How one can become a successful online tutor

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Online Tutor|How one can become a successful online tutorSchools from pre-schools to universities have turned into online tutoring as most of the interactions have become virtual due to the COVD-19 pandemic. With this shift, online tutoring has increasingly become more common and important.

Moreover, students seeking guidance from online tutoring are becoming increasing worldwide due to the convenience and flexibility offered by online education. As the current spike in online education isn’t going to change anytime soon, it has become the new norm. For the same reason, many online tutors are trying to establish their presence in the online tutoring market.

This blog is a guide to get started and work your way into building an extremely lucrative career in online tutoring and excel as a professional online tutor.

Tips to become a successful online tutor

To become a successful online teaching brand, having valid expertise as an educator is not just enough. You have to be present in the online class and invest your valuable time in communicating with your students and take efforts to make your classes efficient and engaging. Here are some of the tips to become a successful online tutor.

Be available for your students

When running online tutoring classes, understand what your students want to learn and allocate sufficient time to pay attention to them. Pre-announce your class schedules and make sure you are present in the class at least sometime before.

Never make the mistake of communicating with your students through messaging only as this could result in less engagement. Most learners require more intimate support as they need to see and hear from their teacher directly to be truly interested in a subject area.

Conduct regular review sessions so that you can collaborate with your students efficiently and see how their learning curve shapes up.

Implement fun learning

The best online tutors don’t just stick to a particular strategy when taking classes. Instead, they constantly experiment with different strategies to make the learning experience fresh and fun.
Constantly encourage your students to take up new assignments, write blogs about the topics they are learning, participate in different activities so that the learning experience becomes engaging for them. Even the most disciplined students need a change to stay motivated when attending your online classes.

Encourage critical thinking

Education is not confined to learning facts, it must encourage learners to share opinions, analyze ideas, and take steps to implement theoretical knowledge to solve particular problems. A good online teacher not only helps their students to pass an assignment, but also encourages them to be responsible citizens who can make a change in the world.

Allow students to learn at their own pace

Each student has their own learning style and speed when it comes to learning anything. Some learners might take a short time to grasp a subject, whereas others might take a long time. Some students enjoy social interaction, whereas others prefer to participate indirectly.

It is important to communicate with students who are not interactive in classes as well. These students might be leaning fine, but they might need a bit of support from your side to progress. Keep track of their progress by setting regular assignments to make sure they stay top of the learning process.

Make learning personal

As already said, each student has different learning interests and styles. To cater to your online classes to suit the individual needs of your students, try to understand your students and their requirements.

Some students like to learn through interactive activities, whereas, some are reflective learners who like to read through the learning materials and process it. Good online tutors would offer online classes according to the learning style of each student by deciding what approach to follow in each scenario.

Keep your video tutorials short

If you are offering video tutorials to your students, make sure you keep your videos short instead of delivering long lectures. Videos no longer than 15 minutes can cause distractions and slow downloading.
If you have to include a lot of points about the same subject, consider recording two or more short videos. Also, be precise when crafting the content on your videos, never drag the topic.

Craft great presentations and learning materials

Educators must be aware of how poor presentations can affect the reputation of their online classes negatively. Use online tools that are present in your online tutoring website to create engaging presentations that will not only add a professional look to your classes but also helps in advancing the pace of learning among your students.

To facilitate the same, use professional virtual tutoring software that features essential features and functionalities to create professional-looking and functional learning resources.

For example, you can use a software like Pinlearn that is blended with the tons of the best features that allow you to create an online tutoring brand. Make sure you use modern technology to grow your online tutoring brand in a way it makes the learning process convenient and efficient for your students.

Provide interactive learning activities

Most online tutoring platforms feature a wide range of functionalities to create engaging learning activities like assignments, quizzes, and puzzles.

Along with creating interactive activities for your students, provide step-step guidance to your learners on how to complete them successfully. Creating engaging activities for your student will help to foster their academic and creative skills.

Set reasonable expectations

When you create assignments and learning activities for your students, make sure you set reasonable expectations. Ensure that all the assignments can be successfully completed by your students by referring to the given learning materials.

Also, ask your students to write a summary of your video classes. These kinds of small tasks will help to bring the best responses and results from your learners.

Leverage group communication carefully

Group collaborations should not be used for general teaching sessions regularly. Use group communication carefully. Use group classes to offer support to your students and to check if there are any issues that need to be addressed.

These sessions can also be great to collect learner feedback on your online classes and teaching style as well. You can either make group classes mandatory or optional according to the interest and requirements of your students.

Conclusion

Online education has grown leaps and bounds since its inception. These days’ educators are looking for how to create an online course and take their business forward. Students across the world are looking for online teachers who can deliver personalized learning experiences to suit the personal learning objectives and learning styles of students.

For becoming a successful online tutor, you must be able to customize your classes by adapting to the strengths and weaknesses of learners along with delivering classes to the learner’s medium of interest.
Following the above-discussed tips will help you evolve as a successful online tutor. Hope this blog has helped to gain some significant insights on growing your online tutoring brand. Please share your valuable feedback as comments below. We would like to hear from you.

About the Author

Kathy Alameda works as leading expert on building and implementing learning strategies. She has led learning & performance improvement projects form last few years. Currently marketing consultant at https://www.pinlearn.com/

What Are Professional Development Goals?

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Professional Development Goals|What Are Professional Development Goals?OK, many of you will ask –

So, what is professional development anyways?

Here’s a short answer.

Professional development can give you the chance to grow and expand your knowledge on the subjects that matter to you. It can offer you access to the outcomes that you want and help you evolve personally.

Why set goals?

Career development is quite challenging to achieve without goals. If you can set the right ones constantly, you might actually get exactly what you need. Gaining more experience must be planned to figure out the next step of the way. You will become more motivated and determined to succeed by having a clear objective in mind. If you want to expand your skills in a specific domain, you must learn more about the topic and then, practice. For example, expanding your computer skills could be associated with taking a Photoshop course.

Setting career goals encourages constant development. You will soon learn that you have skills that stand out in other industries. To continue on our example, if you are a computer scientist, you might as well work in the digital arts field now.

If you don’t know how to set goals, don’t worry about it. That’s okay. You’re here to learn how to do it right. Take a look at some of our ideas and let us know what you think.

Complete a leadership program

Completing a leadership program will offer you the tools that you need to become empowered. If you are not in a leadership position as of now, you might be after you’ll graduate from such a program. Leadership programs are appealing to new companies as well as new roles within your company. So, if you’re tired of doing the same job and want to attract new potential opportunities, a leadership program might be what you’re looking for.

“Leadership training can empower you to succeed, teach you valuable skills, can help you get to the next level, teach you how to work with people (and influence them), how to build a team, and how to avoid major mistakes,” according to dissertation help specialist and the team leader, Christina Wanger.

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Professional Development Goals|What Are Professional Development Goals?Complete a professional degree or certificate

Another useful career development goal is earning a certificate or professional degree in your field (or any other field for that matter). Continuing to develop your skills shows persistence and determination and can be an extraordinary asset. If you’ll want to change careers or apply for a promotion, your resume must stand out, and you must show willingness to improve. You could sign up for Marketing or SEO training to expand some of the most valuable skills on the market.

Tip: some companies agree to invest in professional development programs for their employees, so you must want to check with your firm on that.

Get out of your shell

Knowing your department only can be limiting. If you have no idea how other departments in your office function, you’ll never be able to contribute more to the company. Learn what roles each person has within the company and how habits can determine outcomes. Shadow each department over the next quarter or so and build a wider understanding of what it means to work in a different field. You will gain lots of experience!

Ask for constant feedback

Receiving transparent and honest feedback is one of the best ways in which you can professionally develop. You must know what you can improve in order to make the changes. Getting your team’s and employer’s perspective on your practices can have a crucial impact – it can teach you what works and what doesn’t. As long as you focus on correcting the don’ts and improving the do’s, everything’s good.
Get feedback on your behavior, work practices and ethics. Ask your colleagues and boss about your skills – where could you improve, writing skills maybe? Check on them at least once a month and take on new projects to exert those skills and improve them. For example, see some essay writing service reviews when you’re specializing in IT, where there is no direct connection with the content writing. It can only broaden your perspective and sharpen your mind.

Improve your performance

Improving your work performance could be an outcome of the actions that you’re taking towards your goal, but it could also be a mindset. If you know that you can succeed, then prove it to yourself by increasing work performance. Some of the ways in which you could do that:
Set milestones on all of your projects to stay organized.

  • Plan and prioritize your work accordingly to stay on top of it.
  • Plan your meetings effectively.
  • Get those difficult assignments out of the way first.
  • Eliminate disruptions.
  • Have a well-defined schedule.
  • Acknowledge your weaknesses and strengths.
  • Finish what you started.
  • Get promoted

If getting promoted is on your bucket list, now it’s the time to plan it out. Applying for a promotion can be random but it’s definitely more effective when prepared for. After you’ve completed your desired training and got your certificates, you can start thinking about getting promoted. Make a list of all the projects you’ve accomplished, don’t forget to mention how essential you are to the team (performance metrics!), and show how many new skills you’ve learned. Make sure you know WHY you want a promotion – what is the reason behind it? Personal development is, for example, a really good one. Remember, only those excited can lead!

Network

You must already know that improving your networking skills can increase your chances of accessing new opportunities. If you can begin to network ahead of time, you will be able to have quite a wide range of new contacts before changing careers or applying for a promotion. The best way to network is by attending conferences, professional development events, and being present on social media (especially LinkedIn), EssayWritingLand advises. LinkedIn can actually be one of the best ways to reach out to people, especially during the pandemic!

Enhance your communication skills

Delivering clear information is crucial to advancing professionally. So it’s receiving it. Thus, consider enhancing your communication an essential goal. You could sign up for public speaking classes or debate courses. You could also take notes on how to deliver better PowerPoint presentations. Verbal communication should be your first goal; but that doesn’t mean you should forget about your writing skills.

Making sure your e-mails and letters are error-free is important. It will show professionalism and might increase your chances of getting promoted even more. Keep your content concise and use professional writing tools to stay on track.

Learn to collaborate

Learning to collaborate with your colleagues is another important objective to keep in mind. Working adequately within a team shows your advisor that he or she can depend on you. If you are, for example, working on a project right now, taking initiative would be priceless. You could start organizing the meetings and discussing the progress with your team as well as your boss. Make sure you listen to everyone carefully and thoroughly. If you disregard someone’s view from the very first start and then offer your opinion, that conversation will not be productive.

Volunteer to learn something new

We’ve already discussed this but learning a new skill is essential to your progress. If you work in the advertising industry, teaching yourself a new programming skill can be super valuable. It shows an ability to embrace the new and take on challenges. It also shows courage and determination, as well as strong willpower!

Conclusion

Your goals are an important part of career development, so make sure you set them right. The above goals are just some examples, but feel free to come with new ones if you feel like it. Integrate these new habits into your routine and then, watch it happening. Good luck!

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Tiffany HarperTiffany Harper is a training guru who’s been working in the corporate sector for over a decade now. She is a management graduate and loves to share her experience through blogs and articles. If you want to find an essay writing service in the UK, she also provides some freelance help with lab report writing service. If you need a consultation from a trustworthy source like Dissertation-today.com, Tiffany is your go-to.

“Covering” Your Career Trajectory: Climbing up the Insurance Industry Ladder

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Insurance Industry|“Covering” Your Career Trajectory: Climbing up the Insurance Industry LadderEvery career path usually comprises a ladder of sorts. Arguably, the only exception to the rule is those working in the creative industries. But if you have been eyeing up a career path in the insurance industry, what is the best trajectory?

The Wide Variety of Gateway Roles

You could start out as a broker or claims agent, as well as numerous other roles, but this gives you a thorough grounding to progress within the industry. The insurance industry is a very mobile one. And it is common for people to gain experience in multiple career paths. The best thing for you to do is to try a role that feels like the best fit. And one of the best ways to gain access to mobility in the industry would be to obtain a CIP (Chartered Insurance Professional) designation as early as possible. There are a wide variety of ways for you to improve your knowledge, from the Ambetter contracting opportunities to short courses online. But once you get an understanding of the gateway roles that can provide you with an idea of how to progress, you can venture into one of the four popular insurance careers:

Underwriting

Underwriting provides a thorough base knowledge of a wide variety of policies. The more complex the policy works, the wider the knowledge you get. It gives you an opportunity to liaise with customers directly while also protecting your employer from risk. As such it can be the perfect opportunity to build strong relationships with both sides and you can get recognized and rewarded for the right choices, which can help you progress up the ladder.

Sales

Quite a hard-nosed approach, but some people take to it like a duck to water. It’s all about achieving sales targets while also keeping customers happy. The best approach to progress up this career ladder is to develop a wide variety of knowledge and demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning. You can then become a subject matter expert or progress on to a supervisor or management role.

Claims

One of the positions that require a significant amount of contact with customers. It’s not for everyone because of the contact center nature of the role. But it’s a perfect place to start your insurance career trajectory by doing the grunt work. By getting a wide variety of knowledge through this career route and learning to handle all your claims adequately, you can get recognized for progression. It can lead towards manager or supervisor roles, and you could become an independent adjuster that represents a wide variety of insurance companies.

Actuary

One of the most important roles in insurance because it requires taking exams. However, it becomes a more fulfilling role in many ways because you work on projects that require various degrees of risk while analyzing trends and establishing premiums for products. It requires a wide knowledge of niche subject matter expertise, and is a fundamental component of the insurance industry.

Climbing up the insurance career ladder is not just a singular journey. As you can see, there are a wide variety of roles suitable for anybody looking to make their mark.

Young and Determined: 5 Tips to Start Walking Towards a Bright Future as a Student Athlete

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Student Athlete|Young and Determined: 5 Tips to Start Walking Towards a Bright Future as a Student AthleteStudent athlete? To many people, that’s the ultimate oxymoron. After all, you’re either a student or an athlete, right? And never the two shall meet. While on campus, if you happen to be an athlete, it often feels like you have a sign on your back that says, “Dumb Jock.”

Many people don’t stop to realize that being in your situation serves two purposes: it helps a student get through school and it polishes a school’s image. It should also be no secret that being an athlete can lead to great things in the future. All it takes is some polish on your game as well as your image. The first is in your hands. The second is the business of Creatitive.

5 Tips for a Bright Future

Focus on the Job

Anyone who believes that it’s no big deal to be in your situation has probably never tried it. This is because it really is a lot of work to balance all the responsibilities. Being a student and an athlete is a continual mix of practice, class, weights, study, eat, sleep, and doing it all again tomorrow. The secret of effectively handling all of this, without losing your mind is balance. Between being a student and being an athlete, it’s a full-time job. Treat it that way by effectively managing time to make sure everything gets its rightful share of attention.

Keep Them Posted

If professors know what you are doing, they will expect that there will be missed classes. However, this does not absolve you of the responsibility to keep them informed about your schedule and make sure that there are arrangements in place to get notes, take tests, turn in assignments, and manage anything else related to studies.

Avoid “Imposter Syndrome”

There will be a time in your college career when you feel like you are considered a big, dumb jock. It’s easy to feel like you don’t fit in when this happens, either because of a lack of confidence or poor treatment by others. This is the time to step out of the comfort zone. Make an honest effort to cultivate friends outside of the regular circle. Explore a new interest with someone else.

Don’t be “That Guy”

There’s always one in the crowd. Everybody knows him, but nobody can stand having him around. He’s the one who causes everyone grief. Instead, go out of your way to be a part of things. Show up on time, regardless of whether it’s for practice, class, or study. Be responsible and reliable from the start. If you are going to be late, let someone know. Because of all this, you will have something more valuable than anything else, a good reputation.

Command Your Brand

Signing in as an athlete will mean that you will stand out from day one of your college career. You are not only the face of your team; you are the face of your college or university. Make that face a good one.

Whatever you do as a college athlete, do your best. One black mark can ruin a career. It’s not about you. It’s about the team and contributing as a teammate. Make your contribution as a teammate a good one.

How To Become Successful In The Fashion Industry

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Fashion Industry|How To Become Successful In The Fashion IndustryRegardless if you’re launching a clothing brand or you want to make your fashion business known globally, there are various ways on how to be successful in the fashion industry.

While it’s helpful to have a little experience, it’s easy to learn about fashion as you go using online resources, books or classes. What you need is a thoughtful business plan and some brilliant marketing ideas for your fashion company to take the first step on that path of success.

Below are some of the ways to become successful in the fashion industry:

1. Create A Recognizable And Strong Brand Identity

If you don’t have any clue on how to create a brand identity, there are many ways to find out how. For starters, you can check out a podcast about marketing. You can research online, or seek the help of a professional. Like any business, you would want to stand out from others in a distinct way. In order for your brand to do well and be unique, determine what concepts, ideas or actions represent your brand and make it different from your competitors’.

For instance, you may only sell dresses that fit a certain style or look, or maybe all your clothing is made sustainably. In that case, you will want to create a unique logo to illustrate what your brand is all about. It should incorporate certain elements to relate what it is you’re offering.

2. Think Of Your Niche

In the fashion industry, it’s always important to stand out if you want to become successful. The primary goal, then, is to know your niche and establish your identity on that.

It’s also better to be a master of a certain niche than focusing on multiple ones. In this way, you’ll recognize if you do one thing well instead of trying to please your audience by creating or designing a lot of products.

For instance, if you offer bridal wear, never try offering swimsuits. Also, if your passion is women’s shoes and accessories, don’t include non-related things in your line, like items for babies. Just focus on your niche and seek to be recognized in that first before you expand.

3. Build A Network

Building a network is easier said than done. You really have to work hard for it. A successful business strategy means checking in with your customers, connections or followers. Drop them a line or a text saying hello. Ask for their input. Keep them posted on your business.

A lot of brands accomplish this by connecting with their customers on a regular basis via social media or blogs. Your willingness to build a long-lasting and honest relationship is what builds a good network around the fashion industry.

StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Fashion Industry|How To Become Successful In The Fashion Industry4. Take Advantage Of Social Media For Promotion

Make an account in social media platforms, like Instagram, to post photos and captions of your clothing items. Then, don’t forget to use hashtags to get all of your posts seen by your audience. While Instagram is most helpful in promoting fashion brands, other social media platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook may help you reach a bigger audience.

If possible, try to post daily in order to offer lots of content, and stay consistent. Keep your accounts professional and updated. That includes your contact details on your professional website.

5. Listen To Feedback

Whether it’s from your staff or customers, it’s critical to take feedback into consideration. This will enable you to make some helpful improvements, thus making your brand better and more successful. Constructive feedback helps you determine which changes you can apply to your business in order to provide the best possible fashion items for your customers.

Moreover, if people are unsatisfied, or if they offer you advice on how to make your brand better, make sure to take note of it so you may refer back to them later.

6. Dress For Success

Appropriate attire and good grooming are crucial in the fashion industry. It’s your look that reflects your exceptional professional abilities. It has been noted that those who have been successful in the fashion industry dress to further their brand. They emulate the styles that their clients desire in both appearance and value. Whether it’s their shoes, or handbags, or accessories, moguls in the fashion industry dress for success.

7. Stay Updated With The Trends

Individuals who are passionate about what they do continuously advance by understanding the current trends in which their target audience is interested. You may do this by subscribing to fashion magazines, checking fashion social media influencers, and reading fashion articles online.

The formula to success in the fashion industry is a combination of flowing with the trends while keeping it unique for your customers. Comfort, style, elegance, and functionality are all vitally important with regards to fashion. Each of these elements can come and go with the latest trend. To be successful, there’s a balance that needs to be met between your core value and what the next craze is in society.

Conclusion

Whether you’re starting your own fashion brand or attempting to be perched at the top of the fashion industry, the competition can be tough. Just like with any trade, it’s sometimes hard to establish your brand because the fashion industry is filled with creative and like-minded individuals. But regardless of your niche or experience, it’s always possible to be successful in this industry. All you have to do is to work hard and believe in your passion.