Monthly Archives: August 2014

Video: RTO Partnerships with Get Qualified Australia RPL Specialists

Are you an RTO looking to increase your RPL revenue streams? RTO Partnerships with Get Qualified Australia, a Skills Recognition and RPL Specialist, might be a great idea to grow your RPL business! Visit https://www.gqaustralia.com.au for more info!
Transcript:

What kind of RTO are you?

Do you focus on face-to-face studies?
E-learning Online studies?
Distant Education?

Or

Do you focus on traineeships and government funded programs?

Whatever your focus is, you definitely see the market opportunity for Recognition of Prior Learning and skills recognition. But how do you deal with the systems, expertise, staff or the time in order to maximise the immense revenues and potential RPL has to offer?

Let Get Qualified Australia do the hard work for you!

As the leading RPL and Skills Recognition specialist, Get Qualified Australia has established partnerships with over 25 RTOs across the country and offers candidates more than 500 qualifications!

Avoid staff training, marketing expenses, and administration of RPL kits by partnering with Get Qualified Australia and take advantage of a fantastic opportunity to increase your RTOs revenues.

Even better, your college is marketed extensively across Australia via multiple media streams such as radio, television, and digital marketing.

So how does it work?

Once a partnering agreement is signed between Get Qualified Australia and your RTO, we market our specialised RPL services extensively across the country, which in turn markets your RTO and your qualifications. We work with applicants looking to obtain a qualification via RPL, and help them to develop a solid portfolio of evidence, and then assess and compile this portfolio for RTO final review.

When your RTO completes the portfolio review and confirms it meets all requirements, your RTO issues the qualification and posts it to Get Qualified Australia, and we forward it to the candidate.

How easy is that?

We ensure up to date insight into all qualifications and changes in training packages listed on training.gov and we also ensure efficiency and compliance in meeting all regulatory requirements and legislation.

Let Get Qualified Australia do the hard work while you get more students, more revenues, and issue more qualifications without having to spend one single dollar!

Interested in learning more? Call Get Qualified Australia today on 133 RPL (775) and Speak to a Business Development Manager or visit www.gqaustralia.com.au

Power

Power: Use It or Lose It

You’ve got potential. Not only in the sense of accomplishment, but in terms of the power you hold. What’s that? You don’t believe you hold the reins to any significant power in your workplace? Even if you’re on the bottom rung of the ladder, you could not be more wrong.

Power comes in three basic forms: the power of authority, the power of expertise, and the power of social relationship. You’ve got access to some of each, to greater or lesser degree. If you do not reach for it, however, your potential is wasted, sitting idly at the curbside of your road to success, waiting for the next passerby to gather it up. Why not give it a ride and see what boomerangs back in return?

The power of authority automatically comes with a title and a position. It’s a standard business hierarchy that often distributes power from the top down. From the CEO, through the various department managers, down to the rank and file office personnel, power of authority usually dissipates with distance from the top of the organisational chart.

Authoritative power doesn’t always flow with gravity, however. Sometimes it flows sideways, or even upward. Specific projects may have you working with other departments or other companies, requiring management to supply you with input or work tasks, giving you temporary authoritative power over superiors.

Some very simple positions actually wield much more power than the title would reflect. Consider that even the lowest positions on the CEO’s administrative staff are allowed access to a great deal of information that even upper level managers don’t have. That knowledge gives even lowly ranked workers a special type of authority called informational power.

Authoritative power goes hand in hand with an increased role in most companies. Want more power here? Get a promotion. Want to get promoted? Examine your tasks, pick the ones most valuable to the company, and hone them to perfection. Doing additional work on things that have a direct impact on company performance will make you indispensable, elevating your authoritative power, and perhaps even earning you a promotion. With administrative power, if you don’t reach for it, you won’t find it and it won’t find you.

Expert power, gained through skill, knowledge, and experience, is awarded to those who are good at what they do. Often, this power comes through academic degrees. It is also awarded through performance.

People respect results. Consider the top salesman, the most prolific programmer, or the most successful manager at your company. How do they structure their day that keeps them at the top of their game? Stay dynamic. Bring new ideas and new ways of doing things to the table to keep a company competitive. Learn new skills. Add to your repertoire to broaden your perspective, enabling you to see the big picture. Increase your expert power through learning and doing.

Relationship power comes from interaction with people. Being helpful, nice, and easygoing forges relationships that create power with bidirectional strength. Being a pushover, however, does not.

A manager or employee that has good relationships with co-workers and management gets things done, earning respect of all involved. Yes, grumpy, demanding managers also get things done, but usually not as well, nor usually as fast.

Relationship power is something everyone can build, with favours done, favours received, and interactions that are rewarding to both. Simply doing good turns without accepting anything in exchange doesn’t work. The “all give and no take” approach can make others feel indebted to you too, creating an uncomfortable relationship that erodes the power of reciprocal support. Or, it can make others use you as a doormat, getting you to do some of their work, taking advantage of your good nature.

The power to influence behaviour in the workplace and get people to do things or change the course of events is a gift. Managers and co-workers award you respect, yielding to you if you use your power reasonably and perform your job well. Who can argue with the power given to someone with excellent performance, deep knowledge, and mad skills?

If you try to take what’s not yours, however, be prepared to pay a heavy price. If you’ve not earned the right to exert your will over others, or if you’re using the wrong kinds of power to get results, prepare for a big stumble. These errors in judgment have derailed many a promising career.

Regardless of your position, time would seem like the great equalizer. While we all have just 24 hours to work with, the amount of power you feel has a direct correlation to your sense of the passage of time. A study of upper level executives revealed that those with a sense of power feel more in control of time, feel less stressed about deadlines and are more confident about the amount of time available to get things done. Power, like fear, fever, and music, slows the perception of time down.

Age speeds it up, as does feeling powerless. Those without a sense of power often feel highly stressed over deadlines and tasks to be completed, feeling there is never enough time. Perhaps those with power simply get more done in less time. Perhaps not spending time worrying about things provides more time to be productive.

Whatever the case, however you use your time, combined with how you earn, exchange, and exert your power in the workplace, is up to you. Earning it and using it wisely can bring substantial reward. Using it despicably, and losing it, can cost plenty. It’s in your hands. Use it, or lose it.

Rebranding Yourself

Rebranding Yourself: Changing Horses Midstream

If you’ve been working in your current field for five years or so, perhaps longer, it’s likely that you’ve branded yourself. If you’ve worked for a company, you’ve had lots of help. If you work for yourself, you’ve done a lot of the work on your own. Regardless, people know who you are. More importantly, you know who you are. Your expertise is valuable. But what if that brand you’ve built is just not fulfilling. Something’s amiss and you’d like to explore some other options, or the company’s been sold, restructured, or downsized, leaving you without a place to hang your career hat.

There’s an old saying that contends it’s unwise to swap horses in the middle of a stream. That saying referenced a speech by the American political candidate, incumbent Abraham Lincoln, as he headed into the campaign for his second term as President of the U.S. in 1864. Lincoln was elected, but things didn’t work out all that well for him.

The lesson learned here, then, might be that sometimes it’s better to go ahead with the swap. If you’re considering an exchange on the career front but fear the swap, we’ve got some tips for you to make the transition a bit less risky.

Whether you’re headed in a major new direction, or a simple minor course correction, you’ll need to do some re-branding. What do you want people to think of when they hear your name or see your face?

Apparently, it only takes 30 seconds for a first impression to make a negative mark on someone. It takes about 20 more interactions to alter that impression from bad to good. It is much easier to make the right impression the first time.

There are lots of ways to go about changing your brand. The biggest, easiest, and most effective is to begin with the internet. Build a website. While that may sound daunting, it is now quite easy, and rather inexpensive. There are tools and programs offered by many of the web hosting sites that make it a very simple process.

What should be on your website? Certainly, your name, what you do, and your contact information. In addition, whatever it is you stand for is important to convey. What makes you different from the other people who do what you’re doing?  Your site needs to be compelling. Examples of your best work are also quite helpful. Pretty tricky, you say, if you’re doing that horse switch thing and haven’t done much work in a new field, eh? Perhaps not.

There will likely  be overlaps between what you are currently known for and what you want to be known for in the future. That overlap expertise is something you need to emphasise. Similarly, there will be tasks that you performed in your old work that are also applicable to new work you are seeking. Those skills and duties should be emphasised.

If you’re still working on a resume, you might want to put that on the back burner while you do a little research. On yourself. That’s right, type in your name and see what Google is saying about you. Like it or not, you’ll have to deal with your electronic footprint in just about any interview.

Whether meeting with a new corporate group to apply for work, or pitching a new client for your own business, just about everyone checks out your qualifications on the internet. Resumes may still be required by some, but most of that old formality get less than a 30-second glance as HR or hiring managers review the piles of applications. You’ll have to work hard to stand out.

One way to ensure you’ll at least get a second look is to use appropriate keywords in your resume that are also used by the interviewer. Use words that match the descriptors in a job posting, a request for proposal, or an advertisement. Researching sites like LinkedIn to find people working in the field you’d like to enter, and noting the keywords used by those already in the field, can help if you are uncertain.

Being active on social media is another way to build a brand quickly. What used to take years can now happen overnight if something goes viral. Remember, that works with both good, as well as bad, information, so try to monitor your brand online to keep it from getting tarnished for no good reason.

While it usually takes a few months to a year to gain a following and establish a presence, that’s still faster than it ever has been. Make sure to include a good head shot on your social media pages to help identify you when you’re out and about. Also write a good bio on yourself. If you can, write a mission statement that tells folks why your business exists. If you’re not a writer, find help from a friend, relative, or willing retiree who is accomplished at writing.

While many feel business cards are passé, you really do need a way to be remembered. If that little card seems too old fashioned, have your information put on a flash drive that you can hand out to potential clients or employers. Having your name and/or logo professionally printed on it ensures a lasting impression on something that is useful.

Backing up your brand with experience is important. Pull examples out from your previous career that have applications to the new you, emphasising duties and accomplishments that illustrate your work ethic and commitment to the field. If you haven’t got experience, volunteer to do some pro bono work, or shop around for friends that might need your products or services, then ask for recommendations or endorsements and post them on your website.

If you know you need a change, but aren’t sure just which way to go, there are some wonderful exercises you can execute to give you ideas for appropriate career ideas. Books like “What Colour is Your Parachute,” and tests that measure aptitude for specific careers have proven helpful for many generations of career seekers.

Putting things down on paper can help clarify thoughts that have previously only existed in your head, giving them substance and organising your plans. What are you good at? What do you love to do? What is the intersect between the two? What are your hobbies? Are they things that employers would find valuable? Leave no stone unturned.

Western culture tends to retrain people to a specific task, which often leads again down a path of obsolescence. Keep your options broad, and stop identifying yourself by your job title. Instead, ID yourself by what you’re good at and what you know tons about. Perhaps even build an infographic or chart that organizes your skills, hobbies, and traits in a single glance. That self inventory, rather than a classification of a job title, will open doors and allow people to see you as a talented human, as opposed to a title inside of a prescribed, skill-set box.

The Passionate Career - Do What You Love

The Passionate Career: Do What You Love

What do you truly love to do? How far removed is that vision from your reality? Most people believe that there’s a large gap between the tasks they perform during their daily nine-to-five, and their dream job. It doesn’t have to be that way. All that sits between an uninspiring cubicle and the pursuit of passion is a little planning, a little preparation, and lots of promotion.

Think about it. You will spend 40 hours a week, for about forty years, doing your job. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend it doing something that matters to you? Something you have passion for and take pride in? Something that will fuel your fire as opposed to extinguishing it? And something that will also pay the bills?

While some feel that’s a luxury they cannot possibly hope for, especially in an uncertain economy, there are many ways to turn your passion into profit, and just as many good reasons to do so. We’re not advising you to march into your office tomorrow and hand in your resignation as you head off to skydiving school. What we are advising is that you take a good look at what you truly enjoy doing and consider the possibility of making a living at it.

Legions have done it willingly. A good many more were forced to seek new career opportunities after a huge downsizing trend in the recent recession. Good reads on the subject abound, and can offer insight and ideas, helping you move toward a more fulfilling, more enjoyable career. Where to begin?

  • Make a list. Write down the things you’d love to do even if you didn’t get paid. The list need not translate to a lucrative career at this point. Just jot down the activities or interests that simply make you come alive with wonder, curiosity, joy, and satisfaction.
  • Make another list of things you are good at. Usually, the things we do well make us feel good. That often translates to joy. We don’t always give ourselves credit where it’s due, however. Whether it’s cooking, fixing mechanical things, finding bargains, redesigning things to be more functional, or any other detail that you regularly perform, write it down.
  • Look for the intersect. If the same thing appears at the top of both lists, that makes a clear statement. If not, begin to dovetail what you love with what you’re good at. Do you like to sail, as well as sew? Are you a good organiser that also loves to run, collect rare books, or play an instrument? Pair up two interests to create your niche. While the world may not be ready for musical cupcakes or waterproof guitars, combining your area of expertise with a personal passion could create a winning niche. Sometimes, narrowing your market can earn your new title. If you’re a sculptor, your competition in the world of fine art can be daunting. If you take your art to an unusual medium, such as ice, food, or clothing, success could be on your doorstep. The caveat here is to ensure there will be an appreciation, and demand, for what you do.
  • Become an expert. Before the internet, that often took years, even decades. Today, one can dive into the wealth of shared information on the net and earn expert status in under a year. There will always be some professions that require arduous brick-and-mortar campus degrees, but many areas of study are now abundantly available online through formal and informal sources. If you already hold expert status in something, say, your photography hobby, or your fishing trips, so much the better.
  • Brand yourself. This can be a make or break point for many new ventures, so it’s important to get it right. Make sure your brand says who you are and what you do. Again, there are mountains of information available online about how to do this. If you’re on a budget, buckle down and read the top blogs. Otherwise, hire an expert. A clever video, simply and inexpensively produced, can earn viral rewards and huge results. A pricey production with the wrong focus can put a good idea to bed way too early. You know your product or service better than anyone, so just trust your choices.
  • Find clients. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but social media provides networking and connecting tools to put you in front of customers who will love what you do. Post regularly, being true to your brand, and your following will come.

If you’re heading out with a newly-minted degree, or are not sure where your passions lie, consider the following: Are you a gate-keeper, good at details and precise analytical thinking? Do you anticipate problems and enjoy planning ahead? Consider tasks and activities that require a defensive, preventive stance. Are you a broad thinker, loving creativity, innovation, and the risk that comes along with them? Avoid the defensive strategy careers and consider one that embraces the offense. Have a mixture of both? You’re a born entrepreneur. You’ve got the personal qualities that most successful business people say are important.

Is there risk involved here? Yes. Financially, plan ahead to ensure no one goes hungry. That means different things for different people, but you know what you need. Failure? Always a risk, but that’s true whether you go out and find your passion, or whether you stay in your cubicle. Reward? Absolutely. Pursuing your passion as a career can be positively life-changing. Is there risk involved in working in an unfulfilling job for 40 years? Yes, but a different kind. Studies point to increased maladies ranging from depression and obesity to osteoporosis and heart disease.

Whatever your passion, there are many routes to successful outcomes. Even if you’re just making potato salad for the very first time, fundraising platforms like Kickstarter can help you become the expert you’ve always dreamed of while using other people’s money, giving you a built in ad campaign with a ready audience.

So, what are you waiting for?

Bit by Bit

Bit by Bit: New Technology Remodels an Old Career

“I Used to.” That’s a phrase heard all too often lately.

Technology waits for no one. Many intelligent people with valuable skills are left by the side of the road as innovations in technology race ahead. Even with decades of experience, if you haven’t got the digital tools of the trade, it could be hard to find work in today’s business world. Chin up, there’s hope. It will never be like it was. It will be better.

Middle aged workers, those between the ages of 40 and 60, earned their status in business before computers were a significant factor. They typed on mechanical typewriters. They took shorthand with pen and paper. They wrote with markers on plastic sheets displayed on overhead projectors. They designed machinery that required human operators. People actually put their hands on things other than keyboards.

Today, computers carry the load. Humans now simply tell computers what to do. Some computers even seem to know what we want them to do before we tell them. Most people in this age range have had at least a little interaction with computers, whether it’s using a cell phone, programming a television remote, or checking in for a flight at an airport. Those activities just scratch the surface, however, of what most businesses require of their employees today regarding computer literacy. If you think your career went obsolete with the adoption of the digital age, however, think again.

For many, it is probably good news that typing is still typing. Granted, there are some fancy things one can do with flying fingers, but for the most part, if your job as a typist disappeared, you can still use those skills in data input and word processing. Through your computer, with an at-home, online course or two in medical terminology, you can be ready to take on work as a medical transcriptionist. If you prefer law to biology, similar coursework can prepare you to be a paralegal. In these jobs, the faster you type, the more valuable you are.

Manufacturing work was plentiful when this group entered the job market. Things were done mechanically, however, instead of digitally. Machines were run by men. Now, they’re run by computers. If you ran a drill press, assembled things, worked in a sawmill, mine, or oil field, you worked with your hands. Today, much of that once physical work is automated, directed by computers and performed by robots. Still, you have knowledge. You know what went before. You understand how the industry evolved. How can that help you land a contemporary position in a similar industry?

If you worked with oil, mining, or manufacturing equipment, you likely have some valuable knowledge about how machines work and what tasks need to be completed, in what order, within specific tolerances. A course in robotics, laser technology, or electronics can be very useful in redirecting what you know as valuable background for a new position. Again, many of these courses can be completed online at nominal cost. Some, including open courseware from impressive schools like MIT, are free. Some are eligible for tax deductions, which is true of course expenses in other disciplines as well.

Many secretaries in the pre-computer era were also walking dictionaries, with a stellar knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and proper formats for upper level communication. Those things still rank high, despite spell check and word processing programs built into computers. Even they make syntax and spelling errors when they don’t understand the context like humans do. Today’s positions as administrative assistants prize those skills, and pay well. Again, a course in computer office programs will put you back on track.

Something important that the online employment sector offers is anonymity. If you feel your age is a factor in getting and securing work, arranging the details of a job online all but eliminates that judgemental snub. Similarly, any disability that you feel might be a disadvantage for a specific task becomes irrelevant. Computers, high tech prosthetics, and automation can now help those with a significant number of disabilities to perform as well as a worker without any physical challenges. Blind workers now have programs to help them “see” their work through other senses, and amputees and immobile workers can perform their tasks with special computer tools that may actually give them advantages. The playing field is a little more level as technology teaches us to be the best we can be. Add a little new tech to your life and see how it can rejuvenate your work history.

If you don’t have a computer, you might consider getting one. It will open a multitude of doors for working from home, as well as help you update many useful skills that are valued in today’s employment marketplace. Some of the entry level computer models, or even one of the newer notebooks, are priced attractively. No matter what brand or model you end up choosing, it will likely pay for itself in short order.

You will also need some software for that computer. No need to jump into the deep end, however. Just start with one program. Pick a word processing program, as that will prove very useful, no matter what industry you’re in. You’ll also need an internet connection to communicate with the world outside your home. If all that is just too much, consider starting out by using computers for free at your local public library.

Your knowledge is valuable. Teachers, nurses, office workers, manufacturing workers, mechanics, bank tellers, and farmers all have skills and industry backgrounds as well as online options for learning as well as working. Updating that knowledge with a digital toolkit can make all the difference, refreshing your career and putting you in demand.