Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom How to Think Like a Futurist

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom How to Think Like a Futurist Being a futurist means paying attention to new patterns or trends that are slowly percolating up through the market and/or society that have the potential to catch on in a major way. Its about coming up with possible scenarios for the future given these developments.For me, the ideal timeframe for futurist thinking is 5-10 years, because although no one can successfully predict the future, in this window you are more likely to be able to clearly see where things are going according to current operating models. Now, in 2019, I think anything beyond 10-15 years is reasonably futile because we bump up against the technological singularity (the time when machine intelligence becomes so sophisticated that it causes currently unfathomable changes to human existence). The simplest way to imagine and prepare for the future is to devise intelligent strategies that will serve your company well. You can do this by reading a ton and consulting experts in your field about what theyre seeing. Futurists use tools that systematize these recommendations including scenario planning, environmental scanning, Delphi surveying, and individual software programs like Fibres, Futures Platform, and Athena. Through your research, you will probably determine that financial markets and corporate structures are likely to change dramatically in the next few years. Blockchain will democratize, streamline, and improve the efficiency of ownership.Other potential developments in the financial sector include the increased use of algorithms to boost trading effectiveness, and the inclusion of machines and machine learning in individual and corporate financial planning. For the rest of this piece, please see the Strategy Business site.

Book Review The PR Master Class by Alex Singleton

Book Review The PR Master Class by Alex Singleton First things first (I’m the realest- sorry, but how catchy is that song!) I haven’t finished the book yet, I’m about half way through. So you’re probably thinking that I should have finished it before recommending it. But that’s how good it is, I’m only half way through and I’m already singing its praises. Despite being having a highly successful career, Alex Singleton comes across as a down to earth guy, with genuine advice. His book is both interesting and an easy read. This is what you want out of a career advice book, there’s nothing worse than having to stop every couple of lines to google the definition of some jargon or other. The book is divided into chapters and useful sub-sections, so (although I don’t recommend it) you could in theory just skip to the bits you need to learn most about. The book does not waste a word, with every page full of tips and suggestions. Alex Singleton also intersperses the book with his own personal experiences and antidotes, which gives the book a human feel and in some cases even acts as motivation. One of the nice things about the book is that it gives you a real PR pro’s views on a lot of the theories and myths you’re sure to come across online. Alex Singleton’s uses the book to share personal experiences and research to suggest and warn against certain tools that a quick Google search will tell you are a must. He also answers the age old question everyone starting out, or wanting to start out in PR has probably asked at some point- how long should a press release be? There is one other thing I would recommend buying if you invest in this book; a writing pad and highlighter, or just a highlighter if you don’t have my innate horror of writing in books. Because you are sure to find snippets that you’ll want to be able to quickly refer back to, such as useful websites. There are points in it where the advice is common sense, however it is nice to be reminded of it, because when your chasing the next lesson or tip it can be easy to lay aside the things you already know, and should be doing but aren’t. Now this is admittedly a bit superficial, and I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But it does have a great cover. The bright colours and clean design are inviting, you can pick up this book with a cup of tea and not feel like cup of tea and not feel like you’re about to start school revision all over again. So basically, if you want a career in PR, or want to improve skills you already kind of have, get this on your Amazon wish-list. Image Credit: Thought Symposium 2

Top 10 Songs to Cheer Up a Dreary Monday

Top 10 Songs to Cheer Up a Dreary Monday Monday morning the office is quiet, most people are moody. Theres only one thing for itget those tunes going! Music is a sure fire way to improve the mood of you and those around you. Weve compiled a list of our top ten happy tunes, guaranteed to get the office grooving on a Monday morning 1) Toploader Dancing in the Moonlight Although its a Monday and youre less than likely to be dancing in any moonlight, this is still a tune to get your Monday going. 2)  Smash Mouth All Star After listening to this youre guaranteed to realise that you, are in fact, an all star. 3) Bill Withers Lovely Day After listening to this, any day is a lovely one. 4) Curtis Mayfield Move On Up Could this be the happiest song in the world? 5) Five Keep on Movin Nothing will keep you movin like a bunch of band members telling you too. 6) Pharrell Williams Happy The happiest song in the world! 7) Electric Light Orchestra Mr Blue Sky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjPqsDU0j2I 8) Dexys Midnight Runners Come On, Eileen https://youtu.be/rVxcwe7EcaY 9) Beyonce Love On Top If this doesnt make you dance on a Monday, then you have no hope. 10) The Beach Boys Wouldnt It Be Nice Escape the office and pretend youre in California by listening to anything from The Beach Boys. Got any other tunes that perk up your Monday? Let us know in the comments!

How to Upskill Without Going to University

How to Upskill Without Going to University If you need to upskill or just want to broaden and enhance your skill base, there are many ways to do this without having to complete university study. While many university courses represent effective upskilling, tertiary study is not for everyone and may not even provide the skills and experiences that you need and are seeking. This post explores what upskilling is, why it’s useful, and how you can upskill without going to university. What Exactly Is Upskilling? Most simply put, upskilling means that you engage in some kind of course, training, or program to gain a set of skills needed to carry out specific duties and build on the education that you already have. Contrary to popular belief, upskilling does not essentially involve a return to university or vocational education institution. An array of courses are now available in online and face-to-face study modes from providers like Careers Australia. This flexibility in terms of delivery mean that it is possible to upskill at an affordable price and in line with your own lifestyle and needs. What Is the Benefit of Upskilling? Almost invariably, the main reason for opting to upskill is to increase your employability. A formal qualification enables you to apply for a range of jobs, but the acquisition of additional skills increases your appeal as a candidate for employment or a promotion, over and above your competition. Ways of Upskilling That Do Not Involve University: Get as Much Experience as You Can It is a very good idea to accumulate as many experiences that demonstrate your commitment and passion to your ideal job as you can. Having these experiences is one thing, but taking the time and effort to reflect on what they have taught you and how you have benefitted from them is critical. It’s worth including these experiences, together with your reflections on what you have learnt and the benefits realised, on your resume. Create Your Own Experiences This is more realistic for certain jobs than others, but using resources such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks to connect with people who have experience and status in your chosen industry is an effective way to network and innovatively grow your skill base. Know Your Job and Your Industry If you are prepared to study your job and industry, you will acquire new skills that work to your advantage. Read as much as you can about your job, know who the leaders are in your industry, and develop your passion for the role so that it is completely obvious and authentic. Research Relevant Courses and Training Opportunities Perhaps the costs of going to university are a deterrent to you undertaking further study. Be aware that a range of affordable (and even free) courses and training programs can be found for some roles and industries, especially online. It’s definitely worth making the effort to find out what is available. The great news is that it’s definitely possible to upskill and enhance your employment prospects without having to go to university. In fact, some of the most practical, impressive, and sought after opportunities for upskilling involve no university study at all. 12

11 ways to survive a harsh winter in private accomodation - Debut

11 ways to survive a harsh winter in private accomodation - Debut Remember life in halls? Food in abundance, reliable hot water and electricity, chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Winter was just some abstract thing that involved Christmas markets and nice scarves. You had it all. Now you’ve moved out of halls, you need a back-up plan to the sweet, catered, bills-included life. God forbid scientists find you a thousand years from now, frozen in the same position you were eating Cheerios in 2016. Here’s a few ways you can stay toasty. Layer up This is the very least you can do, so do it. Get a jumper on, and put a hoodie over it. Hats, socks and turtlenecks are also a great shout. You might wanna think about thermal undergarments too if the situation is that bad. But don’t worry, there are fashionable ways to do winter clothes. Organise a penguin huddle Come on, we’re all friends here. Penguins get through their Antarctic conditions by huddling together to share body warmth, so why not you too? Get your housemates involved, spread love and share hugs. If your heart is really as cold as it is outside, get a pet or a hot water bottle and cuddle that instead. Killjoy. Get an electric blanket Sleeping in your underwear… in the winter?! Behold, all your November naptime dreams come true. An electric blanket for a double bed costs under £20 and is such a good investment. Pop it under your sheets and stay defiantly warm in the face of the cold. Board up your windows Or, if you don’t feel it’s so cold the world is going to end, get some thermal curtains. Keep them open when the suns shines. But when the cold wind blows, they’ll give you enough insulation to feel like you can can go on living. Grab a hair dryer It’s not just good for drying your hair and ruining your wet mobile phone beyond repair. A quick fix for the winter months is to spot heat those chilly parts of your body with a blast of hot air. Say sayonara to cold feet! Cook A warm stove or oven radiates heat to your surroundings. And if that wasn’t enough, there are a ton of delicious recipes out there that’ll warm you on the inside. Finally, a good reason to procrastibake. Move your bed Simple, but effective. If your bed is up against an exterior wall, then putting some distance between them, as not to transfer the cold temperature from the surface makes all the difference. Pimp your radiators You probably don’t think adding shiny things to your radiator is useful. Think again. A bit of kitchen foil (shiny side up) behind a radiator reflects heat back into the room as opposed to out the window or up to the ceiling. It’s pretty decorative, too. Close doors Don’t waste that sweet, sweet heat by leaving empty rooms’ doors open. Make sure everything is shut so that the energy is only going to where it’s needed. Draft excluders are also a very good idea. Cover your floorboards Doesn’t matter how thick your socks are, tiles and wooden floors are bad news for your feet. A rug in front of whatever sofa you watch The Chase on will make all the difference, trust us. Make some winter warmers ‘Tis the season to make an absolutely banging hot drink. The perfect hot chocolate is out there, and it’s here to save you from the freezing abyss. And if you’re really a legend, why not Irish up your coffee? Hey, you’ve earned it. Download the Debut app  and get Talent-Spotted by amazing employers. Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter  today!

A Case of Mistaken Identity - CareerEnlightenment.com

Make a list of each piece of online content out there, including profiles, files, images, videos etc. Then slowly work your way down the list updating your name.Step Three: You Must Own Your DomainI waited too long to buy my own domain name. Now, the person at joshuawaldman.com glibly squats on my online property unwilling to sell it to me at a decent price. Don’t let this happen to you. Buy a domain name for your name as quickly as you can.Because of the way Google works, domain names that match search queries have a better chance or ranking. So if your name is Yogesh Kumar and your domain name is yogeshkumar.com, you’ll have a chance of ranking #1.Domains are cheap. Services like NameCheap offer domains for less than $10, that’s Rs. 544. Not a bad price to pay to make sure your next boss get’s the right first impression of you.If you don’t want to build a website, just sign up for about.me and redirect your domain to your about.me profile, like what I did with joshuawaldm an.net.Please leave a comment below to share your story of how you reclaimed your online identity.

Out of office - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Out of office - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog For the next week I will be out of office far out. In fact, Ill be hiking in Croatia. But while Im gone, heres a challenge for you: Whats the best Out of office reply youve ever seen? One that goes beyond just Im not available and will be back on xx/xx. One thats fun, creative and different. Post it in a comment here. Best contribution before August 15 wins a copy of my book Happy Hour is 9 to 5. And while youre at it, maybe you can think about a more fun and creative Out of office mail for when you go on vacation. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related