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Freelance tips

The gig economy enables income opportunities that once seemed like pipe dreams. Technology has not only mobilized workers with remote tools, but it has also changed how we all work together. Mobility and connectivity have forever changed how people interact, and the same communication advances have seen businesses evolve as well.

Today, almost anyone can embark on a freelance career, but to be successful, one needs to identify a marketable skill set. Luckily, there is no shortage of freelancer-friendly work categories. From coding to marketing copywriting, businesses are increasingly looking to outsource many tasks for short and longer-term projects.

Often, freelancers interact with full-time resident employees in a hybrid team setting. Since more companies are becoming comfortable with bringing different types of workers together in a virtual team environment, remote work freelance growth opportunities will only continue to grow.

What Is Freelancing?

Freelancing is done on a project-by-project or contract-by-contract basis by a professional who isn’t employed full-time by the person or company paying for their services. Freelancers are typically paid on an hourly or project basis, and freelance work can be done from almost anywhere, making it a flexible career option for remote workers. Freelancing offers workers the flexibility to decide how much or how little work they want to do in a given period, so it can be a full-time or part-time source of income.

What Is a Freelance Job?

A freelance job is one where a person is self-employed instead of working for a company or other organization. Freelance jobs are often contracted jobs where the freelancer will work on specific projects for different organizations.

Why choose freelance over traditional jobs?

Better earning potential

A freelance job has bigger earning potential if you are motivated. It’s simple: work hard, earn more. You can decide how many projects to take on in a month and how much money you’d like to make.

Unlike traditional jobs, freelancers have the power to say no to gigs. But be mindful of why you are saying no. Is it because the project is a waste of your professional time or are you feeling lazy? Saying no often could mean that you’ll get fewer part-time offers of work.

Quicker professional growth

Freelancers are able to adjust or improve their skill set, making them adaptable and able to work in many different professional areas of expertise. Being well-versed in multiple professional areas can also mean a fatter paycheque. A lot of freelancers take the time to update their skill sets. There are many educational resources available online, both free and paid. Find out which skills are high in demand and which job sectors are hot right now.

Work from anywhere

Aside from having a flexible schedule, freelancing allows you to work from anywhere. Think of all the money you can save by not having to commute. Having a flexible schedule can also mean a healthier lifestyle, with time to exercise, cook and eat healthier with regular or semi-regular mealtimes. Bonus: there isn’t much need to get dressed for work.

Extra income streams

Freelancing also allows you to build passive income streams. If your website gets numerous hits, for example, try selling ad space or a members-only section. Offer e-courses sharing your expertise in one or more professional areas. The more creative freelancers can create a paid podcast series, ebooks, or vlogs.

Low-risk employment

Remember that there’s no harm in trying to freelance, whether it’s a necessary move or simply extra work to make extra money. The risks of freelancing are minimal and if you enjoy the freelance way of working, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it full-time.

Web Freelance Tips – Get organized

I’ve always been a big advocated of the importance of being organized. For me, organization is one of the core skills needed to succeed as a freelance web professional. Clients will be impressed by freelancers who show great organizational skills, and a lack of organization is often the demise and cause of failure for many unsuccessful freelancers.

The key to getting organized is to keep records of all your work and work diligently to schedules. This includes keeping daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly schedules, making a habit of keeping an updated calendar, using a to do list, and setting reminders to make sure you keep on top of your work and don’t miss deadlines.

To make life easier there are some really great tools out there for keeping organized. It’s worth testing out several different apps and software and try to find those which best fit your needs and lifestyles.

Sources:

https://resources.owllabs.com/blog/freelancing
https://www.jobstreet.com.my/career-resources/plan-your-career/freelance-tips-for-beginners/
https://webcoursesbangkok.com/web-freelance-tips/

Run Contests on Social Media to Attract Attention

A contest is a subtle way to promote your product without actually advertising it. Running contests on social media platforms will drive audience’s attention towards your product. To reap maximize benefits from the contest, keep it fun, simple, and offer giveaways to all participants. Ultimately, this will create loyalty towards your product in customers; thus, will help you in generating leads in long-term.

Example: Dove, recently started a “Real beauty should be shared” contest on Facebook. It was a fill-in-the-blank contest wherein users had to tell why their friends represent real beauty by filling in their friend’s name and things that make them a real beauty. As a prize for this contest, they gave entrants the chance of becoming the face of Dove (to be printed on Dove soap case). This was a brilliant branding campaign where Dove not only got a genuine face for marketing but also brought huge attention towards its product.

Free and low-cost ways to promote your business online

Business promotion is more than just publishing images on social media or buying ads. It’s a process to help you achieve measurable success in your business. Here’s how you can promote your business for free to drive traffic and sales for your store:

Guest post on blogs

Free traffic—as opposed to paid traffic that comes from things like purchased ads—is often hard to come by for new websites. You can start blogging to drive traffic, but it takes time before you start seeing results. While you grow your own audience, guest posting gives you a way to get in front of someone else’s. Not only does this drive traffic back to your website, but the links to your site will help with search engine optimization.

Find and connect with bloggers who have the type of audience you want to reach. Offer to write a guest post that their audience will love. Make sure the topic you write about is also related to your business or it won’t drive any traffic.

Get product reviews

Getting your product reviewed can be a great way to spread awareness and drive sales. Instead of waiting around for someone to review your product, use a blogger outreach campaign to get the ball rolling. You may end up landing a product review in outlets like Buzzfeed, like Shopify merchant RT1home.

Contact bloggers with relevant, engaged audiences and offer to send them new products for free in exchange for an honest review. If you have a great product, they’ll love it and tell everyone.

Do an expert roundup

While blogging is a great way to drive traffic back to your store, it can be a lot of work. This is especially true if you don’t feel very knowledgeable on a topic you need to write about, or you’re not generally comfortable writing. One way around this is to solicit contributions from other bloggers or experts.

Seek out experts on a topic and ask them to contribute an idea, such as a tip, recipe, or story to your blog post. Then, publish a list of all the responses you got back. You’ll be providing your audience with great content from relevant experts, plus the contributors will want to share the article with their own readers, increasing your own reach.

Find affiliates to promote your business

If you want to take product reviews a step further and solicit even more people to promote your product, consider starting an affiliate program. Affiliate marketing incentivizes other people to drive traffic to your business by offering a commission on every sale, similar to referral programs.

Finding your first affiliates can be tough if you don’t have wide brand recognition. Use an outreach campaign to find and recruit your first few affiliates and get the ball rolling. Look for affiliates who have an engaged audience and are already writing about your industry.

Get included in gift guides

Gift guides are a list of recommended products or gift ideas, typically centered around a holiday (like Christmas) or a person (like your dad). If you’ve ever Googled for gift ideas you’ve likely come across several gift guides, like this Valentine’s Day gift guide by The New York Times.

Getting your product in the right gift guides can increase sales and traffic to your website. However, inclusion in these guides doesn’t happen randomly and requires some effort. In many cases, business owners and marketers lobby to get their products included. Use outreach to contact gift guide publishers and ask to have your product included.

Invest in an infographic

Investing in a professionally designed infographic is one way to drive traffic and potentially build backlinks, which are great for search engine optimization (SEO). The cost ranges greatly for quality infographics—depending on what you need and the skill level of the person you hire—but it can be well worth the investment.

Need an idea for an infographic? Check out sites like Visually for inspiration. Once you’ve chosen an idea, research the topic and identify the points that you’ll cover in the infographic. You can hand this outline over to a professional designer as direction for what you want the infographic to cover (or as a guideline for yourself if you’re going the DIY route, in which case you should check out tools like Canva or Piktochart).

Let’s say you sell bicycles and related gear. You might create an infographic that talks about the environmental benefits of bicycling. Some points or figures you might include in the infographic could be how much a daily commute saves in fuel emissions, as well as a comparison of the total number of car owners and bike owners.

Top 10 Ways to Use Facebook to Promote your Business for Free

It’s just a simple fact: Facebook is a pay-to-play marketing platform today. But in spite of all the griping and groaning marketers did when it first became clear that free Facebook marketing was a thing of the past, they’re all still using Facebook to market. Why is that? Because even as a paid platform, Facebook produces an extremely high marketing ROI. In other words – it’s totally worth it.

We here at Zen Media have managed hundreds of paid Facebook campaigns for our clients, so we have firsthand experience of the ROI that’s possible using this particular marketing method.

1. Create a personal business presence using a fan page. One of the major strengths of social media marketing is its ability to create relationships between businesses and their audiences. The person-to-person interaction that can happen on social media makes consumers feel that they have encountered a brand in a meaningful way and that they now have a special connection with that company. So imagine how much this feeling is intensified when that consumer is interacting not just with “the brand,” but with the person behind that brand!

Depending on your personal social media habits, you may or may not already have a personal Facebook account. If you do, and you prefer to keep your personal profile private, Facebook will allow you to create a page for your public, professional persona, as well. Otherwise, you can use your personal profile to interact with consumers. Gain a following by engaging with the people who frequent your brand’s page.

2. Maintain a robust brand presence. While it’s true that your company’s Facebook posts most likely won’t show up in your audience’s news feeds without paying to promote them, that doesn’t mean that you should stop posting them on your brand’s page. People today often use Facebook as a search engine to find out more about a company, whether that means basic info like contact information and hours of operation, or what customers have to say about them. A robust, active page that’s full of regular posts and lots of audience engagement is a great way to showcase the fact that your customers aren’t just satisfied – they’re enthusiastic!

3. Join Facebook groups. While most people think of LinkedIn first when they think online networking, Facebook groups actually offer a similar opportunity for professionals. There are any number of Facebook groups dedicated to various industries, professions, and interests. You can use your personal account to join groups of colleagues, as well as groups where your target audience is likely to be found.

The more you contribute to the conversations taking place in these groups, the more your name will become recognized – and synonymous with industry leadership and expertise. The only thing to watch out for here is never to come across as salesy in your discussions – the quickest way to turn off this potential stream of leads and connections is to start promoting your business instead of offering genuine advice and thoughts.

You can customize your search for groups based on various keywords – and Facebook also makes suggestions, based on your profile. Here are some groups Facebook has to offer in the field of “Leadership:”

4. Create your own group. Can’t find a Facebook group that really fits what you’re looking for? Create your own! You can add members, publish articles, carry on discussions, and probably meet quite a few prospects. The fact that you own the group and control the conversations automatically grants you industry leadership status in the eyes of your members, which can only help when they realize they need the product or service you provide.

5. List your events. Hosting a webinar or speaking somewhere? Create an event page and invite friends and people in the groups you’re in. You can even see how many RSVP and get feedback from attendees.

6. Syndicate your blog. If you know that you won’t remember or be able to find the time to share your company’s blog posts on your Facebook page or profile each week, you can automate the task. There are many different online tools you can use to do this, from simple plugins for WordPress to suites of digital marketing software, that will automatically post each new blog post to your Facebook page for you. More Exposure = More Traffic = More Leads.

Sources:

https://www.fatbit.com/fab/6-creative-ways-promote-product-social-media/
https://www.shopify.com.sg/blog/how-to-promote-your-business
https://zenmedia.com/blog/top-10-ways-to-use-facebook-to-promote-your-business-for-free/

How to run effective virtual and in-person meetings

Understanding how to have effective meetings is one of the most important business communication skills that employees at all levels need to learn to thrive at work – especially in hybrid and remote workplaces.

And whatever industry you’re in, you’ll probably have plenty of meetings to contend with. According to Doodle’s State of Meetings Report , video meetings skyrocketed in 2020. One on one meetings rose by 1,230% while virtual group meetings increased by 613%.

That’s all well and good, until you consider that only 50% of meeting time is effective, well-used and engaging . And not only are pointless meetings annoying, but they are also a drain on your revenue: two hours per week spent in pointless meetings results in a waste of more than $541 billion in employee time .

What are you trying to achieve with your meeting?

Every meeting should have a goal, and by not clearly defining that goal with your agenda, or even clearly spelling it out in the description of your meeting invite, you are wasting your co-workers’ time. Sometimes that goal is simple, like establishing next steps or assigning specific people to specific tasks. But whatever you do, don’t leave a meeting with questions an un-actionable to-do list.

We’ve all been to meetings that ended 30 minutes early because everything was resolved after one person answered a couple of questions. Before you create a meeting, start outlining your concerns in an email. If that email takes you less than five minutes to compose, you may be able to solve this with a cc, some specific questions and a good subject line.

Is it important that you get approval on every decision you make?

If you can solve a problem without completely disrupting others’ work or overstepping your responsibilities, solve it. No meeting necessary. Having to ask permission for everything conveys a lack of confidence, and your boss takes that into consideration when performance reviews come around.

Meetings let you use one-on-one discussions, small group activities, and facilitated discussions to make sure everyone’s ideas get heard before the group settles on a final idea or strategy and they can even drive your rewards and recognition strategy. This is known as the 1-2-All technique, and it’s only one of many strategies in which changing the physical arrangement of bodies in the room focuses team members’ minds in different ways.

Meetings also let you build relationships in a way that you can only do in person. You don’t have to make s’mores and sing camp songs—not that there’s anything wrong with that—but you need to be in the same room when you’re bonding. It’s the only way you can:

You can even introduce ice breakers or games that get people thinking in new ways. If done at the right time and in the right way for a team, these kinds of activities can keep your meetings fresh and interesting.

9 Mute yourself when you’re not speaking

If you’re wondering how to run a zoom meeting, this is one of the easiest things that you can do to ensure the meeting runs smoothly. Just like you would on any online video conferencing software, muting yourself when you’re not speaking on Zoom is imperative. If you fail to mute your microphone, any background noise that happens within your workspace will be transferred to the rest of the attendees which may ultimately end up being a major distraction for everyone on the call. Muting your microphone and only turning it on when it’s your turn to speak is also a great way to show your respect for the host as well as all other attendees.

Writing notes and jotting down action items is extremely important. Whether you’re taking the notes yourself, or you have a designated note taker on your team, it’s best to determine who will be responsible for taking the notes while additionally identifying how the notes will be taken and distributed when the meeting ends.

Fellow’s Zoom app brings your notes into a convenient panel in your video meetings, eliminating the need to search for your notes before your next Zoom meeting. If you’re spending more time balancing browser tabs during your video meetings than connecting with the people in your meeting, Fellow’s app for Zoom will help. Don’t let your meeting notes get in the way of human connection.

12 Leverage Zoom waiting rooms for larger meetings

Learning how to run a large Zoom meeting is entirely different from learning how to run a regular meeting on Zoom because you need to learn how to manage a larger group of participants. The waiting room feature on Zoom allows you as the host to control when a participant joins the meeting. When hosting a larger Zoom meeting, waiting rooms allow you to admit meeting attendees one by one, or all at once Essentially, waiting rooms provide you with the ability to control who enters the meeting and at which moment they enter.

While in the meeting room, your meeting participants can test their speakers and microphones, but they cannot see or communicate with each other. While waiting, participants will see a window that reads “Please wait, the meeting host will let you in soon.”

Resource:

https://slack.com/intl/en-gb/blog/productivity/run-effective-meetings
https://www.viktorwithak.com/meeting-management/
https://fellow.app/blog/meetings/how-to-run-a-zoom-meeting-a-step-by-step-guide-and-best-practices/

As Teen Stress Increases, Teachers Look for Answers

I’ve taught frazzled high-performers who eschew sleep for flashcards and always seem on the verge of a breakdown. I’ve had students who won’t come to school because they don’t want to compound their stress. I’ve heard members of a student panel brazenly explain that they felt burdened by their workloads and simply wanted “the points.” It’s actually become common for student breakdowns to happen and for parents to request their child’s upcoming assignments in advance, knowing they’ll be out of school.

Though it may seem otherwise, my school isn’t a high-stress pipeline for Ivy League colleges, but a diverse public school that is home to both affluent and low-income students. We’re like many other public schools where student stress seems to be on the rise and is putting teachers like me in a tough position, causing us to second-guess ourselves and ask whether students are really too stressed—or just lacking time-management skills and angling for reduced homework.

Yet my personal observations that students seem more stressed than in years prior are backed by research, which shows that anxiety, depression, and self-harm are on the rise among teens. According to a 2019 Pew Research Poll, 70 percent of surveyed teens agree that stress is a major problem. Emergency room visits for self-inflicted, nonfatal injuries among children and young adults increased by 5.7 percent from 2008 to 2015, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between 2007 and 2017, more teens were seriously considering suicide or hurting themselves in suicide attempts than in past decades.

“I’ve seen an uptick in diagnosable anxiety disorders that almost incapacitate teens,” said Dr. Melissa Holland, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at California State University, Sacramento. “It’s estimated about one in five teens have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and most of them go untreated.”

Rising Pressures

Two years ago, I participated in a question-and-answer session at a preschool that my spouse and I were considering for our daughter. The head of the school asked parents what they wanted for their children in the coming years.

As the kids were playing just feet away, still in diapers, two parents immediately volunteered that they were eager to see their toddlers get exposure to a STEM curriculum. A third parent raised her hand and said that she wanted her child to be happy. Tellingly, her neighbors, squeezed into miniature wooden chairs like overgrown versions of their kids, looked at her with amusement.

The academic pressures and stress faced by teens today start long before high school and seem to escalate every year. The pressure comes from parents and educators who worry—and make teenagers worry—that they won’t get accepted into highly ranked universities with increasingly prohibitive tuitions or be prepared for a competitive job market once they graduate.

Short on sleep, students reared in the testing-heavy wake of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) enlist SAT tutors, fill schedules with activities and service projects, and take as many honors and AP classes as possible to boost their GPAs. Even with these overloaded schedules, students have no guarantee of getting into colleges—even state institutions—where admission rates keep dropping.

“There are academic and career aspirations, diminishing opportunities and reduced social mobility, and tremendous competition to get ahead,” said Daniel Keating, professor of psychology, psychiatry, and pediatrics at the University of Michigan and author of the 2017 book Born Anxious. “For teens [today], it’s not clear that there’s going to be a prize at the end.”

He explained that students react more intensely when their world feels less stable than they expect—and less likely to reward their efforts and hopes with desired outcomes. For teens in particular, these pressures can be especially challenging to navigate, given their stage of brain development: They simply can’t manage the stress like adults.

They are simultaneously more sensitive and less capable of controlling impulses, said Keating. “The stressors feel even worse [for teens], which leads to behavioral issues, hair-trigger responses, acting out, and an inability to keep things in perspective—or, alternatively, becoming more isolated.”

Friends

While most students would say that friends are one of their favorite aspects of school, they can also be a source of stress. Concerns about not having enough friends, not being in the same class as friends, not being able to keep up with friends in one particular area or another, interpersonal conflicts, and peer pressure are a few of the very common ways kids can be stressed by their social lives at school. Dealing with these issues alone can cause anxiety in even the most secure kids.

Things have changed in the world of bullies. The good news is that the days of teachers looking the other way and parents leaving kids to deal with bullying on their own are mostly over. Many schools now have anti-bullying programs and policies. Though bullying does still happen at many schools, even those with these policies, help is generally more easily accessible than it was years ago.

The bad news is that bullying has gone high-tech. Many students use the Internet, cell phones, and other media devices to bully other students, and this type of bullying often gets very aggressive. One reason is that bullies can be anonymous and enlist other bullies to make their target miserable; another reason is that they don’t have to face their targets, so it’s easier to shed any empathy that they may otherwise feel. There are ways to combat “cyber-bullying,” but many parents aren’t aware of them—and many bullied kids feel too overwhelmed to deal with the situation.

Overscheduling

Much has been said in the media lately about the over-scheduling of our kids, but the problem still continues. In an effort to give their kids an edge, or to provide the best possible developmental experiences, many parents are enrolling their kids in too many extra-curricular activities. As kids become teens, school extracurricular activities become much more demanding. College admissions standards are also becoming increasingly competitive, making it difficult for college-bound high school students to avoid overscheduling themselves.

Due in part to the busyness of kids’ lives and the hectic schedules of most parents, the sit-down family dinner has become the exception rather than the rule in many households. While there are other ways to connect as a family, many families find that they’re too busy to spend time together and have both the important discussions and the casual day recaps that can be so helpful for kids in dealing with the issues they face. Due to a lack of available family time, many parents aren’t as connected to their kids, or knowledgeable about the issues they face, as they would like.  

Source:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/teen-stress-increases-teachers-look-answers
https://www.verywellfamily.com/social-causes-of-school-anxiety-3145171
https://www.princetonreview.com/high-school/learning-without-stress

How to write a cover letter in 6 steps

1. Start with your header

, you should include a few pieces of personal and role specific information at the top of your cover letter. This section should include your contact information, date of application and recipient’s contact information. If you’d like, you can also center your name and address at the top of the page, mirroring the way it looks on your resume.

2. Include a greeting

In your research, try to find the name of the person who will be reviewing applications for the job. Address your letter to this person with a common business greeting, such as “Dear” or “Hello.” If you’re unable to confirm the gender pronouns (he/him, she/her, them/they) of the person reviewing your application, it is best to use a gender-neutral greeting such as “Dear [first and last name]” or “Dear [position title].”

3. Write an opening paragraph

In the first paragraph of your letter, mention the job title for which you’re applying and where you saw the position posting. Explain your specific interest in the role and company so the reader knows you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested. Briefly state the main experience or qualification you have that makes you a good fit. The first section of your cover letter is also the first impression the reader will have of you, so it is important to appeal to that person quickly and succinctly.

Example: “I’m excited to apply for the Graphic Designer position at Cloud Clearwater I found on Indeed. I understand you’re currently adding several new product lines, and I believe my skills in video and animation provide a significant advantage for creating a successful launch. As a longtime fan of your products, I’m thrilled at the opportunity to bring my unique style and passion for beachwear to the company.”

4. Follow with a second paragraph

Your second paragraph should be a brief overview of your background as is relevant to the position. Here, you should include key achievements, skills and specialties that make you particularly suited to perform well in the position. Focus on one or two and provide specific details about your success including measurable impacts you made.

Example: “As the Director of Human Resources at Wes Morgan Philips, I was a key senior leader in the organization and was responsible for improving the efficiency and performance of the company’s 540 employees. Before that, I worked in human resources, equal employment opportunity and diversity for Jenkins Technology Solutions, Inc. At Jenkins Technology Solutions Inc., I developed an employee retention plan that involved the creation of a wellness program, an internal training program and a promotions selection process, which led to a 50% reduction in the overall employee turnover rate.”

5. Finish with a closing paragraph

The next paragraph should focus on another key achievement or skill that is relevant to the position. Instead of repeating details from your resume, expand on specific stories or anecdotes that display your fitness for the role. Again, focus on stories that demonstrate the skills and qualifications outlined in the job description.

Example: “Achieving ambitious marketing goals is always a top priority, and I am always looking out for the best interests of the company. I enjoy delivering marketing presentations to potential clients and focusing on the strengths of an organization. My marketing skills at River Tech enabled the company to experience new levels of success and a 45% increase in customer engagement. I am never satisfied with the status quo, and I believe that a company should continually look for ways to improve and reach new clients through innovative campaigns.”

6. End with a professional signoff

Example: ”Thank you for your time and consideration. I’m looking forward to learning more details about the Sales position and about TradeLot. Growth is essential to my continued success, and I’m excited for the chance to be a part of TradeLot’s industry-leading team. My proven track record and TradeLot’s quality products are a winning combination for increasing the company’s market share.

Cover letter examples

Here are two examples of cover letters, a traditional version and a less traditional version. First, read the job description, then read the cover letter. In the first example, you’ll see how the writer uses specific phrases from the job description and includes them in the letter.

The second example takes a more creative approach. The author tells a personal story and appeals more abstractly to the attributes called for in the job posting. Both are less than 300 words long.

Example 1: Administrative Assistant

In this role, you will be supporting managers and other senior-level personnel by managing their calendars, arranging travel, filing expense reports, and performing other administrative tasks.

I am drawn to this opportunity for several reasons. First, I have a proven track record of success in administrative roles, most recently in my current job as an administrative coordinator. A highlight from my time here was when I proactively stepped in to coordinate a summit for our senior leaders last year. I arranged travel and accommodation for a group of 15 executives from across the company, organized meals and activities, collaborated with our internal events team, and ensured that everything ran according to schedule over the two-day summit. Due to the positive feedback I received afterward, I have been given the responsibility of doubling the number of attendees for the event this year and leading an internal team to get the job done.

I am also attracted to this role because of the growth opportunities that [name of company] provides. The research that I’ve done on your company culture has shown me that there are ample opportunities for self-motivated individuals like me. A high level of organization and attention to detail are second nature to me, and I’m eager to apply these skills in new and challenging environments.

Example 2: Brand Copywriter

We are looking for an experienced copywriter to join our team. If you have a great eye for balance, a quick wit, and can adapt a brand voice for any medium, then this role is right for you.

There are at least two less-than-obvious ways to improve your vocabulary (and by extension, your copywriting skills): studying for the GRE and becoming a crossword puzzle enthusiast. I’ve done both, but for this job application, I’d like to focus on the latter.

My grandmother was the best writer I’ve ever known. She wasn’t a professional writer, but her gift and love of writing was something we shared. It wasn’t until last year that I also took up her love of crossword puzzles and immediately saw how the two went hand in hand. Before long, I was solving Monday through Wednesday puzzles in the New York Times, needing to look up words less and less frequently as time passed. Soon, I was able to complete Thursday to Saturday, too. Throughout this process, I could feel my stock of quips, rejoinders and turns of phrase steadily growing. Eventually, I worked up the courage to attempt the Sunday puzzles.

It was this courage that was the real turning point for me. In my current agency, I was already known as a hard worker and creative spirit; my peer and manager evaluations had made this clear. But while I felt confident in my abilities, I had never seen myself as particularly daring. Considering new challenges and mastering each one along the way had given me a renewed sense of myself and clarity about my chosen profession.

I began a career as a copywriter because I was skilled at finding combinations of words to fit a thought or feeling. I’m continuing down that path because I’ve realized how I can shape and hone that skill to reach new heights. I’d like copywriting at [name of company] to be the next step in my journey.

How to make a cover letter online

1. The quickest way: use a cover letter builder

A good cover letter builder is the fastest way to create a high-quality cover letter. Builders let you choose a cover letter design, ask you a few questions about yourself and your previous work experience, and then generate a letter you can download in different file formats (like Microsoft Work or PDF).

2. Quick but takes some effort: filling out a cover letter outline

Cover letter outline

Body paragraphs: Give an overview of your previous job experience, skills, qualifications, and accomplishments. Don’t repeat your resume. Explain what makes you a unique candidate and how you can help the company meet its goals. Use numbers to back up your claims.

Closing paragraph: State that you’d like to schedule an interview and provide your contact information. Say you’ll be in touch within a week if you don’t hear back. Finish by thanking the employer for their time and consideration.

3. Save time formatting: Use a cover letter template

A template saves you a lot of time setting up the margins, font size, and spacing of your cover letter. Plus you can pick a template with a style that matches the type of job you’re applying for, which a hiring manager might subconsciously notice.

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter (And Get Hired!)

Step #1 – Pick the Right Cover Letter Template

Step #2 – Start the Cover Letter with a Header

Step #3 – Greet the Hiring Manager

That’s right, the hiring manager! Not the overly popular “Dear Sir or Madam.” You want to show your future boss that you did your research and are really passionate about working with their team.

The simplest option is to look up the head of the relevant department on LinkedIn. Let’s say you’re applying for the position of a Communication Specialist at Novoresume. The hiring manager is probably Head of Communications or Chief Communications Office.

Step #4 – Write an Attention-Grabbing Introduction

Instead, you want to start off with 2-3 of your top achievements to really grab the reader’s attention. Preferably, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

My name’s Michael and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed their sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked with Company X, a fin-tech company, for 3+ years. As a Sales Representative, I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month (beating the KPIs by around 40%). I believe that my previous industry experience, as well as excellence in sales, makes me the right candidate for the job.

Now that we’ve covered the introduction, let’s talk about the body of your cover letter. This part is split into two paragraphs: the first is for explaining why you’re the perfect person for the job, and the latter is for proving that you’re a good fit for the company.

Step #5 – Explain why you’re the perfect person for the job

But first things first – before you even write anything, you need to learn what the most important requirements for the role are. So, open up the job ad and identify which of the responsibilities are the most critical.

In my previous role as a Facebook Marketing Expert at XYZ Inc. I handled customer acquisition through ads, managing a monthly Facebook ad budget of $20,000+. As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation & management process end-to-end. Meaning, I created the ad copy , images, picked the targeting, ran optimization trials, and so on.

Step #6 – Explain why you’re a good fit for the company

Once you’ve written the last paragraph, you might be thinking – I’m a shoo-in for the job! What else do I need to write? I’ll just wrap up the cover letter and hit that sweet SEND button.

I’ve personally used the XYZ Smartphone, and I believe that it’s the most innovative tech I’ve used in years. The features such as Made-Up-Feature #1 and Made-Up-Feature #2 were real game changers for the device.

I really admire how Company XYZ thrives for excellence for all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone that thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I and Company XYZ will be a great match.

What you don’t want to do here is be super generic for the sake of having something to write. Most job seekers tend to mess this one up. Let’s take a look at a very common example we tend to see (way too often):

I’d love to work for Company XYZ because of its culture of innovation. I believe that since I’m super creative, I’d be a good fit for the company. The company values of integrity and transparency really vibe with me.

Step #7 – Wrap up with a call to action

So to wrap it all up, thanks for looking into my application. I hope I can help Company X make the most out of their Facebook marketing initiatives. I’d love to further discuss how my previous success at XYZ Inc. can help you achieve your facebook marketing goals.

Step #8 – Use the right formal closing

5+ Cover Letter Examples

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Source:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
https://resumegenius.com/blog/cover-letter-help/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
https://novoresume.com/career-blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-guide

Fostering Creativity: 12 Strategies to Boost Creative Skills

This is partly because creativity helps individuals adapt to uncertainty and solve problems as they arise. Research has also suggested that creativity – as a component of the personality factor “openness to experience” – is a better predictor of an extended lifespan than intelligence or overall openness to experience (Turiano, Spiro, & Mroczek, 2012).

In the following article, we explore what creativity is and how personal creativity can be fostered. We discuss creativity in the classroom and workplace. We touch on creativity in art and music. We also note the intriguing connection between nighttime and creativity.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Strengths Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients realize your unique potential and create a life that feels energized and authentic.

Coloring completely counts as a creative activity. I mean, it’s not a sport (or is it?) Print out a coloring sheet, or toss a small coloring book in your purse for on the go, and you’re halfway there. For a grown-up spa experience, diffuse some restful essential oils, put your feet up, and color away.

I admittedly like to read cookbooks. (Jamie Oliver and Canal House are favorites.) Cooking isn’t my favorite thing in the world, but I admire those who do love it. (Yes, I’m talking to you, mom.) That said, I do like trying new recipes. Many of my current culinary loves are because I decided to buy the ingredients for a strange-to-me recipe and try it. And now I’m in love. (Still can’t believe how many years I wasted not eating curries! So sad . . .)

Eat a new food.

Similar to trying a new recipe, but this one is more simplistic. Give your taste buds a creative treat by choosing a brand new food (to you) at the grocery store. This is how I discovered the amazing wonder of Medjool dates. And 90% dark chocolate. (Okay, your food discoveries don’t have to be treats. ;)) What have you always passed by at the supermarket? Toss one in your cart this week. It might end up being your new favorite food!

How many of us have a decent camera that we know little to nothing about? Ahem. There are so many free and reasonably priced photography courses online these days that you could “go back to school” and learn how to use your amazing camera in a very short time. Or if you have a photographer husband, you could just ask him. 😉 Either way, you’ll be able to document your world and have a record that better represents what you want to say through pictures.

9) Keep a doodle journal at your desk.

Are you a visual thinker? If so, you might find it hard to find a direction with your ideas when you’re limited to the four corners of your screen. Change your routine and grab a pencil and paper to let your ideas free form in a more physical outlet. A blank sheet of paper or whiteboard may just be the best outlet to allow you to organize your thought process into one space.

According to Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolution, “Even if you’re just scribbling in the margins, you’re lighting up different networks in your brain and when you do that, you’re engaging different information.”

Creating visual maps of all your different thoughts allows you to see the relationship between your ideas. Physically writing it down takes your ideas a step further and forces you to put them into words and physical shapes. If you can see your thought process, it will be easier to understand the direction you’ll want to go in.

10) Unwind by watching funny content.

Have you hit the point in your creativity block where you’re spending hours watching cat videos? Turns out those cat videos may actually be helpful . Research shows there’s a strong c orrelation between humor and creativity. A laugh can actually bring you closer to those moments of inspiration. Humor also puts you in a better mood , allowing you to think more freely and better solve creative problems.

Need a way to hone in on your work without zoning out? A lthough there’s been a lot of debate over whether listening to music will actually increase your intelligence over time (a theory often called the Mozart Effect) , there are still productivity benefits to tuning in. Listening to music can help you focus on whatever task you’re currently doing. It can also put you in a better mood, and even calm your nerves if you’re feeling anxious.

Certain forms of music can help channel your creativity better than others and tune out the noises of the office. While music with extreme changes of pace or lyrics can be distracting, ambient music can help increase processing levels and and promote creative thinking.

One new practice can work for you differently over time if you start to get bored of it. If you ever start to feel a practice has become too routine for you, revisit this post to try out another idea.

Resource:

https://positivepsychology.com/creativity/
https://littlegirldesigns.com/10-easy-ways-creative-every-day/
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/creativity-tips

10 Creative Careers That Won’t Require You to Be a Starving Artist

We all want to follow our dreams, but who really wants to be a starving artist? You don’t have to choose between making a living and finding a professional role where your creativity will be valued. There are plenty of careers where creativity is a central requirement, but workers can still expect to earn well above – and in some cases, two to three times – the median salary for all occupations.

You’ve got an eye for design. You can communicate ideas through visual art, from photographs to paintings, and you have a knack for presenting that art through stylish and effective layouts. A role as an art director in an industry like movie production, publishing or advertising and public relations would be an excellent way to put those talents to use.

Art directors are the design professionals who choose the art, photographs and other visual elements that go into an advertisement, publication, motion picture or life performance. They come up with a vision for how the design will look and the manage artists, graphic designers, photographers and set builders who work to create the vision. Though a talent for design is crucial to success as an art director, the work isn’t all about the creative side. Art directors also need to handle business responsibilities like interfacing with clients, working with other departments involved in the project and creating and following budgets and timelines

Most art directors get their start as creative professionals in fine art, photography, editing or graphic design. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in their chosen subject, aspiring art directors typically spend five years or longer gaining experience in their arts and design roles and building their portfolios before they advance to this high-level, and highly compensated, role.

Technical Writer

If you build up your technical knowledge, you can turn a passion for writing into a career that earns more than double the median annual salary in the United States. Technical writers are the communication professionals who create the text used to convey technical information in instruction manuals, frequently asked questions (FAQ) resources and journal articles. Most technical writers work in scientific and technical services or the manufacturing and information industries.

Being a good technical writer requires many of the skills necessary for success in other forms of writing. You have to think about your audience and figure out what they need to know to use the product safely and effectively. The role also involves doing research into the product’s design, development and use.

Writing out complex technical information in ways that are simple, accessible and easy to understand is the crux of a technical writer’s job. However, these professionals are also responsible for creating or attaining the visual elements – like diagrams, charts and photographs – that help users understand the product. Today’s technical writers may also be responsible for creating interactive presentations of technical information, including video and audio elements.

Technical writers need to draw from both communication skills and technical knowledge. That means these professionals need an education that emphasizes writing and communications but also a background in the technical subject they want to write about. In fact, many technical writers start their careers in these technical industries, often as research specialists or assistants. Aspiring technical writers are in luck – the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts opportunities for this profession to increase by 10 percent over a decade. That’s faster than the seven percent job growth expected for all occupations and much faster than the growth expected for communications professionals and authors (four percent and two percent, respectively).

Cake decorator

Primary duties: A cake decorator is responsible for taking orders from customers who need a cake made for a special celebration, such as a birthday, wedding, anniversary, graduation or baby shower. A lot of times, the cake decorator also bakes and assembles the cake before decorating. A cake decorator typically has great attention to detail, manages time well and is creative, customer-focused and organized. They may work for a bakery, run their own full-time cake decorating business or decorate cakes on the side for supplemental income.

Primary duties: A gallery assistant is responsible for providing customer service to guests and performing administrative duties for an art gallery owner or art curator. In this role, you may have to greet guests, schedule exhibitions, answer phone calls, help arrange the gallery for an event and manage the art collection. A gallery assistant is usually a creative who appreciates art and may even have some artistic aspirations of their own. This role allows them to get to know artists and work in an industry they enjoy.

Photographer

Primary duties: A photographer works with clients who want to commemorate a time of their life or a specific event. An individual or family may hire a photographer for a wedding celebration, retirement party, birthday or baby shower. Photographers typically specialize in one or two types of photography, such as family, newborns, graduation or headshots for businesses. A photographer must have knowledge of various camera equipment, including different lenses, and have experience with photo editing software.

A photographer may build their portfolio by offering discounts on their services or by taking photos of their loved ones. Many would consider photography to be an artistic venture because photographers build their own style and may light and edit their photos with some flair.

Intern Your Way In

You may already have a few years’ of experience in your current industry, but if you’re starting over, interning in your new industry is a surefire way to get your foot in the door. If you are a fresh graduate, it is even more important that you find an internship in the creative industry regardless of what you major was in school. Creative employers care more about portfolio and experience rather than your education.

When you look for an internship outside of your field of study, you will need to be able to explain why you want to work in this field instead of what you studied . There is no right or wrong answer – only you can craft a narrative that makes sense. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge honestly that you realized your passion is in the creative field after you finished your studies or whatever reason you have that is genuine and logical.

Remember that even for internships, you will need to present your portfolio. Companies won’t hire you just because you express interests and passion in the creative field. You can follow my advice earlier in this article to put together a killer portfolio even without too much experience.

When you do get an internship, make sure to learn as much about the craft as possible while documenting your business results to present your case when it comes time to hire for full time. Even if you don’t get hired at the company you intern with, you will leave with a much better portfolio and better understanding of the industry, which will in turn put you in a better position to get hired somewhere else.

Target Smaller Companies

When you are just starting out in a new field, it is easier to target companies with lower hiring threshold. Smaller agencies, startups or small business are all good place to look at. Even though your dream job may be at one of the top agencies or companies in the world, you are up against candidates who are graduates from top art schools with portfolio quality that you cannot match up to yet. It is not to say that you should stay away from the top players, but make sure you gain a balanced understanding of where you skillset is at currently. Just because you start working at a smaller company does not mean that you will stay in small companies. Take myself as an example. I started my creative career at a boutique agency with fewer than 10 people. A couple of years later, through hard work and smart career strategies, I landed a position at a global company with more 250,000 people!

To make sure you get the most out of this learning process, check out our highly-rated online course in salary strategies “How to Triple Your Salary Fast and Furious” and creative ways to make money as an artist “How NOT to be A Starving Artist”.

Source:

https://www.degreequery.com/10-creative-careers-wont-require-starving-artist/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/jobs-for-artists-without-degrees
https://www.pathunbound.com/how-to-get-a-creative-job-without-a-related-degree/