5.25.2011

Improving Yourself As A Purchasing Manager



In the automotive world, purchasing management is becoming an increasingly complex job. Purchasing management essentially deals with the corporate buying of all products used by a company, from office supplies to warehouses. As automotive companies expand and set up factories and warehouses on the international scene, purchasing managers have to work with other managers by phone or Internet to co-ordinate purchasing down to the smallest detail. After all, the automotive industry requires that close attention be paid to profit margins and budgets. As such, the purchasing manager position in the UK and around the world is becoming tougher for new professionals.

However, purchasing managers needs to realise that there are simple ways to improve their daily lives and exceed expectations. The key for any purchasing manager is not to lose the forest for the trees, or the company pens for the corporate budget. Purchasing managers who focus on every aspect of their job and improve on those aspects little by little will find themselves better able to handle the stresses of their job.

One way to improve as a purchasing manager is to take a few additional minutes each day to review industry and corporate news. Purchasing managers, like other management professionals in automotive firms, need to be aware of the direction of their company and the strength of the competition. By reviewing press releases, analysis, and news, purchasing managers are better informed on how their decisions will influence the firm.

Purchasing managers should also schedule a short meeting daily with their buyers and other professionals. While purchasing professionals have plenty of meetings with outside vendors and others within the firm, an informal stand up meeting can create a better sense of teamwork. As well, these informal sessions can keep everyone updated on what the office is doing as a whole to improve the corporate lifestyle of their employer.

Finally, purchasing managers in the automotive field need to be able to speak in different manners with diverse groups. A manager may have a meeting with shareholders in the morning, a lunch meeting with a vendor, and an afternoon meeting with company executives. All three groups require a different approach and a purchasing manager needs to learn these approaches in order to succeed. The best advice that can be given to a purchasing manager is to listen carefully to what different groups have to say and research their needs prior to meetings. By demonstrating interest and concern for their needs, a purchasing manager can become more successful and make their firm more successful as a result.

5.20.2011

Get Rich Being A Nurse?




Warning! If you do not want to work don’t go to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. It sounds bad when I say it that way but actually it’s a good thing. If you are the sort of person who likes to help people and you have a strong stomach then you will always have a well paying job.

Why do I say that? Well the thing is a nurse; especially LPNs and LPs are needed in just about every aspect of the healthcare industry. With our baby boomer generation getting older the hospitals and nursing homes over the next decade will become more and more crowded. Of course along with the growth in patients there will be a growth in the need for health care professionals to care for the sick and elderly.

Besides the general nursing area there are still many other jobs for LPNs and CPNs. There is a huge need for in home health care professionals willing to deal with the elderly. Other areas LPNs are needed include physician’s offices, residential care facilities, schools, temporary nurse agencies, traveling nurse agencies and government agencies. As you can see the choices for a place to work are not few and far between.

So besides the many choices of places and ways to work as a nurse why is the nursing profession expected to grow so much? The truth is the insurance industry and Medicaid has left no other avenue. As baby boomers grow older someone has to take care of them. The important fact here is that insurance companies and Medicaid except in isolated instances doesn’t cover the cost of assisted living or of home-based health care. The average cost for home-based or assisted living is around $35,000 annually. So if Medicaid and insurance aren’t going to pay the costs then who is? The sad truth is that many families who wish to care for there parents or siblings simply can’t afford to and are forced to put there elderly into a long term care facility where Medicaid will cover the cost.

So what does this mean for a nurse. It means quite frankly that your job is more than secure for the next couple of decades. It also means that assisted living facilities and long term care facilities are going to make a killing in the decades to come.

Putting your personal feelings aside and looking at the business side of things… if you get in with the right company at the ground floor you could be in for a lot of pay raises in your future. If you want to do some calculations yourself… For assisted living at $35,000 average x 100 residents in an assisted living facility = $3.5 Million dollars a year. So take what you know of your assisted living facility and figure out about what your facility is making. Also keep in mind that this is only the average. If you work in a high-class facility they are probably charging double that cost.

If you wan to calculate how much a full time long-term care facility is bringing in… the average annual cost is $80,000. Times that by 100 residents and you have $8,000,000 in income a year.

How much are they paying you? How much do you want to get paid? Trust me if you have made the decision to become a LPN or NP you are going to make some good money in the years to come. You have made a good choice for your future and the future of your family.
http://www.licensed-practical-nurse.com/...

5.09.2011

How To Write A College Recommendation Letter

Prospective college students are usually required to submit personal recommendations as part of their application. These recommendations often come from teachers and guidance counselors. Sometimes, however, students ask others such as employers, volunteer coordinators, clergy, family friends and neighbors to write recommendations for them. If you are asked to write a college recommendation for a student, here are some guidelines to help you write a useful letter.




1. Ask the student questions before writing the letter. Ask what colleges he is applying to and what he will be majoring in. Also, ask if there is anything specific he would like you to include in the letter. You don't have to put it, but he may have some ideas that you think are good that you may not have thought of on your own.



2. College admission officers mainly want to know that the prospective student has the skills necessary to be successful in school. When writing your letter, focus on the positive qualities that you know the student has that will help him succeed. Organizational skills, determination, time management, problem solving skills and responsibility are all good areas to focus on. If you can, give concrete ways in which you've seen the student display these skills.



3. Focus mainly on skills that are relevant to success in college and the major. If your babysitter asks for a recommendation and she is planning to major in economics, focus on skills such as reliability and problem solving skills, not on her great ability with kids. However, if she is majoring in early childhood education, focus on her skills with children.



4. Once you know what you want to say, here is how to organize a one page letter. First, introduce how you know the student and how long you've known her. You can say something like, "I have been Jane Doe's manager at McDonalds for two years, and I am glad to recommend her to your school." Then, get right into the qualities you see that she has that will make her a successful student and an asset to their school. Finish up with a paragraph that includes a sentence like, "If have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at..." Rarely will a school call, but they like to have the option.



5. One big don't - Don't allow the student to write the letter and have you just sign it...

5.05.2011

Students Can Turn Their College Experience Into A Great Career


Attending college is about more than just the end result: a college degree and a great job. The college experience is about the journey. Taking advantage of the college experience to prepare for a career means exploring opportunities, embracing challenges, learning something new everyday and having a good time in the process. This isn’t to advocate over indulgence. It is merely a way of suggesting that all study and no play can make students dull and boring. A big part of attending college is for students to mature, learn to live on their own, develop good decision-making skills and become responsible young adults.




Get the Most From College Courses While many college students arrive on campus with a pre-determined goal and career in mind, the direct route isn’t always the best route. Yes, getting a degree in a field that is closely related to their career aspirations provides a good foundation and makes students marketable. However, the components of that degree are equally as important as the degree itself. That means, even college students who know what they want to do when they graduate should take classes outside their major area of study. Where college students can expand their horizon is by looking at current job trends – sustainability, technology, health care -- and taking classes that relate to their college degree but fall into complimentary areas of study. Or they may want to choose classes that challenge them to think in a new way or explore a topic completely unfamiliar to them.




The idea is to get the most out of the learning experience. Gain College Experiences to Jump Start a Career College should be about more than just attending class and taking exams. The opportunities available to today’s college students are immense. Today’s college students live in a world of globalization and rapid technological advancement. Students have never-ending access to the entire world right from their dorm rooms. They can travel abroad virtually or in an exchange program. They can meet people from a variety of different countries without ever leaving campus. Or they can enjoy an opportunity to study overseas, learn another language and develop an understanding of another culture.




Colleges and universities also offer an abundance of campus activities and events that can provide students with opportunities to learn new skills and improve on those they already have. From sports and clubs to social and career events, colleges and universities offer a variety of experiences. Gain Work and Life Experiences to Compliment Career Goals Another important thing to remember about the college experience is that it shouldn’t just be about book learning. Practical application is vital to driving home the point of the courses students take. This means selecting appropriate internships and co-op opportunities, working on campus, getting a part-time job or doing volunteer work in order to gain real-life work experiences that compliment the knowledge that students are gaining in class.




And don’t forget the importance of developing new friendships with peers and building good relationships with professors. Not only are these people important for future networking opportunities, but they often become life-long friends who can offer advice and support for future work and life experiences. Turning the college experience into a great career is all about using the time wisely so students can get the most out of their college education.
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