A Guide to Data & Its Viability in Business

No matter who you are and what you do for a living, you’ve probably heard people talking outlandishly about data. “Data is the new oil,” they might say. Or “data is digital gold.” While these statements take out the context and are a little extreme, the importance of data can’t quite be overstated.

It has become currency for all kinds of digital, social media, and technology companies. As it turns out, people’s information is very significant. It can help inform all kinds of business decisions, even the creation of new products and services. Data shapes our digital world with algorithmic results. Whether you are interested in advancing technology or just want to get a better grasp on it all, below is a guide to data and its viability in business.

What is Data?

Essentially, data is any piece of information that is collected for analysis and reference. In the digital world, it is more complex. Every time you visit a website, data is created. When you post on social media, data is created. Data, in the sense of cyber security, is the digital information that shows where the person was, what they did, and how they did it online. It is also the information that people give to companies when they make a purchase or sign up for a purchase. Data is any number of digital information that is compiled, stored, analyzed, and traded amongst companies.

Why Data is So Valuable

Data is valuable because it can be used to make profit. Whether it’s by gathering that data that shows which ads people are responding to on social media or data that shows what people in a specific region prefer about a product, data can inform businesses and provide new ways to analyze the information. It can help a business get to know their customer base. For example, properly analyzed data can be put into software, composed as graphs, and categorized carefully to make precise representations of people’s wants, needs, behavior, and desires. It can reveal a lot to a business about what is working and what isn’t. It can help them create new products, services, and branding.

Data Accuracy vs. Data Integrity

Of course, the data that is used for these purposes needs to be valid. There is a difference between the accuracy of the data and its integrity, but both are vital. Data accuracy is the quality of the data a company collects. If the quality is high, the business can base pivotal decisions on it. Accuracy means that it reflects reality. Accurate data will prove its worth by showing up correct in the tangible operations of a business.

On the other hand, data integrity is how consistent and relevant this information stays over time. Data could be very accurate when it is initially gathered, but as time goes on these numbers change and the integrity of the data could be compromised by failing to remain accurate or significant to what the business is doing. Both data accuracy and integrity are instrumental, and there are third party companies that provide services to help you understand the accuracy and integrity of data sets.

The Future of Data

As more and more data is collected by businesses both large and small, it will become increasingly effective. Businesses will buy and sell data legally whether it is moral. Data will be analyzed not just by humans with software, Excel, and graphs, it will be analyzed by artificial intelligence. AI can organize and deeply analyze large sets of data in seconds. It can create accessible images and graphs to work with. It can even provide direct solutions to problems and ideas for new revenue streams. The future of data is not fully known, but one thing is for sure. It will remain incredibly vital to business and technology.

Whether you are skeptical about this technological future or are excited about these incredible changes, there is no way to stop it. Data has been used to make profit for businesses for years already and it is only becoming more sophisticated. However you feel about it all, it is important to watch as data usage evolves and determine how it can best be used to benefit humanity—not just a handful of wealthy investors. 

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5 Reasons Every Business Should Have a Blog

Did you know that about eight in 10 consumers trust blog content and that nine in 10 companies use some sort of content marketing strategy? 

If you don’t have a blog for your company, you should consider the benefits of doing a 180-degree turn. Blogs provide businesses with advantages that shouldn’t be overlooked. Let’s take a look at five reasons businesses need a blogging strategy.

  1. Increase Website Traffic

Having a website is essential if you own a business. But people won’t visit your site just because it exists. There are around 1.88 billion websites online today. So, simply having a website on the world wide web isn’t nearly enough. You need a way to interest consumers and attract eyeballs. One way you can do so is by adopting a consistent blogging strategy. Studies demonstrate that businesses that blog can bring in more consumers than businesses that don’t. The more traffic you bring to your site, the more opportunities you’ll get to gain additional customers. And this means more potential revenue, so you can’t afford not to start a blogging strategy.

  1. Demonstrate Industry Expertise

Another reason it makes sense to start a blogging strategy is that you can demonstrate your subject matter expertise. No matter what industry you operate in, consumers want to find service providers who are on top of things and can provide expert commentary. So, you’re missing out if you’re not blogging to share insights with customers and prospective customers.

“For my law firm, the articles I write for my blog give prospective clients an idea of how I think and show that I’m keeping up with changes in the nuances of my area of law,” says Rowdy Williams from Rowdy G. Williams Law Firm P.C. “It’s also a place for me to write about successes I’ve had with clients, which helps with credibility and conversion.”

Consumers know that one of the best ways to tell if a service provider will help them is to see how they’ve assisted customers in the past. So, demonstrating how your business has met the needs of customers will help potential clients see that your business is worth patronizing.

  1. Differentiate Your Company From the Competition

You can also use a blogging strategy to differentiate your company from competitors. Focus on explaining the value proposition you offer to customers. You can do this by demonstrating how your products and services can meet the needs of consumers. If you’re blogging, but your competitors aren’t, you can gain a competitive advantage that sets you apart in a good way.

  1. Engage With Consumers

Blogging is also a way you can encourage engagement with consumers. They can respond in the comment section, you can react to their comments and suggestions, and they can share your content with people they know. Engagement will expand your business’ reach, build trust between your company and consumers, and strengthen brand loyalty.

  1. Tell Consumers More About Your Business

You can use blogging to let consumers know more about your company. Consumers want to make informed buying decisions. Before they patronize a business, they want to know they can trust it to provide the best products and services. Do your products and services require explanations? You can set up question-and-answer content so people can get the answers they need to make informed decisions. 

Another way to let consumers know more about your business is to combine a blogging strategy with a social media strategy. Doing so can help you supercharge efforts to reach out to customers and potential customers so that they know what your business is about.

Starting a blog is a good idea if you operate a business. In this digital age, you can’t afford to ignore the benefits that a blog offers. 

 

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4 Problems Businesses are Facing and How to Solve Them

In today’s ever-changing world, running a successful business is increasingly difficult, especially for smaller companies. If you are trying to run a good business, read on to learn about four of the most significant issues you might face and how to solve them!

1. New Hires

Due to sweeping social changes and many jobs becoming automated, many people are not working as much. They find other means of income, such as welfare plans, to take care of themselves. This results in many businesses being short-staffed.

Finding good staff who will work hard is becoming increasingly difficult. However, it is not impossible. One of the best ways to find hard-working staff is by searching online for a “staffing agency near me.” A website like that can not only help you find employees, but it can help you find employees who are professional, experienced, and know what needs they need to fulfill for your business.

2. Staff Retention

Not only are businesses having trouble finding employees, but many are also struggling to keep the employees they already have. The last thing you want for your company is a high turnover rate.

To combat the increasing turnover rate, there are a few things that you can do. The most important thing you can do is pay your employees well. Inflation is rising, and many people are struggling to make ends meet. So, they will often move to different employers based on which one is paying the best.

Also, a pleasant work environment will make staff want to stay longer. A good work environment is the second most important thing to employees behind good wages. People do not want to be miserable every time they go to work.

3. Decreasing Productivity

Another issue facing many companies is a decrease in productivity. Many different things can cause this.

One of the most significant issues causing this might be a lack of training. If your employees are unsure how to do their jobs properly, they will not do the job well.

It could also be because managers are not supervising well. They could not be assigning tasks appropriately, or they may not be keeping employees focused on their work.

Also, a lack of proper equipment may be causing some of this decrease. Technology and equipment are constantly developing. This means that there may be equipment that will make your staff’s job more accessible that they may not have. If you can find and provide your team with the best technology and equipment that your business can afford to get, you may be able to increase your productivity.

4. Preparing for Change

The business world is constantly changing. Popular products come in and out of style. New sales strategies emerge and evolve. Market trends and forces continually shift. If you refuse to be flexible, your business won’t survive these changes.

Sometimes you may have to cut ties with business partners, pick up new ones, or move locations. It is these types of things that you, as a business owner, might have to do to stay in business.

You will also want to understand how the market works. Understanding these trends can help you change your business strategies to keep up with competitors.

Summary

Keeping up with changing times doesn’t have to be a headache. Running a business well is never easy, but you know you’re up to the challenge.

If you can find reliable, long-term staff and embrace changes as they appear, you’ll consistently grow your business and find it a far less stressful task. Best of luck!

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3 Ways to Improve Your Growing Business

At some point in time, you will notice that your business is outgrowing your resources. This is a good thing! However, you need to make sure that you know what you are doing to help your business grow.

Read on if you have a growing company and need help knowing what to do.

1. Ensure You Have Enough Staff

As your business grows, you will find that there will be too much work and insufficient staff. This can become an issue because you and the few employees you have will quickly burn out. When you and your team are burned out, it can lead to people quitting and lousy work.

Sadly, there is a significant labor shortage, causing all businesses, no matter the size, to struggle with filling roles. This has many consequences:

  • Customers have to wait longer
  • Work is not getting done on time
  • Employees are being overworked
  • Businesses are stuck trying to figure out how to compensate for this issue

This is why finding a “staffing agency near me” is a critical moment in your company’s life. Finding enough well-trained and well-equipped staff members can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, there are plenty of websites and tools to help you find the right employee for your company.

Working closely with an agency can help direct the right people your way. This way, you get in contact with people who are genuinely interested in working for your organization and waste less time scouring through half-hearted cover letters.

2. Use Technology to Your Advantage

Technology is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, and it isn’t slowing down. It has been especially useful for businesses of all sizes. With technology being able to do many of the tasks that human employees were able to do, many companies can make up for the labor shortage.

Having the best technology and equipment for you and your team to use is crucial for your business. You want your team to work well and efficiently. It is much easier if you all have the correct tools to complete your work. Whether that means you need the best lawn care machines or the latest and greatest computer software, ensure your team is only working with the best equipment so they can give their best work.

3. Advertise on Social Media

Technology hasn’t only proven helpful in automating complex tasks; technology supports your advertisement design and public relations work through social media.

Apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have greatly helped businesses increase brand visibility and boost the number of eyes on their products. YouTube is an exceptionally engaging way of advertising because you can make a short video advertisement instead of just a poster or photo for your company and products.

Social media platforms make it much easier for your clients to connect, engage, and communicate with you and your team while giving you the potential to reach billions of people.

Making a name for your company and becoming well known are crucial parts of your company’s development. Social media is the newest and best way to do that. Make sure you become well acquainted with all the social media apps and use them to your advantage.

Don’t Hesitate to Improve Your Business

Improving your business can be scary as there is often a considerable amount of risk involved. However, it’s even riskier not to take the steps mentioned above.

By having a solid team, using modern equipment and software, and getting your name out there through social media, you can see tremendous growth for your company.

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8 Advantages of Using Online Appointment Systems

The scheduling process is a challenge for many companies. If not done well, it can lead to disappointment and loss of customers. That’s why many companies are resorting to online appointment systems to make managing customers much easier for employees.

Here are the top eight advantages of using an online scheduling system.

1. It Makes Scheduling Easier

Today, many people like to do things online from the comfort of their couches. If you’ve not taken your services to the online space, the chances are high that you’ll lose your customers to your competitors.

It’s a lot easier to book an appointment, hotel room, or meeting place online than to visit a physical office. Furthermore, customers will use your website to understand your services and make decisions. If you include online booking on your website, you’ll have a competitive advantage against your competitors.

2. Easy and Quick for Customers

Once you decide which services customers can book on the internet, only those services will appear on the appointment form. This makes it easier for customers to choose the services they need and book them in the shortest time possible.

In addition, the booking form has slots for entering dates and times and allows customers to make payments. For example, https://missed.com/ offers seamless payment processing and supports credit cards and auto-charge. The booking system will also be available 24/7, meaning a customer can book any time and anywhere without restricting themselves to office working hours.

3. Appointments Appear Automatically in Your Diary

By syncing your diary and the online appointment system, you can reduce the time it takes to schedule tasks. All appointments booked will appear in your diary and your engineer’s and employees’ calendars. This means you’ll eliminate the need to enter appointments manually, freeing more time for your staff to concentrate on the core business operations.

4. It Leads to a High Conversion Rate

Your potential customers are highly likely to convert if you make everything easier for them. For example, when a potential customer visits your website, they’ll convert easily if you provide a way to book directly on the website. If not, they can look elsewhere.

5. Reduces Mistakes

Online scheduling reduces human errors because the customers will enter their own details. Unfortunately, this is not the case when your staff makes the entry. Some of your employees may misspell customers’ names and enter incorrect payment details, contact details, and event dates and times. Human errors can have devastating effects on your business.

6. Better Security

Online booking systems use cloud storage, making them more secure than traditional scheduling methods. In the traditional methods, customers’ data is kept in a single database where hackers can easily access it.

You can enhance the security of your system by using a VPN (a virtual private network) that only trusted employees can access. A virtual private network masks your company identity and encrypts data to make it hard for cybercriminals to gain access.

7. Saves Money

With an online booking system, you’ll cut costs on paperwork, and even on salaries, you’d pay extra staff you employ to handle your schedules.

8. Improved Insight

Online booking systems generate reports that are crucial for making business decisions. For example, the system can show you the peak hours when many people prefer to get your services.

Conclusion

You now know the advantages of using an online booking system. When you convert to meaning online appointments through booking software, you can expect a much easier booking process for customers and more efficient management from employees.

The best way to go about switching to online appointment booking is to choose a reliable system with great reviews and a professional management team as customer support.

 

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Effective Ways to Become Financially Independent

There are many benefits to becoming financially independent. When you have control over your finances, you can do things like retire sooner, travel more, and spend time with family and friends. There are many different ways to become financially independent, but not all are effective. This blog post will discuss the most effective ways to gain control over your financial future.

Invest in Yourself

One of the best ways to become financially independent is to invest in yourself. This can be done by taking courses on financial literacy, learning new skills related to money management, or starting your own business.

When you invest in yourself, you increase your earning potential and set yourself up for success. Self-investment allows individuals to grow their skill set, knowledge and earning potential.

It is a means to an end; there are no guarantees in life, but when you invest in yourself, the chances of achieving your goals increase dramatically. It allows one to stand out from the competition and work more intelligently as they control their time.

Manage Your Credit

This means knowing your credit score and working to improve it. A good credit score can help you get lower interest rates on loans and save money in the long run. You can start using a credit builder card for everyday purchases. Doing so means the money spent on groceries, gas, and other essentials get counted towards your positive credit history. Follow up by getting a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every year.

Live Below Your Means

Living below one’s means can be problematic in the short term, but it is a great way to achieve long-term financial stability. It requires self-control and discipline, but the rewards are worth it.

Not only will you be able to save more money each month, but you will also reduce your stress levels and have more peace of mind.

Make a Budget and Stick to it

Making and following a budget is one of the most effective ways to take control of your finances. It requires discipline and self-control, but it is worth it in the long run. A budget will help you track your spending, save money, and reduce your financial stress.

Automate Your Finances

Automating your finances is a great way to stay on top of your payments and avoid overspending. It is also a great way to reduce stress, as you never have to worry about forgetting to make a payment or accidentally going over budget.

Invest in a 401k or IRA

When you invest in a retirement account, you are setting yourself up for success in the future. This money will grow over time and can cover expenses in retirement.

Investing in a retirement account is one of the most innovative things you can do for your future. The money you contribute will grow over time and cover expenses in retirement. With just a few hundred dollars per month, you can start small and increase your contributions as your income grows.

Make a List of Financial Goals

When you have specific goals, you are more likely to achieve them. This list can include things like saving for a down payment on a house or buying a new car.

Making a list of financial goals is one of the best ways to achieve them. When you have specific goals, you are more likely to stay on track and achieve them. Your list can include short-term goals, like saving for a down payment on a house, or long-term goals, like retirement.

Cut Back on Expenses

This means that you should find ways to reduce the amount of money you spend each month on things like food, transportation, and entertainment. Cutting back on expenses can be difficult, but it is worth it in the long run.

When you reduce the amount of money you spend each month, you will have more money to save and invest. You can also use this extra money to pay down debt or cover unexpected expenses. The best way to cut back on expenses is to find ways to reduce your transportation costs, food costs, and entertainment costs.

Track Your Net Worth

Tracking your net worth is a great way to stay on top of your finances. When you know your net worth, you can see exactly where you stand financially and make changes as needed. Depending on your preference, you can track your net worth monthly or yearly.

Have an Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is a crucial part of financial independence. You don’t have to worry about covering unexpected expenses with an emergency fund. With just a few hundred dollars, you can start small and increase your savings as your income grows.

Becoming financially independent is a difficult task, but it is possible. If you are willing to change your spending and saving habits, you can achieve financial independence. These ten effective ways will help you get there.

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Courses To Consider Taking Before Starting A Business

There’s been an increase in the number of people interested in starting a business. Some people have always dreamed of being the boss, while the decline in job security encouraged others to jump on the bandwagon. Although there’s nothing wrong with setting out on your own, many people leap without having a complete understanding of what they’re getting into. Ultimately, their businesses barely turn a profit or fall by the wayside after only a few years. 

How can you prevent this from happening to you? By learning everything you can about owning a business. While you will still face challenges along the way, it’s easier to bounce back and press on to success when you’re well-educated. If you’re thinking about starting a business this year, find the appropriate learning platform, brush up on your Cornell Note taking skills, and consider taking professional development courses such as these listed below. 

Business Management

Managing a business is about more than just having a good idea, introducing it to the marketing, and waiting for sales. If you’re going to remain successful, you must learn how to be an effective leader, develop solid plans with actionable steps, resolve problems, work with different personalities, collaborate, and manage teams. 

While some of this comes with time, a business management course can give you the basics. You’ll learn things like business planning, decision-making, ethics, and laws, which will help you navigate any organization you intend to run. 

Finance And Accounting

Novice entrepreneurs make many mistakes when it comes to business finance and accounting. They merge personal and business finances, fail to develop budgets, waste money, mismanage their taxes, and so much more. The outcome could prove detrimental and take years to bounce back from. 

Even if you hire an accountant to take care of your finances, a good entrepreneur should know the basics. A general finance and accounting course would teach you how to create a budget, manage expenses, generate financial reports, comply with local and federal taxes, allocate payroll, make investments, and more. 

Marketing

No matter how great your business idea is, if no one knows it exists, you’ll have a hard time turning a profit. That’s where marketing comes into play. Many hopeful business owners don’t realize that it’s a multi-faceted, complicated, ongoing task. Sure, you could create a website, write a few blog posts, and share your business on social media, but if you’re not in tune with the latest trends or your target audience, it won’t get you very far. 

Ultimately, taking a marketing course can help you better understand what’s required, what’s trending, and how to apply these practices to your business. In a marketing class, you could learn how to use traditional and digital channels, and more importantly, how to define and reach your target audience. 

Productivity And Work-Life Balance

Last but certainly not least, anyone thinking about starting their own business should look into courses that teach about productivity and work-life balance. Although it may seem like life would be easier when you call the shots, set your schedule, and delegate tasks to others, it’s quite the opposite. 

Business owners devote long hours to their company, and their personal life often takes a hit. If you’re going to remain productive and maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle, you must learn to find balance. Whether it’s learning how to rely on others or managing your time more efficiently, these courses can help reduce the challenges entrepreneurs face in the first few years. 

Thanks to modern technology, starting a business is easier and more convenient than ever before. Whether you want to create an eCommerce site and sell merchandise, offer professional services to other companies (accounting, virtual assistance, etc.), or do something that helps improve the lives of everyday citizens, it’s possible. However, before you quit your job, start investing money, or prepare for launch, it’s a good idea to get educated. The types of courses listed above will give you the foundation you need to ensure your entrepreneurial journey is more manageable.

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Want to be a Financial Trader?

Are you looking to start financial trading as a part-time or full-time job? There’s never been a better time to enter the field. Not only are more people working and investing from home due to the current pandemic, but anyone with a decent internet connection has the potential to benefit, as long as they can learn and adhere the basic principles.

After acquiring a grasp of the essentials, it’s imperative to gain real-world experience on a live brokerage platform. The better online brokers offer many training tools like detailed tutorials, up-to-date libraries, and trade simulators.

After you feel comfortable placing and closing trades, consider specializing in one particular market to hone your expertise. Later, you’ll have the chance to take advanced video courses and sit for licensing exams in several areas. But, as is the case with every new career, you’ll have to start with the fundamentals.

Learn the Basics

Before putting one dollar of your own money at risk, and even before working with a demo account in a simulated trading bot, take time to understand how the securities markets work. There are hundreds of worthwhile books and online tutorials to choose from. Consider reading about the different kinds of orders, how to place stops, what the most popular technical and fundamental tools are, how to set up an account, how to measure profit and loss on transactions, and which markets are best for beginners. Check out some of the most reputable brokers’ websites and take advantage of free educational content, videos, tutorials, and other resources available to site visitors.

Get Experience

What’s true for every other job is true for financial trading: it’s imperative to gain real-world experience in order to develop an acceptable level of competence. No matter how much research, reading, and studying you do on your own, there’s no substitute for trading with a broker. Fortunately, the better brokerage companies offer informative learning resources like video tutorials, trading simulators, online libraries, discussion forums, and customer service reps who can help you understand how to use all the platform’s features. Everyone has different goals and ways of learning, but you should expect to spend at least a month or two acquiring the essential skills in the real world by making online trades of various kinds.

Specialize in One Market

It’s a rare trader who can follow multiple markets, especially during the first few years in the business. That’s why it’s essential to focus on just one general asset class, like stocks, forex, cryptocurrency, or something else. One of the main benefits of specialization is that you’ll learn the unique characteristics of your market more quickly.

Take Several Online Courses

Never stop learning about the area you choose to specialize in. Fortunately, there are all kinds of free resources out there, including online courses. Some sites charge a nominal fee for classes, so don’t be put off if you’re asked to pay for a course. However, avoid websites that charge exorbitant amounts for lessons. There are just too many excellent, low-cost choices. Eventually, consider testing for one or more licenses, like the Series 7, Commodity Trading Advisor, Certified Financial Technician, or others.

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Save Your Struggling Business With a Bar Graph Maker

Myriam Jessier / Unsplash

Businesses, in one way or another, undergo the inevitable phase of struggle. They may struggle to garner popularity and patronization over their competitors, struggle to keep up with the growing public demand, or struggle to stay in the competitive industry. 

When talking about saving a struggling business, data visualization can do so many wonders. A struggling business could boost its image to its potential clients or customers through the help of a comprehensive and meticulously done graph. Graphs and other data visuals aren’t just pretty pictures, but they actually bode well for your business.

What Is a Graph?

Time and time again, graphs prove to be one of the most effective tools for visual presentation. Graphs, along with charts, are often used to demonstrate relationships between different sets of data. It has many types: line graph, bar graph, pie graph to name a few.

If you want to avoid dealing with confusing and dreadful numbers, then graphing your idea is the way to go! It helps you better understand information that is too complex to be put into words.

Why Should Businesses Create Graphs?

Graphs aren’t just about the aesthetics of presenting information to a particular target audience. It is also about highlighting important details from a drowning pool of information gathered through the years of service that your business has been continuously contributing to society.

Here are some reasons why businesses like yours should exert effort into creating graphs.

Graphs make your data easier to digest.

Goumbik / Pixabay

Not everyone likes to look at large numbers or, worse, comprehending what those numbers mean. Data, when too broad and too complex, tend to be really overwhelming for a lot of people. Thankfully, graphs were invented to help average people comprehend information that only math wizards understand.

With easier-to-digest data presentations, the audience would be quick to understand. Engagement with the audience will transpire naturally as data was already converted into more comprehensible forms such as graphs. Audience engagement then becomes beneficial for you to achieve your established goal. This goal can be to attain suggestions, ideas, and solutions from the audience.

Graphs can identify areas for improvement.

LTD EHU / Pixabay

Day by day, the world gets more and more analytical and data-driven. With this in mind, businesses should note that understanding and knowing how to work with graphs is as essential as coming up with an excellent financial management plan or an outstanding marketing, sales, and customer service strategy.

Like a pattern, data tells a story that is too complicated to be reiterated through words. Businesses may use graphs to represent their revenues, profit margins, and practically everything numerical that is relevant to its success and, at times, the lack thereof. Through the use of data presented in graphs and in order to get rid of the obstacles hindering its success, businesses may utilize visual representations to come up with an informed and important decision on the next step that it should take.

Graphs can determine which data is relevant.

Mohamed Hassan / Pixabay

As your business grows, so does the information that your data bank holds. You may end up getting drowned with too much information, so better wear your life vest aka graphs, charts, and other diagrams to help you swim through the pool of confusing figures. Visualization techniques such as bar graphs can help you discover some hidden or unnoticeable anomalies and malicious patterns from your pool of information. And from there, you can come up with a conclusion and proceed to taking necessary steps in order to save your struggling company.

Because of the load of information that they have, businesses tend to miss some information that could be found when graph makers are used: unusual distributions of data, gaps, missing values, outliers, etc. If you can’t understand the data presented to you, then sure as hell you aren’t gonna learn anything from it too.

How Important Are Graph Makers?

Isaac Smith / Unsplash

Generally speaking, every business across sectors benefits when the information presented to them is easy to read and interpret as this helps them avoid misinterpretation. Visualization is very important especially when dealing with a large volume of information. When effectively presented through graphs or any visual technique, you will be able to grasp the meaning behind any data and you can quickly draw conclusions with the image of the graph in mind.

It is good to know that there exist websites such as Venngage that provide businesses a tool to create visually impactful graphs, reports, charts, and infographics. Bar graph makers help struggling businesses see and understand the patterns, trends, and most especially, the outliers in their existing data. They allow you to determine the meaning behind the numbers — where you went wrong, where you can improve on, etc.

Little by little, graphs continue to prove its contribution and essence to every industry one could think of. Graphs are used in the government, in marketing, in real estate, in finance, in sales, in science and technology, in consumer goods, in sports, and in education to name a few. Students use graphs to better understand their lessons, electrical engineers use graphs to better represent networks and circuits, businessmen use graphs to present their business’s revenues and outliers too. 

I could go on and on. But one thing is for sure: graphs make lives better. It’s time to bid adieu to the dull and boring world of complex data and say hello to the era of powerful insights as expressed through informative yet stunningly formatted graphs.

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How to improve your resume ready to apply for a leadership role in business

No matter your employment status, it is highly likely that you have already got a resume saved to your computer that you can easily access at any time. It might be the resume that got you your current job, one you have been sending out looking for a better role or even one that you are currently using to get your first step up onto the career ladder. No matter how successful the resume has been in the past, it is important that you adapt it to every single job you apply for. Even if the job requirements seem very similar to one you have applied for before, every employer is looking for someone slightly different with a slightly different set of skills. This is especially the case if you are applying for a leadership role within a business. Here is a look at some of the ways you can prepare your resume ready to apply 

Further your education

You might think once you have completed college or even high school that your education is over. That does not have to be the case. There are lots of courses, such as a masters in leadership online course that you can complete at any time in your career. The great thing about these courses is that you can complete them alongside your current job. Unlike when you were younger, you do not have to move to a campus or attend several different lessons every day of the week to complete a masters in leadership online. All you need is a laptop and access to the internet, and you can complete all of the course’s content online. You can also choose exactly when and how you complete all of the course material. For example, if your job keeps you busy in the mornings, you do not have to be worried about making it to a 9am lecture every week. You could choose what time you put aside to complete your masters in leadership online, whether that be very early in the morning, in the evenings once you get home from work or even on the weekends if you would rather. 

You might think that this is a lot of effort to go to for what will ultimately be a couple of lines on your resume. What is important to remember, is when it comes to a resume it is not quantity but quality. Not only does a degree like a masters in leadership online course show that you have developed your leadership skills, it also shows you have gone above and beyond to better yourself. Employers are always looking for people who are motivated to improve their own skills to help improve the business, so a masters in leadership online course would be one of the best ways of demonstrating this much sought after personality trait. As it is an online course, it also means it will cause less disruption to your life. Many masters in leadership online courses can be completed within a year, meaning you can learn everything you need to know about leadership within a very short amount of time. The sooner you complete the course, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of this new skillset. 

List your skills and talk about their relevance to the job you are applying for

One of the main things you will want to include on any resume are the skills that make you stand out from the rest. Whilst you might think it is as simple as listing what you are good at, it is important to also explain why these skills would make you the ideal candidate for this job. Look at the requirements for each job advert and try and match them to the skills that you list on your resume. For example, if a job requires someone to be experienced with a particular piece of software, it is not good enough to put down that you are confident using computers. You should talk about which software you have experience using. There is a big difference in being confident in using a word processor and an excel spreadsheet. As well as just saying you are confident, talk about some of the things you are skilled at completing with that software. For example, you could say that you are skilled at producing reliable formulas to accurately calculate the businesses finances and give the most insightful look into the day to the profitability of the company.

It is also not enough to simply say you are good at something. If getting a job was that easy, then we would all be applying for the best paid jobs in the country. You also need to be able to prove that you are as good as you say you are. You need to be able to prove skills that you have learnt, whether that is on the job or a masters in leadership online A lot of the times employers will test your abilities with pre-interview assignments or even examinations during the interview process. Before you get to that point, it is still a good idea that you give the employer a reason to be confident that you truly understand how to do the things you say you are skilled at. Failure to do so could see you eliminated from the job application process before you even get to the interview stage and are able to demonstrate your practical skills as part of an examination or an assignment. Try and think of real-life examples where you have used those skills to help your previous business. For example, you could say that you are skilled in producing effective social media and designed a campaign for your previous business that significantly increased your follower numbers and in turn visitors to the website. Being able to explain exactly how good you are at these skills, and how beneficial this skillset will be to a business, will put you in the best possible chance of securing that position. 

Talk about the responsibilities you had at each job

As well as somebody that is skilled, any group of people looking at your resume and considering whether to invite you to an interview will also be looking for someone that they can trust. It is all well and good being fully trained to do the job, whether that is through experience or through completing a masters in leadership online, but you also need to put the effort in. If you are lazy, late and simply disobedient, an employer could end up hiring someone that does not get the work completed on time or to a high standard. It is often difficult to persuade somebody that you have just met that they can trust you. It is even more difficult to persuade someone you have never met with just a few sides of paper.

One of the best ways to convince an interview panel that they can trust you is to try and explain exactly how much trust you gained from your previous or your current employer. For example, if you were given any extra responsibilities over your colleagues, list those on your job application. This could be anything from being responsible for running the businesses social media pages, running promotional campaigns or something as simple as making sure the business does not run out of supplies. You might think that being in charge of something as simple as checking the level of pens and printer toner you have in the office and reordering them when necessary might be a minor responsibility. The reality is that anybody who has ever worked in an office knows exactly how important these small things can be to the day to day running of any business. The sheer fact that an employer chose you over any of your colleagues to complete this task shows that they had a lot more trust in you to make sure the job gets completed correctly. 

Format your layout to show off your technical skills

When looking through applications for a new job, an employer will probably look through lots of different documents at the same time. It is highly likely that around 90 percent of these resumes will look exactly the same. They will be printed in the same fonts, with the same text positioned in the same way. That is why it is not only just important to make sure the text you include in your resume helps you stand out from the rest of the candidates. It is also important that the overall design is impressive, so it helps you stand out from the rest of the crowd when they first glance at your resume. If they are impressed with their first glance at the resume, they are more likely to want to spend more time reading your resume to learn about the person who put together this impressive design. 

Resume design does not only help you stand out from the crowd. It also helps demonstrate how skilful you are at using certain types of software. For example, if a job requires someone to have a good understanding of using Word, try and use as many of the features within the software that are appropriate for a resume. This could include anything from splitting the page into two or even three columns to make the use of any wasted white space on the page, to including formatted headings to each section. If you are applying for a job where design skills are especially important, like a graphic designer or another equally creative role, it is just as important to design a CV that shows of your skills. If this is the case, try and think outside the box. Instead of writing a simple word document, why not create an infographic or a short video on the software they would expect you to be able to use to impress your potential new bosses. 

Do not forget the most simple pieces of information

When you are thinking of all the creative ways you can impress your potential new boss, it can often be easy to forget the simple things. When it comes to a resume, there are certain things that probably will not persuade an employer to give you a job but are vital for them to have as part of the job process. For example, if you forget to include contact details like your phone number or your email address, they simply will not have any way of being able to invite you to the next stage of the interview process. Whilst they might be able to go back through previous correspondence you have had with them to try and find a way of getting in touch with you, the fact that they would have to go to the effort to rectify one of your mistakes is not a good first impression to make with a new employer. Instead, make sure all of this important information is clearly displayed at the top of the resume. If you have completed any additional education, like a masters in leadership online, make sure you include the institution you studied at and when you completed the course.

If there are certain skills that are vital to the role, it is also important that you demonstrate you have those skills or qualifications on your resume. If a job advert says the role requires someone with a clean driving license, do not just presume that they will know that you have one. Make sure you explicitly say that you do within the resume. An interview panel will not want to waste time meeting with someone who simply is not qualified enough to be able to carry out a job, so are highly likely to choose to not offer you an interview if they are concerned that you do not have an important skill or qualification.  

Check, check and check again 

Once you have completed your job resume, it is important to check that every single word in that document is correct. First, check that it all reads correctly, makes sense and none of your sentence structures sound too clunky. Check that you have spelt every word correctly, especially certain technical terms or brands that your software spellchecker might not pick up on. Then check all of the information is factually correct. Double check things like your phone number and your email address, as if you get these incorrect you might simply not receive any invitation to the next stage of the interview process.

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