Avoid these 3 away day myths - Viewpoint - careers advice blog Viewpoint careers advice blog

Avoid these 3 ‘away day’ myths - Viewpoint - careers advice blog It’s important when planning an away day to ask yourself what you want to achieve from it, and how you hope it will impact on the business’s vision, strategy and goals. An away day is unlikely to be a miracle cure, so consider these three caveats before planning yours: An away day is unlikely to be a miracle cure Myth #1 â€" Away days can fix team cultures An away day might be used as a catalyst for change, but sustainable transformational change only happens over time through an iterative process. Myth #2 â€" Team building will solve problems Team building activities help the team to work together to understand their own and others’ strengths, preferences and styles, but they may do nothing to solve the real problems for the team. The trouble is that solving problems demands more than awareness of yours and another person’s style. If the purpose of the away day is to solve a problem in the team, coaching is needed, not team building. There are many domains of focus that might be explored through team coaching, such as: Team purpose and goals Working relationships Collective accountability Team behavioural norms Positive conflict For more, see my chapter ‘Coaching Global Top Teams’ in Leadership Coaching: Working with Leaders to Develop Elite Performance. Myth #3 â€" Away days improve team performance Consider the away day as a catalyst to begin a process If a team is underperforming, an away day will not be a quick fix. I liken trying to fix a broken team culture, solve serious problems or increase underperformance at an away day to an unhappy married couple who decide they need to get away together for the weekend. Running away to a new environment and doing something different might well distract from established problems, but it will never solve them. A masterful approach to the away day Consider the away day as a catalyst to begin a process. The away day helps identify the needs and follow up team coaching supports implementation of a new process to deliver lasting change. I hope you have found the above advice useful. Here are some other Viewpoint blogs to help you progress your career: 4 ways to give your CV a digital makeover Youre never too senior to learn something new What size company is the right fit for you? How to lead from afar 11 ways to become more productive at work 5 ways to make an impact in your new managerial role 6 leadership styles you need to succeed Stop waiting to be recognised Do you know how and when to say no? Share this blog:

Tell me what you did today, and Ill tell you who you are

Mention to me what you did today, and I'll reveal to you what your identity is Mention to me what you did today, and I'll reveal to you what your identity is You carry on with your life in 24 hour time frames. How you utilize those 24 hour time frames figures out who you become and how fruitful you'll be.If you figure out how to ace your day, you'll figure out how to ace your weeks, months, years, and life.All you have to do is gotten extremely, acceptable at living each day.The issue a great many people face is that they start their day away from work wrong, which puts them on a descending winding all through their entire day. Force is made or decimated each day with the initial scarcely any choices you make.Additionally, not many individuals invest energy arranging and envisioning the existence they need to have and the individual they need to turn into. Not very many individuals live purposefully every day toward a higher vision. A great many people are exclusively living everyday, as opposed to augmenting every day to gain tremendous ground toward a greater and better future.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders' magazines on Fli pboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!You are what you over and again do. - Will DurantHow is your day going, today?Seriously.Look back on all the things you've done as such far. Did you act like the individual you wish to become?If you rehashed today consistently for the following year, all things considered, where might you end up?If you are to truly achieve your objectives and dreams, how much contrastingly would your customary day should be than today was?Did you interface with individuals who help you more to remember your future, or a greater amount of your past?In request to accomplish your fantasies, what does a typical day look like?One of the most ideal approaches to intentionally structure your optimal life is to begin with your optimal day. What does that really look like?What exercises must happen every day for you to live precisely how you need to be living?- - In this article, I'm going to show you: How you can reliably live better and more promising times How you can set-up your days the prior night so as to make achievement unavoidable Step by step instructions to reliably gain more ground every day than a great many people make in a month or year Step by step instructions to make the existence you can just envision We should start:4 things your cerebrum needs every day to thriveBefore jumping into how to make an ideal day, it's critical to investigate your mind, and what fulfills your mind. At the most fundamental level, your cerebrum needs 4 things so as to flourish: Sustenance Oxygen Data Love NutritionWhen a man makes his musings unadulterated, he no longer wants debased food. - James AllenThe nature of food you put into your body matters. You become what you expend, literally.The best nourishments for cerebrum wellbeing include: Nuts and seeds - especially almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds Vegetables - especially avocados, tomatoes, yams, carrots, and beets Verdant greens - especially spinach, broccoli, celery, and kale Fish - especially salmon, sardines, and fish Berries - especially blueberries, strawberries, and acai berries Flavors - especially cinnamon, sage, thyme, and turmeric Solid fats - especially coconut oil and olive oil Dim chocolate - one of the main nourishments appeared to intensely help state of mind, center, and sharpness, as per a University of Nottingham study Sound grains - University of Toronto specialists as of late established that eating starch rich nourishments like cereal is proportional to an injection of glucose, a.k.a. glucose, infused into your mind The most exceedingly awful nourishments for cerebrum wellbeing include: Anything with fake sugar - especially organic product juices, pop, sweets Anything that has fake and white flour Alchohol Most dairy OxygenBack in the day, most of activity considers concentrated on the pieces of the body starting from the neck, similar to the heart and lungs. In any case, presently we are finding that we have to go north, to the mind, to show the genuine advantages of a truly dynamic way of life on a person. - Ozioma Okonkwo, associate teacher of medication at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthThe measure of oxygen your cerebrum gets decides how well it capacities. Because you breath air doesn't mean your mind is getting the amount and nature of oxygen it needs to flourish. The cerebrum utilizes around three fold the amount of oxygen as muscles in the body do Synapses are exceptionally touchy to diminishes in oxygen levels and don't endure or work well long without it Every day wellness is fundamental to cerebrum wellbeing and having a body that can give maximal oxygen to your mind. In particular: One investigation found that every day wellness is useful for memory and diminishes odds of Alzheimer's Okonkwo's exploration has indicated that individuals who exercise have more prominent cerebrum volume in territories of the mind related with thinking and official capacity. In a meeting with TIME, he expressed, We've done a progression of studies indicating that expanded high-impact limit supports cerebrum structure, capacity and insight, he says, Others have discovered exercise can improve mind-set. High-impact work out, such as running and swimming, has all the earmarks of being best for mind wellbeing since these expansion your pulse, which implies the body siphons more blood to the cerebrum, says Okonkwo. However, quality preparing, similar to weight lifting, may likewise carry advantages to the mind by expanding heart rate.InformationYour cerebrum needs data to process so as to persistently grow new associations. On the off chance that the cerebrum isn't terminating, it's not wiring, and this ages it.If you don't think carefully, you lose it rapidly. Memory blurs and reality turns out to be less clear and compelling.The issue with the vast majority of the data individuals expend is that it is dreary and low quality - like placing garbage in your vehicle, it doesn't enable your cerebrum to work well, however harms it long haul. For instance, checking Facebook or inactively examining articles like this one don't challenge the cerebrum enough.In request for your mind to flouris h, you have to persistently give it more excellent data, which is frequently over your psychological level. You additionally need to adapt effectively, which means you're taking notes and connecting what you're realizing in your memory through visualization.Your memory is altogether founded on association and creative mind. So when you're gaining some new useful knowledge, you need to be dynamic and creative with that data. You need to interface what you're realizing with however many different things as would be prudent. The more visual and misrepresented you are with how you approach new data, the more vital it will be. As you change your memory, you change yourself. Along these lines, learning isn't tied in with holding or putting away data, but instead, it is tied in with reframing your whole paradigm.Thus, the motivation behind data isn't just to place more data into the current mental model you right now have. Genuine learning is passionate and innovative - in this way, it is expected to reframe your whole mental model. In the event that you don't see and work distinctively on the planet, you didn't change.Change is extremely, useful for the mind. It's perhaps the most ideal approaches to hostile to age your cerebrum and keep it solid. Doing likewise things again and again and not consistently pushing and extending your outlook and mental model is awful for the cerebrum. It prepares your cerebrum to be lethargic. It keeps you stuck in a restricting character and with a maturing and rotting brain.See the world distinctively every day.Learn something new that changes how you see the world each day.This is the manner by which you recuperate your cerebrum, keep it youthful, and keep it healthy.LoveLove is fellowship that has burst into flames. It hushes up understanding, common certainty, sharing and excusing. It is reliability through acceptable and terrible occasions. It agrees to not as much as flawlessness and considers human shortcomings. - Ann Landers Research has indicated that babies who don't get love can kick the bucket. Oxygen and sustenance aren't sufficient. The mind flourishes with physical touch and enthusiastic connection.For more than 75 years, Harvard's Grant and Glueck study has followed the physical and passionate soundness of two gatherings: 456 destitute individuals in Boston from 1939 to 2014 (the Grant Study) 268 alumni from Harvard's classes of 1939â€"1944 (the Glueck study) In the wake of following these gatherings and testing them (e.g., blood tests, cerebrum filters) for a very long while, the discoveries have been compiled.Here's the conclusion:The most clear message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good connections keep us more joyful and more advantageous. That is all. - Robert Waldinger, chief of the Harvard Study of Adult DevelopmentAs Melanie Curtin gave an account of Inc., The greatest indicator of your bliss and satisfaction generally speaking in life is, fundamentally, love.Although the Harvard study establishes the framework, there is other convincing examination on the significance of human relationships.This meta investigation demonstrated a half improved probability of endurance for members with more grounded social connections. Set forth plainly, in the event that you have solid connections, your odds of endurance increment by 50%.The generally adoring and profound connections are based on an extremely basic establishment: g iving and gratitude.When the attention is on what you can give, as opposed to what you can get, the relationship turns into a blessing to both of you.There's no holding back.No keeping score.Only in such connections would you be able to be completely present to the second and completely un-hindered in the declaration of your adoration.- - Every single day, you need: great sustenance oxygen data what's more, love. Without these, your cerebrum and soul won't flourish, however rather will wither and kick the bucket. These are the nuts and bolts that you should manufacture your day around.The rest of this article centers around prioritization and productivity.If you are purposeful and vital, you can accomplish more in one day than a great many people accomplish in a week.Even more, in case you're clear about what you need, you can gain colossal ground, day by day, t

Mood Elevator helps you understand how miserable you are at work

Disposition Elevator causes you see how hopeless you are grinding away Disposition Elevator causes you see how hopeless you are grinding away At the point when things get terrible at work, it's too simple to even think about suffering peacefully, not realizing how to put a name what exactly's going on - or recollect how things ought to be. In any case, you have to utilize your words, or, in all likelihood you may never resolve those emotions.One firm has made an instrument to assist you with discussing what you're feeling in a work emergency, and how to portray confidence around you. The Mood Elevator is a mindfulness instrument that culture-forming firm Senn Delaney under Heidrick Struggles employments. We previously found out about it from a ongoing SmartBrief post by Lead Change Group.The base of the state of mind lift will ring a bell for any individual who's endured a work emergency: worn out, fretful, threatening, discouraged or worried.When things are working out in a good way, it's a totally different arrangement of reminiscent words. The words adaptable, appreciative, comical inclination, innovative and understand ing were a bunch of the terms at the top.Can't you inhale simpler simply perusing those? Or then again, in case you're miserable, don't you feel motivated to endeavor towards them more? That is the intensity of putting a name to your encounters. In excess of 100,000 individuals uncovered the qualities in a study, Lead Change Group said.The analysts likewise thought of examination of the lift by assembling a rundown of things individuals on the cheerful levels do effectively a summation of eight Essential Organizational Values, which the most high-performing bunches have. Among them: coordinated effort/trust, morals/honesty, positive soul/essentialness and bearing/reason and nimbleness/development/growth.How to remember them? Constructive soul is making a situation where there is collaboration, common help, and participation between and among individuals. Where individuals are amusing to be near, glad for what they do, and ready to invest the exertion that is past ordinary desires. C ollaboration/trust is making regular and open two-route correspondence with individuals, and keeping up receptiveness and trust among individuals with significant levels of criticism and coaching.Lead Change Group says those individuals and associations who have those characteristics have a talent for working on the more significant levels of the lift for a more prominent measure of time and discover more accomplishment subsequently. It is, basically, a guide for how to have, or perceive, a decent team.Even all the more strangely, Tolstoy could have been expounding on the cutting edge office when he composed that glad families are altogether indistinguishable; each troubled family is miserable in its own specific manner. All positive working environments feel similar.Any bunch in a solid spot - higher on the Mood Elevator - will in general incline toward a similar basic perspectives and practices, the Lead Change Group noted.

No, My Kids Time With Their Dad is Not a Break For Me

No, My Kids' Time With Their Dad isn't a 'Break' For Me Goodness, so youre the person who gets a break! This is the thing that my single companions let me know, with shimmering eyes and good natured sincerity, when I send my children to their fathers for the end of the week. They grin and snicker like were in on some pleasant mystery. They mean it and they mean it in the kindest manner. They state it in the coffeehouse, in the workplace, in the book shop. Over and over and once more, joyfully twittering about my break.There was the point at which I would have giggled amiably and gestured my head, awkward. That time isnt now. Rather, Im genuine and I state, Nope.No, not really.No, it is anything but a break.No, child rearing doesnt stop when my children arent home.Sometimes, when I react along these lines, my companions look awkward. In the past I would have felt regretful for this. In any case, presently, I understand that rather I ought to anticipate better of my companions; I ought to expect individuals not to tweet terrible things. So perhaps my blunt answer will make people ponder how their language may be frightful to asingle mother who is the essential parent for her kids that it may be destructive to recommend that my children are burdening to such an extent that I need a break from them.I dont. Not so much. Indeed, I wish they were here.I am consistently a mother. I am consistently the lead parent, too the one booking specialist and dental specialist arrangements, keeping everyones plan, getting and dropping off, ensuring that schoolwork is done and school occasions are joined in and fun is had. Im the one my little girl trusts to alter her sense of taste expander consistently, cautiously edging it one millimeter more extensive. Im the person who cheers boisterously as my children race in track meets and who celebrates discreetly when my child has the best plate toss of his season. I surge request expressive dance leggings and shoes when my little girls out of nowhere dont fit any more extended not long befo re a major presentation. Its, only i, who drives my little girl to voice exercises and artful dance practices, only i, who encourages my child to shower in the wake of difficult workouts.I am a solitary parent without a solid co-parent. In reality, that was one of the numerous reasons my marriage didnt work. What's more, when my children arent at home, I consider them continually. I stress. Furthermore, I put forth a valiant effort to guarantee they are thought about by the individual who didnt even know where my little girls grade school was in the last year before we separated.Its time we quit rewarding parenthood like a vocation. Child rearing is a piece of my life. Its something I decided to do, as such a large number of others have for centuries. In 2019, we dont acknowledge anybody proposing that fathers keep an eye on kids. For what reason should we acknowledge the language used to address single guardians that recommends the required, undesirable time away from their childre n is a type of a treat?Consider this:I am a mother, regardless of where my children are. I am a mother who stresses that my girl will neglect to take her medication and reminds her, in any event, when she isnt home. I am a mother who stresses my children wont be given natural products, vegetables and other solid nourishments while theyre away (in light of the fact that theres a past filled with this) so I stock up for when they return. I am a mother who trusts my child is dozing enough, yet not all that late that it upsets his beat for school mornings. I am a mother who stresses that my little girl, who is inclined to lack of hydration, isnt drinking enough and doesnt have what she needs to remain hydrated. I show up to get her furnished with liquids and she is grateful.I am a mother consistently. Regardless of where my children are.(Cue the trolls to discuss how fathers can deal with all the things moms can. To them, I state: Sure, some can. In any case, not all guardians are cut f rom the equivalent world renowned material. Peruse the words I composed, not the ones you need to peruse. Also, dont accept that since you are a father/know a father/have a father that you know my life and my situation.)Dont misjudge: I dont need to prevent my youngsters from seeing their dad. In any case, I dont welcome the implying that child rearing stops at the drop-off point. Since it doesnt.No, my children being ceaselessly isnt a break. In the event that anything, its an interruption from our typical, everyday life. The house is quiet. The draw to cook disappears. The things my children and I share from discussing our days to the clever things our feline does are missing. The rhythm of my very life is vexed when my children arent here. What's more, certain, that rhythm will inevitably change when my children are more established and set off for college and onto their grown-up lives and Im an unfilled nester without a doubt. In any case, that time isnt now. At this moment, I a m in the dynamic period of child rearing directing my adolescent andmy tween through center school and ideally into a productive adulthood.Its a difficult task. What's more, I love it.So dear companions, associates, partners and bystanders, I realize you have good intentions. Truly, I do. Yet, youre mixed up. This isnt a break for me; its a hard week. Im stressed, Im messed up, Im making some hard memories. I may look alright; I may appear to be no unique from some other day. Be that as it may, theres a hurt you can't see.So before you compliment me on my days off, slowly inhale and reconsider your words. Hearing you state something like, gracious, bummer I wager you miss them would feel significantly better at this moment. It would perceive the bond my kids and I have. Furthermore, it would recognize that bringing up my children isnt a task Im compelled to manage; despite what might be expected, its a significant piece of my life. One I cherish.And to you, the other single guardian s out there the ones who are battling as your children invest energy away from home: Perhaps you, as well, are feeling like your guts have been torn from your chest. Maybe you are child rearing by means of content and trusting your children are enough thought about. I get it. Im with you. You can converse with me. I know youre battling with your life disturbed, and I know its hard. In any case, it will be over before you know it, and theyll be back once more. I swear. Sarah Walker Canon- - This story initially showed up onSheKnows.

Industry Leaders - Leading London branding agency, Rebellion

Industry Leaders - Leading London branding agency, Rebellion Industry Leaders Leading London branding agency, Rebellion Image Source: RebellionRebellion is an award-winning agency working with consumer and B2B clients in the UK and internationally drawing on a collective pool of branding communications expertise in the travel, leisure tourism; retail; tech; FMCG/CPG; energy; aerospace; finance; telecoms; luxury; automotive; and fashion sectors.‘Great results come when moving people with new and engaging ideas. We devise big ideas and work that disrupts the status quo…’The leadership team at Rebellion is composed of director Chris Goddard and creative directors Kristina Pankus and Damon Hutson-Flynn.While heading the agency, Chris Goddard works closely with all the clients of Rebellion, ensuring the continued focus that has seen him deliver branding and design products for a wealth of household names, including Heinz, Unilever, BT and Tesco, to name but a few.The multi-lingual Kristina Pankus has a passion for creative excellence in branding, packing and design that is reflected in her work for a multitude of clients, including L‘Oreal, Peugeto, Total, Guerlain, KFC, JW Marriott and Yoplait.Damon Hutson-Flynn has more than two decades of experience, and has garnered numerous awards for his work on some of the world’s most famous and successful advertising campaigns. He has led creative teams on a huge number of campaigns, including programmes for Ford, Nescafé, American Express, Channel 4, Branston Pickle and the Royal British Legion.The approach at Rebellion is simple: the team believes there is no such thing as a client who wants work that has no impact.However, the execution is anything but simple as it entails intensely focused research of the client and their field of operation, as well as collaboration with a world-class network of partners for additional insight.The Rebellion team spends time gaining an honest understanding of clients and objectives, nurturing a ‘heart and mind’ partnership to create work that evokes true feelings, creates memories and pow erfully touches and connects and enables organisations to reach new heights.For further information about the agency, visit the Rebellion  website  here. Industry Leaders - Leading London branding agency, Rebellion Industry Leaders Leading London branding agency, Rebellion Image Source: RebellionRebellion is an award-winning agency working with consumer and B2B clients in the UK and internationally drawing on a collective pool of branding communications expertise in the travel, leisure tourism; retail; tech; FMCG/CPG; energy; aerospace; finance; telecoms; luxury; automotive; and fashion sectors.‘Great results come when moving people with new and engaging ideas. We devise big ideas and work that disrupts the status quo…’The leadership team at Rebellion is composed of director Chris Goddard and creative directors Kristina Pankus and Damon Hutson-Flynn.While heading the agency, Chris Goddard works closely with all the clients of Rebellion, ensuring the continued focus that has seen him deliver branding and design products for a wealth of household names, including Heinz, Unilever, BT and Tesco, to name but a few.The multi-lingual Kristina Pankus has a passion for creative excellence in branding, packing and design that is reflected in her work for a multitude of clients, including L‘Oreal, Peugeto, Total, Guerlain, KFC, JW Marriott and Yoplait.Damon Hutson-Flynn has more than two decades of experience, and has garnered numerous awards for his work on some of the world’s most famous and successful advertising campaigns. He has led creative teams on a huge number of campaigns, including programmes for Ford, Nescafé, American Express, Channel 4, Branston Pickle and the Royal British Legion.The approach at Rebellion is simple: the team believes there is no such thing as a client who wants work that has no impact.However, the execution is anything but simple as it entails intensely focused research of the client and their field of operation, as well as collaboration with a world-class network of partners for additional insight.The Rebellion team spends time gaining an honest understanding of clients and objectives, nurturing a ‘heart and mind’ partnership to create work that evokes true feelings, creates memories and pow erfully touches and connects and enables organisations to reach new heights.For further information about the agency, visit the Rebellion  website  here.

Salary Negotiation Tips - Get Paid What Youre Worth

Compensation Negotiation Tips - Get Paid What Youre Worth The subject of distinguishing profession compensations normally comes up in training meetings. My customers who are looking for a vocation or inspired by an advancement need to comprehend the market before beginning their exchange. People need to be paid what they are worth in the commercial center and for the abilities and experience they bring to a position and association. How would you discover what the market will pay you? Government positions dont shroud the pay. State government positions, including state schools, distribute the pay extend hands on posting. You can likewise investigate open records to discover what existing representatives are paid. Tip: on the off chance that you get a meeting, dont ask what the pay run is you ought to have just inquired about it! Cant beat direct organization intel. Most different employments don't have compensation data so promptly accessible. Do you know any individual who works at the organization or even better has worked similarly situated? Ask associates or people as of now working in a comparative job or potentially for the organization of intrigue. Direct data is likely quite precise. You can inquire: Do you realize the estimated compensation extend for this position? What might be a suitable compensation for somebody playing out my position at my level? Likely the data you get will be exact, yet not the whole story. The individual you talk with may have the option to furnish you with what they are paid, however likely won't have the foggiest idea about the spending plan or pay go for the position you need. Tip: incorporate this inquiry as a major aspect of an instructive meeting where you pose numerous different inquiries about the organization that can make it progressively agreeable for another contact to open up. Enrollment specialist can be your closest companion. You could likewise approach the enrollment specialist for the pay scope of the position. Contingent upon the association, however, they may not impart this data to you, especially scouts utilized by the organization. A scout infrequently chips in this so youll need to inquire. Tip: if a scout wont uncover the figure they most likely will let you know whether your ideal pay is inside range you need to let out a figure first! The web is superior to speculating. A large portion of us arent sufficiently fortunate to know somebody who can disclose exact pay data for a specific position. On the off chance that that is the situation, you can go to online research. Here are a couple of spots to consider while examining: JobStar PayScale The Occupational Outlook Handbook Salary.com SalaryExpert.com NACE Salary Calculator Glassdoor Proficient Associations Websites On the off chance that you can not locate the specific compensation extend for the position you are looking for there are sensibly precise strategies accessible. Conversing with people in comparable positions or at comparable associations, examining the free or organization scout, and doing some outside research will place you in a greatly improved spot for your pay arrangement.

The Graduates Guide To Blogging

The Graduate’s Guide To Blogging In terms of bagging yourself a graduate job in the digital industry, writing a blog can be a great way to show a prospective employer your writing style, tone and pitch â€" all of which could naturally tie in with the writing style of their business. As a recent graduate entering the world of blogging I understand that writing your first blog can be quite daunting. I know before I started at Bubble Jobs,I read loads of different blogs every day but I was quite nervous about actually plunging in and writing one of them! I remember my first day as a Digital Marketing Executive and being asked So I thought I would share what I’ve learnt over the past month about writing a blog for the first time. I’m going to give you some honest top tips follow these and you’ll be on your way to being a fully-fledged blogger in next to no time! 1)           Think Of An Eye-Catching Subject It’s all well and good wanting to write a blog but if you’ve no idea what you want to talk about, then you’re going to struggle (trust me). Sorry for stating the obvious, but before I got a job I avoided them like the plague because I felt like I had nothing to talk about! But trust me you do! Have a good think about your experiences you’ve had during Uni or in your job search. You might have some top tips for dealing with exam stress, managing with your work-life balance, planning an essay or creating the best first impression at an interview. If you manage to get a clear subject to talk about then you’ll find it a lot easier rather than trying to write a blog about a really general topic that may end up being a little bit boring! You also need to make sure that it’s relevant; your employer won’t really want to see that you can write about your latest fashion fix or how to win your favourite Xbox game. People do blog about things like this and there’ no harm in it at all but for the purpose of bagging yourself a job it needs to be relevant! If you’re struggling to find a subject have a look at our blogs and get a feel for what you may be able to blog about. 2)           Find Your Writing Style Once you’ve found which subject you want to talk about, it’s time for the scary part â€" writing the dam thing! You need to establish your personal voice, which may be harder than you first thought. Only a few people actually write personal diaries now because we now use social media to express our views and let’s face it; a lot of the time social media is used to express what you’re having for tea that night or what you’re going to do with your friends. The aim is to be informative yet informal people don’t want to read a blog that reminds them of their essay they wrote for their boring finals they want to be amused but also come away from it with some new information. So try and use an engaging tone that the reader can relate to, because most of the time someone is reading your blog because they can empathise with what you’re writing about! So make it concise, informal, interesting and bursting with information. This is something that I found quite difficult to start with but trust me you get better as you go along.  3)    Find Your Blogging Platform You’ve written your blog and now you need somewhere to put it. There are a few options to choose from but you want to try and make your life as easy as possible when you’re first starting out. At Bubble we use WordPress â€" this is a straight forward platform that makes the process as simple as possible for you. But have a look round and see what platform suits you â€" Blogger.com and WordPress are probably the platforms for you if you’re a newbie though.  4)           Give It A Punchy Title And Meta Description Unfortunately not every man and his dog are going to be waiting eagerly for you to post something â€" so you need to get people to click on your post. You can do this Also you need to make sure you have an amazing Metadescription! Now, now don’t panic a Metadescription is dead straightforward it’s simply a tag that is used to describe your blog in short form and is used 5)       Use Tags When I first saw that tags were used I was a little bit overwhelmed because I only had a basic knowledge of search engine optimisation (SEO) at that point. But don’t worry, it’s really quite simple tags are used to group together similar content to your blog and also help people find your blog. Have a read through your blog and think about what someone would search for in Google to find your blog. For example if you’re writing a blog about what to expect in an interview you could create tags that say ‘interview tips’ and ‘interview techniques’. If you want to know a bit more about SEO have a look at our post that gives you ten quick SEO tips.  6)           Get Your Blog Out There We now live in a world where communication is at our finger tips â€" so use it! Share your blog on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google + and Twitter. This way you’ll get more people reading your blog and not only will this make you feel pretty good,  it will allow you to get some feedback too! There are also lots of different sites that allow you to be a guest blogger these websites will have an established following already and if you can put your blog on there you could get yourself more coverage. So do some research and have a look at the different paths you can go down! Check out our blog on how to approach guest blogging requests. Right so there you go… the beginners guide to writing a blog. Find your voice and get writing â€" but don’t expect your first blog to be perfect â€" practice makes perfect. Good luck and have fun!