Thursday, October 25, 2012

Office Reception Desks Are Great Investments

When it comes to finding the best and least expensive furniture for your business, you can't go wrong with looking at the different kinds of office reception desks that are available. Since you have employees that will be working at a desk, it is important for you to provide them with a working space that is not only pleasing to your customers but ergonomically friendly for your employees as well. Since you can't afford to throw away money on workstations that are not built to last or that can't handle your employees' multiple roles, you need to make sure that you purchase the best office reception desks for your company.
It is important for you to spend a little time learning about the products that are available so you can find the best deals. Since there are a number of suppliers who are competing for your business, the supplier you decide to purchase from needs to be far superior to the rest. When you are ready to purchase office reception desks, you need to keep in mind three things: your employees' health, your costs, and the quality. These three things go hand in hand with how well your business runs.
There are millions of people working in office jobs where they have to sit at a desk for countless hours each day. Sitting for long hours poses health issues that can affect your employees and keep them from working as efficiently as they should. This in turn can result in lost productivity, lower profits, and poor customer service. If you want your employees to look forward to coming to work without fear of being uncomfortable or developing some serious ailment, you need to take an active interest in their working conditions.
The desk that they sit at plays a very big factor in how well your business is run. Even though it may not be possible for you to reduce their hours, you can make sure that their office reception desks are ergonomically friendly. Make sure that they are designed in such a way so that your workers don't have to struggle, bend, or move in unnatural ways to reach items on their desks.
Choose workstations that are equipped to properly support your employees' bodies. Make sure the chairs are cushioned, adjustable, and provide ample back support. If you really want to improve your worker's health, you may want to learn more about standing workstations. This will allow your workers to keep their weight down, reduce the risk of developing poor circulation, and improve their moods throughout their shifts.
If you are not quite ready to use standing workstations, consider a good alternative such as adjustable office reception desks. You gain the same benefits and your workers have more control to make adjustments to increase their comfort throughout the day. This will improve the work conditions in your business while increasing productivity and profitability.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Have a Team That Loves Working With You

Today's topic is about creating a team that loves working with you. When you first start your business, you may have started from home-in a spare bedroom or a little office, and you're just by yourself. That's good in the beginning because you may be on a shoestring budget, but after a while as you get more and more successful, there's just so much more to do, in terms of customer service, or in terms of doing things you don't know how to do. If you want to grow in your business, you must begin hiring other people, whether it's on a part-time basis of a virtual team member or a full-time person.
We now have a team of about 14 full-time employees. And what I've realized over the years is that your success in your business is only as good as your team. If you want to continually succeed and keep growing by leaps and bounds, you must take care of your team and hire people who are super talented, who love working with you and who will do anything to stay at the company.
I believe that we are on our way to creating that kind of team. I would like to share with you some of the best practices that I've put together over the last three years that we've had full-time people working in our office with us, so here are my six tips. They may seem very simple, but hopefully you'll find them helpful.
1. You must see yourselves as peers. Instead of seeing yourself as the big boss and that everybody else is beneath you, see yourselves as peers all on the same level.
You have your own unique strengths, skills, talents and abilities, but it is only a small piece of the puzzle. You must surround yourself with people who are really good at things that you're not good at. When you honor them for their skills and their talents and their abilities and you see yourselves as peers working on the same mission together, everybody gets along and everybody loves working together.
2. If at all possible, have your team members only work on what they love to do and that they're uniquely brilliant at. Like I mentioned above, you are really, really good at things that you're really, really good at. Surround yourself with people who are exceptional at doing other things. When you have people who work only on stuff they love to do and they're brilliant at, they will love coming to work. It's like they'll come to work and say, "I can't believe I get paid to do this!" When you have a whole team that is happy and thrilled to work with you because they're doing only what they love, you have a super productive team, and there's no drama because everybody is so happy.
3. This is going to sound simple, but say 'please' and say 'thank you'. They're not your servants. They are your peers and they are human beings, and everybody wants to feel significant, so say please, say thank you every time you ask for something.
4. Treat them like friends and family. We have a private chef cater lunch every day, Monday through Thursday, and we eat together as a family at this long dining room table in our office. We go around the room. It's like breaking bread. We share this delicious, healthy meal together and we go around the room each sharing something that's new and good every day. It really deepens the relationships. It's one of my favorite parts of the day.
5. Respect their opinion and request their input. Team members don't like to stay in the dark. They don't want to be like mushrooms. They want to be part of the big picture. Share with them when you come back from a mastermind group or when you've read a book or you've gone to a seminar, come back and share with them what you learned. Share with them the bigger vision of what you're working on. They like to be involved and remember that every single person on your team has opinions and has things that they're really good at. Request their input and honor their opinion because it matters. It really matters if you want to create a yummy team.
6. Lastly, have fun together. It's really important that your office be a place of abundance and beauty and respect for everyone there. The more you can have fun together during hours or off hours, the closer you will become as a team. A really close team can create anything. Really, they can create results that astound others.
See what you can do too - even if your team is all virtual. Fly everybody in and do something really fun together because when you do all of these things, it creates a team that is invincible and can do anything.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
Think about what you can do to create a space in your company where people love to work with you and they want to stay and tell others about you.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Three Top Catering Options for a Wedding

Three of the most popular catering choices for a wedding include the finger buffet, the hot buffet and the sit down meal. Consider the type of reception you are having in trying to decide what type of meal would be best to serve your guests.
A finger buffet is a no-fuss catering option that works very well for many different venues. When selecting finger foods, offer more than one menu choice if you are able to. The place where you are holding the reception may offer you three or four menu choices, but if you are catering for a large group, such as 100 or more, you may wish to provide your guests with more options.
If you are offered a choice of what menu you would like, mixing and matching foods is always a good idea. You can peruse the menu that is provided to you and from there, select the finger food that would be most appetizing for your guests. This will provide everyone in attendance with a larger selection of foods from which to enjoy.
A venue that does not allow you to have a say in the choices for the finger buffet may not be the optimum choice for your reception. It is your wedding and you are paying for it so you want to be able to make the decisions related to it.
A hot buffet is another catering option for a wedding that is popular but will cost you more than the finger buffet. This choice would be a good daytime catering choice as well as an evening one. It would suit any couple on their wedding day because it offers something for everyone.
You can include on the hot buffet anything that suits your fancy and is within your price range. Sweet and sour chicken, lasagna, shepherd's pie or chilli make excellent choices for the main dishes.
The hot buffet would not be complete without an assortment of side dishes. These dishes compliment whatever main dish is the centerpiece for the meal. Some options for side dishes include rice, potatoes, French fries and vegetables (such as pea, carrots and corn). You may also wish to have rolls, biscuits or garlic bread.
In the case of a hot buffet, the guests can get up from their tables and serve themselves. Service time is relatively fast when people have the option of picking out their own food.
The sit down meal is a popular option for wedding catering but not as popular as it was a decade ago. This is a traditional means of serving a meal at a wedding but the potential for errors is great (slow service, cold food) and it can be rather dull.
If you have your heart set on a sit down meal, allow guests to choose their own seats and do not go crazy with the choices for foods. One or two choices are best, except for those who have dietary restrictions to think about.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Increase Your Net Profit

Confused about why your gross profit is high but your net profit is low?
When the ladies get them they look real. But when guys get spray tans they look like Magda's twin brother from the movie "There's Something About Mary." Spray tans last about 7 to 12 days. So if you are into this stuff, you have to go every 1 to 2 weeks. That's a lot of tanning, and that's a recurring fixed expense for you. Maybe that's where all of your money goes.
Do you ever ask yourself: Where does all of the money go? Why do I feel like I have no money?
You are killing it in your business, right? You are bringing in the business. You think you are making good money. But every month when you look at your net profit then at your business bank account, there isn't much cash in there.
Every business owner spends money in 2 areas:
• The money you spend to produce/provide a service or product, which is costs of goods sold.
• The money you spend to keep your business up and running, which is called overhead.
Stay with me here. You really need to understand this. It's so key to getting a handle on your business money. You will have more clarity. You will feel more in control. You could go to the moon! Seriously.
OK, here is an example...
Let's say you are an event planner and you are planning a business conference for Apple. Your fee is $100,000. You will supply and pay for event production, flowers, tables, chairs, catering, and staff. You plan on all of the expenses costing $70,000. So you plan on making $30,000, or 30% profit. The $30,000 is called your gross profit.
Gross profit = Revenue - Cost of Goods Sold
But the event ends up costing you $85,000. You are over budget. So your gross profit is only $15,000.
You also have overhead to run your business. You have to pay for rent, health insurance, your employee, and telephones for your office. This costs $8000 every month.
Net profit = Gross profit - overhead.
So in this case, your net profit is $15,000 - $8000 = $7000. That's it, you made just $7,000 off of $100,000 in sales! Oy vey. We gotta get this number up.
If we annualize this, your net profit for the year would be $84,000. But the thing is, you left your corporate job where you were making $80,000. So you are basically making the same amount of money. Yes, you have more autonomy, have your own company, and have more flexibility. But you are really making the same amount of money.
So something has to change if you want to increase your net profit. You have 3 choices:
• Raise your prices
• Lower the costs to produce the event such as your service or product, or stay on budget.
• Lower your overhead.
It's that simple. You make the decision. Then run with it. Just not to the tanning salon.

How It Can Give Your Business A Competitive Edge

Hoshin Kanri is one of the many immensely useful management techniques that Toyota and other Japanese manufacturers have given to the corporate world. You don't have to have a large manufacturing company in order to use this technique. Companies of varying sizes and different industries have been using it to get a competitive edge.
The term Hoshin means 'setting an objective' and Kanri means 'management'. Therefore, the two terms when used together loosely mean "the management of objectives or direction". Most people take these terms to mean 'planning'. However, this is more than just planning and it is extremely essential for a company's success.
If you decide to adopt this management technique then you will have to
- Plan your strategy over a three-to-five-year period in order to move your company in a particular direction.
- Devise activities that will help you achieve your long term objective.
- Establish a variety of monitoring processes in order to ensure that you are on track to achieve the long term objective. These monitoring processes will also help you understand if the plan needs to be changed before it becomes too late and resources are wasted.
- Identify an annual plan that helps you achieve short term business goals.
- Give people specific responsibilities to ensure that they meet their individual goals. Each individual goal then helps the company achieve its overall target.
- Put in place a good system of communication so that all people in the organization understand clearly what is expected of them.
What makes this style of management different from conventional planning is that it comprises of both long term and short term goals. Employees have a clear understanding of how their individual performance can help the company succeed in the marketplace. As is to be expected, this has a very beneficial effect on productivity and morale. This is also a very good way of identifying various opportunities for training.
If you are looking for a fail safe way of improving your business then you should adopt various Lean management techniques including Hoshin planning. You will then be able to identify various business opportunities and take good advantage of them. Not only will your productivity increase but wastage will also reduce. You'll need to start by getting the right training, both for management and employees so that they can make good use of this management style. You'll see a dramatic improvement in business within the first year itself.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

How To Be A Headhunter

Headhunters, or Executive Recruiters have the toughest job of all recruiting positions. Typically, executive recruiters are paid on commission. If they don't make a placement, they don't get paid. They work without pay until a candidate is hired. There's nothing like a little stress to keep activity in high gear. Headhunters are motivated to continually perfect phrases, strategies, and skill sets. The faster they recruit, the bigger their reward. With quality comes quantity.
There's an art to controlling the placement process and it begins with memorizing the steps both candidate and employer go through before closing a deal. Recruiters are expected to make sure placements are made without any designated authority. They must be able to lead without pushing people around. Their power is subtle yet effective. When one knows how to be a headhunter they become comfortable with speaking less and listening more.
How do recruiters establish trust and credibility? It's not by boasting or rattling off highlights on their resume. Headhunters break the ice and dive into a conversation by asking intelligent questions. They don't waste time with small talk. They don't have time to spare. The best recruiters keep their focus on meeting the requirements of the candidate and the client employer. When those requirements are met, offers are extended and accepted.
We are sales people on a mission. A great deal is expected of us and in return we also have expectations. Headhunters have the luxury of choosing their clients and candidates. Mess with a recruiter's livelihood and you risk being dumped like a sack of flour.
Speak with authority. Talk slowly and enunciate clearly. "Hi. My name is Paul Bunyon. I'm an Executive Recruiter and I do have an opportunity to discuss with you. Your name has come to me on a confidential basis. Can you talk privately?" Silence. Give your candidate a moment to digest what they've just heard. 99% of the time you'll have their undivided attention or schedule a time when they can talk privately.
Keep asking questions. "In order to make a move and feel like you're taking a step up in your career, what would have to be in place?" Recruiters maintain control with questions. When asked a question, answer briefly and ask a new one. Reveal nothing about your client or the position until the candidate shows they qualify and have a sincere motivation to make a move.
Candidates and clients both want to know the answer to, 'What's In It For Me?' Recruiters who keep asking about motivation will be armed with crucial information when the time comes to negotiate and close the deal. What makes Headhunting more challenging than the average sales position is our 'product' (the candidate) has a mind of her own and this complicates the process. Their needs must be met for the placement to be made. Every placement essentially involves two sales!
The secret to being irresistible is to make it your business to let other people do the talking. Hone your ability to ask questions and your income will rise proportionally. Memorize lots of questions. You'll soon discover most people are disarmed easily once they realize you're genuinely interested in what they have to say about themselves. They rarely get this kind of undivided attention.
As a Headhunter you're expected to be an expert about your chosen industry. Listen carefully to everyone. These folks will refer colleagues and new clients to you. Information is power. Information is the currency of the recruiting trade. To be an irresistible Headhunter, follow the placement process. Ask questions and listen for answers that reveal what will ensure both sides, employer and candidate, 'buy' the deal. As you learn how to be a Headhunter and do your job well both sides will love you and your bonus is a generous fee.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Three Top Catering Options for a Wedding

Three of the most popular catering choices for a wedding include the finger buffet, the hot buffet and the sit down meal. Consider the type of reception you are having in trying to decide what type of meal would be best to serve your guests.
A finger buffet is a no-fuss catering option that works very well for many different venues. When selecting finger foods, offer more than one menu choice if you are able to. The place where you are holding the reception may offer you three or four menu choices, but if you are catering for a large group, such as 100 or more, you may wish to provide your guests with more options.
If you are offered a choice of what menu you would like, mixing and matching foods is always a good idea. You can peruse the menu that is provided to you and from there, select the finger food that would be most appetizing for your guests. This will provide everyone in attendance with a larger selection of foods from which to enjoy.
A venue that does not allow you to have a say in the choices for the finger buffet may not be the optimum choice for your reception. It is your wedding and you are paying for it so you want to be able to make the decisions related to it.
A hot buffet is another catering option for a wedding that is popular but will cost you more than the finger buffet. This choice would be a good daytime catering choice as well as an evening one. It would suit any couple on their wedding day because it offers something for everyone.
You can include on the hot buffet anything that suits your fancy and is within your price range. Sweet and sour chicken, lasagna, shepherd's pie or chilli make excellent choices for the main dishes.
The hot buffet would not be complete without an assortment of side dishes. These dishes compliment whatever main dish is the centerpiece for the meal. Some options for side dishes include rice, potatoes, French fries and vegetables (such as pea, carrots and corn). You may also wish to have rolls, biscuits or garlic bread.
In the case of a hot buffet, the guests can get up from their tables and serve themselves. Service time is relatively fast when people have the option of picking out their own food.
The sit down meal is a popular option for wedding catering but not as popular as it was a decade ago. This is a traditional means of serving a meal at a wedding but the potential for errors is great (slow service, cold food) and it can be rather dull.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Consider When Creating Labels For Clothes

Perhaps, you are opening a clothing line business with the help of some friends. One of the details that would need your attention is the creation of labels for clothes. This is one aspect of the business that needs your artistic skills as well. It needs your best efforts as the tags will reflect your business and carry the information by which customers could contact you.
If you are planning to do this on your own, think again. You might want to gather all the members of your creative team to ensure that you get the best ideas for your label. Say, you do not have a creative team. Ask a trusted friend over to brainstorm with you - as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.
Do you have a business logo? Most labels for clothes are patterned after business logos. They are, in fact, simplified forms of these emblems. If you have a complicated emblem, you can just consider the initials of your company name. Observe other popular brands of clothes. Some of their tags just hold the first letter of the creator's first or last name. This is for practicality purposes. Obviously, a complicated design requires much time and thread for stitching.
When choosing the colors and symbols you wish to incorporate, make sure that they are related to your company or the signature design of your clothes. A couple of hues is ideal. Using three shades is maximum; more than that you will have confusion at hand. Inclusion of a border and a symbol is also a great way to decorate your label. Ensure though that you will choose just one. In the case that you need them both, select an image that is small enough to complement your border and your business initials. The same must be observed in the creation of your swing tags.
If you want your clothing line more professional looking, write your business name in cursive and make this the pattern for your label. Just make sure that the way you wrote it is readable and easy to stitch. Instead of your business name, you can also write your name in scrip. It can be your whole name or just your first name or last name. Remember that your signature will be embroidered or printed many times and so make it legible as possible.
Although you want to be unique with your clothing tag, it is best for you to stick with the basic shapes available. Non-traditional shapes of labels for clothes may not be very practical on your end. For one, the designing of the tag could be very challenging if there is uneven space where you would stitch your company name and the image you have chosen. More so, a rectangular or square cloth tag look sophisticated than any other shape you can think of. If you find this chore difficult for you to handle, then, simply hire a printing services company that can do this on your behalf.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Sell Silver for Extra Money

No matter where you go or where you look, you can see evidence that times are challenging for everyone. With unemployment numbers fluctuating and the lack of a stable economy, it can be hard for you to make ends meet every month. Even though you may be struggling, there may be a way for you to get your hands on some much needed money without you having to take out a loan. Take a look around your home, chances are you have unused silver that is not being used and simply taking up space. Instead of stressing out and trying to figure out how you are going to put food on the table or pay for that unexpected car repair, collect up you unworn jewelry, utensils and other trinkets and take them to a place where you can sell silver for cash.
You may be surprised at how much valuable stuff you have laying around your home and not being used. Instead of selling them at a garage sale for less than they are worth, you should think about going where you are paid the most for your items. Keep in mind that not all sell silver places are equal. You may want to do a little comparison shopping before you go to any particular seller. You want to get top dollar for your trinkets and the best way to ensure that happens is by choosing where you go carefully.
Read up on any company that has caught your eyes. Make sure they have an excellent reputation for delivering on what they promise. You don't want to end up in a place where they claim they will give you top dollar only to find out that much of your profit is eaten away by their administrative and processing fees. Read all of the fine print. Some places may seem promising, but have a whole lot of technicalities that make it difficult for you to sell silver to them at the current market rate. If you don't want to become a victim and ripped off, take someone with you and make sure you are knowledgeable about what is involved. Ask questions if there is something you don't understand.
When you have finished screening and have chosen a good place to sell silver, don't hesitate to find out if there is the possibility they might buy other items that are in your household that you no longer have any use for. You may be surprised to learn that facility specializes in other commodities such as gold, etc. Keep in mind that you don't have to sell all of your trinkets at once. You could do it in increments or as you need to. Now that you have found a way to come up with emergency money, you don't have to worry about finding a second or third job. Get rid of some of the clutter in your home and sell silver when you need some extra money.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Entrepreneurs Maximize Earnings By Charging What The Market Can Bear

The main responsibility of entrepreneurs is to create value that people are willing to pay for. In doing this, they must first and foremost be able to provide what customers want and are willing to exchange money for. The product or service which many customers want is what can give them good feelings and or help them to solve a problem. Their ability to pay is influenced largely by how desperately they need that product or service. This is what provides the delicate balance between what the entrepreneur charges and what the customers are willing to pay. That is the market value which directly determines how much the entrepreneur makes. It is governed by simple demand and supply economics.
In the market place, the higher the value of the product or service produced or rendered by an entrepreneur, the more money she makes. The more of such products or services she is able to sell, the more money she makes. The fewer her competitors, the more money she makes. The more strongly people want what is on offer, the more the money that is made by the producer. More money is also made from a larger number of people who want the product or service. The more the ability and willingness of people to pay for what is on offer, the more the money that is made. All these are determined by the market which simply works on the economic principle of demand and supply. Knowing the ideal price to charge which people will be willing and able to pay for a product or service is the surest route to making money in any business. That is what smart entrepreneurs know and use to maximize their earnings.
There is no hard-and-fast rule which dictates what an entrepreneur can charge for the value she is creating. Pricing is at times determined by experience, market research efforts or even trial and error. The most important determinant is what the buyers are willing and able to pay. That is the same thing as what the market can bear. Any entrepreneur who is able to strike this delicate balance makes more money than others. Those whose charges are at variance with this value make less money. Those who charge too highly also make less money because fewer people buy when the price is too high. The key is to find out exactly what the market can bear and base your charges on it. That is how best to maximize earnings and remain in business. It is what smart entrepreneurs know and use effectively in their chosen businesses.
In the market place, entrepreneurs always want to get top dollar for what they produce. Buyers on the other hand shop always for high value at low prices. The sellers and buyers usually meet at some point that allows each party to believe they have got what they want. That is the price that allows the entrepreneur to earn satisfactorily and the buyers to spend prudently with satisfaction. It is usually a win-win situation on both sides if that balance is struck. That way, the buyers buy more and the sellers sell more. This relationship enables the entrepreneur to maximize earnings through a good crop of loyal and satisfied customers who keep buying.
Everyone goes into business to make money. The money is made by way of repeated and continuous sale of a product or service people are willing to pay for. Buyers as of habit pay money for anything they believe will satisfy them more than the money they are paying. That is what smart entrepreneurs rely on to create value and offer a product or service that is worth much more than the money it sells for at least in the eyes of the buyers. With that, buyers usually buy the product or service in more and repeated quantities. That way, the entrepreneur is able to maximize earnings from a continuous and expanded sale of the product or service as a consequence.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Accident Risks With a Thorough Kitchen Clean

In the restaurant and hotel industry seasonal business fluctuations are expected and peak times such as Christmas and the New Year can be times when the potential for accidents in a busy kitchen can increase.
The main case of accidents in busy kitchens is spillages according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the risk can be minimised if the kitchen cleaning regime is properly managed.
Preparation is the key to protecting staff when they are under increased pressure and kitchen managers should consider reviewing their risk assessments, their stocks of appropriate cleaning materials and training of their cleaning staff. This is especially important for floors to ensure that the cleaning does not cause more problems than it solves.
If extra casual staff have been taken on to help cope with the expected rush it is particularly important to ensure that they are given proper training in the health and safety, cleaning and food hygiene arrangements that the kitchen follows.
If the floor surface is safe, not cracked or chipped and made of appropriate materials and that staff have been provided with non-slip footwear, spillages need to be cleaned immediately and floors regularly cleaned at a time when they are least used and with materials that will remove any grease deposits and dry quickly because most accidents and falls take place when the floor is wet or greasy.
There are innumerable horrific case studies of accidents in kitchens on the HSE website, some of them resulting in injuries to staff that have prevented them from continuing in their jobs and cost their employers large amounts in compensation.
Part of the preparation for a busy period may include deep cleaning the kitchen beforehand. Contract kitchen deep cleaning companies can be brought in to do an assessment of the state of the kitchen, minor repairs that may be needed and to schedule the work at a convenient time.
If kitchen deep cleaning is not required before the busy period it almost certainly will be after the seasonal rush is over. Thanks to the extra volume of cooking there will have been more steam created, possibly containing dissolved grease and while the daily kitchen cleaning may be effective to keep things running smoothly, hygienically and safely it is likely that there will have been more deposits left in hard to reach places than would be normal and getting in a deep cleaning service when the volume of business has diminished will set the kitchen up for the next busy season with minimal disruption to the work.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

2012 Has Brought Glimmers of Hope on UK Employment

September and October 2012 have seen signs of more positive attitudes to employment and the state of the UK economy than have previously been in evidence.
Economic experts have been predicting that a UK return to growth is imminent while the monthly unemployment statistics have been showing steady improvement.
The Office for National statistics has just released the most recent figures for the three months to August 2012 which showed that a further 50,000 people found work and the numbers of people in work now at their highest level since records were first begun in 1971.
The REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) also carries out a monthly jobs survey among employers and it also found that growth in temp recruitment had reached a 14-month high and that demand for staff had increased more strongly.
The biggest concern about unemployment has been the worryingly high levels among young people aged 16 to 25. Here also there has been moderate good news with the Higher Education Careers Service Unit reporting that the situation for graduates this year being much better than had been feared and employment levels comparable to the previous year.
This reduction in unemployment, according to the ONS has also been mostly among younger people, bringing the numbers below £1 million for the first time in over a year.
Nevertheless there are those who argue that these so-called improvements are very uncertain because so many of the jobs people have taken have been part time when the preference was for full time employment, a proportion are accounted for by people becoming self employed and or many jobs taken being well below people's qualification and skill levels.
For many people, both employers and candidates, part time or temporary work has a negative image. A recent BBC online article that included interviews with young people in countries around the world, where competition for jobs on graduation is even more intense than it is in the UK, is instructive.
Among the quoted examples was a young graduate from Senegal, who said: 'Do not get discouraged by failure and keep trying'. Having managed ten interviews from hundreds of applications he had succeeded eventually in a politically volatile part of Africa.
Similarly a young woman in Malaysia said: that the job you settled for could be the stepping stone to achieving your dream job, while a young Nigerian persisted despite high unemployment in his country, eventually by handing his CV to the person who is now his current employer having bumped into them on the street.
For young graduates in the UK struggling to find work these examples are a useful lesson because what they all had in common was a positive attitude in sometimes dire conditions, far worse than those in the UK, and a determination not to give up. They were all willing to volunteer, try internships or even low-skilled work and perceived these options as giving them an opportunity, not a negative