Career Development – VA Success Group

May 14, 2019 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Choosing The Right Career From The Start

Career planning and development are not phrases that were banded about when my generation were going through school. We used to be quizzed regularly as what we thought we'd like to do after school. The replies ranged in those days from Train Driver, Fireman, Policeman, Doctor, Solicitor . . . . . I no doubt our poor tutors used to wonder if any of us did make the grade in a chosen career! These days though a career plan is a list of short, medium and long term goals with which to measure our career success and monitor the need to change direction or take additional courses to beef up our development and opportunities. Identifying career options is done thouogh examining our interests and seeing what jumps out as a possible long term, lifelong career. Students get offered work experience becoming an intern for a short period to get an idea how a particular job functions or how a business group operates.

April 14, 2019 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Getting Career Advice From Pastoral Teachers

Knowing how we want to spend our working hours can be somewhat daunting as a 17 year old doing exams. No one really has much idea about what each job entails until we get stuck in and do the job for weeks or months. Many a young person will be influenced by previous generations of their family, quite rightly too. But what was good enough for great grandpa may not now be what the next set want to do. Especially if it meant putting lives at risk or moving to a ghastly far flung part of the world. Most shools will have some form of careers advice section - usually run by a teacher who has other duties but is primarily in a pastoral and caring role within the school. They share this enormous task with other teachers - it usually involves contacting universities and colleges to obtain masses of university entrance criteria and also knowing a general amount about what certain roles need in the way of eam results

March 14, 2019 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Sourcing Route To Good Career At Upper School

The need to start planning for careers has never been stronger than now. Getting in to the right stream at upper school so that the examination choices fall in our favour can be a rather tricky thing to negotiate - but with some insider knowledge, determination and a really good choice of online e-learning courses, absolutely anything can be achieved. Say for example a student has thought of going into law - they would need to check with the school early on to find out what GCSEs would be needed and then which would be the best university. Some unis are recognised as experts with law and their conversion of degree to career ratios are impressive. It's this kind of insider knowledge that can make or break success in obtaining a training contract for the end of the degree course. Just being in the right pace at the right time has always been the primary motivator for getting a student involved.

February 12, 2019 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Getting Your Name Out There

I do love a good business magazine - the type that comes out monthly and sits on the front desk of care homes, dentis surgeries, estate agents etc. etc. We have two or three a month posted through our front door. It's a handy way to remind us all that for any kind of service, whatever we may need, there will be a company out there supplying it. We also have access to county magazines which are basicially paid for by businesses who want to feature in the advertorials. These are a simply brilliant way to highlight your business - restaurants and bistros are a good example, as are tax accountants, diy and one man decorating companies. The cost may seem a bit steep at first but you know that the circulation will be instant to at least 15 to 20 thousand premises minimum. Well worth that fee when the enquiries come flooding in.

January 3, 2019 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Needing Guidance On What The Exams Mean

It's all very well being chivied along at school to take this exam or that. The emphasis in all good schools, particularly the expensive Public schools and now rapidly catching them up, the free state schools is to get as many students into the very top 8 universities. No so much though has been given to whether the child rally needs the exam result to be double A or A star star star star etc. Most of today's school leavers at age 18 are going to uni because their school demands this much, having spent years impressing this upon every family through its hands. University is not suitable for every student - there are many who need vocational training in a different pace of life and without the constant competition for the tutors' favours. A local college still deals with animal husbandry, horticultural practices, farming year activities etc. and these give the average slow starter the real chance of a job they will like and live with contentedly all their lives.

December 21, 2018 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Having A Starter for Ten… In Careers

It's impossible to say how many careers in tv will have been spawned from those famous few words - over the decades, many a seriously brilliant young mind has sat atop a bright, cheery student - one of four selected, to represent their revered university. They come and go, season after season. It started some years ago when a research geek fronted a new 'panel game' for bright sparks and it has grown since to such amazing seismic proportions. We even now have the Christmas versions in which the quiz master grills 4 celebrities who at some time studied at the university. It was probably to highlight how much better students were in the good old days. But actually the modern student learns a great deal more - much faster.

November 26, 2018 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Regenerating Business From Old Venues

I have been involved with a fairly local heritage property this year. From when they re-opened at the start of this season, I have volunteered as a room steward and general helper. This has been a truly amazing experience - I have always been a very keen visitor to such properties as a member of several heritage groups, to be one of those folk who patiently hang around in the rooms, just in case someone wants info, is a completely different thing. I have also watched the young volunteer organising team make a tremendous effort in promoting the Hall for all kinds of events. Not just the wedding venue side - which in itself is now very popular and turning in a very good income. The rest of the house is also getting in on the act with torchlight ghost hunts in the grounds and spooky evenings in the cellar on the 'below stairs' experience.

October 16, 2018 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Taking Stock Of What We Want To Achieve In Life

It can be so daunting trying to sort out a ong term career when you first leave school. University will of course bring with it a whole range of new skills and experiences but unless you take a degree course that is very specifically allied to an onging career such as law or medicine, there is a bewildering range of inbetween jobs. Very few folk really knows what they want to do early in life and only a small number of them actually achieve that dream and keep to it for their entire working life. Careers and vocations generally develop through life experiences. The Saturday and holiday job that invites you to stay on and train in something you never thought of. Perhaps a hobby introduces you to travelling around to source materials or inspiration. Making the very most of every opportunity is the best way to work through life.

September 19, 2018 Neil Post in Business,Career Development

Saving Money on Your Business Payment Processing Fees

For lots of businesses, the costs associated with taking card payments can be a crippling amount. Card payment companies always charge businesses for transactions, but it is a little known fact that you can shop around and find cheaper card processing companies. There are a range of comparison sites which can help you to save money on your processing fees, with Compare Card Processing a good example of this. They take some details about your payment processing needs, and can help to find the lowest costs for your card processing. We recommend you shop around to get the best deals, as the major card companies will not necessarily be the lowest costs! In fact, you are more likely to be paying a premium for the major companies.

July 12, 2018 Neil Post in Career Development

Developing Leadership Skills for Work

Many employers like their staff to feel confident to take on extra tasks if possible and to lead in some aspect of their job. It can be tricky to get experience in leadership and taking charge of a team of people, but there are ways to show you have the skills required. At school, there are often opportunities to join clubs or groups which can help build natural leadership. These could be through musical pursuits, sports or other hobbies such as army cadet training. These skills can be surprisingly useful even in the world of work. Be sure to mention these things on your CV! University is another area where many people can gain some leadership skills - perhaps you have to work on a project as part of a team and can prove that you lead the team through to successful completion.