A recent poll of 1000 American graduates asked the question ‘who would you most like to work for’? Amongst the most popular answers were Facebook, Google and Apple. These companies are clearly very successful and considered innovative by many. But, looking beyond the headlines, what is it really like to work at Facebook and what are the opportunities for employment with this iconic company?

In August last year, Mark Zuckerberg said Facebook planned to double its staff in 2012. The main sectors for staff growth are software engineers, designers, online security specialists and advertising sales people, to drive forward the growth of the company.

Facebook offices are now located all over the world. Their head office is in California, but the company is currently recruiting for staff in offices from London to India to Japan, Argentina, Madrid, South Korea, Hong Kong and beyond. If you are a bright, driven individual with the right skills you could find yourself working in just about any part of the world. But would you want to work for Facebook?

A survey by Business Insider (Dec 2009) asked Facebook staff about the main pro’s and con’s of working at Facebook.

Work At Facebook: The Pro’s

•  Stock options. (This is clearly a huge benefit given the perceived value of Facebook stock)
• Flexible work hours and ability to work at home. Facebook realizes that in the modern world people work better when they are given the freedom to manage their own work/life balance and not be restricted by a daily commute and set hours.
• You get to work on a great product that all your friends will use
• An open and sociable culture
•  An opportunity to shine. Facebook company wants to maintain a ‘start up’ mentality, so if you have a good idea you get to run with it with out interference from management.

Work At Facebook: The Con’s

• Inexperienced management
• Company is growing too fast, it needs more organisation
• Workplace is becoming more high pressured due to drive to succeed
• Some staff disgruntled; feel undervalued and too much work for the number of staff

Much has been written over the last few years about Facebooks’ lack of professionalism with regard to recruiting and retaining their staff. Everyone from young graduates to top executives has left, sometimes to join the likes of Google and other top tech companies. However, the reason for leaving isn’t always negative as sometimes assumed. Many who were there almost from the start have left to start their own companies, as their ideas don’t quite fit with the direction Facebook is going in. Others have ‘outgrown’ the young company culture as they marry and have kids. Some, who have been able to cash in their stock options have become so rich, they no longer need to work!

Overall, Facebook seems a great company for young, enthusiastic and exceedingly bright graduates to really make their mark. It’s likely that you won’t be there in 5 years time, but does that really matter?

What are your thoughts? Would you like to work for Facebook?

This is a question that is asked every year and yet the debate still rages on. Is it a good idea to take a ‘year out’ abroad either between school and university or between university and starting working life?

Taking A Year Out Abroad – the Pro’s

For me, travel is always a good idea. What better education is there than traveling the world and experiencing different cultures, food, languages and a completely different way of life first hand? As far as I’m concerned, the more off the beaten track you go, the more amazing your experiences are. Working abroad during a year out (as many people do) is such a fantastic experience, especially for young people who are often living away from their parents clutches for the first time. Being completely responsible for oneself in a ‘foreign’ environment’ really does make people grow up (for the better). One learns to fend for themselves, and realizes that you only get back  what you put in. Stuff up a job or spend all your money in the first week and that’s the end of your trip. It makes sense to wake up, smell the roses and get the best out of your trip as it may well be your once in a life time opportunity. On return those that have traveled are often ready and willing to start a new chapter in their lives. They’ve had time to live a little and experience the world and are now ready to start their studies  or a ‘proper job’with relish.

I didn’t take a ‘year out’ myself, at least not in the traditional sense. I went straight from school to uni (although I did do a World Challenge expedition to India for a month). After uni I signed up for a 3 month trip to the Amazon to study the flora and fauna and this turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. While these trips were fairly short (when compared to a year abroad) they really opened my eyes to the world. Whilst I had been lucky enough to see Europe, the US and Canada with my parents, going to these ‘less developed’ countries with wildly different cultures and living in fairly basic conditions really made me realize how privelidged a life I have.

It seems a shame not to let pre/post graduates to have a year of fun before settling down into a ‘normal life’. Normal being; get a job, meet someone, buy a house, get married, have kids. This is the pattern that the majority of us follow which often leaves little room for a year of travel and adventure.

Sometimes it is the kids that are reticent about taking a year out. Their parents did it themselves and are keen for their children to have the same opportunity. However the kids are worried that they will be leaving their friends behind, and may not fit in when they return. They worry that they may not want to return to uni or that they can not afford to do both. Of course, these are real concerns. Taking a year out is not for everyone. But for anyone that does have a passion to travel, and accepts the possible sacrifices they may have to make then why not encourage them? I don’t know of anyone who has regretted the decision to take a year out, it is an experience they will treasure forever. I will certainly be encouraging my son to travel when the time comes.

Taking a ‘year out’ isn’t just for the pre and post graduates. You could do it at any age, although the ties of a house and children of school age make this much more difficult. My partner and I took a year out when we were 26. We went to Australia on a one year working holiday visa and loved it so much that we ended up staying for two and a half years. The thing was, we actually worked harder and did better career wise than we had done in the UK. Taking a year out abroad doesn’t always mean dossing around as is many people’s perception. It can be a great career move to. We made great contacts, took professional training courses and learnt a hell of a lot during our time there.

Five years later we’re having ‘a year out’ again, this time in Spain and with our two year old son in tow. Being older and with a child it is inevitably a very different experience to that of a twenty-something, but taking the time to savour what is really important in life and experience another country is invaluable. We’re learning about the ‘real spain’, picking up some of the Spanish language and enjoying the fantastic cuisine in the local café’s and restaurants. It need not cost a fortune. In these dire economic times, renting a villa is cheap as chips, less than the cost of a one bed flat in the UK.

Taking A Year Out – the Con’s

Some people think that education or work should always come first. Travel is often seen as an indulgence, with little real value to be gained. They feel it is better to go straight on to uni, arguing that by the time you return from your travels you will have lost the discipline required to study. Taking a year out after studying is often seen as an even worse offence; you now need to pay off your student debts and should start work immediately.

However, I feel people with this opinion have failed to see the real value in taking a ‘year out’. Personally, I think that by traveling and working abroad you will learn more, meet a far greater diversity of people and learn the very valuable skills of independence and free thinking that will stand you out from the crowd when looking for a job. Of course, it is up to the individual to make the most of their time abroad. If you are thinking of taking a ‘year out’, what ever you choose to do, don’t waste this opportunity, it really is a chance in a life time.

Is Facebook’s valuation a good investment?

Facebook is about to be floated on the stock market. For the first time it’s financial records have been made public and it has been revealed that Facebook is profitable. Very profitable. Profits in 2010 were in excess of $US1 billion. Current estimates about the company’s worth range from $US 70bn to $US100bn, although many say this is over valuing Facebook dramatically.  But given the chance, would you invest in Facebook?

My first thought when I heard about a Facebook IPO was that it would definitely be a good investment. It is such a massive success story; used by over 800 million people globally and is so firmly ingrained into our society. How could it possibly not continue to be a success?

Facebook globally

However there is some debate as to whether Facebook will continue to grow at its current rapid rate. Whilst millions join Facebook in India, the Phillipines and Indonesia, the reverse is happening in the western world. In May last year 100,000 British and 6 million US members left facebook. Whilst the total number of facebook memberships may continue to rise, the shift in memberships to the less wealthy means they are far less profitable to advertisers (www.blogs.telegraph.co.uk 14/06/11). If this trend continues, facebook will become far less profitable and will open the doors for other social media platforms to take on the western markets.

Another issue is that whilst  Facebook makes most of its money from banner advertising, it has a much lower ‘click through’ success rate than other online platforms. This means that whilst Facebook users may see the advert, they don’t click on it to find out more and then continue to go on to buy that product. This is a subject of some concern for potential investors. It is thought that the company’s growth may slow dramatically if it does not find better ways to increase advertising revenue  without annoying its existing user base.

The hype in the USA surrounding the ‘Facebook floating’ is enormous, but many  internet investors are being  much more cautious because of the concerns mentioned above. It could be a great success as a public company or it could be  a bit of a damp squib…only time will tell.

Do you think Facebook will continue to be a success? Would you invest in Facebook? Do you have Facebook fatigue?

Tell us your views.

By Trisha Jones

There are many different types of journalism styles out there to choose from when starting a career in journalism. You may have already decided on a style that interests you but whether you are into Gonzo journalism or reporting news, most journalists start from ground zero and build themselves and their reputation up from there. No matter what style you chose in the end there are some important things to remember in order to get your work noticed.

There are certain traits a budding journalist will already need to have when embarking on a career in journalism. A good journalist must have; a keen interest in people, an inquisitive nature, ability to meet deadlines and outstanding communication skills. Basically, if you are not interested in what people have to say, their emotions and their achievements you simply can not function as a journalist.

Take up a part time course

I have met many people who have found taking an evening or at home journalism course very helpful. They won’t teach you all you possibly need to know but they give you a good base to start with. You can find courses like this at most local colleges that run during the year or even shorter courses for ten weeks at a time. Online journalism schools especially offer an array of courses which are more specialized such as sports journalism, community journalism, photo journalism, feature articles, conducting interviews, shorthand and many more. It will give you a base to start gaining experience which all journalists need. You never know, it might open doors to other things!

Cross your T’s and dot your I’s!

I really can not stress enough the importance of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Sending off work that has not been spell checked or edited will only look bad on you and will tarnish your reputation. An editor might think you have a good story, but they do not have time to correct mistakes as they have deadlines too. An important tip to remember is to never not proof read your own work and to double check over and over!

Read and write whenever you get the chance

Try to read whatever you can get your hands on. It is important for a journalist to keep up to date and analyse other styles that are out there. This will also help you develop a good news sense. It is a good tip from early on to archive clippings of any articles you have written, as you might need to fall back on them later.

Try and read and rewrite smaller articles as much as you can. This is a good habit to pick up to keep you in the ‘write’ frame of mind. I find it helps before writing anything as the words seems to flow more.

When I first started writing as a freelance journalist the only way I could really publicize myself was to write for free for a local community newspaper. Free jobs like these I feel is where the most experience is gained as you get the chance to strengthen your style and build up the speed in which you can produce a good article. It will give you a good opportunity to build up relationships with editors and get to know good contacts.

There are also many different outlets out there that you can use to advertise your work. The internet is one of the best for this. You can also start your own website, blog, ghost write. There are many websites that offer new and experienced writers places to showcase their work. With the internet especially, there are no limits to what you can do!

For more information and advice on Starting a Career in Journalism have  a look at Creative Writer.

Image: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chris Haynes is an eight year veteran of project management having worked across both public and private organisations, in two different continents. Active in the Project Management community, Chris has mentored multiple trainee project managers to become highly successful in their profession.

When did your interest in project management begin?

I first became interested in project management at University, when I did a course on the subject. However, this seemed like the sort of job you only got after many years of experience, so I didn’t really think about it until I began working.  My interest was further stoked when I worked in my first IT position and I was working next to a project manager who was earning in a day, what I was earning in a month.  Although this shouldn’t be the soul motivating factor for going into a profession, I always thought it was pointless going into something that paid badly and the profession seemed to fit other aspects of IT that I enjoyed.

 What attracted you to the Project Management profession?

Whilst working next to a project manager I noticed that they were in a position to oversee all aspects of the IT project, whilst also taking a commanding position.  I’d be a liar if I said that the opportunity to earn three or  more times what I was currently earning wasn’t a good motivating factor as well!

What qualifications, skills and experience did you have when you first started out?

I had a degree in computer science which meant that I had a fairly good depth of understanding of IT. However, other than giving me a confidence in understanding the subject matter, I don’t believe that my degree helped me any more than if I had a degree in any other subject.

What qualifications or skills would have helped you more?

Any project management qualification would have been helpful. As I was quite blind to the profession, other than what I’d learned at uni (which was very academic and more like project planning than project management) it would’ve been useful to have had an introductory course on project management.  The Association for Project Managers (APM) offers a good introductory course on project management, which also leads into their more advanced courses and qualifications.

Did you do work experience to help get you your first paid job in Project Management? 

Getting my first project management position took several years and several jobs, before I was seen as credible.  In hindsight, this was a fairly short time to get a project management position without having been on any training or mentoring scheme and with little in the way of formal qualifications.  Before this first position, I had been contracting in Project Support and it was here that I learnt my trade.  I had had no formal training in project work, so all the skills I learnt were through trial and error and taking the advice of those around me.  This really is a baptism of fire which I wouldn’t recommend unless you are very hardy, as although I gained jobs fairly easily, I also lost one or two, due to both my inexperience and lack of knowledge around the subject.  Therefore, I’d definitely recommend getting some basic project management courses under your belt, work on several projects in a supporting role and try to use this as a springboard into a project management trainee role.

Where did you look for Project Mangement jobs?

As I was contracting (during the economic boom years) I used to use Internet recruiting sites to gain jobs.  Within a relatively short period of time, the electronic CV that I’d posted to these sites and subsequently submitted to recruiters, was resulting in recruiters head-hunting me and interviews being arranged.  I finally landed my first full project management job when I was working in an organization that had very little experience of formal project management and I impressed a senior manager with a project plan (that’s a document that contains information on how a project will proceed, the budget, the timeline, the risks and issues etc) that I’d produced for him.  As he was in need of a pool of project managers he invited me to come to an interview that same week for the positions he was trying to fill.

What was your first job in the Project Management sector?

My first position in the project management sector was as a project analyst.  It was a short-term position (just a few months) that I’d seen advertised on an Internet recruitment website.  I tailored my CV to highlight the experience which they were looking for and sent it over to the recruitment agency.  A few days later I was sent for an interview.  Due to it being a short-term position, it was just a case of answering some basic interview questions and impressing the boss sufficiently enough to get the job.  Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to do that and received the news the next day that I’d been unsuccessful, which wasn’t a surprise due to some fundamental questions that I’d got wrong in the interview.  However, I received another call the next day from the recruiter apologising for what he was about to ask, but the person who’d been offered the job had dropped out  and the manager had asked whether I would be able to step in and start the next day!  There was a small part of me which had a little pride and wanted to say no, but then I realized that maybe this was that opportunity that everyone gets and I should seize it – which I did.

How did you get your current job? What job experience helped you?

My last project management position was in a medium sized government department, working as a project manager.  They were looking for someone who was already experienced in this field, so my previous project management positions and project work all helped in getting the job.  In particular, the original application had 12-15 questions that were aimed at people who were both knowledgeable and experienced in project management, and even with five years experience, it still took me a whole day to answer all the questions to the level of detail required.

Was the salary negotiable and what other benefits were on offer? 

A lot of project management positions are negotiable, especially when demand is high for those skills.  However, within government, the room for negotiation is limited.  Due to the recession and having been out of work for several months, I did not try to negotiate my salary.  I have since found out that there is very little room for negotiating in government due to fixed pay-scales, but I may’ve been able to wrangle a recruitment bonus of approx £1000 and/or the full holiday entitlement of 25 days had I asked.  I did try to get relocation costs covered, but this was rejected.  In private industry, negotiation is open to however far you are willing to push (and however much you can afford to loose!)  I have been able to obtain a salary of twenty-five percent more than initially offered, just for stating my minimum salary expectation.  But be prepared that recruiters and employers will walk away if you’re not worth what you’re asking or if there are lots of people willing to work for less.

What are employers looking for at entry level and mid level Project Management positions?

Entry level Project Management positions tend to be open to candidates that are already working in the organization and have several years experience in the industry, whatever their skill.  There are sometimes opportunities to join straight away for an entry level, trainee position in project management.  However, it is likely that some work experience in any field will be required and especially if you can show if that experience has been attained within a project.  Mid-level is likely to either be an experienced project manager or senior project manager.  For this role, it would be expected to have a minimum of five years or more experience and have attained several qualifications in project management, such as APMP, PMP, PRINCE2, ISEB Project Management.  Often, they will be looking for a project manager that has completed a similar project in the previous two years and had experience of managing large budgets and bigger teams.

What new skills and knowledge did you aquire whilst working as a Project Manager?

In each job I had, without doubt the largest amount of knowledge I gained was in how to deal with people, which I am still learning.  People skills is one of the hardest aspects of the job and being likeable, jolly and/or fun does not mean you will make a success at the people side of the work.  Every person is different and an approach that is successful with one person will be an unmitigating disaster with another, to your complete horror and surprise!

What do you think are the pro’s and con’s of being a Project Manager?

Pro’s of being a project manager:

1. Leading a team
2. Motivating a team
3. Being involved with finding solutions to complex probelms
4. Being across all aspects of a project (finance, procurement, people management….)
5. Liaising with very senior people in the organization on a regular basis
6. A great feeling when a complex project is delivered and celebrations are taking place
7. Many organisations will reward you well for your efforts.

Con’s of being a project manager:

1. A good project manager makes the job looks easy and everyone thinks they can do it
2. The buck stops with you when things go wrong
3. You can easily become bogged down in paperwork, if you do not know your subject
4. It can be a lonely and isolating place, as you are neither one of the technical team, nor the senior management
5. Do not expect too much praise.  When things go well it will be expected of you and the teams you manage will take the praise for success.

How does a person progress in the Project Management sector?

Progression can be in one of several ways:

1. By delivering more and more complex projects, you will naturally become one of the more experienced and knowledgable project managers in the organisation.  This should either lead to you being formally recognised as a senior project manager and earning a greater renumeration or the organisation as a whole respecting your skill level and paying you accordingly.
2. Some initiatives in organisations will require a programme of work (multiple projects) as opposed to one large project. This will sometimes allow a project manager to progress into programme management, which will come with a far greater level of responsibility. Programmes do need many of the skills learned from project management, but also require other skills that are less utilised in project management, so this isn’t always a natural path for all project managers.  For those that do proceed on this path, the door can often be open at more senior positions in an organisation, possibly even to board level.
3. For those that wish to hire out their services to the highest bidder, competent project managers can be aptly rewarded by becoming freelancers.  Organisations will pay a good premium to those project managers who can demonstrate the necessary proficiency in their chosen field, to deliver their important projects.  Earning potential can be very high for those that choose to do this work, but equally you will leave behind the comfort of a full-time job with the associated benefits of pensions, leave, sick pay, development opportunities and a slightly more forgiving regime for failure.  In the world of the Project Manager contractor, even a hint that failure is in the air, will likely result in swift dismissal.

Have you worked abroad in a similar Project Management role?

I have worked in two different positions in Australia as a project manager.  The work is identical to that found in the UK, with very similar pay scales and conditions of employment.  The APMG which provides project management qualification such as PRINCE2 and MSP is highly regarded and the professional Project Management body is the AIPM (Australian Institute of Project Management) which is aligned with the PMI (Project Management Institute) based out of the USA.

Are you a member of any professional organizations? Is membership considered essential to progress in your career?

I am a member of the Association of Project Managers (APM) and the British Computer Society (BCS).  I have considered the PMI, but the APM fulfils this niche within the UK.  The reason I chose these two, is that the APM is recognised as being one of the leading professional organisations in the UK for project management and the BCS is the Chartered Institute for IT in the UK and compliments my skills in the industry. Professional membership is rarely required to attain a job, but it does show a commitment to your trade and industry and keeps you abreast of new advances within the community.  I think in the current job climate, being recognised by a professional body does set you apart when all your skills and experience are the same as another candidate and definitely demonstrates your ongoing desire to develop.  In the future, I would expect professional membership to become mandatory, but this is still a way off.

If you could start over, would you make the same career decisions again? Would you still become a Project Manager?

If I had my time over again, I would still choose project management, but with the knowledge I have now, I would enter the profession in a different way.  I would probably undertake a broader degree subject, such as business with IT and work for a large consultancy.  The breadth of projects they undertake would be fantastic experience and as part of your development you would be able to get all the courses you need fully paid. I have no doubt that my career would be at least one if not two or three rungs higher, had I chosen this path, instead of doing it the pretty difficult way that I chose.  However, the path I set out on has made me very resilient, flexible and creative, skills I would never want to give up.

What does the future look like for the Project Management profession?

It is likely that the profession will continue to increase in importance and will at some point in the near future be recognised as a profession, not unlike accountancy. However, I believe it still has some mountains to climb to get there and the shape of projects may change course as we understand more about successfully delivering projects and reducing the chance of failure.

What advice can you give to people looking to get into Project Management ?

First of all, there really is no set path to getting into project management, so if this is something you wish to do, there’s little holding you back. However, do not be scared of getting your hands dirty, before becoming a project manager.  It will only strengthen you as a project manager if you have been part of a project team previously, either as a technical team member, an advisor or a project support.  Knowing what it’s like to work in a project will greatly help with the soft skills of people management, once you are a project manager.

Secondly, no two project managers are born equal.  You will find it hard to cross some industry sectors, who like their project managers to come from certain professional backgrounds.  For example, construction project managers will often have come from an engineering background, as will those that work in the petrochemical industries. In IT, there is no such barrier and on some occasions, it may even work against you if you are seen to be too technically close to the topic.

Thirdly, understand the project lifecycle as best you can and the tools that are needed to deliver a project.  A good way to understand the project lifecycle is to think of a house building project. How would you break up the tasks of a building a house and what sequence would you do it in. The principles are the same for complex it systems projects. Once you are familiar with the project lifecycle, think about specialising in a methodology such as PRINCE2, DSDM Atern or other agile method.

Lastly, many organisations will use project managers for IT projects, so if IT doesn’t float your boat even slightly, then make sure you specialise in something away from IT.  If you’re in IT you will be regularly meeting with people who are very technically minded and being able to come up to speed with the high level tasks will help you to succeed.

What particular skills or talents are essential to be effective in your job as a Project Manager?

People skills are by far the most important skills a Project Manager should have.  You will need to understand how to motivate all the people in the project team and those associated with the project, to successfully deliver.  Remember, as a project manager you are a manager of people, as well as a project manager and if at anytime you ignore one or other, you are running a greater risk of a project failure.  People skills are not just the ability to get on with people (although this is very important) it is also the ability to listen, negotiate, having empathy, perceiving, understanding and knowing when to put pressure on at the right time and to what level.

What are the best websites for information about Project Management?

Association of Project Managers (for APMP)

APMG (for PRINCE2, MSP,P3O, DSDM Atern etc..)

PMI (for PMP)

BCS (for IS Project Management ISEB

Best websites for Project Management jobs?

The places where I’ve found the most job success in project management are:

Jobserve

Jobsite

What books and other resources would be useful for someone looking to get into Project Management?

• An introduction to project management book would be best – APM introductory certificate book.

• Once you understand the basics, it is useful to explore some of the APMG’s books, i.e. PRINCE2, MSP

If you have any questions, please feel free to add a comment to this page and I will get back to you.

Thanks for reading and good luck with your move into project management should you choose to follow this as a career path.

Christopher Haynes

Written by Sue Ogden

Mark & Sue Ogden – M4 Business Training (initially Sole Trader, became Partnership), which evolved into The Learning Combination Ltd (TLC).

After some frugal and occasionally very rocky early years, this small business took on staff and expanded its locations along the M4 corridor to develop into one of the UK’s leading independent learning resource advisers, suppliers and developers of corporate learning centres. TLC also developed a niche in design and delivery of combined performance management and learning programmes to major employers.

Mark and Sue were able to move into ‘semi-retirement’ and do some longed-for global traveling and family visiting after they sold the company to an expanding consultancy just a few days before Mark’s 50th birthday…

Sue’s story:

When Mark started talking about his idea for a new business venture I was not sure that I wanted to cope with such a major change to our lives. Before getting married I worked for a Life Assurance Company, in an Office Furniture Showroom and in a sales/office/receptionist job. Since having two children I had been working in part time temporary jobs to fit around them. I enjoyed the work but they did not pay well and we relied on Mark’s salary to cover most of our financial needs, primarily the mortgage.

However, as Mark began to arrive home with samples of the learning resources we could be involved in selling, I began to realise the potential of what we could achieve. I had a varied enough background to manage the different aspects and was beginning to feel I needed to do something more permanent workwise. This was helped by the fact that many of the products were self-motivational, positive action based and my enthusiasm increased. I thought that if they worked on me why not on other people.

Having talked through what we needed and wanted to achieve from the business – meeting our own goals and ensuring we met the client’s goals – we agreed that this business suited us. We have always enjoyed encouraging people to accomplish their ambitions and this enabled us to do so whilst earning a living.

Initial Thoughts

One of my first thoughts was that the main benefit to working for myself was that I could structure the hours I needed to work around the school run. We lived several miles from the school so driving the children in was necessary and became one of the reasons for our decision in eventually choosing the main office location. This remained my objective for the first few years and I opted out of travelling too much or too far so I could usually be around to collect them from school.

Mark and I were able to change roles on occasion if I needed to stay longer in the office. A network of friends who could collect the children in an emergency was sorted out, this worked as I was in a position to return the favour. This is a decision I have never regretted, as for me, being able to hear their stories when they first came out of school was important. I always felt I had missed something if someone else picked them up – however, they might say I am just nosy!

The First Year

When we first started up we worked from home, it was a mixed blessing for me as I sometimes found it difficult to separate work from domesticity. Taking advantage of a sunny, windy day to get the clothes on the line always got the phone ringing just as I got outside and I had to quickly revert to business mode. However being able to nip into the kitchen to peel the potatoes or get to the supermarket if Mark could cover the phone did make our home life much easier.

We found a second line dedicated to the business well worth the extra cost and an answerphone with personalised message essential – you have to go out at some point.

Building up the business gradually meant that we learnt from our mistakes but nothing we did became an expensive issue, difficult to alter. Cash flow was always a challenge but keeping expenditure to the minimum worked for us.

Year 2

After a year, when the business was starting to make some money, we shared an office building with an ex- colleague. This gave us a more professional image and put is in the position of being able to invite clients to our office. How excited we were when the first client arrived and seemed impressed with the setup. We had our own office and a separate client meeting room, plus small kitchen – coffee and biscuits were always important as many clients travelled a long way.

With all this we felt the business could be a great success. Of course there would be the doubters who didn’t believe in our resource products but we had done our research and knew the need was there, we just had to find the right companies to buy them!

After a meeting we always made notes on the client file – subjects reviewed, future needs and a few of their personal interests: golf, holidays and so on, a useful starting point to the follow up conversation with them.

Job Roles

Mark has always been a good salesman and negotiator and this is where much of our success comes from. He would go out to visit the clients on their premises taking the relevant training resources with him and persuade them they wanted to see a larger selection in our own resource preview centre / showroom .

I saw some of the clients who came into the office to view our products. I also did a lot of the cash flow/accounting processes. This included chasing up payment within days of an invoice becoming due. We were fortunate in that we had few clients who were very late payers. This was mainly because we retained a good relationship with our contact and asked for their help in getting an invoice processed quickly. Having our own areas of expertise but being able to swap roles occasionally was a great help in getting the business going. When we later employed staff we still tried to retain a level of adaptability within their roles.

We always kept a close eye on the income stream and would have a scheduled meeting every week to discuss our strategy. This included the best way to approach a new client, a cold call or letter and how many to contact, bearing in mind we had to cope with the response effectively. Also we talked through any purchases that we needed to make.

Still being cautious, borrowing a lot of money to buy an expensive car or office furniture was never part of our thinking. However, we did celebrate our large orders with a bottle of bubbly, particularly when we had a number of staff who always appreciated it!

Our First Employee

When we took on our first employee we began to take exhibition stands to promote ourselves – hard work but worthwhile. We covered the cost of the stand in sales and got to talk to many company representatives who gave us constructive feedback on our resources.

We also did a lot of mailings, some specific to industry sectors, others a general “come and visit our office and see what we can help you with”. This is where having two children was very helpful, as they became very proficient at envelope filling – an after school activity they might prefer to forget!

Looking Forward

After my initial doubts at the start up, the business we ran became a successful way of earning an income. We met many interesting people, some of whom became good friends and it was a step I am very glad to have taken. We remained focused on our goal of promoting the right solution for the client and they continued to come to us.

Not bringing work home is always difficult, never more so than when you work with your spouse. We would have a quick round up of the day when we got home but after that it was family time and unless something really urgent cropped up any problems were left to the next day.

If you find the right opportunity and you can see the potential, then do your research, talk to a few business experts who will help you see the pitfalls, work out your probable cash flow and “Go for it”.

For a different perspective on starting this business read Starting a Business Training Consultancy (Mark’s Story)

Image: jscreationzs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Written by Mark Ogden

Mark & Sue Ogden – M4 Business Training (initially Sole Trader, became Partnership), which evolved into The Learning Combination Ltd (TLC).

After some frugal and occasionally very rocky early years, this small business training consultancy  took on staff and expanded its locations along the M4 corridor to develop into one of the UK’s leading independent learning resource advisers, suppliers and developers of corporate learning centres. TLC also developed a niche in design and delivery of combined performance management and learning programmes to major employers.

Mark and Sue were able to move into ‘semi-retirement’ and do some longed-for global traveling and family visiting after they sold the company to an expanding consultancy just a few days before Mark’s 50th birthday…

The Long Road To Self Employment

M4 Business Training, set up in the spring of 1989, was my third attempt at self-employment. I was 37 and if I was ever going to make a real go of breaking -out on my own, it had better last a bit longer this time!

The First Attempt of Self Employment

Previous experience of ‘being my own boss’ was, the first time, born out of a combination of disappointment and naivety. Not that I see the latter quality as always being a weakness – a certain amount of naivety and willingness to have a go regardless of the potential pitfalls is often more of a strength in the early days.

It was the autumn of 1974, I was a law unto myself and had gainfully spent the summer working as a display advertising exec on Fleet Street for the Daily Express. Without my knowing it at the time, these were the dying days of Beaverbrook as a newspaper publisher and August had been a particularly ‘silly’ season business wise. Full page adds that would normally command five-figure sums from advertisers were being sold for around £400. The management team was becoming increasingly alcoholic under the pressure and many of us, who had joined with high expectations and despite healthy salary deals, were becoming disillusioned and not a little unhealthy in the mind, body and spirit departments.

It was a long commute from my shared flat in Hertfordshire and, as an impatient 23 year-old singleton, there were better ways of spending my time without all the hassle. The allure and opportunity of ‘self-employment’ in the then youthful and booming home improvement industry, working locally in hours almost of my own choosing, was too much to pass up.

The next 18 months encompassed the steepest learning curve of my working life, one of the greatest disappointments for my parents and grandparents who knew Beaverbrook as a wartime business and national champion, and a growing realisation that the hours were really not that good after all – they were mostly unsocial. This was not a career path that would earn me much respect from anyone, least of all myself!

There’s no doubt that the job ‘toughened me up’ as a salesperson, and showed me how it was possible to earn a very high income (from time to time), but being a local commission-only agent for a national company wasn’t building my own business, nor was it likely to go anywhere. On talking to more worldly-wise friends, it became clear that there was a need to get practical experience in business-to-business selling with an established but smaller company, so I could get to grips with a wider range of work skills. Over the next 7 years or so I put my head down, until the old independence thing began to itch again on entering my early 30s….

The Second Attempt at Self Employment

It was now the early ‘80s and I was full of self-confidence with some real front-line selling to industry under my belt, as well as recruitment experience in the computer systems and software world. I fell into conversation with a former manager of mine who was a few years older, and we both thought we knew better than most about selling and sales management, so why not set up a training business together.

We went so far as renting an office right away, as part of demonstrating commitment to each other and to the business, and began to make phone calls to prospective clients. However, although we had both negotiated reduced time with current employers who knew (mostly) what we were up to, neither of us was prepared to take the full-time plunge into self-employment. Both of us had young families and not a lot of capital behind us, and within 6 months we took the decision to wind up before engaging in any contracts.

What now?…. A lucky break, or just more delaying tactics?

Depression could easily have set in at this point, but the MD of a US software company I had been recruiting for approached me to become one of his sales managers. I had decided to pursue some elements of the training business independently, and had run a series of evening programmes on motivation and leadership within his company. He had attended some of the sessions himself and he seemed reasonably impressed at my determination to get ahead despite the setbacks.

These were still the days of high demand for ‘micro-software’ packages for desktops and this was an opportunity to manage a team selling to dealers around the country. The job went well, although I took up an approach within the year to move into a similar and more financially rewarding role with a hardware trading and leasing company nearby.

By the late 80’s the company I worked for, although small in employee numbers, had become Europe’s second largest computer broking and leasing business. We were perceived as an increasing threat to the No 1 company and they decided to go for a takeover. I stayed on for a short time, but working in a bigger organisation no longer provided the job satisfaction of being involved and closer to business decisions that had become interesting in the smaller company.

A good final couple of years, plus some additional income from a matured employee share-ownership scheme as a result of the takeover, gave me breathing space to plan and prepare for the final step to independence. I had to get it right this time – although the house mortgage was a lot lower than the 90 per cent we first borrowed, Sue and I had moved a few times with work and household outgoings were still serious, especially with two young daughters’ future to consider.

Making The Break For Good: Planning To Succeed, With Help, Advice And Mentoring.

Starting up a Business Training Consultancy

One of the many advantages of gaining some management experience over a few years in helping to run someone else’s smaller business – is that you get to learn a lot about making serious mistakes at their expense…yet building so much trust with each other that you and the business still survive!

Perhaps a couple of the biggest lessons I had already picked up were the need to put a realistic business plan together and to do so with the advice and help of people who not only been there and done it themselves, but were also prepared to listen closely to you before giving that advice.

On approaching the then equivalent to the local Business Link (government sponsored business advisory service), I discovered they ran a mentoring scheme for budding entrepreneurs – for free! Although I was impatient to get my idea for a business up and running, the advice was to take up the offer of 4 free mentoring sessions with the nominated mentor.

My mentor was a semi-retired businessman, who had experience from the ground upwards in small and very large businesses. He asked a lot of questions before giving any guidance at all. He wanted to know about my family, our plans and how we saw our lives in the future, what roles Sue and I would play at home and at work over the coming years…all of which helped to clarify my thinking and build trust in him.

Between each session over several weeks we both agreed to do some work. He gave me guidance on what should be in the business plan and then I had to attempt it on my own before the next meeting, when he would give me feedback. In the meantime, he would do some research into the corporate training market and check out some of the factors that could establish if there really was the type of gap I thought there was.

My mentor made introductions to an accountant and a local bank manager, who advised not only on setting up the business account, but also in using the bank’s business planning forms to build my case. The importance of cash flow was stressed.

Turnover is vanity; profit is sanity; cash flow is reality!

Last time I worked as employee, the company was in my experience a small one with just 17 staff in the UK operation. However, annual sales turnover was in the order of £30 million and gross profits around 8-10 per cent of that. Now I was planning a business that my mentor thought might have a turnover in the order of £50k in the first year, with gross profits about a quarter of that….Help! Was all the planning and hard graft he promised ahead really worthwhile?

It really did look painful.

“Scrub out that modest income you’ve put in for the first 3 months”, he said, or words to that effect.

“Can you and your family get by for the first 6 months with no income at all? Do you believe in your plan that much?…You might not make any sales for those first three months, invoice the first one or two at the end of the fourth month and get payment in month 5 or 6 if all goes well!”

Well it turned out that he got my feet so firmly on the ground that the eventual Year 1 turnover of just £40k and gross profits of less than half that were not the shock they might have been. Out of that would come all household and business expenses, so it was a good thing I worked from home for all of that first year.

Focus On Building Relationships

What I really needed to build in the first few months, I was advised, were some key customer / client relationships. “Focus on the relationships, and the results will come.”

A couple of sales did happen in the second quarter, only a small fraction of the income had been received by the end of the third quarter, and the majority of actual receipts were in just the final two months.

However, the build-up was there, and I had developed consistent relationships with a couple of clients who had committed to an on-going programme in Year 2. This gave me the confidence to approach the bank for a Business Development Loan (£10k granted as a lump sum, with monthly repayment spread equally over 4 years) and take on a couple of rooms in an office building a mile from home. Sue had been able to provide admin support part-time in the business from the outset and, now that both our girls were at senior school, she got more involved in the book-keeping and financial management aspects and we began to make a real go of it.

We took on our first full-time member of staff in the middle of that second year, and by the end of it I had begun to dream about real expansion and some bigger premises. The dream was for a country house in a parkland setting….something modest like that!

A few months later, I was meeting with a recently established client who was MD of an agricultural supplies company based a few miles from home. Did he have any spare office capacity, I asked.

“Well, if you don’t mind cleaning out the old library and office above our coach house, you can move in after Christmas,” he said.

The coach house stood across the courtyard from the mansion, set in 37 acres of parkland.

Over the next five years we grew the business steadily, took on eight more staff, became first a formal business Partnership and finally, to involve some of those staff in share-ownership, a limited company.

But all that is going well beyond start-up, and is possibly another story….

Read  Starting A Business Training Consultancy (Sue’s Story) for a different perspective on starting this business.

This is the second part of ‘USA Here We Come’. In part 1 Michelle and Darren moved to Newport News,Virginia from the UK and found somewhere to live. Now there were a lot of other things they had to sort out to establish themselves in Newport News. Find out how to:

• Get a Social Security Card
• Apply and get a US driver’s licence
• Lease a car in US
• Get an Employment Authorisation Document card (EAD)
• Find a job in US

How To Get A Social Security Card

You have to wait 10 days after you arrive in the US and then you can head down to your local Social Security office to get a social security card. If you are going to be working in the US you will definitely need to get a card. If you won’t be working you may find it harder to get a card as they are not strictly speaking needed for non-citizens. Having a Social Securitycard however does make it easier to get a lot of other things set up as it is the identifying number that you will be asked for when, for example, setting up utilities accounts and bank accounts. The official web site provides lots of useful information and forms you can print ahead of time (http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10096.html). You will need to take plenty of ID with you, so make sure you keep this in your hand luggage when you are packing to move abroad. Darren and I turned up early, i.e before the doors opened as we had heard how busy the offices can get. We were glad we did as there was already a line of people outside. Once we had our ticket, we sat in the waiting area for quite some time before being called forward. We were asked some questions and had forms checked before being told to sit back down and wait again. Then the process was repeated before our forms were accepted and sent away for processing. About 10 days later we got our cards back in the mail. Looking back it seems like it was quite straight forward but it was a bit nerve wracking at the time.

How To Get A US Driving License

We had a rental car for the first few weeks after we arrived in Newport News and were able to drive this with our UK driving licenses but we needed to get our own cars and so we downloaded the Virginia highway code and prepared to take our driving tests. It had been a fair few years since either of us had had to do this and neither of us passed first time in the UK so it wasn’t something we were looking forward to.

Getting to the point of being allowed to take the test was far harder than taking the test itself. Virginia is one of the states that the 9/11 bombers managed to get driving licences from, which enabled them to take flying lessons and get pilots licenses, so they had really tightened up on the issue of licenses to non-citizens. They really wanted to see a US birth certificate, which of course we couldn’t provide. We took every form of ID that we had and the letter from Darren’s company (saying he was an employee with the right to work in the US) and basically it still came down to managers’ discretion – It was very stressful. If you are having trouble too it is worth asking for the manager/supervisor on duty as the people who sit out front are used to just dealing with US Citizens day in and day out. The manager will probably have more experience and be of greater assistance.

In comparison, the driving test was a breeze. It consisted of a theory part in two sections which you take on the computer and then a very brief practical at the end of which, (provided you pass) they take your photo and give you your license. So its all done in the same day.

All the states have their own DMV web sites. Below is the one for Virginia and also a useful unofficial site which give you links to lots of the state’s sites. www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/drivers/applying.asp  and www.dmv.org/

Buying or Leasing A Car In the US

Where we lived in Newport News meant that having a car was really a necessity rather than a luxury. Since I was going to be working too we decided that we needed the flexibility of two cars.

Obviously it’s quite a big purchase and since we only planned to stay three years it was hard to decide the best route to go. We opted to buy one new car and lease one car. Our plan was that we could sell one car near the end and keep the leased one right up to the last minute and then hand it back.

Buying the new car was relatively easy once we arranged for the transfer of funds from the UK. We are not the most practical couple, so were happy to have new cars without maintenance worries.

Leasing my car was a little more complicated because I wasn’t working yet. Darren had to be on the lease too and again the letter from Darren’s company came in handy since the lack of a credit history again became problematic. You can get two year lease agreements but most are three or more years. We know from friends experiences that there is no real flexibility to get out of them early. You can hand the car back sooner but you will still have to pay the balance of the payments remaining. Therefore if you are unsure how long you will be staying, leasing may not be the option for you.

We ended up being in the US for four years so I bought my car at the end of the lease term. This seemed to confuse the dealership no end. Most people who lease, it seems, just go from one lease to another. When my lease came to an end I knew we would most likely only have another year or so left so I wasn’t in a position to enter into another lease. My option was either to buy my car or another second hand car. I decided I might as well have the one I knew the history of. It took three trips and many hours in the dealership to sort it out. I have never had so little pleasure in spending so much money! I am very glad that I liked the car and it never gave me any trouble otherwise it would not have been worth it.

When it was time to leave we sold our cars on ‘Craigs List’. This worked well and we got considerably more for them than if we had sold them back to a dealership although probably not top dollar as of course you have the constraint of needing to sell them quite quickly.

How To Get An Employment Authorisation Document Card (EAD)

As I have said it was my husband’s job that brought us to the US but I was keen to work too and that meant I need to get an Employment Authorisation Document card (EAD). You need to be sure when you apply for your visa that you are getting one that will allow you to either work automatically, (like Darren’s L1 visa), or allow you to apply for an EAD like my L2. There are many different types of visa for different circumstances, education levels, job levels etc. The web site below gives some details of these.http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1286.html

I was fortunate to have the support of Darren’s company legal team to apply for my EAD card. I filled out some forms and supplied passport photo’s (American size not UK) and they took care of the rest. Applying for the EAD and social security card is one of those catch 22 situations, both are easier to get if you already have the other. I waited to get my Social Security number before applying for my EAD card. The EAD card did take about 10 to 12 weeks to arrive – definitely something to bear in mind when you are considering the financial implications of a move, because you can’t legally start work without it. For info on the EAD card have a read of www.uscis.gov .

Find A Job in US

You can of course start looking for work though. After about six weeks of being in the US, when we had a lot of the other things mentioned above sorted out, I started visiting some employment agencies in Newport News. I was looking for work as a finance analyst. I searched for local agencies on line and then arranged to go and see three of the ones that looked most promising. I took along my CV and had interviews with their recruitment consultants. I also had to take some relatively simple tests on Excel, Word and data entry skills with 2 of the 3.

The agents were all friendly but I found that I had to chase them for information on new roles rather than them calling me. After we had been in Newport News about four months I spotted a job advertised online with another agency that matched my skill set really well. I called up the agency for a chat and they asked to see my CV. I e-mailed it over to them and then they asked me in for an interview the next day. The day after that I had an interview with the company themselves who were looking to hire an analyst for maternity cover. The next week I started work and stayed there very happily for over 3 years until the arrival of my own daughter!

For a few weeks it felt like I was never going to find a job and then it all turned around in a matter of days, so if you are finding it hard, hang in there, the right role for you is just around the corner, you just have to be really proactive about finding it.

Next up: The fun bit – meeting friends & travel.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There has been much written in the press over the last week about the continuing economic down turn in the UK and the prospect of even more job losses over the next few months.  It was announced on Wednesday (18^th Jan 2012) that UK companies such as Past Times, La Senza and Peacocks are going into receivership.  They join the likes of Woolworths, Borders, Habitat and Allied Carpets who have all fallen fowl of the recession since 2008. With this in mind it seems a bleak future for job seekers. Competition is fierce in all sectors. So what chance does a young graduate or school leaver have if people with 10-20 years experience are struggling in this climate?

Get A Job By Starting Your Own Business

Well, Peter Day, the Presenter of Radio 4′s ‘In Business’, suggests that ‘one way for young people to get a job is to start their own business’ (see BBC article ‘Top Tips for Starting Your Own Business 19/01/12). This may seem a crazy thought at first especially in the current economic climate, but actually it makes sense. As Mr Day says, ‘why wait for someone to employ you when you can set up a company and employ yourself?’ Of course, this way of thinking applies to people of any age, not just the young.

Provided you have found a real gap in the market and a way to meet that need efficiently and effectively, then people will still come to you regardless of whether these is a recession or not. If something is worth having, and its set at the right price, people will buy it.

You can set up your own business doing virtually anything. The current trend amongst young entreprenuers is to set up an online business to deliver a service of some kind. Youth can be a virtue in this type of business as the young often have the most up to date knowledge of online technologies and social media is very much a part of their everyday lives. So what you/they may lack in experience is made up by extensive and (most importantly) current knowledge.

So, are you up for the challenge?

Finding An Idea For A Business

What ever your age, finding an idea for a business is the starting point. Think about your everyday life. Do you ever find yourself  thinking ‘that could be done better’? Or there doesn’t seem to be a service offering xyz. Once you’ve thought of an idea which interests you, you then need to do some research to find out among other things:

1. Is someone already offering this service/product? Who are your competitors?
2. If the service/product does exist what could you do that would make it better?
3. Is there really a market for your service/product? Do some basic market research to establish this fact
4. How much and how long would it take to set up such a business; can you raise these funds?

Online Business Start Up’s Are Accessible To All

One of the good things about an online business is that the start up costs can be very low. Often all you need is a computer, a phone and an internet connection. Of course, having the right knowledge is a huge plus, but it is possible to ‘buy in’ expertise such as programming and web design at a low price through enterprises such as VWorker and Elance (these websites enable you to find ‘virtual workers’ all over the globe who bid for and then carrying out the work you need doing).

If running your own business does interest you, and you’re prepared to put the hard work in, then why not have a go? You really don’t have anything to loose except time you would probably otherwise spend watching T.V., playing computer games or something else which won’t help towards attain the future you want! So, why not go for it?

To read accounts of people who have started their own business have a read of: Starting A Business Training Consultancy

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Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today I was thinking about all the different ways you could earn money (or at least spend less) whilst travelling. After doing a bit of research and thinking about what friends have done in the past, I have come up with the following:

• Work on a cruise ship
• Teach English
• Be a tour guide
• Ski Instructor
• Working On Organic Farms  (WOOFers) (covers bed & board)
• Office work ( type of work dependent on where you travel to and your own skill set)
• Use your skills to Work online (through Elance and Vworker)

Of course there are many more jobs that you could do. If you’ve worked in any of the above jobs or did something completely different, please tell us about it!