Thursday, November 15, 2012

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?


Thursday, November 8, 2012

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.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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.