Insights on money, career and trading
So who doesn’t hate meetings? Well everyone I know apart from my assistant – who looks forward to the opportunity to fall asleep with his eyes open for an hour.
For the rest of us, take a look at this infographic below. The most important fact for me is right at the top. 36% of our meetings are a waste of time!? I often feel like nobody actually wants to be there – and certainly at my company (Time Warner) it’s true.
So here are a few useful ways to banish the bordem of your meetings. Take a look and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
HT to GoToMeeting
When you have been applying for the perfect roles, getting a steady stream of ‘no thank you’ emails can be a little disheartening. However, when that one comes through and asks for you to attend an interview, you will no doubt jump up and punch the sky.
Property investment remains to be one of the safest ways to make money in a short amount of time, and Spain continues to be a popular choice for many people. Over the last few years, the property market in Spain has undergone rapid changes, and not all of these were beneficial. The worldwide crisis had a massive impact on the way that people spent their money, and this affected property markets in Spain.
If by the middle of the month, the coffers are bare and there doesn’t seem to be any reason for this, then it’s time to have a look at all the invisible spend taking place in your life.
Invisible spend can happen at any time of the day; a magazine for reading on the tube, a coffee on the way to work, a mid-morning sandwich from the trolley even though you have lunch with you all adds up to a tidy sum each month. A staggering 6.3 billion is spent every year in the UK on hot takeaway drinks which means the average customer spends 400. Over a lifetime, this can add up to 15,725 and the drinking habits of 10% of those who took part in a survey will be looking to spend almost 30,000 on drinks such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
The way to spot, record and remember all of these fleeting transactions is to start to use a spending diary. A spending diary can help you to record all the money you spend and quickly forget about on these items each day and you can see where literally every penny is going other than on your bills. Diaries do not have to be complicated; they can be as simple as a small notebook in the handbag or pocket and can be used as the money is spent. For those who enjoy using online tools, there are many spending diaries on the internet which can be utilised to record the figures and to then give an analysis of where the most money is being spent.
The place to start is to use the diary for a month and be totally honest. Record every single penny spent – however small – and write down the item and the amount. If you want to work out where and why you bought it, add these details too. Some people find it’s habit to buy certain comfort foods if they are in a particular mood and this can help identifying these areas of life also.
After a month, spend some time looking through the diary. If you like maths, draw a graph to show where the spend occurs to give a visual aid. After all this, it’s about cutting down or stopping spending money on these items to help the rest of your finances. Money is something that tends to cause people a ton of stress in life. For some people, it can be the stress of a mortgage or any other loan, while others just want to get their kids through college. Either way, effective financial planning can be really beneficial for the daily stress caused by money, as you would read on https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/5-tips-to-create-a-healthier-and-balanced-lifestyle/ or similar pages.
Invisible spending can play havoc with your monthly expenditure and whilst you organise yourself and start to fill in your spending diary, you may need a small loan as a bridging solution. Compare payday loans at payday-choice.com to see if this kind of funding can help. Payday loans can be a short-term solution to help you manage your cash flow so you are able to budget for the next month. Alternatively, you can also take out a bridging loan to secure funds for a few months which will help you bridge the gap between your current and future financial states. This loan might be suitable if you are waiting for a large sum of money that is due in the near future, such as an inheritance or a bonus. You can learn More about bridge finance here.
Whichever loan you take, remember that you will have to pay it sooner or later. So, spend wisely. To reduce spending, set yourself weekly goals to buy a coffee every other day instead of daily, to stop buying a magazine and pick up a free newspaper and you can then watch the amount you spend rapidly decrease. Change the goals each week and increase the challenges so you start to rebuild healthy finances. After a few months you’ll have a great bank balance and you can reward yourself with a small – recorded in your spending diary – treat to show how great you are at sorting out your finances.
Working in public relations can be a rewarding career that offers plenty of room for growth and development. How can you improve your chances of success though? When it comes to being promoted, are there any strategies that you can use to work your way up the PR career ladder? The good news is that there is plenty that you can do to further your chances of corporate advancement. If you’re keen on grabbing that future promotion, here are some of the top tips to help you out.
Find a Mentor
Working closely with those more experienced and more qualified than you can help in various ways.
Look to those above you in the department – your team leader or account director – and form close bonds with them. You can also try and contact relevant experts in the business, following them and picking up new skills and opportunities along the way. Some businesses even get companies like fhinsights.com to help employers and employees excel in their job roles, so considering this is also an important action to take. As you can see, bonding with the top PR professionals can help progress you in the industry. Make the effort, go out and network, and reap the rewards of being in touch with the best of the best in the public relations field.
Work on Important Projects
Instead of sticking within your comfort zone, it is also important to take on projects that are challenging. Not only will this stimulate you to succeed at work, but your superiors will recognise your motivation as well as your talent when it comes to tackling difficult scenarios and producing amazing results. Keep an eye out for new opportunities within the workplace and step forward as soon as something comes up. This added motivation will highlight you as a potential candidate for any promotions that emerge in the future.
Enrol in a PR Course
Of course, it always helps to seek out knowledge in as many places as possible. For this reason, you should look for a local corporate training institute that has classes in the relevant PR areas. It is also recommended that you talk to your supervisor about enrolling the team in public relations courses on campaign management, event organisation, corporate social responsibility and the like. This means that you can learn about all of these topics and many more, giving you added knowledge that you can use to improve your performance in the workplace. An internal promotional will surely be a step or two away after that.
Identify Your Responsibilities
If you have been given some sort of leadership role, you’ll need to realise that your responsibilities will have changed as a result. No longer will you have to fill out media lists or notify the relevant organisations. Instead, you’ll need to focus on other areas such as:
All of this will now fall upon you as someone in a higher position. Remember that you will have to cope with this high level decision making in the PR field if you wish to continue your way up the corporate ladder. Furthermore, the careers of those below you will also depend on your efforts, making it even more imperative that you work to your utmost potential in this leadership position.
Focus on the Long Term
Despite the difficulties, you should push forward and focus on your long-term strategies. If you wish to get promoted again and again, you may have to acknowledge the fact that you’ll eventually land a leadership role. Once there, look at the bigger picture. Figure out how your actions will benefit yourself and those below you. Look for a way to assist your team members in their goals while working on your own career aims at the same time. Think outside the box, focus on the entire picture, and gain the opportunity to develop yourself and your subordinates simultaneously. Take extra responsibilities wherever you can, and additionally, you can enroll in some learner groups similar to International Professional Corporate Training, Hansen Beck to enhance your reputation in the corporate world.
With this advice, you are now ready to work your way up the public relations career ladder. The right combination of determination, knowledge and planning can certainly lead to amazing results.
About the Author:
With more than 70 short courses available, London Corporate Training (LCT) is a leading provider of management training programmes. They offer sales, operations management, and public relations courses.
