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A Stagnant Career: Reasons It’s Not Taking Off

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Stagnant Career|A Stagnant Career: Reasons It's Not Taking OffEverybody starts a new job in expectation of a successful career. However, after a few years of performing the same duties, you begin to notice a failure to progress in the role. Add that to a static salary and unappreciation of your managers’ skillset, and you may have a stagnant career. Can you relate? For most Americans, a stagnant job is equal to unhappiness at work, and 52.3% of workers believe so. Read on to find reasons for your career stagnation.

1. The non-existence of opportunities for growth

The secret behind progression in any career is the availability of ample and realistic opportunities for growth. Unfortunately, if the company you work for fails to provide these opportunities to unearth all your talents, you will find yourself in a rut. In other instances, it will be entirely wrong to lay blame on your employer. The reason is, if you take an objective look at your situation, you will realize the fault may be yours.

Sometimes, it helps to accept that it is your inability to seize opportunities present at the workplace. Keep in mind that not every chance comes as a self-announcing opportunity. It will take a creative mind to detect how to make use of these cloaked opportunities. As a solution, always be on the lookout for how you can effectively seize these chances to remain and feel useful.

2. Your organization is going downhill

This year, many organizations went out of business due to the ripple effect of the pandemic. If the company you work for is one of such that suffered significant losses, it could be a likely reason for your recently stagnant career. An organization going downhill is only interested in recovering as many assets as it can. Such businesses may care little about employee engagement or harnessing talents. Should you notice such a trend, your best option will be to stay alert for better career prospects. You will likely be saving yourself from the effects of an impending recession or redundancy. Being proactive is of utmost importance here, instead of waiting to receive the terrible news from your bosses.

3. Failure to assess the full effects of a new job

Sometimes, in haste to earn a living after a long period of unemployment, you fail to properly evaluate the terms and conditions when you finally land a job. Unfortunately, this is the problem with most workers around the world, not just in America. For example, you studied music as a university course but failed to land a paying job to make ends meet. After a few years, you get the job opportunity to harness your vocal talents in a music studio. Due to the excitement of finally getting a paying job, you forgot to take necessary hearing loss prevention precautions and begin to lose gigs due to hearing issues. Hearing loss among musicians is a common side effect of this profession. Therefore, it is vital to invest in a custom fit and quality earplugs that musicians use to protect their inner ears.

4. You’re out of sync with your values and passion

Nurturing a career takes a significant dose of a balancing act. Without it, you will begin to feel the unwelcome effects of a stagnant career. Unfortunately, after performing so well in a specific role for years, the tendency to lose track of your initial drive and values is high. Others choose to describe it as ‘working on autopilot.’ It happens to a lot of people in the active workforce, so you’re not alone. To overcome this feeling, it helps to take an annual review of the things you consider essential to your professional life. Doing this allows you to recognize habits that are detrimental to your career’s progress. It will require a good dose of honesty and neutrality to identify unhealthy markers causing you to go out of sync with what drives you.

5. Constant failure to utilize all your skills

Have you ever considered why you were hired in the first place? If no, there you have your answer. Usually, employers hire staff with a skill set they deem necessary to increase productivity and company progress. After a few years (especially after conducting an annual review as mentioned in point 4), you notice most of these skills are still under wraps. Understandably, this causes frustration and a feeling of being stuck in the role. For other people, inadequate use of skills translates into a sense of being overqualified for the job. First of all, you need to determine if it is a matter of a wrong job role or a lack of interest in that career. If it’s either of these, express to your employer your desire to move on to another role within the business where you can employ all your skills.

Whatever your case may be, coming to terms with a stagnant career should be followed by your desire to do better. It is never too late to make a change as long as you identify the problem and how you can overcome them. A stagnated career can negatively impact your mental and physical health. Therefore, take action now.

Increasing Efficiency Within Your Small Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Small Business Efficiency|Increasing Efficiency Within Your Small BusinessWhen you start your own small business, it won’t take long for you to realise that efficiency is one of the most important features that your team must concentrate on. Poor efficiency levels can mean that you spend far too much time on even the simplest of tasks, missing important deadlines and reducing your team’s overall productivity to make certain that you are physically unable to reach and surpass your goals. Luckily, improving efficiency levels within your small business needn’t be as difficult as you might initially expect, as there are just a few key areas in which you can focus your efforts to make a massive difference in no time at all. So if you and your team are ready to boost productivity and improve their pace, then read on to uncover some of the best tips and tricks that you can utilise today!

Motivation Is Key

One of the most essential features of a successfully efficient small business is motivation. If your staff are inspired to give it their all though each and every shift, you’re sure to benefit from increased productivity and a genuine desire to reach and surpass any goals that have been set. Keeping your team motivated needn’t be hard, as you can begin by offering rewards to those who show a particular level of commitment – a prize such as a luxury bottle of wine or a weekend hotel voucher is the perfect encouragement for your staff to really commit to the task at hand. Another way to keep your team motivated is through positive affirmations, as taking the time to personally congratulate and thank your staff for their hard work and dedication will encourage them to feel valued and appreciated. If your team can acknowledge that you really do need (and want) their help, they will be far more serious about providing you and your business with the support you need.

Cutting Transport Times

There’s nothing worse than having to wait for weeks and weeks for a product that you’ve purchased to turn up in the mail, and such an experience can discourage customers from ever purchasing through your store again. Transport reliability can either make or break your small business, as poor travel efficiency can mean that you wait for an age just to receive your materials which then take even longer to reach your customers once a product has been manufactured. Finding an experienced, reliable freight broker is one of the best things that you can do to increase your shipping efficiency levels, as they can act as a middle man in between you and transport companies to get the best service for the best price. Many big brands now offer bonuses like next day or even same day delivery, and this is important to bear in mind when establishing your delivery goals – as a small business you won’t be expected to provide such a service, but aim to keep your postage within a timeframe of 3-5 working days to keep your customers happy.

7 Ways to Get Inspiration When Planning a Logo For Your Business

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Business Logo|7 Ways to Get Inspiration When Planning a Logo For Your BusinessDesigning a logo by yourself can be a complicated process.

After all, you’re only one perspective.

So, what are your options?

Outside inspiration, of course.

Drawn from a source of established brands, popular blogs, and creative designers.

All using market and consumer-related design strategies and trends, proven to communicate your brand’s identity and engage your target audience.

Now all you need is to know where to find them.

Good news, that’s what we’re going to tell you.

Let’s look at 7 ways to get inspiration when planning a logo for your business.

It All Starts with Your Brand

Before you look externally, consider looking internally for ideas for logo creation; after all, your logo’s primary purpose is to represent your brand and what better place to start seeking inspiration than your own story?
Ask yourself the following questions to get your home-grown creative juices flowing:

  • Your Voice: Why does your business exist? Who are you serving? What are your goals and beliefs?
  • Your Market: What designs, colors, and typography are related to your niche?
  • What Qualities do you Prioritize? Are there any images or icons that reflect your brand’s qualities?
  • Brands and Artists: What existing brands or artists match your brand’s voice? Is there anything about their style that connects with your brand? Can you use elements of their work to influence your logo’s design?
  • Create Visuals or Wordplay: Can you use a catchy wordplay or visual to create your slogan or brand name? If so, it’s an excellent strategy for creating a memorable logo

Let Your Competitors Inspire You

Your competitors are in the same market and therefore have the same goals, so it stands to reason that some are using design techniques proven to work for your market place.

Typically, your competitor’s logos will contain proven design tactics that are worth considering. However, should you notice that many are using a similar logo design, it could be beneficial to go in the opposite direction to ensure your brand stands out within your niche.

Big Brands Know All the Tricks!

Big brands have big budgets and employ the best designers who know the latest trends to create their logos, so looking towards theirs is an excellent way of finding up-to-date inspirational ideas.
Also, pay attention to any leading corporations and see if it’s possible to isolate any parts of their logos that are working well and adapt their approach while infusing your own identity to create a truly unique and high performing logo.

Social media Is Always Up To Date

Spend Some Time on Pinterest and other social media platforms to hunt for logo inspiration; Pinterest, in particular, allows you to search by subject matter, so you can narrow your search for art that’s related to your niche.

You’ll find thousands of images, and the inspiration within these platforms is only as infinite as your imagination.

Magazines and Design Blogs Can Also Help You

Magazines and blogs should also be on your inspirational radar, as they regularly publish logo related content in the form of image collections and expertly created logo design galleries.

Image Searches Should Not Be Overlooked

Images are often the essence of a great logo; think about some of your favorite brand logos, do any images to mind?
You can apply the same approach by using any images you can think of that would be a suitable fit for your logo; when you have one, send it to a freelance graphic designer along with your name, you could end up with an instant logo!

Still Stuck! Ask Friends, Family, and Co-Workers.

If you’re still lacking inspiration, bring outside voices into the conversation.

After all, we are a subjective vacuum. Sometimes, it helps to get different perspectives by asking other people for their ideas.

If you have employees, seek their opinion on how they see your business and what connects with their viewpoints. If you’re a solo entrepreneur, there are still plenty of people you can brainstorm with for logo ideas. Ask members of any clubs you’re in or family and friends with business or marketing experience; you never know what skills they have; they might provide you with that inspirational spark you’re seeking.

Strange Ticks Can Be a Sign of Trouble: 3 Things That Can Lead to CNC Machine Failures

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StrategyDriven Tactical Execution Article | Strange Ticks Can Be a Sign of Trouble: 3 Things That Can Lead to CNC Machine FailuresSimilar to any other technological device, the majority of CNC machine problems are caused by insufficient or non-existent maintenance or user error. This means that most issues that a person will run into are within their control. The good news is, there are quite a few things that can be done to avoid these problems in the future.

When it comes to Heavy Duty Machining knowing what can go wrong is half the battle. Keep reading to learn about some of the most common issues that may occur.

1. Causes of Burning on the Exterior Edge of the Material

The good news is that while this issue is common, it is also a problem that is relatively easy to fix. Usually, the issue is the result of a feed speed that is too low or a blunt tool. The first thing to check is to see if the feed speed is right for the material that is being cut. Take time to look at the tool being used, too. Sometimes, all a person has to do is to replace a dull tool with one that is sharper or increase the feed speed if this issue is seen. Keep this in mind to deal with this common issue.

2. Making the Same Mistake More Than Once

The process of CNC machining is something that can take a lifetime to fully understand and learn. There is no point when someone can consider themselves to be a “master” who knows all there is to know about the process. There are new situations that will pop up all the time that require adaptation and new thinking -; even by people who have been using these machines for years or even decades.

This means that someone who wants to use a CNC machine should commit to always learning and taking advantage of new technology and new techniques. If a mistake occurs, see what can be done to change it so that it will not happen again.

3. Chatter

If the CNC machine begins to chatter, it means that it is vibrating while it is working. Chatter is going to occur to the entire machine or just to the tools that are being used. If chatter occurs, then it is going to harm the quality of the work, it will dramatically reduce the tool’s life, and can shorten the CNC machine’s life.

If someone wants to prevent chatter issues from occurring, be sure that the cut depth or width keeps the deflection under 1/1000th of an inch. The majority of CNC machinists will also react as someone slows down with the work that is being done. While this is not always a bad thing, there will be a better solution. Speeding up the work that is being done will also work -; so all a person has to do is to test various RPMs, to begin with.

Dealing with CNC Machining Issues

When it comes to CNC machining there are a lot of things to know. By knowing the various issues that can occur, it is possible to avoid them. Being informed and knowing what to expect when using a CNC machine is essential to make sure that accurate results are achieved.

Online Degrees – The New and Improved Normal

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Online Degrees|Online Degrees - The New and Improved NormalThe world has witnessed around 72,692,481 corona cases so far while encountering more than 1,619,801 deaths. These stats observed in a couple of months have changed millions of lives throughout the globe, calling it a pandemic situation.

So far, it has affected several families, businesses, professionals, and students to the core. While there are so many negative aspects, there are some positives of this pandemic too. And that’s the culture of online studies.

A news report by the U.S. News says that there are more than 6.3 million students in the U.S. enrolled in a type of online course. This number is accelerating in a blazing speed after the advent and excessive usage of virtual learning platforms and sites. Be it the workforce or the students; the present age is moving towards online mediums not to let any unpleasant circumstances hamper the work or studies respectively. This displays the increasing amount of passion and influence of online studies among students.

How can students still carve their career?

A mass majority of students have been considering COVID-19 global pandemic as the sign of ending up their careers and academic journey. But that’s merely a negative vision. The introduction and encouragement of online studies have given rise to many possibilities for students all around the world. With this, pupils can continue to learn and expand their vision of online learning.

So, here we have got you a string of some popular and highly-paid degrees to look upon and build a career with never-ending possibilities.

  • Petroleum engineering – This field is one of the types of engineering associated with the production of hydrocarbons. Generally, these are used in crude oil or as natural gases for multiple purposes. As the costs of crude oil (also referred to as ‘black gold’) is higher than usual, this increases the scope of getting better and higher salaries. A petroleum engineer makes $94,500 a year.
  • Computer science – This stream deals with the software development aspects of computer opening gateways for students to make their career as a software engineer or developer. Here, a student can enrol himself or herself in such programs via online courses and work in various fields like iOS, Android, Hybrid, mobile app development. An average experienced software engineer can make $88,000 per annum.
  • Psychology – Undergoing this academic stream comes with a lot of challenges but perks too. Suppose you decide to go for an online psychology degree. In that case, you open your gateway to multiple highly ranked designations like an educational psychologist, media role player, counselor, psychotherapist, researcher, and social psychologist. However, the actual pay scale depends on the stream you have followed.The last word –

The culture of online learning and studies have gone to the next level. This has resulted in an expanding number of online courses. Where some found it a dilemma to be a part of the online world, others fell in love with the concept of online learning as it introduces extreme flexibility and convenience.