HobNob Nashville TN | Displaying items by tag: Business

Displaying items by tag: Business

Set goals for better business development

(ARA) - For many small businesses who weathered the economic storm in 2009, 2010 represents a new beginning to return to growth and jump-start projects put on hold during the recession. Goal setting will be critical to help small businesses get back on their feet, map out their business plans and prioritize what they wish to achieve in the upcoming year.

Accomplishing these goals once workers are back into the daily grind, with deadlines looming and clients calling, is easier said than done. They will be more likely to achieve success with some structure, support and accountability.

If you are a small-business owner or manager, there is a new Web site that can help get you on track for 2010. The Staples stickK to it! Business Challenge is a free, online tool that can assist in developing business goals for the year, and more importantly, gives professionals an easy formula to ensure success. Users can register at www.staples.com/goals and participate for free to receive encouragement from fellow colleagues to keep commitments on track. The platform even offers incentives toward reaching goals in the form of EasyPoints, redeemable for Staples products that can also help achieve success in the workplace.

Some goals on the Web site that you might consider to get your employees or career moving in the right direction include:

* Get organized - Eliminate paper clutter and reduce the amount of time it takes you to find important information. Having a good organizational program - whether it's a filing system or more efficient computer software - will help your office reduce wasted time and energy.

* Promote career development for yourself and your employees - Set a time line to update your resume, or start setting up informational interviews through networking. Make a commitment to talk to your boss about opportunities available within your company.

* Maximize your bottom line with smart tax preparation or better money management - There are many ways your company can keep more money in the business, so take a good look, line by line, to see what can be trimmed out of your budgets.

* Green your office - More and more companies are looking at easy ways to help the environment. Printing green, recycling or using environmentally-friendly cleaning products are three simple ways to start making your office more eco-friendly.

* Improve office communications with better technology - Look into whether wireless networking, better lighting or even better furniture can help increase productivity and improve communication among workers and clients.

"Setting goals is important for any business owner to do, and the New Year is a perfect time to sit down and create professional goals," says John Giusti, vice president of small business marketing at Staples. "Staples wants to improve the lives of small businesses by giving them this easy platform to ensure success."

Other tips for setting goals come from stickK.com co-founder Ian Ayres, author of "Super Crunchers: Why Thinking-by-Numbers is the New Way to be Smart," a New York Times best-seller:

* Be specific in setting your goal. Make sure it will be easy to tell whether you succeeded or not.
* Be reasonable. Choose a goal you can accomplish.
* Invest in tools. Ensure that you have the proper resources and tools to achieve your goals
* Choose a referee and get support. Let someone else verify that you keep up with your commitment and have friends on the sidelines cheering on your progress.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business

Plumbing the depths of a top 50 in-demand job

(ARA) - Plumbing is among the top 50 occupations for job stability, median wage and anticipated demand, according to careervoyages.com, a Web site jointly maintained by the departments of Labor and Education.

Joe DeLange, trades department chair of plumbing at WyoTech in Fremont, Calif., isn't surprised. "It's a flexible and stable trade, and plumbers will always be in demand," he says.

"If you like working with your hands, don't mind getting a little dirty, and want steady work in a skilled trade, it's time to take a look at the plumbing profession," DeLange adds.

While many of us are familiar with plumbers who conduct minor in-home repairs, the occupation can be very diverse. Plumbers and pipefitters can specialize in a variety of areas, including the installation and repair of potable water and gas piping systems, drain waste and vent systems, and hydronic (water) heating and cooling systems. Plumbers are also needed for remodeling and new construction projects in the residential and commercial industries.

The demand for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters is expected to increase 10 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Much of this demand will stem from new housing construction and building renovation. The rise in popularity of green technologies like radiant floor heating, solar hydronics, condensing and modulating boilers, and tankless hot water systems is also expected to increase demand for plumbers.

In addition, many people currently working in these trades are expected to retire during the next 10 years, creating more openings for plumbers. The Career Voyages Web site also notes that from now until 2016, there will be a demand for more than 150,000 new plumbers.

"Job stability is an important aspect of any career. This is what makes plumbing so appealing as a profession," DeLange says. "There is constant work. There will always be a need for basic repair and maintenance of water and pipe systems."

In addition to job stability, plumbers and pipefitters enjoy some of the best median wages in the trade fields. In 2006, the median hourly earnings of waged and salaried plumbers and pipefitters were $20.56, and the middle 50 percent of all plumbers earned between $15.62 and $27.54 an hour. The top 10 percent of plumbers earned more than $34 an hour.

Christopher Draves, plumbing instructor at WyoTech in Fremont, Calif., explains that the freedom of working for yourself and seeing tangible results make a career as a plumber an excellent choice. "Many plumbers eventually go into business for themselves," he says.

One of the most satisfying aspects of the plumbing profession is that you see the results of your labor, Draves adds. "At the end of the day, you solve problems, clean up messes and build new piping systems. It's a very satisfying career. You can look at the results and be proud of what you accomplished."

It takes a number of years to become a licensed professional plumber. Most plumbers learn skills through a combination of education and on-the-job training through apprenticeships. Most apprenticeships require 144 hours of classroom work and then a number of years of on-the-job training. At WyoTech, students receive 720 hours of combined classroom time and hands-on lab skills.

"While the need for plumbers is constant, technology and water management systems keep changing, so there is always more to learn," Draves says. "I definitely recommend a career in plumbing to those who are interested in a stable trade."

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business

Keeping America's information safe offers a secure career

(ARA) - From shopping to working to banking, Americans are doing it all online. Consumers need their private information to be safe, but at the same time, they want the speed and convenience of instant transactions, all without giving it a second thought.

Online safekeeping doesn't just happen. Information security specialists are in the shadows, ensuring consumer and business data security worldwide, and providing the skills needed to track down information in criminal investigations.

Because nearly everyone is at risk from a cyber security threat, professionals in information systems security are bucking unemployment trends. Students interested in information security careers can study at DeVry University, which offers a specialized track providing the skills to help design security system procedures, standards, protocols and policies.

"I have been in the IT industry for about eight years, working on information security-related projects for most of my career," says Najmus Qazi, a DeVry University alumnus from Chicago working in the telecommunications industry. "Most recently, companies have been paying more attention to their information security due to the simple fact that there are a lot of bad guys with ingenious ways of stealing data. The constant change and evolution of my role has made it incredibly exciting."

With new methods of "capturing" volumes of personal information online, it is no wonder that the security of personal and corporate information has become a hot button issue ... and a true career opportunity. There is a real and practical need for specialists who develop and deploy systems to make sure proprietary or private information is protected.

"Despite the recession, IT specialists holding certifications in information security have actually been in demand," says John Giancola, dean of Devry University's College of Engineering and Information Sciences. "Because we have become so mobile and unwired, our personal data is accessible in so many ways - from cell phones to laptop computers - so we need to make sure our personal information is not compromised. Information security behind the scenes keeps us safe."

The field of information security is the first line of defense in preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure and destruction of data for both businesses and individuals. But for individuals, the extra prevention helps protect them against identity theft.

The importance of this field came into sharp focus earlier in 2009 when President Obama created a cyber security cabinet-level position. This "Cyber Czar" will be responsible for integrating and coordinating all government protections of cyberspace and will lead the U.S response to any hacker attack on U.S. networks.

Five careers under the information security umbrella are helping keep the virtual world safe from would-be hackers and viruses:

* Network systems and data communications analysts are projected to be the fastest growing occupation, with projections of more than 50 percent growth through 2016. They analyze, test and evaluate network systems.

* Information systems security specialists help organizations prepare for, react to and recover from security threats. These experts develop and implement security procedures, protocol and policies.

* Disaster recovery agents work to ensure a company's data systems and networks are recoverable. They often perform and analyze disaster simulations to ensure prompt restoration of services.

* IT managers play an important role in implementing technology in their organizations. They oversee network security and direct Internet operations.

* Computer forensics specialists perform the vital task of investigating suspected fraud and criminal cases. They recover deleted, encrypted or damaged digital files and often provide expert testimony in criminal court cases.

"After spending years as an automotive service advisor, I went back to school to find a new career that offered solid potential for the future," says Marc Brown, a computer information systems student with a specialization in computer forensics at the North Brunswick, N.J. campus of DeVry University. "Studying computer forensics has exceeded all my expectations. Every day, I look forward to all my classes and instructors. It's fun when friends recognize the value of what I do from the nightly news or crimes shows."

DeVry University offers associate, bachelor and graduate degree programs in the information security field at campuses across the nation as well as through online classes. By enrolling in an accelerated program and attending classes year round, undergraduate students are able to earn a bachelor's degree in as few as three years. Learn more at www.devry.edu.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Published in Business