Research Analyst to Social Entrepreneur

Research Analyst to Social Entrepreneur Success Story > From: Job To: Startup Research Analyst to Social Entrepreneur “My role was to sit with another 1,000 people and stare into a computer screen all day making money out of money for rich people.” * Research Analyst to Social Entrepreneur Find out how Tom made his unusual career shift! What was your role in your old job? I was a research analyst. My role was to sit with another 1000 people on my floor (open plan) and stare into a computer screen all day making money out of money for rich people. As you can imagine, I felt like I was making a significant contribution to society. Not that I'm bitter ;) What is/are your new role(s)? After leaving the bank, I founded Blue Ventures, a marine conservation social enterprise with a friend Alasdair Harris. Having run a couple of marine expeditions whilst students at Edinburgh University, we felt we could develop something more sustainable. Starting in Madagascar in 2003, we developed a 6-week expedition programme for volunteers. Since 2003 we've hosted over 300 international volunteers at our site in Madagascar and made significant contributions to the conservation programme in the region. In 2005, we were lucky enough to win the SEED Awards at the UN in New York - a competition backed by the UNDP/IUCN/UNEP for our work developing marine protected areas with local people. In 2006 our turnover was £250k and we made a profit of £30k, which we were able to donate to our charitable arm. In addition to my work with Blue Ventures, I've also started two websites travelroots.com and tiptheplanet.com. For more information, take a peek! More recently, I've also been working w ith the Make your Mark campaign, encouraging young people to start their own businesses - as the social enterprise campaigner. What this means is that I'm very busy, but lack focus :) Why did you change? Do I really need to answer this ;) Are you happy with the change? No, I'd rather be back at the bank. Ehem. What do you miss and what don't you miss? I miss the commute every morning, the scintillating conversation around the coffee machine, the sea of miserable faces, working in the city, my boss and above all the feeling that I was making money for someone else's yacht, caviar, champagne, cocaine... all life-improving commodities. How did you go about making the change? I opened my eyes, took stock of my situation and asked myself if I was proud of what I was doing, if I enjoyed it and whether or not I was happy. It wasn't difficult. What was the most difficult thing about changing? When you start something yourself, it means that you essentially have to make things up as you go along. In retrospect we really had very little idea what we were doing. We never copromised on saftey and in our work with Malagasys and as such we had to work day and night to ensure that we didn't slip in areas we previously knew very little about. People are generally scared about making the leap from security to having to shape your own existence, but I can assure you that I've never regretted the move once. It's a no-brainer. What help did you get? My parents were very helpful, allowing us to use my old bedroom as an office for the first few years. We begged and borrowed help wherever we could get it. What have you learnt in the process? That lifes to short to waste it somewhere you're unhappy. That starting something yourself is incredibly hard, but incredibly rewarding. That things always take longer than you'd like them to! That filling out your VAT return is seriously boring. That people think because you're starting something in Madagascar that when you go there it's a holiday... far from it. What do you wish you'd done differently? It's hard to know whether or not things would've worked if we'd done things differently. I think we'd known about the logstical difficulties, we might never have got going. However, I wish I'd tried to enjoy the process a bit more, as opposed to always looking forward (but that's still a problem today). I wish I'd concentrated during my French lessons at school, that would've helped in Madagascar. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Follow your heart, it's wiser than you think. And for God's sake, don't be scared... now I can't think of anything scarier than having to do a 9-7 in a bank, law firm or somewhere I was unhappy. What lessons could you take from Tom's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Welcome to our new students

Welcome to our new students A warm welcome to all our new students from Anne Wilson, Head of Careers.. You may be thinking a careers post is just a little bit premature; you’ve barely had time to unpack, settle in, make friends or borrow some coffee. Fear not â€" we’re not here to tell you what to do with the next 30 years of your life, we just want to make sure you enjoy the next 3! We’ve scratched our collective heads and have come up with a  top 10 tips  to help you make the most of your Warwick experience. And they may just help you get a job too at the end. Follow your passions. Join at least one  club or society. Explore your curiosity, try something new or use your existing talents in a new and creative way. You might enjoy it so much that you decide (a bit later on) to pitch for an exec or leadership role. This will give you plenty to talk about when it comes to future applications and interviews. Use  myAdvantage  in order to access and book one of the 100s (yes, 100s) of activities we run: skills sessions, careers events, appointments, employer presentations and fairs. And that’s before we get to vacancies and internship opportunities. Customise your profile and set your preferences to receive the weekly newsletter and job alerts. Develop your skills. What would you like to improve or develop? Have you had had a long standing, deep-seated fear of presentation skills and are dreading your first seminar? Don’t suffer in silence â€" our skills programme is designed to help. And you could even get an  award! Find work experience. The single most influential activity which recruiters look for is evidence of work experience. This may be related to your career interests but, remember, any experience is better than none. It’s also a great way to ‘try before you buy.’ Our Placement Learning Unit can support you and if your experience is unpaid you may be eligible for our  bursary. Volunteer. It’s a way to do something worthwhile and there are a variety of ways you can ‘make a difference’ to others. A bonus is that you will also develop skills graduate recruiters value Meet a graduate recruiter! We offer a vast array of  employer events  during the academic year (215 and counting) from large careers fairs, sector events in the autumn and spring terms through to employer presentations. It’s a great way to meet recruiters and explore the opportunities available to Warwick graduates. See a careers consultant. If you have no idea what you want to do (and don’t worry â€" that’s probably most of you) this a great time to see a careers consultant and get the ball rolling. You’ll find one linked to your  department. We are happy to see students at any stage of their career thinking â€" from absolutely clueless to focussed and driven. Begin with the end in mind. Time invested finding out who you are and what matters is time well spent. The more self-aware you are, the more informed your choices will be later on. If you get stuck, look at the resources on  Warwick Advantage. Get involved. If you want to make a difference to the quality of your fellow students experience (and your own), consider becoming an  SSLC representative. When youve found your feet, you could even apply for one of our careers reps posts next summer. And if youre feeling really bold or fired up, start campaigning Enjoy yourself! You’ll only do this once (probably) so make the most of it. Have fun, make friends, get stuck in and the rest will follow.

Brand Dilution to Solution - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Brand Dilution to Solution - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Have you ever had an exciting idea to further build business but the next morning awoke with a dose of reality? Its your subconscious at work telling you the better direction to pursue. Intuition provides instinct or a quick recognition of whats right and wrong. On a deeper level, our subconscious brings together all of the facts playing in our mind and forces them through a sieve, so-to-speak, to find the coherent solution. Both are important indicators of what to be aware and may be considered as our protectors. Paying attention to these signs may well help you to avoid diluting your personal brand. Your prioritized value system is what will help you get your brand crystal clear in your mind and enable you to express it enthusiastically to others. Routinely find quiet time to reflect upon whether everything you are currently working on is adding to your brand clarity and dynamics. Ask yourself if future planned projects will do the same. Only then will your branding effort successfully reach audiences far and wide. Collaboration on projects dramatically increases your potential reach as well as the services you may offer. However, creating a partnership of any type always requires careful consideration to protect what you have already built. The following true story illustrates these principles. Ann is just beginning her own business while John and Gertrude are more experienced entrepreneurs. Their work complements that of one another so they decided to venture forth in creating a brand new collaborative program. The conversation developed into new directions for all and held tremendous excitement for each, until Initial excitement began to dwindle as intuition and subconscious thought took hold. Ann and John originally saw this new direction as an extension of what they each already have in place. However, caught off guard, they were dismayed to learn Gertrude saw this as a brand new company. She was already speaking of creating new business cards and website. This is where Gertrude and John recognized the importance of not diluting but remaining true to their own unique personal brand. Their two major concerns were: Rather than adding complementary services to their current brand, it was suggested a new identity be created. Their established brand would be diluted if a new company were formed. Current clients would be confused as to who they are and may well be lost with the new arrangement. Establishing a new company without legal agreements and license is unwise and is of concern. Excitement was quickly fading away. However, John and Ann still felt the original idea might be worth salvaging. Recognizing the brakes were on, the three held a candid conversation to begin anew. The consensus evolved into a revised agreement. The new plan is to first develop business as associates maintaining separate brand identity. This will ensure a secure footing before ever considering the formation of a new company. As services are created, they will be complementary to what has already been built. In this manner, the three associates are able to keep their current clientele happy plus they will enable development of additional audiences. Everyone will benefit. The threesome is now looking to enjoy the Smooth Sale! Author: Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and the best selling career book, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press. She provides team sales training, private coaching and highly acclaimed inspirational keynotes for conferences. Elinor is available upon request for consultation.

How to Rule the World The 5 Ultimate Career Tips for Millennial Women - Classy Career Girl

How to Rule the World The 5 Ultimate Career Tips for Millennial Women (Editors Note: This article is not about world domination.) Millennials are tough.  Weve managed to survive our teen years amid a turbulent economy and other personal factors of our lives. Baby boomers and yuppies may disagree with some of our life and work choices, but weve designed a different system that’s driven by passion, innovation, and creativity. Millennial women, in particular, are extremely empowered. We have more opportunities in the workplace now more than ever (although theres still a lot of room for improvement). It is very possible for us to build careers that women even one to two generations before us only dreamed of. Staying on top of your career can be tough, but then again, so are women. Here are 5 career tips for to guide you as you rise up your career ladder. How to Rule the World: The 5 Ultimate Career Tips for Millennial Women 1. Know What You Want and Go For It This tip can be useful both for rookies and experienced employees. This is actually an exciting stage for fresh graduates who are still learning their place in the world. You can try several career paths before finally deciding which one to focus on and foster. For the experienced career woman who has already invested in a certain career path, it helps to picture yourself in ten years. What do you see yourself doing? What kind of leader do you want to become? Nothing stops you from getting what you want. 2. Be Smart in Managing Your Time and Resources As you go on with your work life, always remember to keep your eyes on the prize. Learn how to utilize time management to your advantage as well as the resources you have. You can dedicate all your time to the advancement of a single career, orâ€"if you can manage itâ€"you can try handling multiple careers. Of course, this all goes down to your capabilities and how you manage your time. When to comes to managing your resources, learn to identify your strengths and take advantage of them as well. If you can write and are social media savvy, you can even start a blog or website that highlights your capabilities, using your writer’s voice to back up your career. [RELATED: 10 Money Management Tips for Newly Employed Millennials] 3. Know Your Limits Burnout is one of the millennials’ worst enemies, and most are losing the battle against this evil manifestation of exhaustion. As millennial women, you have to know how to identify its symptoms, therefore preventing it from taking over your life. Knowing your limitations is one way of protecting physical and mental health. 4. Learn How to Handle Pressure Author Henry Kissinger said that “a diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” As one of the career tips for millennial women, look into yourself if you are the type who would burn out and melt under fire or if youre the type to come out sparkling and magnificent. Given the right perspective, millennial career women can turn pressure into an opportunity to learn and even to rise up to the top. 5. Say No When The Situation Calls For It Saying yes can help in career advancement, but when you feel your superiors or organization is already taking advantage of you, learn to say no and negotiate a more beneficial alternative for both parties. Compared to the past generations, millennial women have become pretty good at saying no, especially when they know they’re at a disadvantage. However, a lot are still afraid or uncomfortable to speak up. These career tips for millennial women can only go so far if you do not act on them. It’s important to be assertive go for situations that will help your career, not those that will leave you dry and tired.

How to cope with losing your job in your twenties - Debut

How to cope with losing your job in your twenties - Debut Finding a job after university can be tough. No matter how much passion and experience you have, it often takes time â€" and a bit of luck â€" to land the perfect gig. Add in pressure from family and friends and it’s no surprise landing a permanent contract can feel more of a relief than a celebration. But once you’ve got the job you’re set for life â€" until you don’t have it any more that is. Few recent grads ever think about the possibility of losing their job. However, with even massive companies like Twitter, Vice and The Telegraph making cutbacks, it can be a depressing reality. Whether through redundancy, contracts not being renewed or otherwise, losing your job is not just an issue for old people. I was seven months into a new role when I found out my contract wouldn’t be renewed. I’d left a full-time job and turned down two other offers to take it up, and for a while it felt like the perfect fit. Discovering I’d soon be unemployed felt like being hit by a bus. Losing your job can leave you feeling completely worthless. Not to mention start a spiralling panic about how you’ll afford to eat and pay the rent. But while it’s far from ideal, becoming unemployed wasn’t the end of my career and it didn’t lead to financial ruin. And neither will it for you. Give yourself some time There’s no textbook for handling bad news. For the record? There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sob into your pillow forever or instructing your closest friend to bring round the wine immediately. When you know you only have a few weeks of work left, you might be tempted to apply for every job under the sun straight away. But do make time to digest what’s happening and don’t beat yourself up about not finding a new gig instantly. After all, you want to present your best self when applying for new opportunities. Be patient, as your best self won’t make an appearance straight away. Remember you’re not a failure Losing your job doesn’t mean you’ve done badly â€" businesses take decisions for purely financial reasons all the time. It can be tempting to fall into the trap of thinking you’re a failure â€" but try to focus on all the positives you can take from your experiences. More people than you think will have been in the same situation at some time or another. Believe it or not,  it’s rarely a defining nosedive in their career. If you’re struggling, grab a notebook and go through everything you’ve ever done for the company. You may be surprised how many skills and achievements you’ve racked up. Don’t pack it all in â€" but do ask for flexibility When you know there’s no great prize coming at the end of all your hard work, it can be difficult to stay motivated. Resist the temptation to sack it off entirely though â€" you want to keep things friendly. Ending on good terms with your boss is definitely a good idea. This means they’re more likely to bear you in mind if they see any similar opportunities. (Also, theyll probably be more keen on giving you a good reference.) That’s not to say you can’t ask for some leeway â€" if you’ve got an interview for another job they should give you the time to go. Think about other options If you were happy in your last role it’s unlikely you thought about other career options, but that’s not to say your next step has to be exactly the same. Leaving a job, even unexpectedly, can give you the space to try something new. If you’ve been in your role a while, it’s worth thinking about whether you have the experience for more senior positions. Or perhaps you’re intrigued by a slightly different career path? Either way, there’s no harm in looking at jobs which aren’t quite the same . After all, you’ll be sure to have racked up plenty of transferable skills. You may even want to consider not applying for another job at all!  Depending on your industry, freelancing or setting up your own business could be a great option. It may be easier when you leave Working a full-time job while also planning your next steps can be tricky and it’s easy to get bogged down in the day to day. Budget your money carefully and you should be able to give yourself a window of time after you leave to keep applying for jobs. Not only will you have more time to put into getting applications right, you’ll also have a clearer head-space to focus on your next steps. Take control of your story Finally, remember your career is yours and yours alone. There’s no shame in losing your job. However, that doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone or post about it on social media if you don’t want too. Tell close friends and family as soon as you’re ready. It’s important to have a support network and you’ll probably find they’ve got suggestions or contacts who could help. Wed advise that you wait until you’ve got your head around the news if you need to. Losing your job is undeniably tough â€" but with a strong support network and creative mind set you’ll get through it. Feature image via Unsplash Images via Giphy Download the Debut app and  get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter Jem Collins is a freelance journalist in London whose work focuses on politics, education and careers.

The Horizontal Cha Cha When its Best to Make a Lateral Career Change - CareerAlley

The Horizontal Cha Cha â€" When it’s Best to Make a Lateral Career Change - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Many professionals have trouble knowing when and how to make a lateral career move. Young careerists, in particular, are often encouraged to stay in one place. Were told to make our jobs into a wheelhouse before considering new opportunities. But, as this video illustrates, theres more to career mobility than mastering a single position and making yourself indispensable to your boss. The benefits of learning new skills and gaining insight into the way each process works as a whole can be invaluable to your future. So, dont be afraid to try out new responsibilities at work. A lateral career will show your organization that you enjoying working with new people and learning new procedures. This is the kind of initiative your boss will remember when its time to fill positions that do come with a prettier paycheck. And with all your lateral experience, youll be a better fit for the job, anyway. Video provided by Onlinemba.com more Career Change This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook

How to Find the Best 2020 Resume Examples

How to Find the Best 2020 Resume ExamplesWhen searching for 2020 resume examples it's important to use the right resources and approach to get the most out of the time you invest. In this article we'll talk about the most effective ways to accomplish that. The right approach to these resources will save you time and keep you focused on the goal.Online resources are great because they give you a jumpstart on your research. You can find a lot of articles, books, and free samples that make the process easier. Before looking for free information, however, you should make sure the resource is legit. Look at the testimonials on the website and check the companies' credentials to make sure they are not a scam.These free resources can also help you in the process of completing your own resume. A lot of the information will be pretty general and you can pick and choose what applies to you. A free trial for the content you are using will let you make sure it works for you.There are many differ ent types of people who apply for jobs. In this case you need to search for an example that applies to you. Often times the examples are for specific positions and you should be able to find examples that are related to the one you are applying for.Some people want to know how long it takes to land a new job. Finding 2020 resume examples that show the average length of time for each position can help them narrow down their search. In many cases a job might have a different experience or length than the example shows.Many good 2020 resume examples come from magazines or websites that focus on the work you do. If the person is not already a member of an organization, it may be worth joining up. It could save you a lot of time and money.All of these resources are great when you're trying to learn about a possible career path. However, if you're already on the job hunt you don't want to waste time learning about one position. That's why it's important to join organizations that match yo ur skills.When searching for resume examples, you should use these resources to get you started. However, you should also take the time to search for something unique to you. This will ensure you stay focused on your job search and ultimately find the best job you can find.