One of the most empowering things that you can do as a publisher is ask questions in your blog. "What's your story?" "What is your experience?" "What do you think?" "What are you working on?" All of these questions brings the reader to share information, and giving readers the power to engage and feel engaged. Users enjoy reading content, but the content that you post can only go so far. It's essential to draw your readers in, and have them talk about their experiences and opinions about the topic that you're discussing. Business Conference - NCSL 01/02/2010
I recently went to Washington D.C. on November 20th for a leadership conference. I was a proud representative of Onondaga Community College, and went with the future leaders of tomorrow. Here is a quick overview of the NCSL conference workshops. Getting More and Going Further with Creativity The workshop tries to bring creative inhibition with psychological elements. We were told to draw something that we feel we could be more creative with, and think deeply about how we could improve this. I found the workshop to be very little help, but it was a good networking opportunity for me. I talked to five different people that I had never had the opportunity to meet before. Zing! Your Life, Leadership, and Legacy When the first walked into this workshop, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought the workshop was good at showing the effects of having a positive attitude. I realize that I have the ability to positively influence others through my values and morals that I express. We often think of people that influence others, but even the silence that we have has consequences. It’s when we raise our hands, become engaged, and challenge ourselves that we can positively influence those around us. Zing means to change the flow-forces around you because you can bring something better to the table. I believe that Nancy Denney did a good job at showing everyone that we make a difference, and sometimes we don’t even realize it. I realize that I need to make people feel more welcome wherever I am, and to think positively about situations. Turn your idea into reality in 29 days I have over 4 different projects that I want to launch, and this workshop helped me with the implementation process. The workshop was good for those that have ideas, but my partner didn’t have any ideas. She was in the nursing program, and didn’t feel that the workshop had any value for her. I learned that I need to express my ideas to people, and set a date that the project needs to be done by. I need to set goals for myself to make sure that I get everything done. The workshop explained that you need to set mission statements for the ideas that you have, and that you need to tell people about the projects that you want to do. These are things that I’ve been doing for years, and I find value in them everyday. Credibility : Nick Tarant & Steve Wymer Credibility is, “The single most missing component for student leadership organizations across the country.” Credibility allows people to believe in you, and makes you worthy of that belief, or confidence. Without credibility, there would be low membership levels, apathy among members, criticism, and a loss of power/influence. You must always be aware of where you are, and who you are speaking with. You will always need the media, but realize that they like drama. I found this session interesting because I’ve had problems in the past. I want to become better, and do exactly what needs to be done in order to accomplish new goals. I learned that follow through is the key to success, and to always be aware of what you do. Balancing How to Say It with What you Say: Influence and Credibility The role-play session showed how people look when they do certain things. It’s important to dress appropriate for the situation, look like you care, and make appropriate decisions at the right time. Your posture, tone, and expression all play a key role in how people perceive you. We may do things that we don’t even realize when we’re talking to people, and we need to be aware of that. There were skits of what the person might look like, and it wasn’t just information on a screen. JETS WIN! 12/27/2009
On December 27th, 2009, the Jets defeated the former undefeated colts. Find a job - How to do it effectively? 12/26/2009
Have you ever applied for a job, but wondered why you never received a call back? There are effective methods to obtain a job, have a positive first impression, and get the job that you desire! 1. Build a resume for everywhere that you apply. For every job that you have, you should submit a resume, or have set references that can be utilized to provide the "first impression" of you. Companies will look at credibility, character, and general ability when they view each application. You need to reflect your ability to exceed the expectations of the employer, or atleast a sense of ability for the position desired. 2. Call the place! So many people put in the application, and assume that the company will call them back. Companies spend resources trying to hire employees, but there results in hundreds, and sometimes thousands of applications being sent to a company at a time. The conflict starts when the hiring manager is responsible for hiring so many employees, and needs to pick who is the best option for the company. Calling a company after you submit the application can result in the hiring manager pulling your application, and reviewing it over the other applications submitted. 3. Have you changed your number in the past week, month, or possibly year? Changing your number can result in missed calls, opportunities, and jobs that may have occured due to a "waiting list." Remember that companies want to hire the best person they can for the position, and changing your number will only limit their ability to call you in the future. As a customer-service representative, Suburban Propane expresses their interested on providing "unparalleled customer-service" to all customers that work with them. The training program deceptively states specific policies, and the idea that they want to help every employee be successful. As a former employee of Suburban, I learned that companies use certain approaches to benefit them: 1. Staffing agencies provide a large quantity of staff members that would work for the company. When companies work with staffing agencies, the employees become less important to the company. They will get rid of you if you make one small mistake, and provide little justification to why you were fired. Staffing agencies is a great way to get hired onto a company with very little experience, but can be limited. 1.Policies are in place to be followed by employees. Companies should never set one policy, and then promote another policy to the employees. There was a lack of communication with this, which can be detrimental to employees at any company. Provide one policy for all employees, and make sure all managers/supervisors are aware of this. 3. Training programs are essential elements to the growth of customer-service representatives. Supervisors use a S.M.A.R.T technique to analyze the quality of calls, and help employees change their habits to make themselves better. Use some technique, either notes or a rubber band, to influence change on every employee to make themselves better. It might seem silly, but it allows employees to always become better. 4. When you fire someone, there should be some justification to why it occurred. As an employee that followed correct procedure but was fired for it, there was little justification to my termination with Suburban Propane. Termination should never occur with little or no regard to system errors, which most likely occurred as a result. I was a good employee: I came in early, followed procedure, left early to save the company labor expenses, my fellow employees enjoyed me there, and yet it doesn't matter to the company at all. There was a complete disregard to all of those things when accounting for my employment at Suburban Propane. Resume Title 11/28/2009
A resume title is the first impression employers have when they review your resume. The title allows you to be different from the “competition,” and express your interests in a specific job, or field. Use what you’ve done, the experience you have, and/or the qualities that fit that desired field. Writing an Effective Cover Letter 08/25/2009
Writing letters is a very effective tool of communication. The good thing about this means of communication is that it avoids impulsive and spur of the moment utterance without thinking first. With letters, you can organize your thoughts and pen it in a very respectful way. The power of writing letters can be proven in cover letters. Cover letters are often on top of resumes that one passes in companies if he is applying for a job. A remarkable cover letter is always essential when looking for a job. It is essential to learn how to write a successful cover letter with lasting impact. An effective cover letter strikes an employer with a heavy impact. It increases the chances of getting the job if the employer is impressed with what's written in the cover letter. In fact, this serves as the first impression since an employer has no idea yet of the applicants when the resumes are being passed to him. A cover letter gives an overview of an applicant's qualifications and wishes to join a company. It should be brief yet containing all the necessary details that an employer will look for. What is written in cover letters? And how does one write an effective cover letter? First of all, a cover letter should indicate the position one is applying for. It is usually included in the first paragraph. Be specific. Avoid writing down several positions in one letter. You want to convey to the employer that you are focused. Include in your letter the addressee. Again, be specific as much as possible. Avoid the generic formulas like "To Whom It May Concern." This gives the impression that you did not research well about the company. Write the particular name of the HR officer. Be resourceful in finding out this detail. It is impressive to be able to find out such detail, and this scores you a point early on. The cover letter should briefly emphasize your qualifications and abilities. It is your selling point. Explain clearly your competence and potential in the company when hired. Make sure your qualifications fit the position you are targeting. Be sure to only state your competency in brief because you have your resume to further yourself. For the cover letter, the idea is merely to catch the attention of the employer, to make him flip over and move on to your resume. It is also good to add in your letter specific details about the employer or the company. It implies familiarity with the company and great interest in working for them. You can say something like: I have always been a close observer of (name of the company) for several years. I go along its development with enormous fascination as it grew into becoming one of the major (telecommunications, marketing, real estate, etc.) companies in the country. Or, you can state: I'm highly concerned in playing a role and putting in my experience and capabilities to your company as your company is recognized for its excellence over the last ten years. Many applicants take for granted cover letters. Truth is, if you practice the art of effective writing, and in turn write effective cover letters, it will immediately give you a big edge over the other applicants. Corporate Social Responsibility 08/01/2009
Corporation around the world play a key role in the development of society. Successful corporations are active, and not passive in their contribution to society. It is not the role in the distribution of products that creates a desirable impression and impact on society, but the significant contribution and commitment to growth and prosperity among different demographics of the world. It is Corporate Social Responsibility that constitutes a standard imposed on corporations to act towards benefitting society. The growth of culture and the advancement of society depend on corporate social responsibility but also it provides regulation to the corporate world. Corporate Social Responsibility, also referred to as CSR, is defined by Archie B. Carroll as, “The Social Responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time.” (Archie 1979) Dave Packard once stated, “I think many people assume, wrongly, that a company exists simply to make money. While this is an important result of a company’s existence, we have to go deeper and find the real reasons for our being. As we investigate this, we inevitably come to the conclusion that a group of people get together and exist as an institution that we call a company so that they are able to accomplish something collectively that they could not accomplish separately – they make a contribution to society, a phrase which sounds trite but is fundamental. The role companies play in correlating business practices to incorporate their roles in society is what defines the essence of Social responsibility. George Dayton first founded the Goodfellows store in the early 1900s. The store was located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and became the foundation for the Target Corporation. In 1946, George Dayton issues five-percent of all revenue to be donated back to the communities. George Dayton was responsible for opening up the first two-story shopping mall. George Dayton’s commitment to maintaining social responsibility within the community established the tone for the future of the Target Corporation and set a precedent for Target to maintain the same attitude about contributions to society. Target Corporation was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by George Dayton. The founders established the company from Dayton Dry Goods to Target Corporation to provide a new corporate identity and corporate strategy. The corporation became the cornerstone of the retailing business and became the fifth –largest retail business in the United States, behind wal-mart and The Home Depot. Target Corporations embraced the initiative of contributing back to society and was successful in correlating business practices around social responsibility. In 1918, George Dayton established the Target Foundation to integrate social responsibility into the everyday business practices of the Target Corporation. The vision of the Target Foundation provided public support for the community in the fields of education, the environment, disaster relief, and social service projects to take the initiative to enhance the quality of support provided to citizens around the United States. The desired outcome of the Target Foundation was to target the community and to increase the implementation of philanthropy. Target Corporation is known for contributing a substantial percentage of their revenue to charities. According to the November 2005 Forbes article, Target Corporations donated two-percent of their income, and contributed the largest amount of money of any company. Target contributes over three-million dollars weekly to the communities in which they have stores. The contribution provides ample food supply, support ethnic groups, and contributes to the global impression Target has as a corporate identity. Over the past decade, environmental sustainability has been a global concern. Target Corporation became the first retailing company to implement the first “green campaign,” and commit to the “reduce, re-use, recycle” initiative that integrated the implementation of new store layouts, designs, and merchandising activities around the “green” campaign. The philosophy was based on promoting environmental friendly habits to maximize social awareness. The Environmental Management Program provides the framework for environmental practices and ensures that all corporations are in compliance with environmental regulations, which imposes a standard to all corporations. Target is committed to analyzing green gas emissions, sustainable store development, energy efficiency, and the promotion of environmental products. Target Corporations is committed to maintain business practices in accordance with the Environmental Management Program but also is driven to express implications of values and morals upon the Target identity for the people around the United States to see. Target has been a member of the US Green Building Council and consistently creates reviews to measure the practices of Target stores. Target promotes environmental friendly products and maintains product placement and available shelf space to accommodate the “environmental friendly” campaign. Target Corporation is dedicated to providing jobs and a diverse working environment. With over three-hundred thousand workers, Target promotes equal opportunity of employment. Civic activities, leadership training programs, scholarships, and safety programs are all ways in which Target promotes fair business practices for all employees. The Target Corporation utilizes image-placement around each store to promote the initiative of diversity in the workforce and the contribution to ethnic groups. Target offers competitive wages to employees and the availability of several compensation packages to those employees that meet the minimum requirement. Target prides itself it providing a higher wage then the average wage for doing the same responsibilities and skills. Target also has annual performance assessments to allow employees to get a raise based on their performance. Word of mouth is the ultimate marketing tool and the objective is to keep all employees content with their job. Education is essential to the growth and prosperity of the nation. Target Corporation is devoted to enhancing the accessibility of materials for students and supporting education through programs that assist children. Target launched the “Ready.Sit.Read!” program to foster the education of children. The program incorporates a book club with book recommendations, and activities to provide new opportunity for children. The program also sponsors festivals where children are able to watch shows with live characters, and meet authors from children books. The opportunity inspires children to read and be driven to be successful in their education. Grants and scholarships provide new opportunities to those who are unable to attend college otherwise. Target provides the very opportunity that is needed for those that are less fortunate. The types of scholarships that Target provides are the United Negro College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Reading Grants, Reading Grants, and a variety of others that meet the desirable intention of providing for those that are less fortunate. The scholarships inspire young readers to do great things and reflect the desire to maintain support for all ethnic groups. Target supports the Art program by providing access to over thirty museums and theaters around the United States. Target sponsors “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, The Color of Justice,” and other shows that reflect the great message that stories convey to children. Target provides grants to local schools and non-profit organizations to promote new visual arts events that inspire children to read. Target promotes cultural festivals and outdoor shows. All of the money that is contributed to the Arts program is reflected in the mission to increase the resources available to children. In order to promote the contribution to the programs, Target made a logo and has it placed on the side of every Target brand product and some of the boxes of a variety of the merchandise sold at the stores. The logo provides value to the brand name and establishes a connection between the customer and the initiative. Every product provides information about the campaigns. It is one way in which Target approaches a large customer base to express their contribution through Corporate Social Responsibility. In 2006, Target Corporations became the main sponsor of the Boston Arts Festival. Fifty-thousand people came to the event throughout the weekend, and contained sixty artists within the area. During the event, Target promoted activities that involved the interaction of the people and performances by the Boston Ballet and Lyric Opera. The Target logo became the main advertisement around the event and the initiative was evident to those who attended. Target utilized their sponsorship as a means to promote their campaigns and enter into the art industry. The objective of the sponsorship was to expose the brand name to citizens that went to the Art Festival and to incorporate the corporate identity with something of value that would be seen as important in the eyes of a large population. Target Corporations provides public aid to those who have been hit with the disaster of a storm. Target has partnered with the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and the American’s Second Harvest to provide merchandise and volunteer support to prepare for any natural disaster. The relief and recovery initiative reflects the commitment of the core values that Target stands for. For years, Target has provided a substantial amount of financial aid, products, and services to the victims of hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters. It was the contribution of the Target Corporation that provided for families that were left with nothing in a time when they needed help the most. Target supports social service organizations that provide food, shelter, clothing, and any other services that are required to the community. Target Corporation consistently contributes to Youth Shelters and food banks to provide opportunity to citizens. The products that Target donates and the financial support that they provide allows the food banks to maintain a stable food supply to provide food for the people that need it. The benefits from providing food and shelter to those who need it provides far greater benefits than any cost that Target incurs. Corporate Social Responsibility is the ethical obligation that society establishes as a standard by which companies should correlate business practices to contribute to society. Target is the perfect example of a corporation that incorporates Social Responsibility through a variety of business practices. The core strategy of the Target Corporation was the provide support to the community. It is the Corporate Social Responsibility conveyed in Target’s campaigns that define the corporate identity and the message that they convey to the public. Corporate Social Responsibility show each and every one of us that companies sell their products and services to the public, but companies have an ethical obligation to adhere to. It is not the Target products that the majority of the people will remember but the way in which Target contributed to society and the astounding influence it had on the community. new feature added to website 07/30/2009
I added a new feature to the website. The feature, powered by Google, is a gadget that has quotes from remarkable individuals. The quotes are posted daily to provide insight to the life lessons of a variety of people. Click Home for more information pertaining to the quotes. What you should know about marketing of today! | CategoriesAll AuthorWelcome to the www.bjanket.com blog ArchivesJanuary 2010 CategoriesAll |
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