants an employee who will not constantly call off sick.
An employer wants to find in a good employee the ability to get along with the people they work with as much as they do know that there will always be incidents they also wish to see how you solve them before it affects production and delivery. Discussing problems and issues about former co-workers, listing 'disagreements' with former co-workers as a reason for leaving the previous job isn't necessary. One important aspect for the Employer in a good employee is the ability to follow orders and be a team member. Following orders doesn't mean being agreeable but a provider of solutions and a manager of situations!
Issues? Multiple jobs within a short time span. Talking about 'me' issues instead of 'us' or issues
important to the employer. Not being able or willing to discuss examples of team work at previous jobs.
Employers look for signs in these trouble areas. Giving the appearance of being a 'Lone Wolf'; not listening to instructions and not handling problems; they look for those that accomplish tasks, the willingness to overcoming obstacles and becoming an expert. Make up for failure by trying again.
If late to the interview do your excuses include getting lost because of directions? If YOU can't provide meaningful answers or distracted on other things. The thing that makes a good employee is being trustworthy. Let me give you a perspective! Imagine someone you don’t know, comes into your home and says they are going to stay for an unidefined period? Now you know the feeling. Employers want to know that you will not and try take advantage of them. Why do you want the job? Have a watch on the film "In Pursuit of Happiness" its quite a visual on building a perspective.
What is your power over the other side of the Negotiating table? Tips for structuring your Pay Negotiation process follows.
Business climate factors, state of the economy & industry, Unemployment rate & general employment picture, Demand industry, specific knowledge & skills.
Company factors: - Profitability, - Position in the business cycle (startup, growing, stable, turnaround)
Hiring manager factors: - Urgency of the company's need to fill the position, - Decision-making authority, - Staffing budget.
Applicant factors: Other avenues in the job offer, Tech expertise, unique skill set, Resources, Level of competition /availability of other candidates, Job risk
Remember that the negotiation is not about strong-arm tactics or win/lose. It is a two-way process were everyone is trying to get something they need. Most employers don't expect people to stay with a company for a lifetime, they do want someone who will not disappear or quit three months from being hired.
Issues: Job-hopping, Being over qualified, Applying for a position out of your field, Talking about benefits, salary within the first half of the interview process. What makes a good employee is the willingness to build a history with the company. If you see any of these issues in yourself, address them before the interview. Address also your relationship status, for me being single is worse than being divorced! A persons inability or unwillingness to have a personal relationship with someone or have a best friend speaks of a none committal streak! Even a 16year old should have someone in their life other than their parents they value! As an employer myself I remember my grandfathers method for rearing his children, he distasted teenagers or adults who have no interest in their social wellbeing!
Many employers do expect you to negotiate when they make an offer to you. At the same time, certain businesses do not expect you to make a counter offer however you should because that hopefully shows you know of what stuff you are made of but don't be arogant. The best time to discuss benefits is during your initial salary negotiations. In other words, after they've offered you the job but before you've accepted it. You should know that some employee benefits are usually non-negotiable. At most jobs this includes health benefits.
A negotiation is composed of two major steps: planning (research and strategy) and communication (information exchange and agreement). In the planning step, get as much information as you can up front , using both the company's written and unwritten signals. Map your skills on the company values. Find out about the company vision, mission, goals and strategy. You may find that the company’s vision doesn’t align with the mission & goals with strategy and in there is your loophole.
A company’s vision allows you to see your career growth opportunity. The mission gives an insight to what skills might be required on a short term.
Split up the negotiating session into two meetings: one to firm up the job design and responsibilities and the second to go over compensation and benefits. Smaller companies may be more flexible than large "bureaucratic" companies. Unionised companies usually have very little room for individual negotiations.
Build Your Benefits: Remember! “Fortune favors the prepared mind.” Dont focus on monthly income, focus on the benefits what you get in return for what your are offering.
Most applicants focus on what pay they can get at the end of the month. Advice! Focus on benefits. Benefits usually take care of all those perks money can’t buy. EVERY Industry has its perks that’s why it is important to know your industry.
Negotiate every part of your employee compensation package, including base salary, bonuses, stock options, health coverage, tuition reimbursement and severance if possible.
The reality is that very few new hires have that much negotiating power. If you have a proven track record for doubling profits, everything is on the table.
If this is your first job out of college, there may not even be a table. As only practical experience of your theoretical education balances the scale.
Your level of confidence usually wins or loses you the opportunity to negotiate. If you know who you are and what you can do, you will have no problems.
Laziness is the first thing that kills skill, it shows the lack of will, neither is a busybody or lip server attractive. If you are aiming high expect loads of work, either physical or mental. When looking for a job, research what would it require to execute the tasks. In every job description there are job requirements, see if it fits your personality. A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Evaluate & rate your skill level. Every job has requirements. Skills are divided into domain-general, domain-specific, Soft and hard. Create a Skill draft of yourself.
Soft skill is a sociological term relating to a person's Emotional Intelligence Quotient. A cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, etc A person's EQ is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an organisation, that deals with customers face-to-face, if they train.
Hard skills are mostly job techniques, this is important as they are the core for which you will be selected for. Something like a cutoff mark. Your Talent is considered hard skills. Your hard skill can also be your soft skill and vice versa.
In the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, and self motivation. It helps to have a wide spectrum of skills as it gives you the opportunity to be flexible and provide a wider range for employability. Technologies apply especially in our times. The employer has no time identifying areas of your development. Job requires you to sort and face tasks i.e. organise and deploy.
Skills in Research, Analysis & Presentation is the most required Mix of skills. How do you perform in projects? Understand Project Management principles.
Reading has historically been considered the fundamental vocational skill a person should have. If you don’t like reading you won’t have information and information that has been tested is knowledge that translates into power.
Personal self development; Asses and Improve your technical skills (some companies aid with finance if it profits them on the short or long term). Constantly Read technical and social books, Read online tutorials, Volunteer for Research projects, Hang out with "geeks" not just within but outside the business industry you are in.
Writing is ranked on the highest priorities. Your ability to write is the ability to communicate. Communication promotes to ranks of management. Computation is important as employers focus on an employee's ability to compute at higher levels of sophistication. Take speech related courses and training in listening, it will increase your employability and retain-ability. When with clients these skills will save a deal. Skill in oral communication is a key element of good customer service. And customers are not just those who buy or are being serviced but your colleagues as well as the employers. All employees must learn how to "speak" to not to "talk" at customers, handle complaints & solve their problems!
Problem-solving skills include the ability to recognise & define problems, invent and implement solutions, track & evaluate results. New approaches to problem-solving, organisational design, and product development all spring from the individual capacity for creative thinking. Another key to effectiveness is good personal management. Self-esteem: respect for oneself is respect to others. Leave your drama at home, or talk to the HRM!
Self-esteem: Without the foundation of a solid sense of self we are unable to take the risks & make the decisions necessary to lead a fulfilling, productive life.
Motivation is the combination of desire, values, and beliefs that drives you to take action. YOU Know yourself by understanding people's perceptions about you. Pay attention to what your family, friends, coworkers, etc. observe and say about you but don't take it to heart, some people may be threatened by your opinions or drive to succeed.
Write down things that you know "very good" about yourself - interests, likes, dislikes, preferences, hobbies, strengths, weaknesses, hopes, fears, dreams, etc Take tests as much as possible, most employers use them. http://testyourself.psychtests.com/.
With low Self esteem you are likely to choose people & careers that doesn’t compliment or diminish your efforts at succeeding, or sabotaging your happiness. You must understand that the reason for employing you in an organization is to improve or maintain the performance of an organisation. Mediocrity is not accepted, professionalism is celebrated. Reporting skills is very important when it comes projects, if you are not able to report or communicate messages it will cost the company legally/financially.
How to Attract an Employer: Acquire relevant computer skills, Telephone Answering, Driving, Volunteer to work without pay at start, advertise yourself. Create your own mobile web site, there are loads of them on the web, one of which is mobisite http://www.dudamobile.com
What Employers Want in a nutshell?: Positive Attitude, Networking, Prioritizing, accountability, Problem-Solving, Research, Analysis, Presentation, Self Management Skills.
Management Skills: How to Assist, Supervise, Manage your colleagues, Team work spreads risk and increases performance. Planning, Organization, Coordination.
Past Work Behaviors. During screening your employer will call your past employers, or persons you posted as references. Make sure you don’t have surprises.
Time, Budget, Quality Management are the skills you should acquire before you think of employment, it shows in how you manage your personal life, you’ll be evaluated by these skills during your probation period. If you suddenly get laid off, you'll need to do something in order to keep an income stream coming in. You can become a Temp or a freelancer even with the same company.
Negotiation requires gathering information, planning your approach, considering different alternatives & viewpoints, communicating clearly and specifically.
Application letter: is the most important document representing you. How you present yourself is how you will be reacted to. Respect is what you give to receive.
You need to have a personal vision. Life Plan. Describe how you see yourself in the future. Describe your hopes & dreams, that evokes a sense of achievement.
A personal mission statement provides clarity and gives you a sense of purpose. It defines who you are and how you will live. How you live is what you achieve.
Strategy: a strategy is a plan that makes you achieve your goals faster, more efficient, effectively than your competitors. Strategy is the vehicle of goals.
A CV is a brand. At this point you are branding yourself as a person, and your skills should provide uniqueness. Stay tuned for brand management! Tailor your professional CV to fit your employer. You should never send an ‘identikit’ version to multiple employers by email.
You decide what, when, how you do it and what you intend to get from the efforts, activities, drive, or focus. Negotiate your deals. Focusing on a "Decision Making Process" allows someone the ability to know how to consistently make decisions while maintaining their core value and ethics. You need to think of yourself in roles of a spouse, parent, child, friend, team mate, boss, or an employee and decide how you want to balance your time "energy". Your career & personal life. Start with aligning your career your personal dreams
How do you answer the question? "How full is this glass?". Imagine you are looking at a glass that has a level of water in it. Half full or half empty? Many graduate and regardless of the level of information they had been given can't or do not wish to translate it into knowledge and hence can't find jobs they dream of. Who told you there is a dream job & who told you you will get it as you graduate? A dream job is an inspiration, even the employer may be struggling to find as his business develops. Passion is a tricky emotion; it comes & goes as views change.
Your level of opportunities in employment depends on your level of will and ability. Ability is determined by your level of core talents. Will is described as a factor of how important your success is to you. If you don’t care about your success you will be unwilling to take the steps. Many people blame their environment, this is true to an extent but if you realise that you also have a big role to play you will do something about it. You are part of the society so you are responsible in fraction of what’s going on. There is never going to be enough employment for everyone so there are a variety of choices; volunteering, contracting, supplying, freelancing that will give you a chance to earning a living.
What kind of person you are will determine where you will end up. So getting to know yourself is very important. A person with a primary theme of Security/Stability will seek secure and stable employment over what others consider a challenge and risk.
Technical/Functional competence: This kind of person likes being good at something & will work to become a guru "expert". They use their skill to meet the challenge.
GM competence: They like problem-solving and dealing with other people. They thrive on responsibility. To be successful they also need emotional competence.
Autonomy/Independence: These people have a primary need to work under their own rules and steam. They avoid standards and prefer to work alone.
Security-focused people seek stability and continuity as a primary factor of their lives. They avoid risks and are generally 'lifers' in their job.
Entrepreneurial Creativity: These folks like to invent things, be creative &, most of all, to run their own businesses. They differ from those who seek autonomy.
Service a cause: Service-oriented people are driven by how they can help other people more than using their talents. They may well work in NGO’s or in HR.
Pure Challenge driven seeks constant stimulation & difficult problems to tackle. They will change jobs when it gets boring, career can be very varied.
Lifestyle: look at the whole pattern of the job. It doesn’t so much balance work and life as integrate. it may even take long periods off work or traveling.
Values is a word that often gets confused with 'value' as in the value you get from buying. Values are, in fact powerful drivers of how we think and behave. Your career path is a process of discovery & implementation of your God given talents. Your career didn’t start from completing uni & certainly doesn’t end there. The brand Called you. Create a website for you. It extends your brand, & hopefully extends your reach to help someone else.
Understand Yourself as a Product. From the day you are born there were circumstances happening around you that formed the basics of your personality and your personality drives your choices.
Most people don't bother to introspect & find out their personality type & how it affects their decisions. Knowing your personality type discovers your perfect career.
There are types of personalities: introvert, extrovert. You are never both but you may possess more of a particular kind. Take a test available on www.personalitytype.com
Extraverts & Introverts: extroverts are often: energetic, Talk more. While introverts: Have quiet energy, Listen more than talk, Think inside their heads. Most Africans choose a career because of money but later find themselves quitting for personal irreconcilable reasons. They become moody and in turn lack in performance.
What kind of information do you naturally notice & remember?
Sensors notice the facts, details, they tend be practical & literal, who trust past experience.
Intuitive are more interested in connections and relationships between facts as well as the meaning, or possibilities of the information.
How do you decide or come to conclusions? Thinkers make decisions based primarily on objective & impersonal criteria-what makes the most sense & what is logical.
Feelers make decisions primarily on their personal values & how they feel about the choices. Sensitive, empathetic & at constant search harmony.
What kind of environment makes you the most comfortable? Judgers prefer a structured, ordered, & fairly predictable environment; to make decisions & settled.
Perceivers prefer to experience as much of the world as possible, so they like to keep their options open and are most comfortable adapting.
A self-assessment test for career choice helps individuals determine what types of jobs might best match their interests, strengths & weaknesses but not without a plan for execution.
A self-assessment is meant to merely guide the process of career selection and to help those considering changing careers, it can prove beneficial to job scouts.
. Employment is about influencing your potential employer to choose you over others and influencing in action to retain you.
. The employer is influenced first on a personal level by seeing you understanding him, on a business level understanding the product, and on a social level the market.
. If I understand you, then I can be more accurate in my interactions with you. What does the business mean to the boss?
. Find out how he thinks through the product he is bringing to the world and the sacrifices he has taken to get it out.
. Every produce in the company has a value to its market. Find the value and communicate it.
. Look at the business, is it a trade based business or is it producing. If it’s a tradebased business then market share is what is important.
. If it is a produce based business then it is value and relationship development need.
. A trade based business doesn’t produce it resells. Whether wholesale or retail. A wholesale looks for resellers. Retail looks for end users.
. A production based biz need solutions in distribution, so if you are able on the interview day to show you know how they can distribute faster you will be in.
A production based business is about knowing what they can manufacture, for the trade based companies to sell.
. A trade based business needs strategies on how to sell with minimal expenditures. And this is where creativity in reaching your market.
. Understanding another person is perhaps the second most difficult thing to do (the most difficult thing is understanding yourself.
. If you know yourself, it means you understand how you would react in circumstances.
. People are driven by complex and deep motivations, that if you can understand you can support and shape.
. They have limited capabilities and are shaped by past events in their lives - many of the early ones of which may have been, at the time, traumatic.
. So your employer has to inform you why he chose to do the business he is doing. So the best way to be interviewed is to interview first.
. On a social level a business needs to have information on the history of its industry and predict how things may turn.
. Search for what values are all about. What people value, and what status in the society they are in. because that is where the clue to gaining market share.
. Apprentice: Always spend as much time as possible trying to understand people such that you can explain their past actions and predict their likely future actions.
Demonstrating your understanding, when coupled with care and concern, is a powerful way of building trust.
. Caring is appreciated when you show the understanding that 10 heads have more to say than one. And ten hands can do faster than what one hand can.
. When talking with them, use the same language and models as them, so they can understand what you say in their own terms.
. you have to understand the entrepreneurial mind. He is a mouse going after his cheese that has been put in a trap. Show how to get it out without getting caught.
. to retain employment you have to show obedience from the perspective of respecting the effort, and learning the trade of the business.
. If you have something to say or suggest, make a proposition. A proposition is a viewpoint that you will create and defend. You have to armed with facts.
. First state the value of what is then state the problem it causes and then propose a solution.
. Stating the value of what is in showing appreciation for what was built, by that not sounding like an ass who just likes to yab.
. Stating what problem its causing means you have done some thinking and then presenting a solution means you have done some research.
. Remember the entrepreneur is a rebel with a cause. He set his business to bring about an alternative solution that no one thought about.
Conformity is not a mindset that a boss has. But he also respects the rules of engagement. He is not emotional.
. All you need to do is write a letter stating what needs to be said and leave it as that. There will be a chance that you will be called to make a statement.
You can protect yourself by putting procedures; the purchasing, sales processes and policies will give you that. For a client to not take you for granted you should be well structured as a business.
Funds rasing however is about partnership principles. Your investor dosnt only need to get back their money but have a share in the value. For instance: for me to give you you should be willing to share; money for money, value for value, money for value or value for money, so you need to look at all angles of the business before you make a final offer and you need to process the feedback you get from the investor.
Financial institutions dont just need their percentage back, they need value added returns.
Point 1. A top civil servant can afford to pay higher fees abroad for his kids because he can't see the value he is paying for back at home meanwhile he is in charge of the domestic educational program! Does he think the people who he was appointed to guard are of less value? Our educational syllabus is flawed because its content has nothing to do with its environment! We are training kids to learn what's happening in foreign countries; so why are we surprised that our kids are aspiring to work abroad?
Foreign companies that we are inviting to come and invest are studying our terrain and are unable to employ our own citizens because they know nothing of their country to offer value for salary!
Point 2. What sporting events do we setup when even to bring Arsenal to Nigeria had failed? What superstar have we produced in the last 5years to draw our kids into sport? Clearly not knowing that sport breeds strategic mindset! We think Oyinbo is stupid for promoting sport on a grass root level! Where are the companies to sponsor these sport events which indirectly promotes their business?
How much have we educated our supposedly educated parents to support their boys and girls into sport rather than fall for societal perception of players as riff rafts.
Point 3. Have you seen the level of our movie production where illiteracy is perpetuated yet we fail to notice people are buying pirated american blockbusters that have entertainment and educational value at a higher price!
Look at the type of business you choose and ask "do you see yourself doing it when you reach 
