Week three rituals, routines and real Londoners dont wear flip flops...

Week three rituals, routines and real Londoners don’t wear flip flops... by Michael Cheary Week three: rituals, routines and real Londoners don’t wear flip flops.This week our interns learned a lot about life at reed.co.uk. Unfortunately, they also learned that street-performers aren’t necessarily the most trustworthy people in the world…*AndrewAfter being in the UK for three weeks, I have come to the following conclusions:1. Always bring an umbrella with you.2. Never wait at the crossing until it turns green.3. Actually move down the carriage when you get on the tube.4. Waitrose is so much more expensive than Sainsbury’s.5. Don’t be the  guy who gets to the turnstile only to find out his Oystercard is empty.6. Real Londoners don’t wear flip flops.7. I am, by far, not a real Londoner.As much as I would like to sit here and pretend that I’ve acclimatised to life across the pond, the truth is I still feel like a Californian fish out of water.This morning I finally experienced what real summer in London is like.  Cold (by my sheltered California standards), and damp, with surprise downpours every few hours.As a foreigner who was embracing the unseasonably warm weeks that made him hopelessly infatuated with the city, I will be the first to admit that so far I have had an absolutely skewed and somewhat idealistic experience of London. I get to live near King’s Cross for the summer, where I can walk on over to work in the reed.co.uk office in central London.I get to wake up every day and have a job that most people my age don’t really get to do, and be a part of an office where I can to tackle exciting projects that affect all areas of the business, from coming up with new customer entry points to tracing people’s contact points across the company.  After work I can go on a run through Regent’s Park before making sure I punch myself in the arm as a reminder to not take this all for granted.I still have a lot to learn about the city, and more importantly a lot more to do while at reed.co.uk, but I can at lea st say with certainty that that I am one fortunate, very American, non-Londoner fool to have this opportunity.StephanieShockingly, time has flown by! Week three has arrived and deadlines are drawing nearer.We’ve been briefed on more projects and to think that our ideas actually contribute to the improvement of the company is pretty amazing. Aside from working on projects together with the other interns, lunch has been another project in itself for us. As we try to explore every food spot around Holborn, we definitely find ourselves in interesting situations. Everything from awkward street performers gone wrong, to accidently buying expired crisps has left us with laughter and energy to tackle the second half of the day.Thankfully, reed.co.uk encourages retrospective meetings which allow us to reflect on our week and what we can do to improve. Aside from the amazing orange chocolate we get treated to during our meeting (which we’re now hooked on thanks David!) they really have h elped us come together more on our projects and bounce ideas from one another, which has evidently made our approach to projects and work more effective. Our regular break out meetings and occasional chess games certainly also help to increase our engagement levels.The weekly photo-shoots we organise for our blogs has been something we look forward to too. It’s enlightening to see everyone’s inner model and photographer definitely come though. Look up and check out the new banner! Can you guess what this week’s is in homage to?AllyThe daily routine is a sacred and age-old practice. It has, despite the march of time, remained quite the same across generations. If you can find any difference between the morning hike to the hunting grounds our ancestors took just after the last ice age, and me swiping my Oyster on the bus to work, you have secret findings the Royal Archaeological Institute needs to hear.I’d argue it takes three weeks. Three weeks till it suddenly hits you that you have one. You’re sitting at your desk when your mind throws its fishing hook to the kitchen area, hoping to lure a cup of tea. You begin your journey to the kettle and think to yourself, ‘boy, this is familiar’. And you realise it’s familiar because it’s 10 o’clock, and 10 o’clock has always been time for a tea break ever since you can remember. Thus the daily routine is conceived.Not that routine is bad. A habit can be a comforting anchor in an otherwise storm-tossed life. I smile to think that this morning, as I do every morning, and as I will do every morning till the Apocalypse (or, the end of my contract with reed.co.uk), I pressed the snooze button of my alarm from 6:45 till 7:15 to the point that I had fifteen minutes to prepare for work. While the routine does change subtly through time, I find it humorous that naiveté never constitutes one of those variations.But it gets me where I need to go. If my work at reed.co.uk is a bowlful of jelly it’s the rout ine that acts as dessert spoon (awkward images stop now, promise). Like the ribbon on a Christmas gift, I tie up this week’s blog and send it to the editor, yet another component in my weekly ritual.(That last one was technically a simile.)ConnorThis week I learned (the hard way) that Americans really have no idea what we’re doingOver the weekend, Yaseen and I rented one of those little paddle boats in Hyde Park. Everything had been going great, until we started to make our way home and stumbled upon 15 or so people surrounding a man setting up a street game.It was the classic 3-cups and a ball setup where you had to guess which cup the ball was under; simple right? I watched ignorantly, and managed to guess the right cup about 6 times in a row. So, feeling confident I went for my wallet not realising the minimum bet was £40. It just happened to be the case that the only note I had in my wallet was a £50.I carefully watched his movements like I had the six times before until I was certain I knew where it was. I arrogantly threw down my money and after he stopped, I simply pointed my finger to the correct one. Apparently, I was not aware of the rule that you had to actually touch your choice of cup and lift it up, so he began reshuffling the cups and while in the process, showed me that I had guessed the right one but said it didn’t count.I expressed my complaint, but being an experienced street hustler, he just kept shuffling without saying anything. Infuriated and trying to prove him wrong twice, I proceeded to guess again at the cup I was certain the ball was under. This time I only found the pavement under the cupAfter reconsidering my life and having several strangers sympathize with me about the scam I just fell victim to, the man packed his things up and put his hand out to shake mine, saying “never put your money on a street game, especially when you have bad luck” Trying to maintain my composure without screaming every word that would be ed ited out of this blog, I simply declined his offer, saying “where I’m from, we only do that as a sign of respect”, and walked away.It was a memorable trust exercise. If only for the wrong reasons. Hopefully next week there will be no balls…YaseenMy dear ladies and gentleman of the audience, I am deeply apologetic to have to admit that until now I have yet to introduce myselfcompletely.  It has now been an entire three weeks since we first met each other.I sincerely appreciate your patience in this tumultuous relationship, and I hope you will find it in the graces of your hearts to overlook the marginalization through which I have forced you to endure.In its place I offer something that cannot be bought, marginally taught, and seldom sought: I offer Intern Wisdom.Throughout the past week at reed.co.uk I have successfully been able to present, research, and even teach my fellow interns on a subject on which I possessed no prior knowledge: modern employment trends in the UK.  I am quite proud to report that within the galactic spectrum, of internships and corporations, the illustrious learning curve does indeed exist.  I am shocked to see how much new information I am able to retain, and regurgitate at a moment’s notice.Being that I am still in Uni, it’s beautiful to finally expand our brain with real world knowledge and be able to finally apply our theoretical skills, which we have spent years cultivating, into forming the simplest speeches to analysing the most complex trenches of data.I am only 20 years old but this past week I have noticed a curious growth within myself that I cannot say I have seen before.  The laboratory results are not yet conclusive, but at its preliminary stages it would appear to seem as if this little intern has been diagnosed with Acute Maturity Syndrome.  Better known as AMS in most medical circles, I will be sure to keep you updated, and track its progress diligently in the coming weeks.  Oh yeah, and about that in troduction….Until next week ladies and gentlemen.*reed.co.uk would like to point out that this was solely included for humorous reasons, and was not intended to cause offence. Most street-performers are in fact very hard-working and trustworthy individuals.  The interns have finished week three. Stay tuned to see how they get on in the coming weeks.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Career Development Features

Writing Your Resume As A College Student

Writing Your Resume As A College StudentWriting your resume as a college student is a great way to prepare for the job market. It will help you make an impact on the employer that you're aiming for, and it will be beneficial to your future career.Creating the perfect resume can take time. Just as you want to think about your education before you apply for college, you want to take the time to organize your resume and create it to make it as powerful as possible. While applying for college can seem scary and overwhelming, the key to getting into school is planning ahead. In the beginning, it will be tough to find the right fit, but as you go along, you'll become more confident in your skills and experience and be better able to stand out from the crowd.Before you start any course work or going to class, you'll need to have the proper mindset. You may not believe you'll be able to write your resume, but the truth is, once you get a head start on this process, your resume will come much more smoothly than it would without it. With the right mindset, you'll be able to write your resume with confidence, so you can get it all down on paper.College students have all kinds of different needs when it comes to making a resume. However, there are some basic fundamentals that are universal and easy to follow no matter what type of student you are. Here are a few basic things you'll want to include on your resume.The first thing you should include is your educational experience. Most employers want to know what you've done prior to college, and how long you have been studying. This is also a good time to mention if you took any courses or received any training, as well as what you were actually taught. Keeping this information brief is important.Next, you'll want to go into detail about your experience with the position you're applying for. While this isn't the most important thing to include, it's something you should know up front, since it will help you come across as mo re qualified than others who haven't done this specific position. They may be more qualified for the job, but you should still be prepared to provide this information up front, just in case they don't show it.Finally, you'll want to list your education and training in chronological order. This is very important, because it will allow them to match you up with other people with similar experiences. After you've included your education and training, list it in alphabetical order, as well as the name of the program you went to. If possible, include a little background on yourself as well, as this will help to stand out in the crowd.Preparing for a job interview as a college student is stressful enough, but being ready for them will help you to be more confident in the process. Having the right resume is a big part of this, as it's the first thing employers see when looking at resumes. Writing your resume as a college student is a great way to get it all out there, so you're ready for t he competition.

Interested in Investment Banking Seven tips on getting in University of Manchester Careers Blog

Interested in Investment Banking Seven tips on getting in University of Manchester Careers Blog Investment banks help organisations, individuals and governments to raise capital, often by investing in the financial markets or selling shares. They also provide other services to organisations, for example performing large mergers and acquisitions. Investment banking is a very popular area with graduates looking for a challenging career and high financial rewards, however combined with that there is a great deal of competition for places Do your homework. Understanding as much as you can about the industry can help you be seen as focused, well informed about the work, and make a better impression on applications and in interviews. A great place to start your research is the Finance careers section on our website. You can also join societies like MUTIS (Manchester University Trading and Investment Society), who a group of like-minded fellow students who organise events and training for students interested in a career in investment banking. Make contacts.  Meet people working in investment banking to help you gain knowledge, and find out about opportunities. Check out the events listed in CareersLink for opportunities to meet and talk to these firms. For example, on 13th Oct (5-7pm) there’s Meet The Professionals: Finance and Consulting â€" where you can meet employers and alumni. The Big Careers Fair (Day 1, 18th Oct 2016) typically attracts a number of banks and other finance firms, for example Barclays, BNY Mellon, HSBC, Maven, and JLL. You can apply to be matched with a mentor working in investment banking, which can be a great way to gain inside knowledge and advice. Read about the Manchester Gold mentoring scheme for more details. You can also use the LinkedIn alumni search as a great tool to find where previous Manchester graduates now work â€" useful for finding potential contacts in niche firms you can’t meet on campus. Get some great LinkedIn tips on our website about how to use it effectively, and how to make new contacts. Be clear on the area that interests you most, and why.  There are what can seem a bewildering array of roles in investment banking, and employers will expect you to understand what area interests you and why. Following the tips above will help you to do this, as the guides often point out what qualities are required for each role, and the kind of person it might suit. For example, someone who is more introverted, methodical, very good at analysis and understanding detail might be more suited to working in compliance more than trading. A great guide to help you with this is the Unofficial Guide to banking. Academic grades are very important.  Most investment banks will look for a minimum 2:1 degree and approximately 320 UCAS points. If you can demonstrate that you can achieve this, you are highly unlikely to be successful. Banks receive huge numbers of applications, and can afford to select only those that meet their very high standards. Be aware that your first year grades will also be important â€" if you’re applying for an internship in your second year, these will be used as evidence of the grade you could achieve in your final degree result. Get work experience as early as possible.  Gaining investment banking related experience is very important and will really help you get your foot in the door when competing for graduate positions. If you’re in your first year, some firms offer ‘Spring Internships’ or ‘Spring Insights’ which help you gain some understanding of the industry. In your second year, you should be applying for summer internships. Check the advice on the internships section of our website. Get interested in finance and how it works.  You don’t have to study finance to work in investment banking, but gaining some knowledge of how finance works is important. You could start with following finance and investments news on the BBC website and other media, before working up the Financial Times. Websites like Investopedia have some useful guides to help you understand the terminology used in finance and banking. Apply early.  Investment Banks open for applications early, and some will close before the end of October. Make your applications as early as you can and allow time â€" they take a lot of effort and only a great application will make the grade. There’s lots of applications advice on the website to get you started. All Careers advice Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted career planning careers finance Getting started Internships investment banking job hunting networking Options work experience Interested in Investment Banking Seven tips on getting in University of Manchester Careers Blog Investment banks help organisations, individuals and governments to raise capital, often by investing in the financial markets or selling shares. They also provide other services to organisations, for example performing large mergers and acquisitions. Investment banking is a very popular area with graduates looking for a challenging career and high financial rewards, however combined with that there is a great deal of competition for places Do your homework. Understanding as much as you can about the industry can help you be seen as focused, well informed about the work, and make a better impression on applications and in interviews. A great place to start your research is the Finance careers section on our website. You can also join societies like MUTIS (Manchester University Trading and Investment Society), who a group of like-minded fellow students who organise events and training for students interested in a career in investment banking. Make contacts.  Meet people working in investment banking to help you gain knowledge, and find out about opportunities. Check out the events listed in CareersLink for opportunities to meet and talk to these firms. For example The Big Careers Fair (Day 1,  10 Oct 2017) typically attracts a number of banks and other finance firms.You can apply to be matched with a mentor working in investment banking, which can be a great way to gain inside knowledge and advice. Read about the Manchester Gold mentoring scheme for more details. You can also use the  Manchester Network as a great tool to find where previous Manchester graduates now work â€" useful for finding potential contacts in niche firms you can’t meet on campus. Get some great LinkedIn tips on our website about how to use it effectively, and how to make new contacts. Be clear on the area that interests you most, and why.  There are what can seem a bewildering array of roles in investment banking, and employers will expect you to understand what area interests you and why. Following the tips above will help you to do this, as the guides often point out what qualities are required for each role, and the kind of person it might suit. For example, someone who is more introverted, methodical, very good at analysis and understanding detail might be more suited to working in compliance more than trading. A great guide to help you with this is the Unofficial Guide to banking. Academic grades are very important.  Most investment banks will look for a minimum 2:1 degree and approximately 320 UCAS points. If you can demonstrate that you can achieve this, you are highly unlikely to be successful. Banks receive huge numbers of applications, and can afford to select only those that meet their very high standards. Be aware that your first year grades will also be important â€" if you’re applying for an internship in your second year, these will be used as evidence of the grade you could achieve in your final degree result. Get work experience as early as possible.  Gaining investment banking related experience is very important and will really help you get your foot in the door when competing for graduate positions. If you’re in your first year, some firms offer ‘Spring Internships’ or ‘Spring Insights’ which help you gain some understanding of the industry. In your second year, you should be applying for summer internships. Check the advice on the internships section of our website. Get interested in finance and how it works.  You don’t have to study finance to work in investment banking, but gaining some knowledge of how finance works is important. You could start with following finance and investments news on the BBC website and other media, before working up the Financial Times. Websites like Investopedia have some useful guides to help you understand the terminology used in finance and banking. Apply early.  Investment Banks open for applications early, and some will close before the end of October. Make your applications as early as you can and allow time â€" they take a lot of effort and only a great application will make the grade. There’s lots of applications advice on the website to get you started. Investment bank application deadlines Graduate internship opportunities All Careers advice Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted career planning careers finance Getting started Internships investment banking job hunting networking Options work experience

How to Find This Elusive Work-Life Balance - Classy Career Girl

How to Find This Elusive Work-Life Balance Every working parent I know is trying to crack the code on finding work-life balance. Debate around the topic is never-ending. In 2012, Anne-Marie Slaughter wrote a widely-read cover piece for The Atlantic entitled Why Women Still Can’t Have It All.   It generated heated discussions about whether the feminist ideal of the uber-successful working mother, fully satisfied on both professional and personal levels, was really an achievable thing. Slaughter’s conclusion was that it could be but it isn’t now, at least “not with the way America’s economy and society are currently structured.” Flash forward three years and Slaughter’s husband, Andrew Moravcsik, has written a companion piece for The Atlantic’s October ‘15 edition called Why I Put My Wife’s Career First, offering his perspective. In it, he makes a heartfelt and strong case for why more fathers should consider assuming the role of lead parent to a working couple’s children. At the same time, he doesn’t sugarcoat the difficulties and setbacks he’s experienced with respect to his own career for doing so. What’s striking is that these two excellent articles when taken together, point to the same reality: that a working parent, regardless of gender, who also assumes the mantel of lead parent is going to take a career hit. That’s a tough pill to swallow, but a story working women know all too well. Moravcsik points out what most of us know to be true. Successful C-suite executives and high-level leaders who are also parents couldn’t meet the inflexible demands of those jobs if not for a spouse handling the heavy lifting of lead parenting their children. And though his own career in academia is arguably successful, he admits it’s not what it could be, noting there’s a discernible professional cost to assuming the lead parent role. This is, of course, not news to women who have experienced the well-documented “motherhood penalty” since modern working motherhood began. While some working couples are opting out of parenting altogether, many young professionals are unwilling to sacrifice family for a rewarding career. That having been said, current American work environments, cultures, and unconscious bias still make a two-demanding-career family difficult to achieve without outsourcing most home and child care-related tasks. As Moravcsik mentions, that strategy is one that often has a personal cost in terms of the parent and child relationship. So, how to find this elusive work-life balance? 1. Both articles tout a flexible work environment, specifically the ability to control one’s work schedule, as being key. 2. Slaughter also notes that, “…armed with e-mail, instant messaging, phones, and videoconferencing technology, we should be able to move to a culture where the office is a base of operations more than the required locus of work”. 3. Perhaps most importantly, she vigorously advocates for getting more women into leadership positions since they tend to enact family-friendly policies. She backs up her assertion with the following: “According to the Women’s Business Center, 61 percent of women business owners use technology to ‘integrate the responsibilities of work and home’; 44 percent use technology to allow employees ‘to work off-site or to have flexible work schedules.’” The interesting thing is that creating more balanced work and family professional cultures doesn’t just seem possible, it seems entirely doable because the necessary ingredients mentioned above exist. But maybe the essential “take away” here is that getting more women into decision-making positions is really the secret sauce for reaching the tipping point. If so, WE are fully on board with that.

Keep This Information In Mind When Creating A Synonym Resume

Keep This Information In Mind When Creating A Synonym ResumeA Synonym resume is one that is used to show information about previous jobs. In addition, this is also used to show details about an individual's education and career achievements. The idea is to get the writing skills to add some personality in your resume.When you are searching for a job, you may also need to show previous jobs and even internships you have done for companies or other companies. When it comes to creating a synonym resume, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of getting hired. It will be helpful to use an example Synonym resume instead of your own.When you hire people for your business, you want to ensure they can provide you with quality results. For instance, if you need someone to become a driver, you will want to look at their experience in driving as well as all of the driving related licenses they have had in the past. The application will not be effective without that informatio n included in your resume.Another example is a job that is related to what you have been doing. For instance, if you were a waitress for many years, you will want to include a picture of you from when you were a server. These pictures could also be used as a source for your Synonym resume.While it is good to remember all of the jobs you have done, you may need to add details of your past work. This could be a couple of years ago, but may also be as recent as when you were working as a waiter for that major company a few months ago. You do not want to let anyone down with your work history, so having proof of your previous employment can make it easier to get hired over others who do not have proof of previous work.Education is another factor you want to consider when creating a Synonym resume. While a history of work experiences and education are valuable, your education and past employment should show proof of education and work experience. You may need to do some research on this area to make sure you know where you stand.Employers often use these as a way to interview and hire employees. The information from your past jobs will help them to understand your skills and abilities, but more importantly, the type of employees you are looking for. Employers can use the information to determine if you can contribute to their company in the way they are looking for.As you can see, a Synonym resume can be very important to your chances of being hired. Your knowledge of previous employment can greatly help you when trying to get the right information included in your resume. If you find yourself at a loss when it comes to creating a synonym resume, you may want to look into using an example.

Job Search Mistake Neglecting Personal Branding with LinkedIn Groups - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Job Search Mistake Neglecting Personal Branding with Groups Are You Using Groups to Build Your Personal Brand?

Motivation Monday Shake, Rattle and Roll

Motivation Monday Shake, Rattle and Roll How about starting your week with a bang! Or maybe just a good old shake, rattle and roll! Shake off your past Let go!   Put behind you all of your feelings of frustration, disappointment, rejection or anger.   This is a new week with new opportunities.   Start fresh. Today you arent allowed to say any of these things Ive tried this before, no one responded, I dont, I cant, But Rattle Some Cages Be daring.   Be courageous. Take calculated risks!   And remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.   How can you step out of your comfort zone today and this week.   What kind of follow up will you do that will make you memorable?   What new kind of cover letter, follow up email or thank you letter can you use to differentiate yourself? Reach out again to someone you didnt hear back from.   Always be polite and respectful, but come on, rattle some cages!   Show them what youve really got! Roll with the Punches Flexibility. Resiliency.   Spontaneity. Improvisation.   Instead of letting your emotions get the best of you, let it roll.   Learning to adapt to change can be more difficult for some than others.   Maybe this is the time for you to think about taking a temporary or contract assignment, just because. If you could control any of these situations, wouldnt you feel better about making the change? Instead of responding to your situation, proactively attack it! [Image credit to mskidmore]

How to Handle Stress at Work

How to Handle Stress at Work A job is one of the top sources for stress in people. And since most of us work, we all have to deal with stress at some point. Dealing with and managing stress isn’t always easy, but it is possible. In fact, employers will often ask job candidates how they handle stress at work. This isn’t something you generally put in your executive resume, but it’s an important component of being successful with a job. Here are some of the most common ways people handle stress at work. Work On Time Management Skills Sometimes 24 hours in a day just doesn’t seem like enough to do everything you need to do. Prioritizing your list of to-do items is one of the first steps you can take for better time management. If possible, schedule certain blocks of time to complete a task and reduce distractions as much as possible so you can get it done. Many people handle stress by avoiding certain work and doing things. Avoidance only increases stress levels because it is always there in the back of your mind, bugging you. Start delegating! Delegate what you dont want to deal with. Cant even think about updating your LinkedIn profile? Let a LinkedIn profile writer do it for you instead. When I have too much on my plate, I ask my assistant Jennie to take some of it over. What a weight off my chest. Take the pressure off yourself by having someone else do it. Make Lists! Not sure how to go about your daily jobs for work? Create a list! I love lists, mostly because I love crossing off the items. Now, every morning I make a list of what I need to do and I even do subheadings with things like: Email, Project Updates, Calls, etc. It keeps me ultra organized and I get them done. Know Your Limits Saying “no” to anyone is hard at a job, but sometimes you have to in order to keep your sanity and a high work productivity. When you say “yes” to someone, you are essentially saying “no” to another task you already had to complete. It may take time, but knowing your limits will help you manage your stress and saying “no” at the appropriate times. There is nothing wrong with turning something down.. especially if it is someone elses work. Its great to help out, but not at the expense of your own workload and piece of mind. Take A Break Taking breaks throughout the day can help clear your mind enough to refocus when you get back. Go on a short walk or just sit outside and get your mind off of work for a few minutes. These relaxing minutes can translate into more productive time once you get back to your desk. Talk With Your Supervisor If your job duties are simply too overwhelming for you, and there’s no end in sight, you may want to talk with your supervisor about re-assigning duties. You don’t want to work yourself into the ground to the point where you make a brash decision to quit on the spot. That wouldn’t look good for your executive resume biography, and your supervisor may have a simple solution to help you. Evaluate Your Workplace Satisfaction If you’ve done everything imaginable to reduce your stress and nothing has worked, it may be time to gain an overall perspective of your workplace satisfaction. Being unhappy with your job can create stress on its own, and sometimes you can’t do anything to make it better. In situations like this, it may be time to visit a professional resume writing service to brush up your resume and look for new opportunities. Stress plays a big role in the success or failure of any employee, so contact us at any time if there’s any way we can help reduce your stress level.