Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Digital Transformation Comes to a University Near You

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Digital Transformation Comes to a University Near You A recent survey of 600 American and European IT decision-makers done by my partner Xerox shows that the time to go fully digital is now, but most organizations still aren’t ready. Survey respondents predicted an average of only nine percent of key business and office processes will run on paper in the next two years, but more than half admitted that their organizations’ processes are still largely paper-based today, and about a third are still communicating via paper rather than via email or social channels. A centerpiece of digital transformation, automation, is a bit further along. Three-quarters of respondents said they already have identified areas for automation. Unfortunately, Xerox’s report also identified some basics that organizations will have to address before automation and digital workflows can become a reality in key business functions. For instance, 40 percent of respondents have not yet implemented solutions for the mobile workforce and 45 percent have not yet incorporated or improved predictive analysis through the effective use of big data. College administration: Fraught with complexity and ripe for innovation If any type of organization could benefit from digital transformation, it’s the university. “From the tens of thousands of applications that institutions receive each year, to the vast number of student records they must maintain for past and present students, universities are responsible for a massive amount of documents,” said Michael Kortan, vice president of workflow automation for Xerox in a recent blog post. “The manual, paper-based processes that dominate universities stand in stark contrast to the increasingly fast-paced, digital world in which students live.” But, in a move that would surprise many who are accustomed to colleges being behind the digital eight ball, some institutions are leading the charge to transform repetitive, error-prone, and tedious tasks into automated and far more accurate digitized processes that save time, productivity, and trees! Today’s students don’t want to wait, and new technology ensures they don’t have to Solutions vary, but among them are Xerox Workflow Automation Solution for Admissions Processing, which automates paper processes to eliminate delays allowing admissions offices to process applications and get acceptance letters back to selected applicants quickly; Xerox Workflow Automation Solution for Financial Aid, which automates the compilation and delivery of financial aid packages; and Xerox Workflow Automation Solution for Registrar Processing, which eases the administrative burden on registrar staffers as they help students quickly change courses, switch majors, and seek academic guidance. What else is being automated? The better question is, what isn’t? Student counseling, billing, transcripting, and athletic participation are presently being targeted for greater efficiency and quality of service. The California State University at Fullerton, for example, has ramped up its technology use over the last several years, moving services into the cloud so that they’re available to everyone in a central location and automating many processes ahead of other schools. Cal State uses digital transformation to rocket ahead of other schools (and companies!) Cal State deployed iPad tablets to faculty, management, and some staff and uses a Xerox solution that facilitates direct and secure print-on-demand from mobile devices to machines across campus. This combined with automated scanning and digital distribution of documents has reduced the school’s paper costs by an estimated $250,000. In addition to saving money, Cal State can now brag about greater environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and process transparency. Removing paper from the equation was probably daunting for Cal State at first. But after efforts to embrace its students’ digital existence that definitely paid off, the university could apparently show American companies a thing or two!

Are you putting off dealing with procrastination University of Manchester Careers Blog

Are you putting off dealing with procrastination University of Manchester Careers Blog I’d meant to write this post days ago but now the week is almost over and I am wondering, ‘Where did all that time go?’ Procrastination. A big word for what is simply putting off until tomorrow what can â€" or should â€" be done today.   In fact, the literal translation of the classical Latin root procrastinus is   ‘that which belongs to tomorrow’. While the concept is simple â€" delaying or even not doing something â€" the reasons for procrastinating are manifold, complex and personal.   Perhaps not a cheerful topic with to approach the weekend (and the coming Easter holidays) â€" but inspirational in an unusual sort of way, I hope:   If you already know that you have a tendency to procrastinate or you recognise that you are developing procrastinating behaviours, you can use the holidays to explore and implement effective time-management and coping strategies â€" before your to do list scrolls off your desk on to the floor and down the corridor. “Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible.” George Claude Lorimer Maybe you find you only procrastinate about certain things managing your career, for instance.   What are your reasons and strategies for avoiding engaging with   your career?   My colleague David Winter explored career management procrastination and surmised that a lack of self-efficacy I cant do it. was one important factor explaining students tendencies to put off career planning.   As postgraduate students, you can do it. The same skills that make you successful learners and researchers (whether it be of masters dissertations or PhD theses) are those will make you successful career planners: Research Exploring and stretching yourself Communicating and influencing Broadening and building your connections Enthusiasm, drive and persistence How can your Careers Service help you stop not-thinking-about-your-career? We can reassure you you are not the only student who doesnt know what they want to do,or who feels confused, or who knows what they want to do but would like the chance to discuss your ideas with someone impartial You dont have to sort it out all at once managing your career is a process. We have staff and resources who support you all they way (and up to 2 years after you graduate) Talk to an experienced information professional any time without appointment to get information, advice or a referral on any careers related topic We can help with CVs, applications and interviews One to one appointments to discuss your career ideas and plans with a careers consultant Post-script Some of these stories of epic procrastination will hopefully make you laugh, as well as reassure you that you are not alone (also see the opening sentence of this blog post). If you have concerns about procrastination, there is help available for you on campus, for example: 1. You can start with these elearning modules Understanding the procrastination cycle and Strategies for dealing with procrastination. 2. If you are a PhD student, your faculty may offer time management workshops. 3. The Counselling Services runs a range of courses for all students at the University. All Careers advice Postgraduate career planning postgraduate

Transitioning to Entrepreneurship From a Career

Transitioning to Entrepreneurship From a Career First things first, don’t quit your job.If you’re thinking of transitioning into a career of entrepreneurship, it can be really hard to find any concrete pieces of advice. But, there are numerous videos, interviews, articles telling you a few things:Entrepreneurship takes hard work. Entrepreneurship is stressful. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. Entrepreneurship is risky.Cool. You’re comfortable with that. Now what? How do you actually get started, and what does that look like?First, let’s break down the main misconceptions.Misconception #1:Entrepreneurship = Immediate WealthIf you’re struggling to pay rent, or worried about a sudden medical bill, trying to start your own company is not a solution, and quitting a job with that level of importance to your life could put you in a really dangerous situation.Misconception #2:Entrepreneurship = Overnight SuccessEvery story of a successful company or entrepreneur took years, but the years it took to figure stuff out are bori ng, so nobody talks about them. It takes time. That’s why you don’t start by quitting anything, and instead by spending a little extra free time experimenting.There are far too many stories about successful entrepreneurs living out of their mom’s basement, being on the brink of losing their home, maxing out 5 credit cards to pay their employees, etc. Those are 1 in a million, and they get all the media coverage because they’re much more exciting and scary than the story of someone who did it slowly, intelligently, and safely.Misconception #3:Entrepreneurship = Infinite PossibilitiesWhile there are a handful of different ways to build a business, some are more realistic than others.“Venture-Backed” BusinessThese are BY FAR the least common, the least accessible, and the most unrealistic. Venture capital investment is for the already highly-educated, well-off,men and womenthat want to make even more money than their lucrative tech job pays. Don’t aim to be invested in. I t’s unrealistic for 99.999% of the world.Service BusinessesFor example, a marketing agency, a landscaping group, or even a hotdog stand. Whatever your business, you sell a service to others who need it. These are extremely realistic to build because you create revenue from the start, unlike a “product” business. In fact, many service business owners start as freelancers. You start on your own, bring others on board over time, and end up with an agency.ProductBusinessesThis is the category most “startups” fall under. You build a product to solve a problem, and people or businesses buy it from you to solve that problem for themselves. You could be selling a backpack you created for students to hurt their spines less, developing an application to help restaurants take reservations, or building a supercomputer that fortune 100 companies need to manage high-level logistics. These product-focused companies can be very hard to build, as you have to build the product before you ca n sell it. That’s where the risk comes in. You might build something that doesn’t work, or most often, something nobody wants and nobody will buy. These types of businesses aren’t impossible but are a bit harder than the rest, riskier, and take a whole lot more time to build.Freelancing BusinessThis is the most realistic, and often how many super-successful entrepreneurs get started. You could do freelance design for individuals that want to create logos for their businesses. You could do freelance marketing, and help business owners or individuals run ads on their initiatives. You could do freelance resume writing, or copywriting to help others create great language for their projects. Regardless, you’re working on a client basis, so you find individuals or businesses to do work for when they need it. The income is rarely consistent, and it helps to have a network to start, but there’s almost no barrier to entry.Everything ElseThere are literally infinite possibilities. J ust to show some, check out Michael Essek’s blog on art business, Peter Askew’s blog on businesses based on domain names, Bobby Kania’s blog on blogging and SEO-based businesses, and my blog/live stream where I conduct experiments in entrepreneurship with people like them. :)How to Get Started as an EntrepreneurSo, let’s talk about how to actually get started with all of this. We’ll use a couple of examples:Example 1 - PhotographyAs part of my series on entrepreneurship, I bought a camera. I was interested in taking pictures, and I wanted to be able to film nice videos for my internet show, so I saved up a few hundred bucks and grabbed the cheapest DSLR package I could find. Since I was editing pictures and videos, I grabbed a couple Adobe products. Overall, I probably spent $800.00.To see if I could get paid for photography, I asked a few of my friends in the business how to get started. They said events were a good place to start. Without any prior experience, I checked Eventbrite for local events, found a luncheon in a couple weeks, and emailed the host. I said something to the effect of: “Hey, I’m just getting started, but this looks like a fun event and I was wondering if you needed a photographer to take pictures?”The next morning I got a response. It was a yes, and in two weeks, I came with my camera and took some very poor photos and videos of the event. The settings on my camera were wrong, everything was grainy, and I didn’t take advantage of lighting correctly. But I got paid $200.00, and I had a few good photos to put on a portfolio online.I didn’t take it further, but that was all it took to get started. A weekend. I sent out one email, but you could send hundreds. You could spend a few hours with your camera before jumping into an event gig. From there, you work hard, slowly raise your pricing from $40/hour to $150/hour, and once you’re able to sustain yourself fully, you quit your job and hire a friend out of college that l ikes photography to handle the smaller events you don’t want to cover.Boom. You’ve got a little photography business, and none of it was even remotely risky. You could sell it to a larger agency in town for around 1-year’s revenue, and save that cash for your next venture, or you could continue to grow it.Example 2 - Sponsored EventsThis is the story of one of the businesses I’m currently building. I’m not fully sustaining with it yet, but I’m on the way.As it turns out, getting local corporate companies to sponsor certain events isn’t that hard. They do events regularly and pay a good amount from their marketing budgets to make them happen.My business partner and I saw a lot of local startup entrepreneurs weren’t talking to each other, and they were too busy with their work. We created an event group called Moss Generation to host happy hours where we would invite ONLY startup entrepreneurs, and corporate groups loved it. They covered all the costs of drinks and foo d, just for the opportunity to attend and network with all the awesome business owners.Eventually, we needed to be compensated for the work we were putting into growing this group, and so we started charging $2,000 per event. We take the money, and we cover the hosting costs with it, taking whatever was left for ourselves. We recently pulled that up to $3,000 as the events have gotten larger and more costly.All I had to do was get in touch with awesome startup owners around town, that I already wanted to talk to, and invite them to the group. We figured out what they wanted in an event, and built our group around that. I started it with my business partner while I was in college, and it probably took 5 hours per week at the most.The best part? We don’t even charge for ticket sales. There are probably 5 other groups in town that do similar things, and even though their attendees might not be as specific and valuable as ours, they’re even more successful than us and they make even more money off it because they charge for tickets.You could start something very similar in your city. It doesn’t need to be a group of entrepreneurs. You could build a group of business students from local universities, and charge companies in town to hire from you. You could assemble nonprofit owners in town, and charge companies that might want to partner with them. You could just get cool people together in your spare time, and see where it goes like I did.ConclusionSo, all you need to do is start. It’s not going to work the first time, but you’ll learn more than you did in any class. I tried to start at least 5 little businesses before I found something I was good at.You’ve got a job. You don’t have a lot of time. But you do have an hour or two each weekend, or maybe half an hour during lunch each day. Use that time, send some emails, and try to get something started. Don’t jump in recklessly, and don’t expect to make a ton of cash off the bat.As a final note, in terview people. If you see someone running a business you think is super cool, ask to meet them over coffee. That’s how I got started when I couldn’t figure out how entrepreneurship functioned.

Online Video Interview Tips for Job Seekers

Online Video Interview Tips for Job Seekers Businesses have been using video interviews to screen candidates ever since they became available. In the last decade, this job interview method has gone mainstream on video chat software such as Skype, HireVue, Zoom, and RingCentral, to name a few. This post explains several of the top online video interview tips for job seekers. Why an Online Video Interview?This video interview method is a candidate screening tactic, often used when companies want the chance to meet possible future employees outside of their immediate location.A video interview is particularly useful in a global business environment for people looking to relocate, or in extreme situations such as the COVID-19 outbreak, when companies find it wiser to avoid working with others in an office for health reasons. As part of the screening process, the online video interview usually replacesa phone screening or in-person interview.At first glance, you may think, “Great! I can interview from home!” However, the commun ication styles between “video” and “in-person” interviews are very different. There are many things you must consider in order to make a professional impression without the usage of eye contact or body language. Create Your Professional SettingBefore your next video interview, turn on your video camera and test what the interviewer is going to see. Be hypercritical of your appearance. Remove any and all distracting items that will take the focus off “you”.As you look at yourself in the camera, start to ask yourself these questions:Will they see a personal object of mine I don’t want or need them to see? How do I appear on camera? Is there anything I should clean up? Are there strange things in the background that may raise an eyebrow or two?If it is not related to business, remove it from the view of the camera. By now, you may be realizing you are “setting up the shot of your next video interview”. This may sound like a vain approach, but they will only have a tal king 2D image of you. If you appear to be someone who is not taking care of him/herself, it will reflect on the interviewer’s opinion of you. Clean up Your Audio and Video QualityYou are interviewing for a professional position, and therefore, you should have professional audio and video quality. This is all about your professional image and sound. Improve the video and audio quality of your interview with the following:Fast Internet connection with an upload/download speed of at least 50 Mbps Prevents your call from cutting out, freezing or dropping completely. Invest in a USB mic, for example, a Samson mic or podcast mic, at a very low price The improved audio quality will allow the interviewer to hear you clearly. You will sound better, too. Laptop mics are usually located near the speaker and sound terrible. Don’t worry about the cost of a mic. You will use it for many interviews and they last a very long time, even when you buy new computers. Invest in a quality USB cameraW hen you want to look your best to a complete stranger, a grainy image from a laptop camera will not do the trick. Consider investing in a quality camera that shows a clean and crisp image of you.Make Sure You Are in a Quiet PlaceAudio distractions can be silenced by making sure all social media notifications, phones, alarms, etc. are turned off. However, you cannot stop cars from honking or residual noise from outside, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.Video distractions happen, so think about this example. There was a famous incident in March 2017. A BBC interview with a professor was disrupted by his daughter walking in the background. At that point, the image of this person’s work location changed from “office” to “what he must deal with working at home”.If for some reason the professional image of your interview is broken, do not panic. If it becomes obvious that there is a distraction in the room, handle it with a cool and calm demeanor. After all, you wan t to be viewed as someone who stays cool under pressure. Things happen. How you respond to adversity says a great deal about you. Dress Like It's an In-Person InterviewStudies have shown companies are more judgmental of appearances on video because they are without the benefits of seeing a person’s body language or direct eye contact.In addition to this, video interviews are often used as a screening method to see if an in-person interview is necessary. Therefore, how you present yourself in the video interview will most likely determine if they want to meet you in-person.The trick is...Dress like you would for an in-person interview!If this all sounds like too much, ask yourself these simple questions:If you were hiring any employee, would you want to meet a candidate in person, who interviewed in his/her bathrobe or pajamas? Or would you rather meet the person who seems to dress appropriately for interviews, has a clean office, and presents him/herself with a professional image, even though they were at home?Keep Answers Short and SweetVideo interviews have the potential to be really boring. Interviews in-person are more engaging because of things like body language and eye contact between the interviewer and job candidate. When you remove this, the potential for losing a person’s attention sets in for both parties.The last thing you want to do is make the people at the office sleepy. Therefore, because you are at home and they are sitting in an office looking at you on a screen, it is best to make your video interviews short and sweet. Communicating on Video MattersThe ultimate goal of your video interview is to make sure the company cannot wait to meet you in-person. On a grand scale, companies in the USA are thinking globally.The United States is now responsible for 84% of the world’s media and everyone with a camera on their phone has the potential to be a freelance video journalist. Positive company image is something companies know will influence sales and growth. They want employees who have a worldly understanding of “professional image”.They will get a great idea of how you professionally present yourself by your communication style on video. Your ability to communicate your awareness of image surely will make you an attractive employee. Your awareness of what others will be concerned about, and addressing such concerns proactively, will go a long way to show a company you can be a trusted employee.

A Guide to Writing a Resume Cover Letter For Writing Job

A Guide to Writing a Resume Cover Letter For Writing JobThere are various things that you can use in your resume cover letter for writing job. Some of the things that you can use include explaining the career background, the qualifications and the experiences that the job you are applying for requires. You can even provide some information that the employer will like to know.You should focus on these basic things before you even start on the actual writing. It is essential that you know the job profile of the employer before you start writing your resume cover letter for writing job. The employment profile will help you to build your resume or CV. It will help you better understand the job profile of the employer before you begin to write your letter.Aside from knowing the job profile, another important thing to be taken into consideration is the objective of the job that you are applying for. Your objective in writing your resume cover letter for writing job is to express your objec tive so that it can be clear to the employer. The objective must be clear to the employer so that he will be able to read your resume.You can begin by mentioning the job that you are applying for and then enumerate the basic responsibilities that a person will have when working at that particular job. You can also state the average salary that you will receive for a particular job.You can write your resume cover letter for writing job by listing the specific skills that you have, what courses you have already completed, etc. It will help you remember all of the requirements that you need to have if you are to get hired at that particular job.As you write your resume cover letter for writing job, you can also list the achievements that you have made during your career. Your achievements can include your successes that you have achieved in terms of your teaching experience, the number of awards that you have won, etc. The key is to emphasize the things that will give emphasis to your resume cover letter for writing job.If you are the first one who has applied for the position, you should provide a brief biography about yourself in your resume cover letter for writing job. In order to add some personality, you can also mention in your resume cover letter for writing job the things that you have done as a student in school. In this way, the employer will get a sense of your personality.You can also use your achievements in writing your resume cover letter for writing job. You can be a part of some activities in which you have achieved certain things. You can even include in your resume cover letter for writing job some of the accomplishments that you have gained while participating in those activities.

10 Inspiring Infographic Resumes

10 Inspiring Infographic Resumes Here are ten inspiring infographic resumes to get your creative juices flowing! Its tempting, but dont use an infographic resume  to apply for a job.yet. You can NOT apply for a job through an online job board or Applicant Tracking System with an infographic resume. However, there are occasions when you can and should use your infographic resume. How To Use Infographic Resumes Instead, post it in your LinkedIn profile, share it on Facebook, and use it during an informational meeting. Better yet, find a creative  way to  deliver it  into the hands of someone you would like to hire you. While more people are testing the infographic resume waters, your infographic resume should be used as a supplement, not a replacement. Use an infographic resume  if you want to: Catch attention Stand out from the pack Simplify work experience Try something more creative For more instruction on when and how to use your infographic resume, read this  The Right Way To Use Your Infographic Resume. 10 INSPIRING INFOGRAPHIC RESUMES Youll notice that data visualization is a popular skill and what better way to showcase your skills than by creating and sharing your infographic resume on Tableau Public. Social media is another area companies are hiring in. Showing visual creativity is one of many skills social media managers need. More Inspiring Ideas You can read more about the benefits of SlideShare here) Are you looking for more examples? You can see more on my Pinterest board Infographic And Visual Resumes Be sure to check out Randy Krums board too. Who Should Use An Infographic Resume Almost anyone can use on. There are certain industries and occupations that tend to welcome these creative documents more than others. You can see who those are here. Youll find more examples, stories and best practices for creating and sharing infographic and visual resumes. Order your copy of   The Infographic Resume on Amazon today!

Summary Sunday Get A Grip On Your Career

Summary Sunday Get A Grip On Your Career Landing a job isnt the end of your job search. The new reality requires you to constantly grow and learn- and network! Youre going to want to get a grip on your career and how you manage it! This weeks summary provides tips to help get a grip! Understand how to network the right way, the truth about applying for jobs online, and career tips to make you perform better! NETWORKING 5 Misconceptions About Networking by  Herminia Ibarra | Harvard Business Review If you think about networking in these ways, you had better read the article. Networking is mostly a waste of time People are either naturally gifted at networking or they are not, and it’s generally difficult to change that Relationships should form naturally Networks are inherently self-serving or selfish Our strong ties are the most valuable JOB SEARCH The (Depressing) Truth About Applying To Jobs Online by J.T. ODonnell | LinkedIn Heres what happens, according to J.T. ODonnell Studies show with over two hundred applications coming in on average for a new job posting, only a mere 2-4 applicants get selected for an in-person interview. Thats a 3% chance youll get picked. So why are you blindly applying to jobs online? ONLINE VISIBILITY 37 Stats You Should Know About Visual Content Marketing in 2016 | HubSpot So you may be thinking, Yeah, but Im not in marketing but, the truth is, you are! Or at least you should be. You want to be a visible, recognizable resource and that happens best when you promote yourself and share information your network will find valuable. Images, pictures, and graphics are all part of telling your story and gaining visibility. CAREER Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away by James Doubek | NPR Even if you arent in school, this is a pretty powerful article about how to best retain knowledge! The article references a study published in Psychology Today which tests whether people who type notes or hand-write notes remember information better. Interesting findings! 44 Ways To Be More Productive [INFOGRAPHIC] by Andrew Hewertson| Best STL Microsoft Training.net Filled with nuggets of helpful tips, this infographic will help you master your time and energy to operate a peak performance!