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Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an entrepreneur as “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.” That’s true, of course, but this definition doesn’t tell the whole story—namely the entrepreneur characteristics that define their success and, more importantly, the intrinsic drive it takes to achieve that success. http://www.careerberg.com

There are 5 entrepreneur characteristics that are common among anyone who strives to start and run his or her own business. These characteristics are found in entrepreneurs at any age, in any industry, and at any socioeconomic level.

The 5 “C’s” of entrepreneur characteristics are:

• Commitment: An entrepreneur has to be 100% committed to his or her idea, vision, product or service, and business strategy to achieve his or her goals. Call it dedication. Call it perseverance. By any name, commitment is one of those entrepreneur characteristics that embodies the daily drive to take another step closer to his or her dream, to stay focused, and to work tirelessly in the face of adversity.
• Confidence: Entrepreneur characteristics like confidence go hand-in-hand with commitment. Entrepreneurs have to believe in themselves and believe in what they’re doing. Whether it’s creating social change, inventing a new product, or improving a service, confidence is an entrepreneur characteristic that enables them to strive under pressure and be a strong leader.
• Creativity: Entrepreneurs are creative by nature. They have a knack for seeing things from a different perspective than most people, and then developing an inventive product or service to improve other people’s lives and businesses (and sometimes both). It’s said that entrepreneurs are born. If so, creativity is one of the innate entrepreneur characteristics that causes them to see the brick and imagine the building.
• Courage: An entrepreneur has to be courageous. After all, it’s scary to venture out on your own with little more than a dream and the passion to create something out of nothing. Courage is a characteristic of entrepreneurs that gives them the grit and conviction that success is possible if they never stop working towards their goals.
• Collaboration: Entrepreneurs are born leaders, but they also know they can’t do everything themselves. They see the big picture and bring others on board who share their vision and fulfill a key part of their business. Entrepreneur characteristics like leadership and collaboration enable them to beat their competition because everyone works as a team to achieve a specific goal. http://www.careerberg.com

While these are only five of the many entrepreneur characteristics, they are all critical for someone to carve their own path in business. Whether his or her desire is to make money or improve the lives of others (or both), he or she almost undoubtedly personifies the 5 “C’s” of entrepreneur characteristics.

Maybe you still doubt that why you could not find a good job after looked for long time, though you are an ideal object for the employer with perfect resume and strong certificates. http://www.careerberg.com/

It is time for us to have the right attitude when we meet this problem, and here are some reasons why we may trouble with our job search. So, find the exact reasons and improve them, I think we could change some status.

1, You do not treat “find a job” as a job itself to careful complete: Many people are not extremely serious, passion and have no preparation on “fail” and do not realize that both finding a job and interview are actually a “numbers game” which means the more interview opportunities you get, the more chances of getting called back; and the more calls you get, them more chances on finding a good job.

2, You neglect small companies. Maybe you have not realized that more than 90% companies in the US employ less than 100 people. America business is not run by big companies but more small groups which provide goods and services. http://www.careerberg.com/

3, You are inadequately prepared for the interviews. So many people show either lacking of confidence or act too arrogant during the interviewing process. It is very simply because they don’t prepared as well as they should be.

4, You have not developed a perfect system which contains some things from goals, intentions to role-playing in interviews on you finding job way.

5, You always have an attitude on “what can you give me?” and consider too much before you get the position. Actually, interview is a two-way street. First, you should sell yourself. To tell your employers that what you can do for the company and show enough reasons to employers as why they ought to hire you. Second, if you meet the first condition that you can know what the employers can do for you.

6, You have not recognized yourself and make some unrealistic idea about the market. As people sometimes misjudge their ability, they will “sell” them in wrong way.

An objective is a brief statement on the position a candidate seeks. The job objective on a resume provides direction on types of jobs which interest a candidate.

Most resumes contain a job or career objective. A human resource manager may rely on this objective statement to select appropriate resumes, to eliminate irrelevant or unqualified resumes, and to route resumes received to the proper departments.

Components of an Effective Job Objective

A job objective should be direct and to the point. Some objective statements may be written as a sentence, other effective objective statements may simply be phrases with little or no punctuation. This portion of the resume should be tailored to the individual position for which a candidate is applying. If the advertisement or job description has obvious key words, it is useful to include these in the objective.

Examples of effective objective statements include:

• A position in Early Childhood Education utilizing my ten years experience teaching in a Head Start Preschool
• An entry level position in human resources with the opportunity to advance to a human resource generalist
• A position as a Sheriff’s Deputy for the Clarke Township Sheriff’s Office

Things to Avoid in a Job Objective

Do not write a general catch-all statement as an objective. If your job objective contains no usable information, it is better to have no objective statement. Avoid long objective statements, as well. Give the potential employer a concise and direct statement that needs little interpretation. If an employer has to figure out what position interests the applicant, the resume often goes into a file with many other resumes which may or may not be reviewed by the hiring agent.

Examples of poor job objective statements include:

• A position using my skills and abilities to improve the company
• A job leading to a manager position
• Seeking a position using my skills to provide good service and improve the company bottom-line and to grow in my job to a more responsible position

Arguments Against Using an Objective Statement

Some resume professionals now argue that using a job objective on a resume is no longer appropriate. One of the arguments against using a career objective is that job candidates do not provide employer-oriented objectives or provide vague ineffective objectives. Another argument is that the employer has job openings that need to be filled and the company will hire for those positions no matter what the objective states.

The decision to use or not to use an objective statement is very personal. A job seeker must take all these facts into account then decide whether or not an objective will be helpful for her personal job search. If an applicant uses a career or job objective, the job objective should contain useful and targeted information and avoid any generic or vague statements.

1. The one-size-fits-all method. Hiring managers are extremely jealous. Although they are aware you are courting other companies, they want to know that you at least care enough to hide it. http://www.careerberg.com/

Solution: Avoid form letters. Instead, customize each letter with the hiring organization and the position in mind. Here’s an example.

“With over nine years of HRIS and human resources experience, I have had the opportunity to contribute strong, sustainable improvements within the HR functions, particularly in areas of systems development, implementation, and maintenance.

When I read the job description posted on your corporate website, I was immediately drawn to the similarity between your requirements and my experience. In particular, I meet your prerequisite for an HRIS Specialist who has the ability to train end users effectively in a variety of applications and processes. From my enclosed resume, you will note that I approach end-user training with a patient, diligent manner.”

2. I want, I need, I must have. Me, me, me. That is the approach many candidates take when writing their own cover letter. This self-centered approach, without a doubt, backfires every time.

Solution: Focus the letter on how you can benefit the hiring organization. Here’s an example.

“The following are examples from two different employers that illustrate my ability to integrate time- and cost-saving solutions for the HRIS infrastructure:

• For XYZ, I implemented an entirely new HRIS system that affected data and records for 25,000 team members, expediting processes by converting our applications to Lawson as the company grew at a breakneck pace.
• For ABC, I eliminated a slow-moving manual process and developed a system from the ground up that processed commissions for 700 people, leading to a reduction of three processing days per month.”

3. Taking a “pretty please” approach. No one wants to hire a desperate jobseeker.

Solution: The tone of the cover letter must be kept on a professional level. Here’s an example.

“In addition to technology and problem-solving skills, what I also offer is the ability to create and maintain data tables, structures, files, interface requirements, and data integrity protocols for ongoing administration.”

Cover Letters Can Win Job Interviews

Persuasive, targeted, and commercial-like cover letters fare well. And that is exactly what a cover letter is—a commercial, starring your experience. http://www.careerberg.com/

Do you have a creative mind and talent? Are you one of those who are looking forward to making a career in the creative field? Do you have a deep inclination or passion towards art? Well, if your answer is “yes” then making a career in the art and design could be the right idea. Carrying a passion towards art or design can actually let you experience or observe the world in whole new dimension. It can further help you present them in unique manner. In fact, having a passion towards art can act as one of the few keys that may help you transform your simple ordinary life to extraordinary ones. It can help you reprogram your attitude, habit or behavior and lead a successful personal and professional life in the field of art and design. http://www.careerberg.com/

Making a career in the art and design largely depends upon your creativity and your creativity cannot flourish until you carry a passion. Your passion and curiosity act as the driving force, and may help you experience some of the best rewards in art and design career. Today there is no career that can claim to be as creative as art and design. No other profession can let you experience a deep sense of satisfaction and attainment when you actually see your ideas come to life in the final finished product. It is one of the few careers that have a critical control on how you look at or enjoy your life. Being ‘artistic’ is something you have initially started as a special interest or pursued as a hobby, but getting paid to do it is something you won’t expect in any other career.

Apart from all this, an art and design background also allow you to work in different variety of careers ranging from Fine Arts in any media including Film and Video, Painting, Advertising, Fashion, Architecture, Three Dimensional Design and Film and Television. It even offers a wide range of work, diverse working environments and different ways to make a earning. You may work for an advertising agency or a design agency as a specialist where your role may revolve around working on a campaign, project or account basis. Adding to this, you could also be self employed or do freelancing assignments, but at times being a self employed can be difficult as it largely depends on the status or recognition you make for yourself.

In terms of salary, it varies greatly in the world of art and design industry. While the art directors can earn a median annual salary of $68,100, fine artists, such as sculptors, painters, and illustrators may enjoy a median annual income of $41,970. Adding to this, the employment scope of different fields in art and design also vary from one another. While artists like art directors, craft artists or animators hold roughly 218,000 jobs, interior designers, which is one of the most preferred careers in art and design holds 72,000 jobs in the United States. Overall, the employment of artists and professionals related to art and design in the United States is expected to boom 16% in the next few years.

Today this creative industry does not lack job opportunities and provides plenty of alternatives. It does not matter whichever field you select, if you have the passion and dedication to make an occupation in art and design, you can enjoy a great professional life. At the end it is your enthusiasm that gives you the energy to be creative and innovative. In addition to this, a well defined professional training will further help you make your existence in this extremely competitive art and design industry. http://www.careerberg.com/

Considering a Career in Computer Programming As long as technology continues to develop, the demand for trained and skilled professionals in the IT sector will continue to thrive. Businesses and industries are always searching for professional programmers in departments like administration, security, and management. The growth of the Internet has seen a rise in wireless operations, networks, and client/server developments. With technology rapidly changing, the need for computer programming jobs is expected to increase to fulfill the growing demand. http://www.careerberg.com/

As a programmer, your responsibilities evolve continuously. When choosing a computer programming degree>, look for a course that is up to date with latest developments, advancements and equipment. In order to succeed, programmers need to constantly brush up their skills and knowledge in the field. Job applicants can also enhance their chances in the competitive job market by becoming certified in various languages. Many computer programming degrees also train their students for relevant certifications.

So, what exactly do computer programmers do? In short, they develop the instructions and languages that computers need to function smoothly. These functions could range from a short program to a lengthy process that could take a few years to create and implement. Programmers are also responsible for testing systems for errors and resolving issues and problems that may crop up. This process involves the use of complex technological codes or languages. Most programmers know and specialize in a variety of languages. Programmers may also be called to write manuals and instructions for other program users of a particular system or mainframe.

Many computer programmers work on a contractual basis or independently as consultants. Companies that require professionals specializing in a particular language or application may then outsource the job to computer programming consultants. Contracts could run into a few weeks to more than a year so commitment levels on such jobs are extremely demanding and high.

Programmers can be categorized into applications programmers or systems programmers. Applications programmers are those that create and modify programs for a specific purpose or cause. Systems programmers on the other hand work on a larger scale and deal with developing computer networks and operating systems. They are responsible for the effective functioning of computer hardware as well. With the rise in software packages, a new breed of software development programmers has emerged. They work with other programmers in order to create customized or packaged software such as games and other programs used for financial management and educational purposes.

Computer programmers account for nearly one and half million jobs and the numbers continue to grow. Computer programmers are required in telecommunications, management, education, the government and finance, to name a few. If a degree in computer programming> is what you think you want to do, you can be sure of one thing – there’s a bright and lucrative future for such candidates. http://www.careerberg.com/

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Your cover letter shows employers how well you express yourself. It can also demonstrate that you are savvy in the ways of marketing yourself and selling your best qualifications. A good cover letter can entice the recipient to review your resume. A bad cover letter, on the other hand, can nip your chances in the bud. Here are 10 mistakes that contribute to bad cover letters. To ensure that your cover letter is effective, avoid these mistakes:

1. Sending your resume without a cover letter.Sure, there are some employers that don’t read them or place much importance on them. But since you don’t know whether the employer you’re writing to reads and values cover letters or not, you must include a letter.

2. Failing to address the letter to the specific name of the recipient. Addressing the letter to “Dear Personnel Director/HR Director,” “To Whom It May Concern,” “Dear Sir or Madam” (or worse, “Dear Sirs”) instead of a named individual are all lazy approaches that show the employer that you were not concerned enough to find out the name of the person with the hiring power. It’s not always easy to find the name of the specific hiring manager, but try to do so if at all possible. Usually, you can just call the company and ask who the hiring manager is for a given position. Tap into your personal network to learn the names of hiring managers. Let’s say a company post an opening online. You know someone who works at the company. Ask your contact to find out the name of the person hiring for that position.

The worst-case scenario is that your letter will begin “Dear Hiring Manager for [name of position]:” It’s not the best approach, but if you absolutely cannot find a name, this salutation does at least provide some specificity.

3. Telling the employer what the company can do for you instead of what you can do for the company. This mistake is particularly common among new college graduates and other inexperienced job-seekers. In most cases, employers are in business to make a profit. They want to know what you can do for their bottom line, not what they can do to fulfill your career dreams. Tell the employer how you can meet his or her needs and contribute to the company.

4. Leaving the ball in the employer’s court. Too many cover letters end with a line like this: “I look forward to hearing from you.” Proactive cover letters, in which the job-seeker requests an interview and promises to follow up with a phone call, are far more effective. Don’t be vague about your desire to be interviewed. Come right out and ask for an interview. Then, take your specific action a step farther and tell the recipient that you will contact him or her in a specified period of time to arrange an interview appointment. Obviously, if you say you will follow up, you have to do so. If you take this proactive approach and follow up, you will be much more likely to get interviews than if you did not follow up. This follow-up aspect is another good reason to obtain the specific name of the hiring manager. Here’s a sample closing paragraph requesting specific action and describing the writer’s planned follow-up.

I would like to be considered for a sales position in which someone of my background could make a contribution. I will contact you soon to arrange for an interview. Should you require any additional information, I can be contacted at the phone numbers listed above.

5. Being boring and formulaic. Don’t waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction. Use the first paragraph to grab the employer’s attention. Tell the employer why you are writing and summarize the reasons you are qualified for the position, expanding on your qualifications in later paragraphs. Don’t use such cliches as “Enclosed please find my resume” or “As you can see on my resume enclosed herewith.” Employers can see that your resume is enclosed; they don’t need you to tell them. Such trite phrases just waste precious space. Write a letter that will make the employer want to get to know you better.

6. Allowing typos, misspellings, or incorrect grammar/punctuation into your letter. Your letter reflects your ability to write and communicate. Be sure your document is letter-perfect before sending it out. Proofread your letter. Put it down and proof it again a few hours later with a fresh eye. Then enlist a friend to review it for errors.

7. Rehashing your resume. You can use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the position, but you’re wasting precious space — and the potential employer’s time — if you simply repeat your resume.  http://www.careerberg.com/

8. Failing to specifically tailor your letter to the job you’re applying for. If you’re answering an ad or online job posting, the specifics of your cover letter should be tied as closely as possible to the actual wording of the ad you’re responding to. In his book, Don’t Send a Resume, Jeffrey Fox calls the best letters written in response to want ads “Boomerang letters” because they “fly the want ad words — the copy — back to the writer of the ad.” In employing what Fox calls “a compelling sales technique,” he advises letter writers to: “Flatter the person who wrote the ad with your response letter. Echo the author’s words and intent. Your letter should be a mirror of the ad.” Fox notes that when the recipient reads such a letter, the thought process will be: “This person seems to fit the description. This person gets it.”

A particularly effective way to deploy the specifics of a want ad to your advantage is to use a two-column format in which you quote in the left-hand column specific qualifications that come right from the employer’s want ad and in the right-hand column, your attributes that meet those qualifications. The two-column format is extremely effective when you possess all the qualifications for a job, but it can even sell you when you are lacking one or more qualification. The format so clearly demonstrates that you are qualified in so many areas that the employer may overlook the areas in which you lack the exact qualifications.

9. Rambling on too long and telling the story of your life/career.Keep your letter as brief as possible. Never, never more than one page. Keeping to four or five paragraphs of no more than three sentences each is a good guideline. Using bullet points in the letter is a good way to break up blocks of text and interest the reader. Some job-seekers tend to use their cover letters to provide a narrative of their life or career. That’s not what the letter is all about; it’s a marketing tool that should focus on the qualifications that will sell you to the employer. Your letter should answer the question that the employer will be asking while reading the words you’ve written: “Why should I hire this person?” Answer with your Unique Selling Proposition. Use simple language and uncomplicated sentence structure. Ruthlessly eliminate all unnecessary words.

10. Using wimpy language. Avoid such phrases as “I feel” and “I believe.” Your statements will be much stronger without them. It’s best to either leave off the qualifier or use a stronger qualifier, such as “I am confident,” I am convinced,” or “I am positive.”

http://www.careerberg.com/

http://www.careerberg.com/

Are you considering changing your career? Are you bored, fed-up, lost, or otherwise unhappy in your current career? Are you facing a crossroads at which you need to decide between staying in your current field and moving to a new one? Do you have skills that you are not using in your current career? Have you been promoted to a point where you are no longer doing what you love?

Changing careers is one of the biggest decision job-seekers face, and with many possible outcomes and consequences. Before you make that jump to a new career field, consider these common career change mistakes so that you can avoid them as you make the transition from one career to your next.

Making a career change without a plan.Probably the biggest mistake you can make is attempting to change careers without a plan. A successful career change can often take months to accomplish when you have a strategy, so without one, you could end up adrift for an even longer period. Having a detailed action plan (including items such as strategies, finances, research, and education/training) is essential to your success.

Changing careers because you hate your job.

Don’t make the mistake of confusing hating your current job with hating your current career. Take the time to analyze whether it’s just the job/employer/boss that you hate, or whether it’s the career/skills/work that you dislike. The same goes with if you are feeling bored or lost with your job; review whether it’s the job/employer or the career. Whatever you determine, it’s best not to leave your job — if possible — until you have a plan for finding a new job/career.

Making a career change solely based on money/benefits.

Certain career fields are very alluring because of the salary and other benefits they offer, but be very careful of switching careers because of all the dollar signs. Keep repeating to yourself, “money won’t buy me happiness.” Remember that you may make more money, but if you hate your new career, you’ll probably be spending that money on stress- and health-related expenses. A career that’s hot today could be gone tomorrow, so dig deeper.

Changing careers because of outside pressure.

Don’t let your parents, significant others, or anyone else influence your career choice. They don’t have to live that career every day; you do. If you love what you do and earn a reasonable living, why is it anyone’s business but yours? If you switch careers because of outside pressure to have a “better career,” and then hate your new career, you’ll end up resenting the person(s) who pressured you to make the switch.

Making a career change without refreshing your network and finding a new mentor.

Don’t ever attempt a career change alone. As soon as you have identified the career field you want to switch into, begin developing new network contacts. Conduct informational interviews. Join industry associations. People in your network can provide inside information about job-openings and can even champion you to hiring managers. Networking is essential for all job-seekers, but even more so for career-changers. And use a current or new mentor as a sounding board to help guide you in the transition. Learn more about networking and the value of a mentor.  http://www.careerberg.com/

Changing careers without examining all the possibilities.

Don’t jump career fields without first conducting thorough research into all the possibilities, including career fields you may never have considered. By conducting research into careers you have never considered or been exposed to, you may find the career of your dreams. Talk to people in your network, read career and job profiles, meet with a career management professional.

Making a career change without assessment of likes/dislikes and without self-reflection.

Self-assessment (of your skills, values, and interests) is a critical component to career-change success. Make a list of the skills you love doing (in your job, in your hobbies, in all aspects of your life) and the skills you never want to do again. Next, consider taking one or more assessment tests, especially those with a career component. Preparing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) Analysis is also a useful activity. All these activities are designed so that you better understand yourself — your product — so that you can find the best career for you and then sell yourself to employers in that new career.

Changing careers based on the success of others.

It’s human nature to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. Just because your best friend or neighbor is successful in a certain career does not mean that you will be — or that you will be happy doing it — so certainly consider the career field, but make sure you do the research before jumping into it. Finally, just to add yet another cliche, too many job-seekers switch careers on the assumption that the grass is always greener — and often times find out that is not the case.

Making a career change without necessary experience/education.

As a career-changer, you must find a way to bridge the (experience, skills, and education) gap between your old career and your new one. While transferable skills (skills that are applicable in multiple career fields, such as communications skills) are an important part of career change, it is often necessary to gain additional training and experience before you can find a good job in a new career field. Research whether you need additional training, education, or certifications. And try to find time to volunteer, temp, intern, or consult in your new career field — what some experts refer to as developing a parallel career — before quitting your current job and searching for a full-time position in your new career field.

Changing careers without updating job-search skills/techniques. If it’s been a while since you were last on the job market, take the time to polish your job-search skills, techniques, and tools. Review your resume-writing techniques, master networking, and polish your interviewing skills. What’s the sense of doing all this research and preparation in attempting to change careers if you are not current with your job-search skills?

Final Thoughts
You have so many resources at your fingertips, both here at Careerberg and other career sites, that there is no excuse to making any of these career change mistakes. But if you do make one of them, step back and see if there is a way to fix it and move on… a career should not control you; you should control your career.  http://www.careerberg.com/

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Losing a job is never easy, no matter what the cause. A large recession may get you a lot of company but that never solves the problem of how you can get back on the path to work and a steady income. Coming from the formerly heavily industrial city of Pittsburgh, you probably won’t return to that steady income by waiting to be called back to work. And really, the key word here is work; that is what you are looking for — the system to turn your labor into money. Maybe now is the time for you to work for you.

I am not talking about building an empire — starting with a small idea and growing it into a major force employing many. That may happen, but it is very rare and accomplished by those who have a real entrepreneurial drive. You do not need a major venture order to earn a living by being self-employed. This article offers five smaller ideas to work on.

1. Become a contractor to the company that you just left. If your employer had work but needed fewer hours or people, you may be able to come back as a subcontractor. You do the work when it is available and find something else when business is slow. This technique works in only some industries — building contracting, IT services, graphic design and professional services, home healthcare, and more — as you must be a true independent employee to comply with the current tax laws, which means you control your own schedule and your own tools.

The value to the employer is that the extra employees do not become overhead when business is slow, and the value to you is that you will make more money for fewer hours if all of your time is spent o n productive work.

2-Do the same work for several companies. If you have been a valuable asset to your former employer and can provide the same value to others in the same industry, set up a single-member limited liability corporation (LLC), the easiest way to form a corporation, and market your skills to all businesses that may need them. Your projects will be shorter, but your payments will be higher. The key to success here is in the marketing.

3-Look for a small company to buy. By small, I am talking about fewer than five employees. Owners looking to retire may be willing to finance the purchase, and then you can pay for it out of increased cash flow as it grows. Some businesses just need new energy to drive them on to better results.

4-Consider a franchise. The prepackaged business startup comes in many sizes and many price ranges — from consulting programs to full-scale restaurants. You will get assistance in all phases of the business and ongoing support. Lenders sometimes are more comfortable making loans to a franchise because of the existing track record of the other similar operations.

Remember that you will have to follow a prescribed business path which may keep you from exploiting some of your personal strengths, and you will have ongoing royalties to pay. Make sure that you are getting value in terms of corporate marketing for those fees.

5-Look for Strategic Partners. If the skills you have at not quite enough to cover all of the bases, you may be able to find someone whose strengths are complementary. For example, you have the technical skills but weak sales and marketing skills, or you could sell virtually anything but don’t do well with details. Find someone who is compatible and consider various forms of joint work. You may form a business together or may function only as a joint venture. The main difference between the two is one is permanent, and the other has a timeframe and a goal; when the goal is reached, the venture ends.

An economic downturn is a great time for all kinds of creative collaborations, building virtual businesses that operate to meet the current level of demand. With little overhead, you can be very flexible and make comfortable profits.

Final Thoughts
At a time when companies are reluctant to hire, we all need to get out of our comfort zone and find new answers. Self-employment may be a temporary solution or a permanent change of direction. http://www.careerberg.com/

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Many of us are so busy these days that it’s hard to find time to do errands or complete our to-do list. There’s no need to feel overwhelmed however. Getting your tasks done is a matter of planning and organizing your list and daily schedule in an efficient manner. Learn how to manage your to-do list and get errands done quickly by using the 8 time-saving tips listed in this article.

1. Keep a running list of things you need to buy such as groceries and household supplies. By adding errands as you go, you won’t have to add much to the list by the time you’re ready to go shopping.

2. Take your errand or to-do list with you wherever you go. When you have your list with you, you may find a little time to fit in something scheduled for later in the day or week.

3. Group errands together so you can get several things done in one trip. You’ll save you a lot of time if you can do your shopping at a central location such as a shopping or business center that has all (or most) of the stores and service providers conveniently located in one place.

4. Do errands when traffic is light. Whenever possible, try to do your errands when traffic is light and the lines are short. Best times are usually between the hours of 9 AM and 3 PM on weekdays, because this is when most people are at work or in school. Other good times to do errands are generally evenings and all day Sunday, because of generally lighter traffic and fewer shoppers.

5. Use proximity. Along with grouping errands together, try to shop at stores and service providers that are in close proximity to your home, work, or en-route between home and work.

6. Schedule Back-to-back appointments to eliminate additional trips. When you have appointments and errands that are at several different locations, schedule them so you can go from one to the next with a minimum of time and travel.

7. Early appointments. Try to schedule appointments early in the morning. This is especially a good idea for doctor and dentist appointments, hair and nail appointments, etc., as these are the kind of appointments where you can be delayed by a patient or customer that is ahead of you. By getting tasks done early, you will still have the rest of the day left to do other things. http://www.careerberg.com/

8. Get Your Family to help with errands. If you have a long list of things on your list, get your family members to help out. Divide up the tasks among the family members, and make it their responsibility to get them done by a certain time. For instance, if you have 8 things on your list and there are 4 people in your family, dividing 8 by 4 (8/4) gives each person only two errands that they have to do. This takes some of the load off of your shoulders, and also gives each family member ownership and satisfaction of contributing to the family.