A turkey was chatting with a bull.
"I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy. "Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull. "They're packed with nutrients."
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fortnight, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.
Q: What can we learn from this?
A: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Employee Motivation At Work
The word "motivation", in psychology is the intention of achieving a goal, leading to goal-directed behavior.
In this view the general conclusion is that leadership is motivation and motivation is leadership, and that the two elements are inseparable. However, interestingly, no one has actually conceptualized motivation in a useful way to demonstrate and analyze the connection between it and leadership.
While Motivation clearly comes under personality and emotion, Leadership comes under cognitive psychology
But basically, belief is the solution to the problem.
Optimism is that which leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence and this is where emotional aspect comes in.
Now by finding something positive in every situation, ninety-five percent of the emotions are determined by how one interpret events to oneself.
No one else 'makes us angry.' We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our emotions and attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant as we are the one to choose and not them. What they do is merely put our attitude to a test
This is where the cognitive psychology comes in
The mind, if properly controlled, can do just about anything. You can think your way through adversity, you can think your way through problems. It is a powerful instrument which very few use to a maximum. And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude it can do amazing things. As a result of this the confidence improves and it is widely believed that confidence is contagious.
Now on the other hand, it is not so easy to acquire and then maintain this productive attitude.
It takes considerable experience, work, and time to find where your head needs to be in order to control such a situation, and to bring them into the lives of those you affect around you and this is what Leadership is all about.
When you continuously communicate and act upon the organization's mission, values, and goals, naturally your employees will be motivated to live the mission and maintain a high standard of behavior and productivity. This communication must start at the top and be communicated and acted upon at every level at every opportunity.
One of your organization's top values should be - Respect.
When you allow an employee to disrespect other team members through words or actions, you are not only destroying your organizations values but it could also lead to organizational and team turmoil, not to mention productivity issues.
For instance, extending common courtesies such as a "Good morning" or a nod as you pass workers in the hallway says to them that they are not invisible to you and has an immense effect in reward terms.
The second value should be - Recognition.
One of the two powerful words important in employee motivation are the words - Great Job.
By recognizing the work of others, you motivate them to keep working. You'll find that regularly giving verbal or written praise for a job well done goes a long way in making employees feel appreciated. If workers feel that they play an important part in the company by the work they provide, they are much more likely to seek ways to improve their performance.
The third value should be - Reward.
While cash incentives are a sure way to put a smile on an employee's face, there are other creative ways to motivate employees through such similar thoughtful gestures. For example, a Dinner at a local restaurant once-a-month or a birthday party would have great impact on their mode of functioning.
When working with top organizations, the more the organizational values are communicated and reinforced, more success the organization will achieve. This creates a motivated work environment and rewards employees based on the mission.
Another factor to remember is to be careful how you use your words. Well, words do hurt. The best advertising copywriters, political experts, speech writers, and screen writers are paid hundreds of thousands to create emotions with words, so that the end user is persuaded to act in a certain way. It is important to realize that once we say something that is hurtful can alienate our fellow employees and we may never be able to take it back.
We should all be careful with the words we use. It should be positive or motivating towards your fellow employees and thereby showing respect toward my team members with the words you use.
Also always encourage positive, motivating behavior and recognize good behavior whenever you can. Recognize the person(s) exhibiting positive behavior in team meetings and send him/ her personal memo/ letter from the CEO, etc. As a result of which, most of the employees will start emulating such a behavior. So always set an example by displaying your best motivating, respectful, and positive behavior.
On the other hand, also be prepared to take corrective action when you have employees who display inappropriate behavior. Make sure that you, as a Manager, document all discussions relating to such unacceptable behavior. Confer with HRD to receive expert advice on the next steps in the corrective action procedure. Then start implementing the corrective action and follow-up to ensure there is a positive change in their behavior.
Be timely in your follow-ups so that there is no lapse in time between the next situation of unacceptable behavior and the next level of corrective action. Try to immediately motivate and reinforce positive behavior changes.
Remember, if you show you are quick to take action for unacceptable behavior, this sends a message to your team members that you respect them as individuals and more so as team players. This would make them far more motivated because of your actions.
Apply these basic fundamentals and you will create a motivated workplace that achieves team and organizational goals.
As a closing line.....It is of great importance for you to realize that all your repetitive thoughts create ideas, which in turn create actions and which over time creates character. And if you allow too many negative, improper, incorrect thoughts to dominate you, the chances are you will never succeed...
In this view the general conclusion is that leadership is motivation and motivation is leadership, and that the two elements are inseparable. However, interestingly, no one has actually conceptualized motivation in a useful way to demonstrate and analyze the connection between it and leadership.
While Motivation clearly comes under personality and emotion, Leadership comes under cognitive psychology
But basically, belief is the solution to the problem.
Optimism is that which leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence and this is where emotional aspect comes in.
Now by finding something positive in every situation, ninety-five percent of the emotions are determined by how one interpret events to oneself.
No one else 'makes us angry.' We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our emotions and attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant as we are the one to choose and not them. What they do is merely put our attitude to a test
This is where the cognitive psychology comes in
The mind, if properly controlled, can do just about anything. You can think your way through adversity, you can think your way through problems. It is a powerful instrument which very few use to a maximum. And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude it can do amazing things. As a result of this the confidence improves and it is widely believed that confidence is contagious.
Now on the other hand, it is not so easy to acquire and then maintain this productive attitude.
It takes considerable experience, work, and time to find where your head needs to be in order to control such a situation, and to bring them into the lives of those you affect around you and this is what Leadership is all about.
When you continuously communicate and act upon the organization's mission, values, and goals, naturally your employees will be motivated to live the mission and maintain a high standard of behavior and productivity. This communication must start at the top and be communicated and acted upon at every level at every opportunity.
One of your organization's top values should be - Respect.
When you allow an employee to disrespect other team members through words or actions, you are not only destroying your organizations values but it could also lead to organizational and team turmoil, not to mention productivity issues.
For instance, extending common courtesies such as a "Good morning" or a nod as you pass workers in the hallway says to them that they are not invisible to you and has an immense effect in reward terms.
The second value should be - Recognition.
One of the two powerful words important in employee motivation are the words - Great Job.
By recognizing the work of others, you motivate them to keep working. You'll find that regularly giving verbal or written praise for a job well done goes a long way in making employees feel appreciated. If workers feel that they play an important part in the company by the work they provide, they are much more likely to seek ways to improve their performance.
The third value should be - Reward.
While cash incentives are a sure way to put a smile on an employee's face, there are other creative ways to motivate employees through such similar thoughtful gestures. For example, a Dinner at a local restaurant once-a-month or a birthday party would have great impact on their mode of functioning.
When working with top organizations, the more the organizational values are communicated and reinforced, more success the organization will achieve. This creates a motivated work environment and rewards employees based on the mission.
Another factor to remember is to be careful how you use your words. Well, words do hurt. The best advertising copywriters, political experts, speech writers, and screen writers are paid hundreds of thousands to create emotions with words, so that the end user is persuaded to act in a certain way. It is important to realize that once we say something that is hurtful can alienate our fellow employees and we may never be able to take it back.
We should all be careful with the words we use. It should be positive or motivating towards your fellow employees and thereby showing respect toward my team members with the words you use.
Also always encourage positive, motivating behavior and recognize good behavior whenever you can. Recognize the person(s) exhibiting positive behavior in team meetings and send him/ her personal memo/ letter from the CEO, etc. As a result of which, most of the employees will start emulating such a behavior. So always set an example by displaying your best motivating, respectful, and positive behavior.
On the other hand, also be prepared to take corrective action when you have employees who display inappropriate behavior. Make sure that you, as a Manager, document all discussions relating to such unacceptable behavior. Confer with HRD to receive expert advice on the next steps in the corrective action procedure. Then start implementing the corrective action and follow-up to ensure there is a positive change in their behavior.
Be timely in your follow-ups so that there is no lapse in time between the next situation of unacceptable behavior and the next level of corrective action. Try to immediately motivate and reinforce positive behavior changes.
Remember, if you show you are quick to take action for unacceptable behavior, this sends a message to your team members that you respect them as individuals and more so as team players. This would make them far more motivated because of your actions.
Apply these basic fundamentals and you will create a motivated workplace that achieves team and organizational goals.
As a closing line.....It is of great importance for you to realize that all your repetitive thoughts create ideas, which in turn create actions and which over time creates character. And if you allow too many negative, improper, incorrect thoughts to dominate you, the chances are you will never succeed...
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Are you kidding?
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Manager asked a young engineer who was fresh out of engineering, "What starting salary were you thinking about?"
The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a red Corvette?"
The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
The interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."
The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a red Corvette?"
The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
The interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."
Sunday, April 06, 2008
About.com Seeks Health Writers
About.com, a subsidiary of the New York Times Company, are seeking part-time writer-experts to serve as Guides for them.
As a Guide, you'll build and maintain a GuideSite, a topical section of About.com that contains:
Original content (articles, reviews, FAQs, tutorials) written by you
A blog featuring your unique voice and personality
A directory of the best content in your topic, whether it be your own work or links to other sites
A discussion forum where you serve as community leader
A bio page with your contact info
All About.com Guides are considered freelancers who work online and set their own schedules, giving them the flexibility to log on from anywhere in the world whenever they have the time. With no timesheets to fill out and no timecards to punch, working for About.com gives you the flexibility to write when you want, even if you have a full-time day job.
The compensation is based on page views - the more traffic you get, the more money you get. But all Guides, no matter what, make a minimum of $725 a month. Want to know more? Visit http://beaguide.about.com
Guide Openings on the Health Channel
About.com Health, which consistently ranks as a top health site according to Nielsen/NetRatings, has more than 70 health Guides who cover a range of topics from asthma to pediatrics and stroke. All new Health Guides have their work reviewed by a Medical Review Board physician and a health editor.
They are currently expanding our health channel and are seeking writers for a large number of topics.
Many of rheir Guides are doctors or nurses with direct clinical experience in their topic, and they are now encouraging people with direct clinical or research experience to apply.
To submit an application, learn more about About.com or see our full list of available topics, please visit http://beaguide.about.com.
As a Guide, you'll build and maintain a GuideSite, a topical section of About.com that contains:
Original content (articles, reviews, FAQs, tutorials) written by you
A blog featuring your unique voice and personality
A directory of the best content in your topic, whether it be your own work or links to other sites
A discussion forum where you serve as community leader
A bio page with your contact info
All About.com Guides are considered freelancers who work online and set their own schedules, giving them the flexibility to log on from anywhere in the world whenever they have the time. With no timesheets to fill out and no timecards to punch, working for About.com gives you the flexibility to write when you want, even if you have a full-time day job.
The compensation is based on page views - the more traffic you get, the more money you get. But all Guides, no matter what, make a minimum of $725 a month. Want to know more? Visit http://beaguide.about.com
Guide Openings on the Health Channel
About.com Health, which consistently ranks as a top health site according to Nielsen/NetRatings, has more than 70 health Guides who cover a range of topics from asthma to pediatrics and stroke. All new Health Guides have their work reviewed by a Medical Review Board physician and a health editor.
They are currently expanding our health channel and are seeking writers for a large number of topics.
Many of rheir Guides are doctors or nurses with direct clinical experience in their topic, and they are now encouraging people with direct clinical or research experience to apply.
To submit an application, learn more about About.com or see our full list of available topics, please visit http://beaguide.about.com.
Online CV Builder For A Perfect CV In Minutes
If you have been sending out your CV and not getting interviews, you can certainly blame your CV.
Without a good CV, companies have no idea that you even exist - unless you are invited to an interview by the hiring authority, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' job while your friends move on to new opportunities and brighter futures.
Basically, your CVs only job is to open doors !
In the midst of hundreds of CV’s recruiters and employers receive for any given position, your CV needs to stand out from the crowd. You must make the Hiring Manager want to read your CV more thoroughly than just the rudimentary 10-20 seconds the vast majority of your competition will warrant. The way to do this is by design and create a CV that is accomplishment driven.
Infact, having the right CV for the job you want needn’t be difficult.
Nowadays, CV preparation or CV how to do it on your own is possible, but, there really speaking, there is no substitute for letting a resume writer do it.
As they say it really doesn't pay to cut corners when it comes to your career and that key elements could be missing, and a jobseeker generally doesn't discover this until a good portion of time has been poured into the job search.
Basically, you only have 30 seconds to impress an employer with your CV. With CVwriting.net you get that expert advise, tools, tips and assistance that you need to maximise your job hunting opportunities with a Professional CV.
• An unique online CV builder that offers you a step by step assistance
• A CV builder which makes your CV building surprisingly easy
• Select headings that better describes your own skills and experience
• Gets the recruiter’s attention with a clear and effective CV.
• Fonts, structure in a style most popular with employers
• Something that maximises of you being invited for an interview
• Something you can simply update, thus saving you valuable time
• You can have your CV ready and is available at all times.
• Something you can post to all the major online job boards
• A “try before you buy” service and comes with CV examples
• All popular formats available – Word (.doc), PDF and HTML
Lastly, a CV builder service that has unlimited updates, amendments and downloads for a full 12 months plus free customer support.
Using these techniques, you are on your way to writing an accomplishment driven, extremely effective resume. Your potential employers will not only see what you have achieved in the past, but what you could offer them in the future.
For more info, please visit CVwriting.net
Without a good CV, companies have no idea that you even exist - unless you are invited to an interview by the hiring authority, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' job while your friends move on to new opportunities and brighter futures.
Basically, your CVs only job is to open doors !
In the midst of hundreds of CV’s recruiters and employers receive for any given position, your CV needs to stand out from the crowd. You must make the Hiring Manager want to read your CV more thoroughly than just the rudimentary 10-20 seconds the vast majority of your competition will warrant. The way to do this is by design and create a CV that is accomplishment driven.
Infact, having the right CV for the job you want needn’t be difficult.
Nowadays, CV preparation or CV how to do it on your own is possible, but, there really speaking, there is no substitute for letting a resume writer do it.
As they say it really doesn't pay to cut corners when it comes to your career and that key elements could be missing, and a jobseeker generally doesn't discover this until a good portion of time has been poured into the job search.
Basically, you only have 30 seconds to impress an employer with your CV. With CVwriting.net you get that expert advise, tools, tips and assistance that you need to maximise your job hunting opportunities with a Professional CV.
• An unique online CV builder that offers you a step by step assistance
• A CV builder which makes your CV building surprisingly easy
• Select headings that better describes your own skills and experience
• Gets the recruiter’s attention with a clear and effective CV.
• Fonts, structure in a style most popular with employers
• Something that maximises of you being invited for an interview
• Something you can simply update, thus saving you valuable time
• You can have your CV ready and is available at all times.
• Something you can post to all the major online job boards
• A “try before you buy” service and comes with CV examples
• All popular formats available – Word (.doc), PDF and HTML
Lastly, a CV builder service that has unlimited updates, amendments and downloads for a full 12 months plus free customer support.
Using these techniques, you are on your way to writing an accomplishment driven, extremely effective resume. Your potential employers will not only see what you have achieved in the past, but what you could offer them in the future.
For more info, please visit CVwriting.net
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Expatriate Financial Considerations For Retiring Abroad
More than a million British citizens are collecting their state pensions from destinations abroad. With the sights, sounds and local flavour of countries as diverse as Spain, New Zealand or even Belize attracting retirees, getting in on the trend or retiring abroad appeals to more than one up-and-coming retiree.
If the countryside of France or the mountains of Bulgaria sound too good to pass up to you, you’re going to need to make sure you have a few things in order. Finances of course are one of the main considerations and in this article we’ll examine expatriate financial considerations for retiring abroad.
For Britons who want to move out of the UK in retirement, there’s more to planning for the financial future than just making sure a pension is in place; some of the top considerations no matter the retirement destination include:
• Exchange rates. This is a very big concern - in countries where the pound spends very well today, there is no guarantee that this will be the case tomorrow. Retirees are often urged to take advantage of opportunities to transfer assets into euro-based accounts (where applicable) and to lock in to a specialist exchange rate for direct deposits of pensions where possible…speak to your financial adviser about what’s right for you.
• Basic banking concerns. Plan on having to juggle two accounts if you intend to keep a British bank account open (which is a sensible thing to do if you are eligible). Make sure you have online access to this account as time differences might make contacting the bank directly via telephone a little tricky at best. It’s also always a good idea to inquire about local banking in your retirement destination as well; having a local account will make paying routine bills a whole lot easier.
• Pension concerns. If you intend to stay within the European Union your state pension shouldn’t be too much of a concern. If you move out of the EU however, there is a chance that inflation increases will not be credited to you and your pension will be frozen. Take care to research the ramifications before selecting a retirement destination.
• Taxes. This is a sticky situation to say the least! Typically you will find you are taxed at the local level within your country of choice but you might still find HM Revenue & Customs tax you as well. Countries where there is a double tax treaty can help make this issue go away. Destinations that have a tax treaty with the UK include the popular retirement countries of Portugal, France, Spain and Italy. Pay close attention to the tax issues however, or you might find your retirement pension doesn’t go as far as you thought it might.
Buying property abroad and moving aboard during retirement is a major British trend. With the whole world waiting to be explored and many countries offering a better standard and lower cost of living than the UK it certainly makes sense. To ensure you have your finances in order, closely research the regulations and situation in your country of choice. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence…make sure you cover the expatriate essentials relating to all aspects of your financial situation before you commit to retiring abroad – where necessary speak to a financial adviser about your personal situation.
If the countryside of France or the mountains of Bulgaria sound too good to pass up to you, you’re going to need to make sure you have a few things in order. Finances of course are one of the main considerations and in this article we’ll examine expatriate financial considerations for retiring abroad.
For Britons who want to move out of the UK in retirement, there’s more to planning for the financial future than just making sure a pension is in place; some of the top considerations no matter the retirement destination include:
• Exchange rates. This is a very big concern - in countries where the pound spends very well today, there is no guarantee that this will be the case tomorrow. Retirees are often urged to take advantage of opportunities to transfer assets into euro-based accounts (where applicable) and to lock in to a specialist exchange rate for direct deposits of pensions where possible…speak to your financial adviser about what’s right for you.
• Basic banking concerns. Plan on having to juggle two accounts if you intend to keep a British bank account open (which is a sensible thing to do if you are eligible). Make sure you have online access to this account as time differences might make contacting the bank directly via telephone a little tricky at best. It’s also always a good idea to inquire about local banking in your retirement destination as well; having a local account will make paying routine bills a whole lot easier.
• Pension concerns. If you intend to stay within the European Union your state pension shouldn’t be too much of a concern. If you move out of the EU however, there is a chance that inflation increases will not be credited to you and your pension will be frozen. Take care to research the ramifications before selecting a retirement destination.
• Taxes. This is a sticky situation to say the least! Typically you will find you are taxed at the local level within your country of choice but you might still find HM Revenue & Customs tax you as well. Countries where there is a double tax treaty can help make this issue go away. Destinations that have a tax treaty with the UK include the popular retirement countries of Portugal, France, Spain and Italy. Pay close attention to the tax issues however, or you might find your retirement pension doesn’t go as far as you thought it might.
Buying property abroad and moving aboard during retirement is a major British trend. With the whole world waiting to be explored and many countries offering a better standard and lower cost of living than the UK it certainly makes sense. To ensure you have your finances in order, closely research the regulations and situation in your country of choice. Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence…make sure you cover the expatriate essentials relating to all aspects of your financial situation before you commit to retiring abroad – where necessary speak to a financial adviser about your personal situation.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Going to Work in Sweden
Because of its reputation as an extremely high taxation nation, Sweden is not usually the first choice of nation for would-be-expatriates looking for an overseas location in which they can live, work, explore and enjoy life in a different land with a different language and culture. But having said that, taking tax out of the equation and because there are actually many reasons why Sweden is an attractive nation to reside in and seek employment in, an increasing number of international citizens are taking up residence in Sweden, with the nation home to around 11,000 British expats already for example.
If you’re thinking of going to work in Sweden this article covers everything from labour laws and visas to finding accommodation and just how much tax you really do have to pay on your hard earned income!
The quality of life that you can enjoy in Sweden is very high – education, healthcare, housing and social welfare for example are all exceptionally well funded by the government and mean that each and every citizen of the nation stands a good chance of a decent quality of life. As an expatriate working abroad you might think that you will not be entitled to the same standards of living or the same levels of access to healthcare and education for your children for example – but you’d be wrong.
Depending on the nation you herald from, if you have the right to live and work in Sweden you have the right to free or heavily subsidised healthcare, you have the right to have your children educated for free up to the age of at least 16 and you have the same rights as Swedish citizens when it comes to pay and working conditions too…in fact, Sweden is an exceptionally fair country.
If you’re British you can live in Sweden for three months without needing any sort of visa…if on the other hand you know you want to move permanently and get work in Sweden then you can either apply for a residence visa before you go from the Swedish Embassy in the UK, or you can apply for residency after you’ve moved to the nation. If on the other hand an employer offers you a job and relocation to Sweden you’ll automatically get a residence permit for five years unless the position offered is temporary, at which point you’ll be given permission to reside and work in Sweden for the duration of your contract.
If you come from anywhere else in the world other than the UK you’ll need to check with your nearest Swedish embassy to determine your rights to reside and take up employment in Sweden before you make a commitment to move there.
In terms of the main employment centres they are Stockholm and Gothenburg with Malmo another popular spot for some expatriates. Naturally the very fact that there are plenty of job vacancies in these cities means that the demand for accommodation is high and therefore housing costs are higher than elsewhere in Sweden too. Many Swedish citizens rent their properties with a lot of subsidised municipal housing available – this means that rental law is well developed and tenants’ rights are well looked after.
And finally – yes tax in Sweden is high…how else can the nation afford free healthcare, education and an abundance of municipal housing not to mention numerous other social welfare type initiatives and benefits? So while you pay top dollar out of your wages to live in Sweden, you do actually have something to show for it other than a massive, well equipped army! Income is taxed upwards of 35% depending on how much you earn and the municipality in which you live, and then there is another national income tax on top of this which can go up to 25% of you annual salary.
If you’re thinking of going to work in Sweden this article covers everything from labour laws and visas to finding accommodation and just how much tax you really do have to pay on your hard earned income!
The quality of life that you can enjoy in Sweden is very high – education, healthcare, housing and social welfare for example are all exceptionally well funded by the government and mean that each and every citizen of the nation stands a good chance of a decent quality of life. As an expatriate working abroad you might think that you will not be entitled to the same standards of living or the same levels of access to healthcare and education for your children for example – but you’d be wrong.
Depending on the nation you herald from, if you have the right to live and work in Sweden you have the right to free or heavily subsidised healthcare, you have the right to have your children educated for free up to the age of at least 16 and you have the same rights as Swedish citizens when it comes to pay and working conditions too…in fact, Sweden is an exceptionally fair country.
If you’re British you can live in Sweden for three months without needing any sort of visa…if on the other hand you know you want to move permanently and get work in Sweden then you can either apply for a residence visa before you go from the Swedish Embassy in the UK, or you can apply for residency after you’ve moved to the nation. If on the other hand an employer offers you a job and relocation to Sweden you’ll automatically get a residence permit for five years unless the position offered is temporary, at which point you’ll be given permission to reside and work in Sweden for the duration of your contract.
If you come from anywhere else in the world other than the UK you’ll need to check with your nearest Swedish embassy to determine your rights to reside and take up employment in Sweden before you make a commitment to move there.
In terms of the main employment centres they are Stockholm and Gothenburg with Malmo another popular spot for some expatriates. Naturally the very fact that there are plenty of job vacancies in these cities means that the demand for accommodation is high and therefore housing costs are higher than elsewhere in Sweden too. Many Swedish citizens rent their properties with a lot of subsidised municipal housing available – this means that rental law is well developed and tenants’ rights are well looked after.
And finally – yes tax in Sweden is high…how else can the nation afford free healthcare, education and an abundance of municipal housing not to mention numerous other social welfare type initiatives and benefits? So while you pay top dollar out of your wages to live in Sweden, you do actually have something to show for it other than a massive, well equipped army! Income is taxed upwards of 35% depending on how much you earn and the municipality in which you live, and then there is another national income tax on top of this which can go up to 25% of you annual salary.
Monday, March 10, 2008
How To Increase Your Article Subscription
We know that freelancing has become a competitive business, with hundreds of writers competing for the same, limited number of assignments, and any writer who can best showcase their abilities is the one who lands the job.
Editors don't have the time nor the inclination to sift through the hundreds of resumes they receive. If your credits and clips are not right there on an editor's desk, or available with a single click of the mouse, the assignment is going to go to the writer who managed to got there first, even if you're the better writer for the job.
More importantly, if you have a resume, your resume better be a good one, because it is competing with other resumes. If you already have an online resume and not getting any feedbacks, you can certainly blame the resume. Without a good resume, people have no idea that you even exist, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' situation.
Now the question is "What makes a good resume"? Anyone can type up words on a piece of paper, but a professional resume writer knows how to market your skills by choosing powerful, competitive, words and uses them strategically in order to trigger positive responses. A professional resume writer knows how to highlight your experiences, skills, achievements, education, and accomplishments - and knows how to market you effectively with an individually designed resume.
So in order to get your writing clips into the hands of the editors looking for writers, the best method is to have your own online resume. It is obvious that a personal site has become a must for today's freelancer, but what's needed is a site that showcases your entire writing resume, that highlights;
C V
Publishing Works
Writing-related job history
Any published credits
Specialty or genre
Easily accessible and visually attractive clips, whether scanned or in document form
An editor is then able to access all of your information at once, instead of being forced to slog through links after links. With everything in one place, an editor is also more able to get a feel for your abilities and range. Whichever method you decide to choose, getting your resume and clips online will definitely give you a better access to editors and "hopefully" even making sales tomorrow!
Once you have your online resume, link it with your article page and start putting articles on it. As you no doubt already know, writing articles is probably the most effective way to promote your web site.
It's a very simple principle - publishers want a vast quantity of good quality content that they do not have to pay for; you provide that content, with the proviso that at the bottom of your article, they include your resource box with a link
to your web site. It's a win-win situation. With your article published on heaps of web sites, and in several ezines, it's enough to set your traffic counter spinning.
Next blast it in the search engines. Search Engines love this. They are constantly checking for fresh content and our job is to give it to them with the right keywords!!
Many authors make the mistake of submitting articles that are actually little more than solo advertisements for their web sites. The chances of such an article getting published are virtually zero.
Getting your article (and online resume link) submitted by a professional submission service is a great idea. This may cost a little, but is worth every penny. All you do is register yourself, pay and submit your article.
These type of companies will submit your article to 1,000's of publishers and article directories in seconds. This is a great way to get name recognition for yourself, increase traffic to your website, sell products, get subscribers for your newsletter etc.,
Editors don't have the time nor the inclination to sift through the hundreds of resumes they receive. If your credits and clips are not right there on an editor's desk, or available with a single click of the mouse, the assignment is going to go to the writer who managed to got there first, even if you're the better writer for the job.
More importantly, if you have a resume, your resume better be a good one, because it is competing with other resumes. If you already have an online resume and not getting any feedbacks, you can certainly blame the resume. Without a good resume, people have no idea that you even exist, you may as well be invisible. We live in a market economy and you must learn to market yourself effectively and aggressively - or suffer in a 'go nowhere' situation.
Now the question is "What makes a good resume"? Anyone can type up words on a piece of paper, but a professional resume writer knows how to market your skills by choosing powerful, competitive, words and uses them strategically in order to trigger positive responses. A professional resume writer knows how to highlight your experiences, skills, achievements, education, and accomplishments - and knows how to market you effectively with an individually designed resume.
So in order to get your writing clips into the hands of the editors looking for writers, the best method is to have your own online resume. It is obvious that a personal site has become a must for today's freelancer, but what's needed is a site that showcases your entire writing resume, that highlights;
C V
Publishing Works
Writing-related job history
Any published credits
Specialty or genre
Easily accessible and visually attractive clips, whether scanned or in document form
An editor is then able to access all of your information at once, instead of being forced to slog through links after links. With everything in one place, an editor is also more able to get a feel for your abilities and range. Whichever method you decide to choose, getting your resume and clips online will definitely give you a better access to editors and "hopefully" even making sales tomorrow!
Once you have your online resume, link it with your article page and start putting articles on it. As you no doubt already know, writing articles is probably the most effective way to promote your web site.
It's a very simple principle - publishers want a vast quantity of good quality content that they do not have to pay for; you provide that content, with the proviso that at the bottom of your article, they include your resource box with a link
to your web site. It's a win-win situation. With your article published on heaps of web sites, and in several ezines, it's enough to set your traffic counter spinning.
Next blast it in the search engines. Search Engines love this. They are constantly checking for fresh content and our job is to give it to them with the right keywords!!
Many authors make the mistake of submitting articles that are actually little more than solo advertisements for their web sites. The chances of such an article getting published are virtually zero.
Getting your article (and online resume link) submitted by a professional submission service is a great idea. This may cost a little, but is worth every penny. All you do is register yourself, pay and submit your article.
These type of companies will submit your article to 1,000's of publishers and article directories in seconds. This is a great way to get name recognition for yourself, increase traffic to your website, sell products, get subscribers for your newsletter etc.,
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