Plan an awesome office holiday party

Plan an awesome office holiday partyIf youre the one tasked with planning this years work holiday shindig, this is not a task to be taken lightly. After all, youve got a full year to go until the next one, and everyone always remembers how awesome (or how terrible) the last big party was. Its a lot of presaya Its also a bit of a social and professional minefield, so weve got the tips to help you plan the party that will keep everyone smiling until next years.Know your budget.Some companies go all out for their holiday parties, renting big venues and setting up ritzy food. Other companies go for a mora modest affair, having it in the office or opting for a cash bar. Its important to know up front what kind of budget youre working withis it a hot wings budget or a caviar budget? And this may depend on what kind of year your company had. If it wasnt a great year and this years party budget is more streamlined than years past, then the idea of hiring a huge venue might be unrealistic, an d the chocolate fountain may have to wait for another occasion. The important thing to remember is that you can have a fun, well-planned party no matter how much money youre working with. Its just a matter of setting realistic expectations.Pick the right time.On TV and in movies, holiday parties all seem to be on Christmas Eve, or shortly before. In real life, the Dance of the Out of Office Messages can often start well before the holidays start. So to maximize your holiday party crowd, plek a date earlier in December. This has the benefit of catching people before theyre holiday cheer-ed out and also feels more inclusive for whatever winter holidays people happen to celebrate.The timing on the day of the party is just as importantdo you want to have it during work hours or is it more of an after-hours affair? More and more, companies are hosting their parties during the work day to make koranvers that employees can make it and dont have conflicts. Plus it can be very difficult to b ook venues and catering on weekends during the holiday season, so having a party at, say, 3 p.m. on a Thursday or Friday might give you more options (and cost flexibility).Send out invites as early as you can.As soon as youve got a date, time, and place nailed down, send out the invite. Most company parties involve all employees, but if youre working with a more select group (like a departmental holiday party), make sure youre targeting your specific invite list as soon as you can. And be clear about whos included on the invite. If its just employees, say so. If spouses or families are welcome, be clear about that as well.Choose your team wisely.Call it HolidayPartySquadGoals. Make sure you have people lined up to help you, whether its backing you up on making venue or catering arrangements or acting as an extra pair of hands to set up on the day of. After all, you should get to enjoy the festivities too, and you dont need the stress of trying to do everything perfectly all by yours elf.Make sure everyones clear on the party expectations and boundaries.Never forget that this is, above all, a work party, and everyone should still be mindful of the professional setting. If theres going to be alcohol flowing, send out a reminder about any alcohol policiesand maybe a few links to your local rideshare companies to help make sure people get home safely. If you want to limit things like drinking up front, consider doing a cash bar or offering drink tickets (limit 2) to make sure everyones enjoying themselvesbut not too muchwhile celebrating with bosses and colleagues.Come up with something fun to do.Sure, lets eat, drink, and celebrate the end of the year is a fine and time-honored holiday party activity. But consider having some fun or goofy activities if youre going for a lighthearted or less formal party. Ugly holiday sweaters are still having a moment, so why not have a contest for the most cringe-inducing sweater? Or maybe go for a holiday cookie bake-off, lettin g people bring in their finest holiday treats. (Its a win-win, because free cookies)Set aside some time for recognition.Just about every workplace has someone who feels comfortable getting up in front of a crowd and giving a toast or quick, heartfelt speech, so this would be a good time to schedule someone to give some year-end remarks. A bit of employee appreciation goes a long way, and even if your company doesnt do gifts or bonus checks, a few words about everyones hard work throughout the year is always a welcome addition to the festivities.Whether your party will be at the Plaza or in the conference room, being prepared will help ensure that you maintain your sanity and that you and your colleagues have a great time being together and celebrating another productive year. Happy holidays, and happy planning

How to Start An Online Business in 6 Steps

How to Start An Online Business in 6 Steps How to abflug on online geschftliches miteinander? An e-commerce store full of products, or a blog with an e-commerce website attached, an online boutique or any kind of home-based business sounds like an appealing idea. But what are the departure-up-unternehmen costs to fund your business idea, and how do you make that business idea come to fruition? Starting a business is no easy feat, but with the right steps, you can be successful online.So are you wondering how on earth to start an online business? Im here to tell you a bit about how I did it. But before we dig in, lets have a round of applause for power of the internet, shall we?Back in the day, if you wanted to start your own business, you had to actually go market the idea in person. You had to buy ads in newspapers and magazines. Try to get yourself on TV or radio. And go around town with physical things like posters and paper. You probably needed a store or office, too.With the arr ival of the internet, the barriers to entry are low, low, low. Get yourself an idea. Buy a domain name. And youre off to the races.Im notlage here to say that launching an online business is easy, or quick, or that it doesnt require work. As we all know, the internet is a noisy place, and our e-mail inboxes are crowded. Yes, it takes a lot of effort to cut above that noise in the online world. But I am here to say that its possible. In fact, its very possible. And a lot of people do it successfully. And they do it with a heck of a lot less start-up capital that was previously needed to get yourself off the ground.My own online business, Mindful Return, is a program that helps new moms and dads navigate the transition back to work after their maternity and paternity leaves. The program also helps employers, who offer it to their employees as a parental leave benefit, to retain their new parent talent. The key feature of my program is a cohort-based (think people in the same phase of life, taking the course together), asynchronous (think You dont have to be anywhere at any given time) online course.Mindful Return is about four years old now (its basically my third child) and thriving. Here are the siex steps I recommend you take if youre interested in launching your own online business1. Get fired up about solving a problem. At some point, you may have said to yourself, Wow, life would be so much better if NAME INNOVATION OR PROGRAM OR INVENTION HERE. I had that moment myself after having my second child. I was drowning in life (and tears) as a full-time working mom of a two year old and an infant. And I realized that while there seemed courses out there about everything baby-related, I couldnt find a curriculum around how to plan for and head back to work after maternity leave. My husband (a career coach and business-owner himself) asked me what I was going to do about this dearth of resources. And I committed, in that moment, to becoming that thoughtful, trust ed resource for new working moms.Whatever problem you are trying to solve, be sure its something youre passionate about. Something that doesnt feel like work. Because you wont devote the time, energy, creativity, or sheer willpower to launching something amazing if you dont care (a lot) about it.2. Seek consumer feedback. How do I know if theres a market for this thing Im dreaming of creating? you are probably asking. How do I know if the logo Im thinking of will resonate? Or perhaps Will anyone actually pay money for this? How much money? While I cant answer these questions about your specific lightbulb of an idea, someone.Dont incubate your product or idea in a vacuum and keep it the best-guarded secret in town until its perfect. There is no such thing as perfect. And youll get new and great ideas from talking to your potential customers.After I hired a logo designer, for example, I ran my favorite of her logo ideas by a few dozen new working moms to see what resonated most. I was pleasantly surprised to find they had a consensus opinion. Early on in my business, I also gathered a bunch of new working moms at my house for a Sunday brunch. They were my first focus group, and I bounced many an idea off of them. 3. Believe in baby steps (a.k.a. you dont have to quit your day job). At least not right away. It took me about four months to craft the complete (though ever-evolving) curriculum for the Mindful Return course. And I did this, and launched my blog all while working full time as a lawyer at a health care trade association. How did I write the course while working full time and being mom to two crazy but wonderful little boys? In tiny, tiny increments. Just 20 minutes here. Another 45 minutes here. And maybe a plane ride or two for business travel.What Im saying is that if youre passionate about solving a problem and are inspired to start an online business, dont drop the idea simply because you think you dont have time. The journey of a million miles tru ly does start with a single step. And then another. And then another. Have a long time horizon in mind. Build your patience skills. And commit to not giving up.4. Research your tech tools. If youre planning to start an online business, the internet needs to become your friend. Can you believe I wasnt even on Facebook before I launched Mindful Return? Its true. I had to get over my own hang-ups about social media and the online space before I could embrace it for my biz. Now my Mindful Return FB page is a critical part of my marketing strategy.Knowing I wanted to run an online course, I needed to research my online course platform options. I wound up using Ruzuku, which I mucksmuschenstill use today, because it proved easy to use both for the course designer and for course participants.Youll want a website too, of course. I first started by noodling my way through creating a Wordpress blog. And then later hired someone to help me convert it to the Wordpress.org version and to make it look more professional. Which leads me to Tip 5.5. Grow your team, bit by bit. Chances are, if you want your online business to grow into that world-changing operation youre envisioning, youll need to grow a team as you grow the business. But at the beginning, its probably just you. Accountant. Chief Marketing Officer. Scheduler. Chief Operating Officer. Assistant. All in one person. After a while, that wont be so sustainable, however.When I started out, the first people I hired were a graphic designer for my logo, and a lawyer to help with the legal aspects of getting incorporated. If you have a physical product, you may need team members who know something about manufacturing. And perhaps a web designer early on, too.Dont worry about who you do or dont have the ability to afford at the moment. Just do what you can. Take the next step forward. And know that wherever you are in the early stages of starting your business is exactly where youre supposed to be.As Mindful Return grew, so did my team. In addition to the others I mentioned, I now have an accountant. Someone to help with social media. A dad who co-created the Mindful Return Paternity Leave Course with me. And a wonderful co-moderator who helps me coach the moms in the Mindful Return course and with whom I launched the Mindful Return Maternity Leave Template. Your team will evolve as your business does.6. Just START.Thats right do it. Yes, youll be able to think of a million reasons not to start this online business youre dreaming of. You dont know how. You dont have a business plan. (Note Did any of these steps say you needed to write a business plan?) You dont have time. You dont know if it will work. My response? So what?Im here to tell you to JUST START working toward that idea you have. Take baby steps. Every day. One day at a time. Commit to sticking with it for a year, and see what happens. You may very well surprise yourself. And at the least youll have learned a hr of new skills. If you need daily inspiration as you set out, sign up for Seth Godins daily e-mails. Theyre short. Inspiring. And perfect for helping the new entrepreneur believe in herself.Good luck to you as you blaze a trail in the online world with your niche business idea. My parting words to you? Online businesses require in-person efforts. Businesses dont just come out of no where. That network of real people out there in the world who know you, love you, and would do anything to see you succeed? They will be your best brand ambassadors. Engage them in the process. Yes, your product may be web-based. But its the real, in-person connections that will truly launch your business.--Lori K. Mihalich-Levin, JD, is the founder ofMindful Return, author ofBack to Work After Baby How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave, and creator of theMindful Return E-Course. A mann an ihrer seite in the health care practice of a global law firm, she also is mama to two beautiful red-headed boys. Lori h olds a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton Universitys Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Reach out at lorimindfulreturn.com if you want someone to guide you through the launch of your own online biz.

The Lost Secret of Resume Writing Lab Scholarship

The Lost Secret of Resume Writing Lab Scholarship Resume Writing Lab Scholarship - Overview Its thus important write a great scholarship essay that will provide you with an upper hand in being selected from the rest of the applicants. Explain what research youd love to conduct. Therefore, if yur student intends to work while theyre in school or simply wishes to be ready for graduation, developing a scholarship resume now gives them the framework they have to receive one ready for work applications as soon as the time comes. Students with little if any work experience may also add a section discussing their involvements. Recent graduates cannot always match these criteria and ought to select another approach. The aim of our scholarship program is to assist students to get featured. The Purdue OWL provides global support through internet reference materials and solutions. It is essential that students become empowered about how to promote their private brand to prospective empl oyers. It looks like the simplest part of an essay, but somehow it inevitably turns out to be the absolute most difficult for many folks. Your introduction appears like your main hurdle, but its actually a highly effective weapon. Keeping your resume up-to-date will produce the application process simpler. Our online writing service is the ideal remedy to your whole issue. Resume Lab is a chance for Drop-In students to get brief instruction on the principles of constructing a resume. High school isnt free in Kenya. CraftResumes works to secure you the career you adore. Along with having the ability to state your objectives, you will also have to articulate why your work is important with you, and the way the work you do contributes to the advancement of knowledge in your area and to the world. All About Resume Writing Lab Scholarship To guarantee all students whod like assistance can be serviced, resume reviews wont be scheduled after Friday, March 30, 2018. If youre the winner, you agree that well publish your essay on the site with your name, college name, and photo. Your essay needs to be written especially to submit an application for the merit-based scholarships, and it should tackle the next question. Writing a personal scholarship essay can be quite cumbersome. Definitions of Resume Writing Lab Scholarship No entrance fee is necessary. Many scholarship foundations would like to know the way your work will help to enhance the lives of others or address global difficulties. Due to how amount of scholarships is restricted, there are a lot of applicants from various regions. A scholarship could cover the segment of the tuition fees and produce students life a whole lot easier.