| How to Develop a Mentoring Plan Posted: 09 Jan 2020 12:00 AM PST A mentoring plan is a way to clarify and formalize a relationship between a mentor and mentee. Once you've been matched with your mentor or mentee, you can outline the specifics of your roles and define guidelines for the relationship, such as meeting frequency and location. Then, work together to describe goals and objectives. After you've established a plan, revisit it twice per year and adjust it as needed to maintain good progress. [Edit]Establishing Roles and Guidelines - Take time to get to know each other before you begin working together. It's fine to have the first meeting between you and your mentor or mentee be all about getting to know each other and this may even help to forge a positive relationship. Choose to meet at a designated time and place. Then, spend about 30-60 minutes in casual conversation. Ask getting-to-know you questions of each other to establish a rapport.[1]
- For example, ask your mentor or mentee where they're from, where they went to school, what they like to do in their spare time, and if they have any pets.
- Discuss desired outcomes for the relationship. When you first begin working together, plan a conversation to establish the basic goals you'll be working towards. These can be broad goals that you narrow down later to pinpoint the mentee's more specific professional objectives. Some things the mentor and mentee might list as goals for their relationship include:[2]
- Increasing the speed at which the mentee learns their role and achieves competency
- Fostering leadership development
- Reducing stress and preventing burnout
- Improving the mentee's motivation and job satisfaction
- Increasing the chances that the mentee will stay with the company long-term[3]
- Identify each person's responsibilities. Once you've established some goals, figure out what the relationship will involve by specifying what you and your mentor or mentee will responsible for doing. State these responsibilities clearly so there is no mistaking each person's role.[4]
- For example, if you are the mentee, you might write something like, "As mentee, I am responsible for seeking out opportunities and experiences to enhance my learning, communicating regularly with my mentor, and reviewing my progress regularly."
- If you are the mentor, you might write something like, "As mentor, I agree to provide support and encouragement to my mentee, provide feedback on my mentee's progress, and meet with them regularly."
- Specify how often you and your mentor or mentee will meet. Try to meet with your mentor or mentee 3-4 times over the course of 6 months, or more often if desired. Meeting more often may help to promote good progress, especially in the first 1-2 years of your relationship. Other things to consider when planning your meetings include:[5]
- Where you will meet
- The level of formality of your meetings
- What you'll cover in your meetings
- When you will meet again
[Edit]Outlining Goals and Objectives - Write down the mentee's long-term career goals. Identifying the mentee's ultimate or major career goal will help you to create clear objectives to work on. If you're the mentee, discuss your career goals with your mentor and then state your career goal as a main objective of the mentorship plan. If you're the mentor, discuss the mentee's career goals with them to help them develop their ideas and then help them to turn this into a definitive statement.[6]
- For example, you might write something like, "My ultimate goal is to become a tenured professor and move into an administrative role, such as dean or vice president."
- Express short-term goals for the next 5-10 years of the mentee's career. These may include things that the mentee would like to accomplish within the next 1, 2, 3, 5, or even 10 years. List each short-term goal and the proposed timeline for achieving it.[7]
- For example, you might write something like, "Earn a promotion within my first year of employment."
- Or, you might write something like, "Publish a book based on my research within 5 years."
- Make a list of skills the mentee wants to work on. Have a discussion about what skills are important for the mentee's success in their chosen field. Then, make a list of these skills and identify ways that the mentee can work on them.[8]
- For example, if the mentee wants to develop their leadership skills, they might do this by volunteering for special projects or committees, speaking up more in meetings, and reading books about leadership.
- If you are the mentor, you may also want to suggest some skills that you think might be beneficial for the mentee's career goals.
- Identify professional development events for the mentee to attend. Include in the plan any workshops, conferences, or other professional development events that may benefit the mentee. Also, indicate when the events are being held and any important deadlines the mentee should know about, such as a submission deadline for a conference paper.[9]
- For example, you might include in the mentorship plan something like, "Submit a proposal for the annual writer's conference by January 15th."
- Plan introductions to contacts that may benefit the mentee. If you are the mentor and are at a meeting or event that your mentee is attending as well, introduce them to other professionals. Expanding the mentee's professional social circle is an important goal for furthering their professional development and helping them to achieve their goals.[10]
- Try saying something like, "Hello, Dr. Carlson! Have you met George? He's our newest addition to human resources."
- The mentor may also benefit from introducing the mentee to people within their professional circle by renewing and strengthening their professional connections.
[Edit]Ensuring Good Progress - Evaluate the mentee biannually to check on their progress. Regular progress reviews will help to ensure that you're making good progress, so set a schedule for these checks. If you're the mentor, evaluate your mentee once every 6 months. If you're the mentee, suggest an evaluation every 6 months by discussing it with your mentor and including it in your plan. During 6 month reviews, have the mentor and mentee revisit the mentorship plan, goals, and objectives to see what the mentee has accomplished or what they are working towards.[11]
- For example, if the mentee set a goal to publish a paper by the end of the year, then by the first 6 month review there should be some tangible evidence that the mentee is moving towards that goal, such as having a paper accepted by a scholarly journal or at least having submitted a paper to a journal by that point.
- If you're the mentor, make sure to provide encouragement and feedback on the mentee's progress. You can do this by making notes on what they have accomplished and putting these notes into the form of a letter.
- If you're the mentee, identify any goals that you have not made progress towards and ask for guidance from your mentor, especially if you are struggling with any of your objectives.
- Make adjustments to the mentorship plan and goals as needed. After reviewing the mentorship plan together, you and your mentor or mentee can make adjustments to the plan as needed, such as changing goal completion dates, modifying goals, or adding new goals. Use the notes that the mentor made during review and any concerns the mentee stated to adjust the plan.[12]
- For example, if the mentee set a goal to attend 3 professional development workshops within the next year, but they have only found 2 suitable ones, then you might adjust the goal and consider it met.
- Or, if the mentee has already accomplished one of their 2 year goals at the 1 year checkup, then you might set a new goal for them to work towards.
- Review the plan together and have both parties sign it. Once you and your mentor are happy with the new or revised plan, you can both sign it to make it official. Ensure that you both agree to the goals and other objectives set forth in the plan and make any changes needed before you sign it.[13]
- Some companies provide templates for how to create a mentorship development plan, so you may want to check with your department head or human resources manager before you write one.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Prepare for High Altitude Posted: 08 Jan 2020 04:00 PM PST High altitude locations are some of the most beautiful and popular places to travel for vacation and work alike. However, about 20 to 50% of people who travel to high altitudes experience 1 or more of the common side effects of altitude sickness. By planning your trip, acclimating to the elevation, and properly dealing with altitude sickness, you can enjoy your time up high. [Edit]Planning Your Trip - Plan your ascent into high altitude ahead of time. One of the most important things to do to prepare to enter a higher altitude is to schedule your ascent ahead of time so you can build in time for your body to acclimate and adjust.[1] If you are able to spend a day or two at a more moderate elevation (under ), you can give your body a chance to adjust to the higher altitude before ascending further, or give any side effects you may experience time to subside.
- In most minor cases, people only experience side effects for the first 1 to 2 days after arriving at a higher elevation.
- About 20% of people who travel to altitudes between and experience side effects. This number increases to about 50%, however, in altitudes higher than .
- Hydrate well before entering a higher altitude. Arguably the easiest way to help you prepare for high altitude is to drink plenty of water before you travel, as well as during your ascent into a higher altitude.[2] Drinking at least of water in the days before your trip can help your body adjust to the high altitude quicker and ward off some of the unpleasant side effects.
- To help you keep hydrating while traveling, bring a large water bottle with you. Try to keep track of how much water you are drinking and refill the bottle as frequently as you are able to.
- Get plenty of sleep before ascending into higher altitudes. Being well rested is an important factor in helping you both avoid and get over the side effects of high altitude. In many cases, however, traveling can interrupt your sleep schedule. While you may not be able to avoid the impact of travel on your sleep schedule, you can make sure that you can plenty of sleep in the days leading up to your ascent into a higher altitude.[3]
- Try to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep in the days leading up to your trip into a higher altitude.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol for at least 1 day in advanced. Drinking alcohol and caffeine in the days before you travel, as well as once you are traveling, can dehydrate your body, impact your ability to sleep well, and weaken your ability to fight any symptoms of altitude sickness.[4] As a result, try to avoid consuming any caffeine or alcohol for at least 1 day before you travel, as well as while you are traveling.
- If you do choose to consume caffeine or alcohol while preparing for high altitude, make sure that you drink plenty of water to try to offset some of the negative effects.
- Train if you plan to do any rigorous physical activity. If you plan on hiking, mountain biking, or doing any other physical activity once you arrive in a higher altitude, training accordingly can help your body ward off or bounce back quicker from altitude-related illness. While even professional athletes can suffer from the effects of high altitude, your body will be able to perform under the added stress of high altitude if you are physically ready for the activity at hand.[5]
- If you plan to go hiking, for example, try doing several hikes near where you live. This can help you get in the physical condition needed to complete the hike while getting your body used to the ascent into a higher altitude.
- Get a prescription to help you adjust to the elevation (optional). While most people can acclimate to higher altitude naturally with a bit of preparation and time, there are prescription medications that you can get before you leave that will help your body adjust more quickly. If you know that you won't be able to schedule adequate time to acclimate, or if you have experienced severe altitude sickness before, talk to your doctor about possibly getting a prescription medication to help you when you travel.[6]
- Acetazolamide and dexamethasone are both prescription medications that you can take before and during your travel to a higher altitude.[7]
- Buy a supplemental oxygen can to help you avoid side effects (optional). Once you are in a high altitude, you can help avoid or alleviate symptoms of altitude sickness by purchasing a personal oxygen can.[8] Oxygen cans are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and are readily available online and in pharmacies, grocery stores, and outdoor supply stores that are in higher altitude locations.
- Many hotels and outdoor sporting companies in higher altitudes will also have a supplemental oxygen source on-hand.[9]
[Edit]Acclimating to the Elevation - Ascend into higher altitudes slowly so your body can adjust. Once you are in a higher altitude, try to give your body time to acclimate to the increase in elevation. The likelihood that you will suffer from side effects increases with every increase in elevation. You can try to offset this, however, by spending a day or so at each high altitude elevation before ascending higher.[10]
- Avoid ascending more than per day. To help give your body time to acclimate to the elevation, try to avoid ascending more than per day.[11] This will help you prevent altitude sickness and therefore, enjoy your trip much more.
- If you are particularly sensitive to higher altitude, you may want to avoid ascending more than per day.
- Eat and drink water frequently to avoid altitude sickness. Staying hydrated and well-nourished can help you ward off many of the unpleasant side effects of high altitude, such as dizziness and headaches.[12] Try to eat at least 3 healthy meals per day, and keep snacks and a water bottle with you at all times until you are sure that your body has acclimated.
- Granola bars are a great option for a quick and easy snack to have on-hand.
- Steer clear of strenuous exercise for about 1 day. After arriving in a higher altitude, try to avoid any strenuous exercise for the first 24 hours. This will give your body time to adjust to the elevation. If you push yourself too hard before your body has acclimated, there is a good chance that you will experience some of the symptoms of altitude sickness.[13]
[Edit]Dealing with Altitude Sickness - Stop ascending until your symptoms have subsided. If you experience any of the symptoms of altitude sickness, avoid ascending to a higher elevation. If your symptoms are mild, you can usually wait for your body to acclimate to your current altitude and then proceed with your ascent.[14] If your symptoms are severe and persistent, however, you will likely need to descend and in some cases, seek medical attention.
- Common symptoms of altitude sickness include dizziness, headache, vomiting, swelling, slightly elevated heart rate, temporary shortness of breath, coughing, congestion, and trouble walking.[15]
- If your symptoms are mild and temporary, you can likely proceed with your ascent after 24 to 48 hours.[16]
- If any of the common symptoms of altitude sickness are prolonged (more than 1 to 2 days) or particularly painful or uncomfortable, they should be considered severe.
- Additional severe symptoms of altitude sickness include a high altitude cerebral edema, pulmonary edema, and blurred vision.[17]
- Eat and drink water to help your symptoms subside. If you are suffering from altitude sickness, hydrating consistently and eating a substantial meal or snack can help you begin to acclimate.[18] Even if you feel nauseous, it is important that you try to eat and drink water as often as you can in order to feel better quickly.
- Move to a lower altitude if your symptoms are persistent or severe. If your altitude sickness is persistent, severe, or gets worse over time, descend to a lower altitude as soon as possible.[19] Your symptoms should begin to subside as you descend.
- If your symptoms don't begin subside after you descend, you may need to seek medical attention.
- Use an over-the-counter pain reliever to help with side effects. If you experience some of the side effects of high altitude despite your preparation, it can be helpful for you to have some over-the-counter pain relievers on hand.[20] Pain relievers like aspirin should be taken sparingly and in consultation with your doctor or pharmacist, however, as they will only treat the symptoms but do not help your body adjust or improve your oxygenation.[21]
- Take a prescription medication to help alleviate your symptoms quickly. If you got a prescription for acetazolamide or dexamethasone, you can take either of these medications to help your body adjust to the elevation.[22] By helping your body adjust to the elevation, these medications can help alleviate your symptoms and get over your altitude sickness more quickly.
- Use supplemental oxygen to relieve your altitude sickness. If you purchased an oxygen can prior to your ascent, you can use it as directed to help alleviate your altitude sickness. If you don't have a personal oxygen can, you may be able to get supplemental oxygen from a hotel, sporting company, emergency relief officials, or medical facility.[23]
[Edit]References |
| How to Open a Clothing Store Posted: 08 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST If you have a passion for fashion and style and want to be your own boss, then opening a clothing store may be the perfect decision for you. However, this isn't a simple task. Starting a business takes a lot of thought and planning. Start by deciding on your target audience and the niche your store will fill. Then find the perfect location. Add up all your anticipated costs and apply for a startup loan if you need one. Market your business online to increase your sales. Finally, have a big grand opening event to kick off your new store. [Edit]Researching the Market - Identify your target audience. Your target audience determines almost everything else about your store, from the products you carry to the location of your storefront. Start by brainstorming who you'd like to market to. Then use that decision to make other decisions about your store.[1]
- Think big at first. Do you want to appeal to men or women? Then get more specific. Think about what ages, professions, and styles you want to appeal to.
- To start, go by what you know. If you worked in a store that sold suits to businesspeople, then you already know that market. Consider entering a field you have experience in like this.
- Consider where you might make the most money. Business suits might not be in high demand in a small town. But you may get a lot of tourists in the summer. In this case, it may be better to open a store geared to tourists.
- Investigate potential locations for your store. Location is one of the most important early decisions you'll make in opening your business, so conduct careful market research. Look for a location that has a good foot traffic to get your first customers. Look for other businesses like yours. Small businesses often cluster together to attract as many customers as possible, so this may be a ready-made location for you.[2]
- Don't locate yourself too close to identical stores. If there are a lot of other small clothing stores in the location you're looking, this market may be too saturated. Consider finding a different location.
- If you're marketing to tourists, for example, then locate your store near the main attraction areas.
- For good foot traffic, open the store near restaurants and coffee shops. Places where people visit often can bring in a lot of window shoppers.
- Find out what the rent is in every area you look. This will be a big expense, so don't overlook it in the planning stage.
- Find a specialty for your store's merchandise. Big department stores offer all the big brands at low prices, so your store won't stand out if you try to follow that model. Think about what would set you apart from larger competitors and other small businesses. Carry brands or products that department stores don't, or develop a specialty in a field that your area lacks.[3]
- One good angle is carrying brands made by local manufacturers. This gives a much different flavor to your store than someone could get at a large retailer.
- Your town may have a lot of off-brand boutique stores, but perhaps they lack a maternity store. This could be where you make your niche.
- Develop a backup plan if your business isn't successful. Remember that starting any business is a risk and many small businesses fail. Don't let this discourage you, but also have backup plans in mind in case the business doesn't work out.[4]
- Have emergency savings to cover 6 months of living expenses if you have to find a new job.
- Remember that clothing stores usually have smaller profit margins than other businesses. Get into this because you love the industry and want to work with people. This passion will help you deal with below-average profits.
[Edit]Financing and Incorporating the Business - Determine your total operating costs. Figure out how much your store will cost to run before opening it. If you don't have a full financial picture, your store is unlikely to succeed. Operating costs, sometimes called overhead or fixed costs, are the expenses you have to pay regularly just to keep the store open. Add up all the costs that remain consistent each month and have to be paid. The resulting sum is your operating cost.[5]
- Common items for operating costs are rent, utilities, insurance, and phone/internet connections. If you take out loans, paying them back is also a fixed cost.
- Common advice is to keep your rent about 6% of your yearly sales. Keep this in mind when you add up your costs. If rent is $2,000 per month, that's $24,000 per year. That means you'd need about $400,000 in sales to meet this recommendation. If you can't project sales that high, consider finding cheaper rent.
- Add up your inventory and labor costs. These costs are called variable costs, because they can change from month to month. For instance, you could buy less inventory or hire less workers and your store would still stay open. Add up what all your inventory will cost you and how much paying your employees will cost. Then combine this number with any other variable costs you have.[6]
- Some other variable costs include advertising and marketing expenses, since you technically don't have to do these things to stay open.
- Add up your fixed and variable costs to get your breakeven price, meaning the amount you have to make each month just to cover your expenses.
- Draw up a business plan. A business plan is crucial not only to focus your own thoughts, but also because any potential investors will want to see your plan before providing any financing. Put together a comprehensive explanation for your business, including the products you'll sell, your operating plan, and all your expenses. Be ready to present this plan to anyone you ask for financing.[7]
- Start by describing your business concisely. What will you sell and who is your target audience?
- Then outline how you will fit into the current market. Explain the research that you've done and how you'll set yourself apart from competitors.
- Finally, outline your total costs, both fixed and variable. Then note how much financing you'll need to get started.
- Form a legal business entity. While forming a business entity is not a requirement, there are many advantages to doing so. Forming an entity separates your personal and business finances, so your personal savings are protected. Merchants, manufacturers, and lenders are also usually more willing to work with a business rather than an individual. Finally, you can declare business expenses and get tax write-offs as a business owner.[8]
- The most common entities are a Limited Liability Company (LLC) and corporation. Most small businesses are LLCs because they usually don't involve a lot of people.
- File for a business license in the state you're operating in. If you don't want to handle the paperwork yourself, you can hire a lawyer or other business to do the work for you.
- Apply for a business loan or find private investors. If you don't have enough savings to open the store yourself, then secure financing from a bank or private individuals. Apply for a small business loan from a local bank. If the bank won't provide enough funds, a private investor may be a better option. Keep in mind that private investors usually want to see a larger return on their investment than a bank. They may want to own a part of the business in exchange for the loan.[9]
- The amount of the loan depends on your total costs. Experts recommend having 6-12 months of expenses on hand when you start up, because it will take several months to start bringing in money.
- Typical amounts for opening a small clothing store range from a low of $50,000 to over $200,000, or even more for larger stores.
- It's better to have more cash on hand than not enough. Most small business fail within their first year because they don't have enough capital.
[Edit]Stocking and Staffing the Store - Contact suppliers for quotes on merchandise. With your financing and business plan in place, begin stocking your store. Look for suppliers or manufacturers in the niche your store is in. Find the best items for the best price and place orders for your initial stock.[10]
- Consider buying items in bulk to save costs. However, don't order more than you think you can sell. If you sink all your startup money into merchandise right away, you might not be able to pay your other bills.
- Try contacting manufacturers directly rather than wholesalers. You might save money by buying directly from manufactures.
- Trade shows are also good places to pick up cheap wholesale items.
- Carry products from local manufacturers to set your store apart. Small stores are part of their communities, and a great way for you to insert yourself into the local community is by showcasing local manufacturers. Contact jewelry makers, artists, and clothing makers to place their items in your store. This gives you a good supply of merchandise and is also great for your marketing.[11]
- If you don't have room in your store for locals to stock their items all the time, consider doing a monthly event for local manufacturers. Set up a tent in your parking lot and let them come showcase their products, for example.
- Hire employees if you need them. The number of employees you'll need depends on the size of the store. A common recommendation is for 1 full time and 1 part time worker for each of store. Think about how much work you can do yourself. Then hire more people as you need them.[12]
- Have at least one trusted employee who can run the store when you're not there. You never know when you'll have an emergency or get sick, so someone should know as much as you know about running the store.
- Remember that each employee you hire is another added expense. Only hire people you need.
- If work is irregular, consider hiring seasonal employees to save money. If you run a tourist shop that is only active in the summer, you don't need many employees in the winter months.
[Edit]Marketing the Business - Have a grand opening event. After all your hard work, arrive with a bang by having a big grand opening event. Invite everyone you know and advertise the event around town. This is your big chance to show everyone your store and get the word out.[13]
- Offer special sales on opening day to give everyone a sample of what you have to offer.
- Contact local media sources to come cover the event. This could give you some free advertising.
- Invite the mayor or other local politicians to bring more attention to the event.
- Use social media to place ads. Social media offers a great, cheap way to advertise. First, start a page for your store on all the major social media sites. Then start ad campaigns on these sites to spread the word to locals about your business.[14]
- Since your business has a physical location, set the ads to target people living 5-10 miles from you. Advertising to people 100 miles away will waste your ad budget.
- Update all your social media sites regularly. If you haven't posted on Facebook in 6 months, people may think your business closed down. Aim for at least 1 post per week on each of your accounts. Also make any major announcements, like sales, on all your accounts and website.
- Remember that advertising still costs money. Work these ads into your budget to avoid going over costs.
- Appear at local fairs and festivals. Most communities have events like these to showcase local businesses. Do your best to attend as many as you can to promote your business. Bring samples and items to sell so people can see what you offer.[15]
- Always bring plenty of business cards when you attend these events. Pass them out to as many people as you can.
- Check with your local chamber of commerce to find a list of upcoming business events. Attend as many as you can.
- Don't leave the store unattended or closed when you attend events. Leave your best employee to run the store while you're gone.
- Sell online to reach a wider audience. Websites like Amazon and eBay offer a massive platform for small businesses. If you only focus on your in-person sales, you're missing out on a huge potential to reach more customers. Make selling accounts on one or more online retail site and list your products. This is a great way to attract more customers or keep your profits up if visits to your store are slow.[16]
- Stay on top of your online sales. If you get a reputation for poor service, you could get banned from these sites.
- Include links to your online store on all your social media sites.
- Remember that all online stores have fees associated with them. Find out all the fees you'll pay and price your items accordingly so you won't lose money.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário