Grooming Oneself For A Management Consulting Job

Management consulting career is popular among recent graduates and experienced candidates because it offers intellectual challenges, a great sense of fulfillment and an attractive compensation and benefit package. Because it's highly sought after, thousands of applicants submit their job application to top-tier firms each year. The competition for a single position has become tough; the reason why you must prepare hard for the recruitment process if you wish to land a job in this industry.

Begin your preparation by being aware of what you getting into. Before the recruiters gauge you for the vacancy, reflect first on how fit you are for it. Read the job advertisement and evaluate if you acquire the competencies to deliver the expected deliverables. Are you capable of analyzing and problem-solving activities? Can you communicate your ideas logically and get along with anyone well? Is going through quantitative data an effortless move on your part? Are you interested in learning about business operations conscientiously? These are just three of the questions you need to answer truthfully.

If you believe you have the right credentials, then it's time to proceed with the next step - research about your target firm. The knowledge you gain from reading their website, from following their social media profiles and from communicating with those who are connected with the firm will guide you in the entire recruitment process - from preparation of your job application to acing case interviews. At times, because many applicants skip this aspect, they couldn't get through with the selection procedure successfully. They fail to build a connection between their qualifications and the firm's goals.

The next step is writing an excellent cover letter and resume. Excellent is the term used because it must be superior enough to pique the interest of the recuiters. Craft your marketing tools in a manner that will make the firm realize that you will be of great contribution to the company. This is possible as long as you keep in mind your research results. Further, make sure that you state only relevant information. This includes your achievements, work experience, education and other significant awards. Writing too many unnecessary details only puts your application aside.

You also need to prepare for the written tests. Though some management consulting firms skip this aspect, some also believe that it's an effective way of weeding out applicants. Two of the most common pre-employment tests measure your verbal and numerical skills. The former determines your comprehension on text passages while the latter usually assesses how well you interpret charts and graphs. Some firms also request candidates to take a personality test to see if their personality or values match the non-technical aspects of the job or the corporate culture.

Candidates who get a good mark in pre-employment tests are often contacted for interview. In management consulting, there are two kinds of interview: fit and case. The goal of the fit interview is to determine if you attain the values required for the job. Questions focus on your commitment, previous experience and education. The questions are mostly behavioral in nature; recruiters will often ask you to describe a situation in the past where you exhibited either brilliance or weakness. It can be about your greatest achievement at school, about how you handled a difficult colleague or the weakness you're trying to improve.

On the other hand, the case interview concentrates on your technical skills. Recruiters give you a vague business scenario, and you are expected to come up with acceptable recommendations within 20 to 30 minutes. To do well in this part, it is highly recommended that you master consulting frameworks. These are structures that illustrate how to analyze and resolve the problem on a step-by-step basis. In the actual interview, things can be very overwhelming, so it would help to come in with a guide in mind.

On top of these suggestions, keep meeting key people in the industry by joining networking events and activities. These connections may bring in some information and job referrals. Remember that most vacancies are circulated through the word of mouth. Who knows the firm representative with whom you had an engaging conversation at a career fair will refer you to a recruiter or hiring manager?

Top Christmas Presents 2012

Women have always been conscious about their skin. Though it may be of less importance to you now, when you hit a certain age, you would try every means to make your skin look younger, softer and smoother. Now that Christmas is fast approaching, why don't you learn about the top presents for your best female friends?
Skincare products are one of the best gifts you can ever give nowadays. There are definitely lots of beauty and skincare products available on the market today. All promises impressive effects but not all of them are capable of living up to their promise. Make sure to choose products which have the ultimate capacity to help in combating the effects of ageing and promoting a healthier, dewy, plump and youthful skin.
Hand to Hand Combat Cream
A hand to hand combat cream makes an excellent choice for a Christmas present. It features a unique formula which helps in protecting the hands against elements which can negatively affect the skin quality. It contains a perfect combination of essential fatty oils, argan oils and Vitamin E which are known for their impressive effects on the skin. This amazing hand cream is also capable of keeping the cuticles under control and soft.
Glory Days Day Cream
Unlike other creams available on the market today, Glory Days Day Cream doesn't just counteract dull and dry skin, it also creates a moisture barrier which rejuvenates the skin and makes it smoother and fuller. It is fortified with a perfect blend of borage oil, white flower oil and glucose which help in regenerating and re-energizing the skin leaving it dewy, tight and plump. It instantly makes the skin look brighter and younger.
Smart Balm Eye Care
Worried about the signs of ageing forming around the eyes? Try the Smart Balm Eye Care. This special eye care product is specially designed to get rid of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines around the eyes. It actually helps in transforming the skin around the eyes and makes it moist and plump. The product is composed of a high-tech blend of glucose, peptides and borage oil which re-energize the cells and stimulate cell regeneration. It also contains botanicals, yeast extracts and omega 3 fatty acids which help in leaving the skin tight and toned. Its licorice content makes the eyes look refreshed and rested.
Flashback Night Cream
Made from a perfect blend of phytoplids, botanicals and healing oils, Flashback Night Cream is one of the best skin products against the signs of ageing. It creates a barrier that traps and contains moisture inside which is absorbed by the skin. It also helps in moisturizing the skin, leaving it dewy and plump.
Trouble Shooter Neck, Jaw and Chest Firming
Get rid of sagging and jowls and replace it with a smoother and firmer skin through the Trouble Shooter Neck, Jaw and Chest Firming. This state of the art firming cream targets drooping jaw line and eliminates age spots. It contains a perfect blend of Vitamin C which helps in improving skin tone and quality as well as in getting rid of brown spots. The result? A moist and firmer skin that can never tell your age.

More Referrals For Your eCommerce Business

Every single day a new eCommerce business springs up on the web. Some are created on E-Shop websites like Etsy or eBay, and some of them are placed on their own websites or blogs. However, gaining referrals on digital formats can be a bit more difficult than gaining them in onsite business. Lacking the option to initiate face-to-face conversations can detract from the trust consumers' gain by shaking hands, having eye-to-eye introductions, and becoming familiar with their salesperson's face.
Helpful Ways to Get More Referrals Online
Build a website
Even if you have a storefront on an eCommerce site. Build your own website that either leads to your online storefront, or offers the same products or services. Not only will this help to get your customers away from an eStore front that likely charges you per purchase, but it gives just one more link on the net for those looking for your business to find.
Tell People on Instant or Private Messages
If you use an instant messenger or a social network, take the time to share your business with all of those on your friends or fan lists. If you have a friend referral network, let them know that they will benefit directly from referring others. This can really help drive traffic and more business to your store.
Advertise on Other Websites
If you see a website that is not in direct competition but a complimentary one to yours, ask them for reciprocal linking, or even if they would mind putting a banner for your business on their site. This can generate a lot of traffic views and is much like a referral you may get from any business offline. Valuable.
Print Business Cards
Although this isn't an online method of how to get referrals for your eCommerce business. There are still so many opportunities you will run across when out-and-about and away from your computer. Laundry mats, grocery stores, schools and more locations have cork boards for local businesses to post their business cards. Be sure to bring long tacks and post a few cards.
Buy a Domain
Make sure to buy any affordable domains with the same keywords of your business name. Have them redirect to your main site. If your business name is Edna's Cookies. Buy a few domains named, Cookies by Edna, Edna Makes Cookies and more. Not only does this create extra links for your business, but it may also lead many to you who couldn't quite remember the name of your store.
Network Around
Take the time to network your shop around. Head to blogs that are in direct relation to your industry, but not competitive. Leave blog comments, post on relevant forums, submit your storefront to website directories and take advantage of anywhere that encourages you to network your business.
Although these methods are unlikely to produce instant results, you will begin to notice the traffic flow in once the web crawlers have made their rounds and noticed all of the helpful links now leading back to your eCommerce storefront. These are many positive and organic ways to get more referrals.

New Payment Technology Solutions for 2012

There are different payment solutions for different businesses online and different security levels.
When selecting a provider online you should consider 10 different variables.
1. How often are you going to need to use this service?
2. Is the payment system mainly used for credit card merchant services?
3. Do you want to use the system for transferring money?
4. What level of security do you want to have on your payment solution?
5. Do you want to use the system for a specific technology, like selling gaming online?
6. How often are your transactions processed? Monthly, weekly, annually?
Different systems will have different fees depending on usage and volumes.
7. What countries do you want to have your payment solutions available?
8. What currencies do you want to be able to operate in?
9. How big is your payment solutions budget on a monthly or annual basis?
10. How many people are responsible for your payment solutions department?
Now we will review 3 different types companies in this industry you may be interested in briefly and the differences between them.
BOXPAY
Boxpay.com is a solution for mobile technology and gamers. They give E-Business payment solutions technology for their digital wares. This is done through the use of your phone instead of a credit card. Using SMS and Direct Carrier billing. It is available in 35 countries and four continents. For more information on the company take a look at the link above.
00PAY
OOPay.com is a solution for offshore payment solutions. On this site you can accept payments for a variety of credit cards to sell products/services for your business. It is available in 27 different currencies for Merchant Accounts and has a low service fee. There are many benefits to this service and it has an easy application process. For more information see the link above.
PAYPAL
Of course one of the most trusted and used sites is paypal.com that has been around for several years. You can use paypal to send money, buy and sell services and send payments by email. There are over 269M people that use paypal. You can also use your I Phone, Android or Blackberry to have payment technology systems on your phone. Using secure payment technology you can sign up, choose your bank for security and shop online. For more information on paypal see link below.
paypal.com
Enjoy developing your website and make sure to do some research before selecting your payment solutions system, price is not the only decision to base your solution on as per review above and the type of business you operate online.

Choosing The Best Cash

Everyone goes through a time in their life where they want to clean out the closet. Get rid of old clothes and old jewelry. When it comes to that time to clean the jewelry box, it crosses my mind that I have all of this old gold jewelry that I do not need nor wear anymore. I always hear about companies that will let you sell gold for cash online. When I decided to go ahead and sell my gold jewelry, there were a few things I needed to consider.
First, I was told most companies are just the middlemen. They only pay a very small amount for my gold, and then they turn around and sell it to the jewelers. I need to find a company that is not a middle man. Who will pay me top dollar for what my gold is worth? That would be the company that will let me sell gold for quick cash online easily and quickly. After I have found the company that is not the middle man, I would much rather move on to the next step.
Next thing to do would be to figure out how they are different from other companies. Therefore, figuring out why I should sell gold for cash online with this company. It seems like they pay a very fair price. They look at the overall cost of the items, not just the gold themselves. They can pay 3 to 5 times more than the other leading sell gold for quick cash online companies.
The other factor one should consider is how it works. When I decided to sell gold for cash online, I was not sure exactly what it was that I was getting myself into. I did not understand the process or exactly what it was that would happen if I decided to go through with everything. It was broken down for me. Pretty much, all I had to do was call their toll free number or fill out their online form. After that was completed, they would send me a gold kit in the mail. I would put all of my gold jewelry in it and send it back. When they received it, they would appraise it for me. Within 24 hours of them receiving my gold, I will have a check in my hands. For me, it could not have gotten any easier.

Understanding Their Benefits And Drawbacks

The rise of the video sharing websites has paved the way for people across the globe to be connected in a more personal way. More so, it continues to promote easy communication, learning and marketing of businesses. These activities occur even more frequently with the existence of social networking websites which also allow quick advertisement of all kinds of clips.
More specifically, educators and lecturers are one of those who have benefited a lot from this phenomenon. They found this as a quick way to showcase their skills and enlighten researchers too. Since the generation of today is leaning towards online learning, teachers are utilizing videos to come up with more interesting lessons. In connection to that, video sharing websites provided unlimited access for students who desire to learn from varied educational clips over and over.
Entrepreneurs comprise the other group of people who continue to benefit from websites where online clips are shared. Obviously, presentations and promotions of different products and services were able to reach a lot of people because of these websites. In this light, businessmen of different niches are able to make their online presence felt with less effort and in no time.
The above-mentioned are definitely great advantages to look forward too. However, there are disadvantages too which internet users must guard against. Privacy is one element that may be violated by these websites. Remember that when you post a personal or business clip online, it will be in the cyberspace forever and it can be shared anytime by anyone. And so, think many times before you upload any of your personal clips. Perhaps, it is advertisement videos that you are uploading. Ensure that their content is protected in every way you can.
If your business involves original films, piracy would be one of the greatest problems you will encounter online. Stolen content is rampant online as many people are downloading videos from paid websites but you would never know who among them are making money from unauthorized reselling of these films. In that case, you can prod the platform websites to take down the content. The same legal action may be done for private clips which have been viewed publicly. Despite this fact, great exposure can also be achieved in the same way most especially if you are a maker of independent films and you simply depend on the number of shares viewers make for the popularity of your film.
Although the disadvantages of video sharing websites are quite alarming, its advantages will surely influence its continued existence especially now that people long to be connected with each other online the quickest and most personal way. Common interests shared and new friends found are just a couple of the amazing things websites of this type advocate. Moving forward, they help disseminate educational and informational content to concerned internet users. Lastly, they have changed the way advertisements are presented. Gone are the days when products and services are marketed through typical commercials. Now, they are promoted through interesting and inspiring stories.

Using a Heijunka Box to Smooth Production Flow

Heijunka is a very important management concept created by Toyota Motors. It refers to the smoothing of production in order to eliminate stress on the system caused by spikes and drops in production. This enables the company to apportion its resources evenly throughout the year and it also puts less stress on people and machinery. Production takes place in small batches so that fluctuations are controlled easily.
A Heijunka box is a very effective tool that enables this concept to be implemented correctly. It is a grid that divides the complete work into smaller units. The grid takes the form of a set of boxes arranged as pigeonholes. Each box represents a day or even a week and is filled with cards that represent individual jobs.
Each column in the grid is for an identical period of time, whether it is minutes, hours, days or weeks. The rows might have different numbers of cards, but they generally are arranged in a pattern that repeats itself. The production line might make different things during a particular period but they are manufactured at a constant rate.
Very simply put, the cards are fitted into each slot based upon the work plan for that period. These cards are generally colored according to a code. Workers arrive at the shop floor and make their way to the Heijunka box from where they draw their cards for a particular period. This enables them to do the job according to a plan, thereby ensuring that work gets completed in the correct manner.
This particular management concept is very useful to the manufacturing industry since it eliminates most of the stress caused due to drastic fluctuations in production throughout the year. Companies that use this concept do not need to pay over time to employees during certain times of the year or even keep people on the payroll even though there is no work for them. Since production is constant throughout the year, the company can buy raw materials at very good prices without paying a premium for them. The finished products will also have high quality and fewer mistakes since the workers will do the work at a regular pace.
The other advantage of using Heijunka is that it helps a company to control inventory easily. It is able to meet customer demand, thereby ensuring that the company retains its competitive edge in an increasingly worsening business environment.

Essential for Building Quality in the Production Process

There are many management concepts that the Toyota style of production has introduced to the business world and Jidoka is one of them. This particular concept enables a production line to be stopped if any problem happens. There are many chances of mistakes occurring on the shop floor and this can obviously have a very negative effect on the company's output. Various mistakes can result in equipment downtime, delays in meeting targets and also poor quality of the finished products. The company will also lose money because of missed business opportunities as well as wastage of materials since the rejection rate will be high.
The concept of Jidoka refers to "automation with a human touch". This refers to the ability of machines to shut themselves down (or be shut down) in the event of any mistake in the production process.
According to the concept of Jidoka,
- An operator on the shop floor will be able to stop production at the very instance that a problem occurs.
- This helps isolate the problem to that particular area so that it can be rectified immediately without allowing the defective pieces to go further down the line. If the product is necessary as a raw material for further stages this will help limit the problem to one particular stage.
- The shop floor is arranged so that an operator can control more than one machine at the same time. If there is a problem the worker will be able to shut production down immediately. This sensible arrangement of the shop floor ensures that the company does not have to hire a lot of people.
- In many instances, the machines themselves will have certain features such as lasers or automatic switches so that they can stop automatically in the event of a problem. If a particular machine shuts down, it can be repaired while ensuring that other machines keep on working.
Companies can really improve their productivity and reduce wastage by adopting this management concept. However, they need to follow this concept in the right manner in order to get the best results. The employees of the company will also have to receive good training in adopting Jidoka order to ensure that they do what is required of them. As a matter of fact, it makes good sense to hire a management consultant who will enable the company to make the transition to the new style of operation.

Effective Small Business Promotion On Tight Budget

In times of economic down turn, most entrepreneurs search for affordable ways to do small business promotion. The same is true for those who are just starting up with small capital. Learning the ins and outs of the internet can help you come up with marketing techniques which could be accomplished at the comfort of your own home. Moreover, it can save you from paying for hired help.
Carry Your Company All The Time - Have your company name or website URL printed on a shirt. Wear it wherever you go. Such print will surely attract the attention of the people you encounter. When sending emails to clients, friends or even family members, take advantage of the signature feature that an email software offers. Under your name, provide your position and your company name. Advertising small business can also be done with some paperwork - invest on letterheads and customized envelopes.
Market In Your Locality - One of the tried and tested ways to increase your customer base is to build your own local market. This is as easy as asking your present customers to post comments on your webpage. Say, they can share about their enjoyable experience about your product or service. Show your gratitude to your local customers through giveaways if they refer someone they know to try your offers. You can also distribute flyers to announce events of sale.
Join The Social Media Fever - Many a small business promotion have flourished with the use of social media networking sites like Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter. Through these sites you will be able to interact with people you know while marketing your company for free. This is a great way to attract more potential customers.
Keep On Blogging - You need not be a grammar expert just to have regular posts on your blog. Using your personal tone, you can casually share updates on upcoming promotional events in store for your followers. Do you have a new product line or service offers? Blog about it. Write in the way you would speak to a close friend. If you have posted articles regarding your niche in famous article directories, you can provide its link in your blog through certain keywords you have used.
Help To Get Helped - No man is an island. The same principle applies to businesses. Are there other small firms in your niche? Even though you do not personally know their owners, extend a helping hand to them. You can ask these entrepreneurs to do the same for you. Who knows, the product you offer can complement the services they have.
Connect With Important People - Bloggers, media and producers are some of the important people you have to meet when seeking for affordable small business promotion. Extend favor or help to them and you are most likely to receive good write ups or advertisements from these people. Just be cautious not to get yourself into an agreement that can do your marketing efforts and public connections more harm than good.

Create an Environment for Long-Term Success

Your business has a greater chance of succeeding if you use Kaizen to manage it. This is a management concept that calls for ongoing and continuous improvement. If you adopt this concept then you won't have to make drastic changes in your organization. You (and every other person in your organization) will be required to look continuously for areas for improvement and to incorporate them in order to increase efficiency at work.
You'll need to embrace Kaizen fully and this involves creating a workplace environment that supports it. Only then will you be able to get the many benefits that it can offer you. The following tips will be of great use to you:
1. Make sure that all your employees are on board with this concept. If they hold back then you will miss out on valuable contributions from them. A high level of communication within the organization ensures that all employees know exactly what is expected.
2. Create a work environment where employee opinions and contributions are valued. If your organization merely pays lip service to employee feedback then it is unlikely that they will continue to provide it. It is impossible to make the necessary changes without ideas from employees.
3. Give training to all employees so that they can understand what kaizen is all about and make the necessary contributions to the organization. This also has the added benefit of increasing employee morale considerably. Employees at all levels should get the necessary training.
4. Start using quantitative evaluation to measure process performance because this is the only way to measure improvement and identify areas where improvement is insufficient.
5. Link rewards and incentives with employees' participation in Kaizen. In any case, this management concept has a direct effect on productivity and profitability.
Once you create a Kaizen-friendly environment in your organization, you (along with your employees) will be able to work on identifying various areas of concern and understanding what their individual causes are. Further, you will also be able to work out various strategies for addressing the different problems. Since you will be looking for continuous change, you will easily achieve this because you have put the right processes in place.
It is very important to beware of just making changes without first understanding what is to be achieved. Drastic changes will create stress within the organization and should therefore be avoided unless absolutely necessary. Once people believe in Kaizen then they will work towards gradual improvement.

Find Out What the Main Principles Are

A Lean organization is perfectly suited for today's world where chance happens very fast and customers are extremely demanding. Your company, whether it is in the manufacturing sector or any other one, has a good chance of succeeding in a highly competitive environment only if it is agile and flexible. The Lean business approach is the best one for you because it helps you reduce wastage (and therefore costs) whilst increasing quality.
There are a few important principles associated with running a Lean organization. Understanding what these principles are will help you understand why it's a good idea for you to run your organization in this manner.
1. Understanding what exactly your customers want. Your product will have to be modified accordingly in order to ensure the highest possible level of customer satisfaction.
2. Map various job processes in order to find out exactly what causes many obstructions in getting your product to your customer.
3. Devise the best possible work flow in order to ensure that production goes on in the most efficient manner.
4. Get feedback from customers and also employees in order to make continuous improvements in how your company works. This enables your company to stay very flexible and able to deal with a variety of situations.
5. Constantly aim to improve your product as well as various processes so that you have the maximum efficiency.
6. Empower your employees to take responsibility for improving the fortunes of the company. Their feedback and co-operation is invaluable to make the necessary changes in how your organization works.
As you can see, your company will definitely benefit if it is run according to Lean principles. However, you will have to put in a lot of effort in order to ensure that this transition occurs easily. The simplest thing to do is get the necessary training for your employees across the board so that they are able to do their part. You will also have to sell the concept to them so that they internalize the different principles.
If all your employees are equally dedicated to Lean principles then your company has a very good chance of doing well, even in the face of extreme competition these days. The best way to proceed is by hiring a management consultant who specializes in this style of management. The consultant will study your specific business and help you arrive at which techniques are the best suited for it.