Successfully Calculate Your E-Commerce

You always want to invest money so that you get back more than you originally invested. However, if you don’t know how to properly estimate what it is that you are getting back, you might be missing out on revenue opportunities. Knowing how to properly calculate your return on investment also enables you to make smart decisions when it comes to investing your money.

 

To accurately calculate your ROI, you need to make sure you have taken the necessary steps to track all sales and conversions. There are two ROIs that will allow you to accurately evaluate how your campaigns are performing.

First, you can track direct sales, meaning that that the user goes to your website and makes a purchase, or a one-click sale. This is not an ideal way to track your sales because most users do not purchase right away. This will be your ROI No.1, which is calculated by finding the difference between the value of sales and the cost, and then dividing that by the cost, or (value of sale – cost)/cost.

In order to track sales that are indirect, you will need to tag your ads. This adds additional values in the URL that do not change the URL destination. They also allow you to see exactly what the user clicked on, such as an ad that led to your homepage, contact page or a specific product. On Facebook and Bing, you can add these as UTM parameters; Google uses auto-tagging.

Most advertisers think the Facebook pixel does this; however, the pixel only tracks direct sales and indirect sales within a short time period. If you were to go back to the website and purchase after a few hours, the UTM parameter would catch this, not the Facebook pixel.

Once you have tags in place, you will then be able to track assisted sales, which brings us to ROI No.2. Assisted sales are those who click your ad, go to your website, leave your website and buy later. For example, if you are shopping for a pair of shoes but leave the website to see if Amazon has a better deal, then go back to the brand website and purchase, this is an assisted sale and can only be tracked by UTM parameters.

Facebook tracks sales through the Facebook pixel. If Facebook tells you that you have eight sales and you go to Google and see you have five sales, then you have a difference of three. Those three conversions are assisted conversions. To see those and know where they came from, you need UTM parameters.

ROI No.2 includes your direct sales and assisted sales so that you have an accurate ROI calculation. It is calculated by adding your direct sales and assisted sales, subtracting the cost from that number, and dividing that difference by the cost, or ((direct sales + assisted sales) – cost)/cost. This is important when analyzing the bottom line of your business. Your ROI No.1 could be negative, leading you to think that you have a negative ROI, but when factoring in the ROI No.2, your business most likely has a positive ROI overall. With this in mind, it is important to know how to accurately optimize your ROI.

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Indian staffing industry

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Indias staffing sector, with estimated total revenue of Rs 27,000 crore, is expected to register 12 per cent this year, says a report.

According to Indian Staffing Federation, an apex body of flexi staffing industry, the sector which comprises 15 leading firms that account for Rs 270 billion in revenues is projected to grow 12 per cent this year and 10 per cent the next year.


In India, the staffing industry clearly does not have a challenge of addressable market and it is gratifying to witness the rapid growth being shown by each of the organised staffing firms to tap into this opportunity on one hand and enabling rapid job creation on the other, ISF President Rituparna Chakraborty said.

The report noted that the top three firms including two home grown firms TeamLease and Quess along with Swiss headquartered Adecco together account for 20 per cent of the total market share in India.

The five largest staffing companies in India, based on 2015 revenue include TeamLease with a revenue of Rs 1,986.9 crore, Quess Rs 1,959.4 crore, Adecco Rs 1,500 crore, Randstad Rs 1,348.5 crore and Manpower Group Rs 799.1 crore.

Chakraborty further said demonetisation and implementation of GST in recent times shall definitely be a force multiplier to the growth of staffing in India.

The staffing industry provides a platform for recognised employment, work choice, even compensation, annual benefits and health benefits for temporary workforce that constitute a sizeable segment of Indias total workforce. PTI DRR SBT SA

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Things that really matter in your HR career

1.Give them what they need, not what they want
Many years ago at another company my then Managing Director had a great idea for a leadership program and its content. I delivered it. But the program got terrible feedback and I nearly got fired.

My lesson from this was if you do things only to please people, you are unlikely to help them - or their organisation - to succeed.

2.HR is not about HR
I enjoy working with HR thought leader and academic Dave Ulrich. I’ve found from practical experience his writing about the purpose of HR is spot on: HR is not about HR, the scorecard of HR is the scorecard of the business, and the real customer of HR is the customer of the business.

3.Eat your vegetables before dessert – get the basics right first
I have done a number of HR transformations in my career. Before I get started I always ask four critical questions:

What do we keep?

What needs to change?

What can we do that will make the biggest difference?

How can we build it quickly, cleanly, and simply - and get it to stick?
By answering these questions from the customer perspective, we can build the internal mechanisms to deliver great customer experiences.

I joined NAB in March 2016, and again we are focussed on a handful of key priorities to delight customers and make NAB an even better place to work.

We still have work to do, but we are on our way to executing on a simple (not simplistic), focussed strategy that drives better people and business outcomes.

We know that when people are capable and talented and have good leaders, they will perform. Wrapped around this we must have the right values-based culture to inspire and engage people, and to ensure that the customer is at the heart of everything we do.

There is no cookie cutter approach to this. The things that really matter for success in each organisation will depend on their individual context.

4.HR is the chef, not the waiter
HR is there to help and coach the rest of the business, not to do the important work of line managers.

Line managers with the right skills and aptitude remain absolutely critical in any organisation. Research & experience shows the most important thing for employee engagement and performance is the quality of their immediate leader. HR’s role is support leaders to be their best through tools and frameworks.

5.Be ambitious – for yourself and others
In my 20s I was working in HR for a mining explosives company when I was put forward for an accelerated program. By backing me, before I backed myself, my company changed what I thought I’d be capable of.

To have a high performing organisation, we need to ignite ambition, encouraging people to reach their potential and to have a learning mindset. That’s why we have evolved how we manage performance at NAB to encourage managers to act as performance coaches for their direct reports. We also have a strong focus on developing our high potential talent.

6.Know your stuff and keep learning
I‘ve done three degrees and all of them have helped me in my career. My MBA helped me to speak the language of business, which is very important in HR.

It’s not just about academic learning. Be curious. Meet people in your profession, outside your company, dealing with the same issues. Go for a breadth of career experience. Apply your learning to find better solutions and continue to evolve.

When we get HR right, people benefit, from customers, to employees to shareholders.

I’ll keep learning and stretching myself as an HR leader. As author and cook Julia Child has said You’ll never know everything about anything – especially something that you love.

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HR solutions platform

Bangalore-based employee onboarding and engagement platform Tydy has raised $275,000 in angel investment from a group of individuals, including existing investor Bhupen Shah, former co-founder of Sling Media. Others who also invested in the firm are Jayesh Parekh, managing partner at Jungle Ventures and co-founder of Sony Entertainment in India and Sanjay Sathe, founder of outplacement firm RiseSmart, which was later acquired by Randstad.

The startup will use the capital for marketing and sales. We have grown to a phase where we can focus on making repeatable profits, therefore, our focus now is more on sales and marketing and managing deployments, Kiran Menon, chief executive and co-founder of Tydy told VCCircle.

Tydy’s mobile-first HR automation solution offers three key components to enterprises – employee onboarding, engagement and retention. ‘Tydy Onboarding’ automates the entire onboarding process, helping enterprises save on costs and strategic resources. For employees, it offers a gamified, mobile-first interface to easily complete the enrolment forms. ‘Tydy Listen’ is an employee engagement tool that helps firms receive regular feedback and sentiment analysis from employees. ‘Tydy Score’ is a predictive engine that collates data points right from onboarding, feedback, and sentiment analysis to create a single profile or score for every employee.

Owned and operated by Pagestitch Inc., Tydy’s client base includes Lowe’s, Taj Hotels, Kotak Mahindra, Sanofi, and Bajaj Finance.

Tydy was founded in 2013 by Menon along with Nikhil Gurjer and Gaurabh Mathure. Menon worked with web browser firm Opera Software and Gurjer was associated with mobile services firm Mobivatar Interactive and Crystera Technologies in the past. Mathure, who handles Tydy’s US operations, previously worked with advertising agency R/GA.

Initially, the firm offered a mobile collaboration tool for sales and marketing teams. The platform helped businesses manage their content and communications. Later, Tydy pivoted its entire product and launched the beta version of the HR tools in December 2015.

We consciously decided to stop that product and relook our assumptions. We did market research again and realised the need for mobility solutions was much higher in the HR departments of organisations and in a few critical processes. That’s when we made the pivot, Menon explained.

The company had raised $138,000 from a group of angel investors, including Sling Media’s Shah, in September 2014 for the sales product.

The startup was part of the maiden edition of IT major Oracle’s startup accelerator programme, which was held last year in June. Other firms that were chosen for the programme are ExpertRec, a plug-n-play search and recommendation engine for online marketplaces; Niyo Solutions, a fin-tech startup focused on alternate payment mechanisms; Ray iCare, an Internet of Things and artificial intelligence-based non-contact health and sleep monitor for babies; and Vear, an AI and VR-based content distribution and marketing platform.

The six-month Oracle Startup Cloud Accelerator Programme (OSCA) provides emerging firms mentorship from Oracle and industry experts, a co-working space, access to Oracle’s customers and partners, and free access to Oracle Cloud including training. On the last day of the programme, startups can pitch their idea to technology investors and leaders.

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How to answer: What is your salary expectation?

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you are asked:  What is your salary expectation? A number or a figure that’s on your mind from the moment you got an interview call. Our advice, don’t blurt it out. Do not make the mistake of quoting a number without understanding what the interviewer has in mind. 

The finest approach to answer the question of salary in an interview is never to be direct or specific. The idea behind this tactic is to gather as much information as possible about the job responsibilities and the benefits that are attached to it before you jump ino thet negotiation dance. Be diplomatic in your answer and try to throw the ball into the interviewer’s court. You should always try to find out more about the job, what it entails, and what number or salary range the interviewer could offer for this position.

But the truth is no matter what experts say; to take things forward, you have to share your salary expectations with the interviewer. And here’s how you should do it if an interviewer insists on a number, which most recruiters generally do.

First of all do not offer a direct answer. There are ways to get around this question. For example: My salary expectations are in line with my experience and qualifications or if this is the right job for me, I am sure we can come to an agreement on salary.  Moreover, you may ask for time to understand or learn more about the job first. You may then check various salary tools  that provide an indicative salary for a function or position on the basis of years of experience. The Monster Salary Index offers you comprehensive information to evaluate what you’re worth in the job market.

The next best answer is to give a salary range. This could be the maximum compensation you think a company can pay for this position and the minimum salary you think you can settle for. The other way of deciding a range could be based on your current salary and what people in the position you have applied for could be earning.

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The Interview Went Well, Now What?

The thank you note is a necessary tool for any job hunting strategy. But should you send it by email or snail mail, handwritten or typed? In this fast-paced computer age, the question baffles even the most sophisticated job hunters. Follow these guidelines to help you through the maze.

Email Thank You Notes 
How did the company initially contact you? If you have always corresponded with them via email for setting up the interview and answering questions, then by all means send an email thank you note as soon as you return from an interview. However, make sure to follow it up with a typed note to show that you are not Mr. or Ms. Casual. Email thank you notes have one clear advantage over their snail mail counterpart: They can put your name in front of the interviewer on the same day -- sometimes within hours -- of your interview.

Snail Mail 
If the company you interviewed with is formal and traditional, use snail mail to send your thank you note. Should it be handwritten or typed? Typed is standard. Not only will you show that you are business-like, you'll also prove you know how to put together the salutation, format a letter and sign off. Executives want to know their administrative assistants can do this, since writing letters for your boss will be a big part of your job.

Handwritten notes are appropriate if you'd like to extend your thanks to others in the office who helped you out. For example, if a receptionist, assistant, office manager, or other person involved with the interviewing process was especially helpful -- say they took you to lunch or guided you from office to office -- then a handwritten note is a nice gesture to show your appreciation.

What to Say
More important is what you say and how you say it. A standard thank you note should accomplish several things:


- Thank the person for the opportunity to interview with the company.

- Recap some of the conversational highlights.

- Clarify any information you needed to check on for the interviewer.

And most importantly, plug your skills. Use the last paragraph as the chance to state, "The job is a good fit for me because of XYZ, and my past experience in XYZ."


Interviewers have short memories. A thank you note is your final chance to stand apart from all of the others who want the same position.

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Avoid the Top 10 Interview Mistakes

The best way to avoid the most common and dangerous interview mistakes is to think ahead and decide not to make them... Read on for a whistle-stop tour of the top ten interview clangers! 

1. Lying 
Although it's tempting, it doesn't work. By all means gloss over the unflattering things. But out-right fibbing NEVER pays. 

Mark Twain said: "If you tell the truth, you never have to remember anything." Think about it. They will catch you out later. 

2. Slating your current company or boss 
Fed up with your current job and would give anything to leave because they've treated you badly? Your job interview is NOT the time to seek revenge. Bear in mind that the interviewer will be listening to your answers and thinking about what it would be like to work with you. Ask yourself: do you like working with people who constantly criticise others? Isn't it a bit wearing? The trouble is that the interviewer draws massive conclusions from your answers. So your throwaway comment about your boss or employer may be interpreted to be your "standard" way of thinking. It makes you look bad, not your employer. 

3. Being Rude 
If you find you were accidentally rude, then apologise calmly and genuinely. Then leave it behind you and get on with the rest of the interview. If you dwell on it, it will affect your performance. What's "rude"? Well, that depends on your audience. As a rule of thumb, avoid cracking jokes about potentially sensitive topics and beware of being too "pally" with the interviewer: polite and friendly is enough. After all, you're not in the pub with them. So stay professional. Also bear in mind that everyone you meet could be involved in the selection process. So blanking the receptionist or talking down to the junior members of staff could cost you the job. 

4. Complaining 
Ok, so your train journey might have been a nightmare and maybe you thought the tube would never arrive, or the tailbacks on the motorway were endless. But your interviewer doesn't want to know that! 
Complaining, even in jest, is not a recommended icebreaker. It may be completely harmless, or it might simply make the interviewer switch off. Don't let complaining set the tone for the interview! 

5. Talking about people you don't get on with at work 
These days, it's common to be asked how you deal with conflict. Companies realise the importance of interpersonal relationships in the working environment. So if they ask you about difficult people or situations, make sure you hold back from character assassination and blaming others for problems because it won't do you any favours! If you accidentally do "break" this rule, apologise and explain what you "really" meant. 

6. Not Being Prepared 
Re-read the relevant version of your CV and the job advert, just before the interview. You'd be surprised how many people can't remember what they wrote on their CV. And if you remember what type of person the job advert was looking for, it's easier to demonstrate that you have those qualities. 
Make sure you've brought with you anything you were asked for. It's fine to bring a note-pad and pen, but make sure they're tidy. It's even ok to bring notes with you; particularly if you have any questions you want to ask. It shows you're taking the job application seriously. Ill-prepared candidates rarely get job offers. 

7. Appearing to be too nervous, or too confident 
If you appear too nervous they'll think you're not confident enough to do the job. However, appearing too confident will make them think you won't fit into the team. If interview nerves are an issue for you, it's worth getting practical help from a professional, such as an interview coach. 


8. Making a weak first impression 
Unfortunately, no matter how hard the interviewer tries, a lot of "don't want to hire them" decisions are made in the first few minutes of contact. If you make a strong first impression, the interviewer will be more inclined to overlook "imperfections" in your answers. 

9. Not having researched the company 

As a general rule, the more famous the brand, the more they will expect you to have done your homework. Researching the company shows you're serious about the job. 


10. Putting your foot in it and not noticing 
Yes, we know, you didn't mean to put your foot in it. But it doesn't really matter what you intended. What counts is how the other person reacts. So what can you do? Be prepared to simply say "sorry, that's not what I meant!" This requires you to actually be paying attention to the interviewer, rather than your own thoughts and feelings. Once you've apologised, leave it there, take a deep breath to help you relax and move on with the job interview.

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Here's what you can learn from badminton champion Sai Praneeth on how to build consistency

“I finally got the monkey off my back,” said B Sai Praneeth following his Singapore Open win in April 2017. This maiden victory makes the 24-year-old badminton player only the fourth Indian to come away with a Superseries title, but Praneeth isn’t resting on his laurels. Instead, he is working on his “lack of consistency” by concentrating on his fitness levels and practising hard.
Whether you’re playing on court or working in a company, consistency is what will eventually define your success. Praneeth, for instance, has always played a good game. But despite having talent, without consistent effort he’s been unable to accomplish great results until now, says his coach Pullela Gopichand. “If you look at his career, Praneeth has some big wins. He has the quality but he needs the consistency,” Gopichand has said.

Why is consistency important?
The best way to explain this is with the classic tale of the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise works steadily every day, but the hare accomplishes more because he is more talented than the tortoise. However, the hare is lazy and slacks off, so in the end it is the steady tortoise that wins the race.

At work, being consistent allows you to:

• Measure the effectiveness of new initiatives, processes and organisational structures. By trying something new in a consistent manner over a certain time period, you can decide if it works or not.
• Hold people accountable. It becomes easier for employees to follow through when there is a systematic and consistent method in place. Also, consistency in your leadership style will serve as a model for how employees will behave. 
• Maintain a good track record and build a solid reputation.
Consistency eventually adds up to more work done, and therefore, in the long-term, will give you lasting results that you can be truly proud of.

How to be more consistently, consistent
Becoming a consistently high performer isn’t easy, especially since we’re all prone to procrastination, getting side tracked and stuck on unproductive tasks. But the good news is, you can train yourself to be consistently, consistent. Here’s how:

First, make sure you #LoveWhatYouDo
Praneeth was only 8-years-old when his aunt, a national level player herself, introduced him to badminton. He fell in love with the sport instantly.

Your takeaway: It's always easier to be constant if you #LoveWhatYouDo or at least like what you are doing every week. So find what suits you best.

Set a routine
Coach Gopichand's advice to his players has been practice hard every day. Praneeth, whose daily routine includes five hours of practice, proves that indeed is a mantra for success.

Your takeaway: Set up a consistent routine like, say, a morning ritual, which can give order and structure to the rest of your day.

#GoOutAndBe, even if you are not in the mood
Praneeth’s most challenging task was letting go of fears caused by the frequent injuries that impacted his game. Sports psychologist Mridu Sharma helped him push past his mental barriers and take action. 

Your takeaway: At times, you want to do something, but your mind will find reasons not to. Instead of over-thinking the situation or remaining paralysed by doubts, force yourself to just act. This can help you build a positive momentum, which in turn will help you progress much faster.

Focus on the process, not the results
Discipline and regimentation are key to success, according to Coach Gopichand, who makes all his students train hard, day in and day out. Being committed to his daily practice helped Praneeth give what he calls "the best performance of my career" at the Singapore Open.

Your takeaway: Don't stress about results, instead be fully engaged in the task at hand. You're more likely to stay motivated and get better results from consistent action. 

Let go of old self images
Frequent injuries, his inability to win matches and rise in the rankings led Praneeth to doubt his abilities. He admits he had a confidence issue, caused by his frequent losses. 

Your takeaway: Don't dwell on your past failures. Instead, build a consistent self-image that focuses on your successes.
The one thing that separates successful people from the rest is their ability to deliver sustained excellence. So get inspired by Praneeth’s success to work towards a consistently high performance today!

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Workplace lessons we can all learn from SRK's Ted TALK

Image Source: Marla Aufmuth/TED

He’s Bollywood’s quintessential lover boy: Rahul, naam toh suna hoga? One of the Hindi film industry's biggest hitmakers, Shah Rukh Khan stands tall as an example of how a simple boy from Delhi can hit it big in the City of Dreams, without any godfather. His journey, which began with 1989 TV series Fauji, led him to more than 80 films and has earned him numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri, the Légion d'honneur and 14 Filmfare Awards.

King Khan continues to enthrall, providing inspiration and motivation to all age groups across the world. His locker-room speech in Chak De is pretty much unforgettable but so are the many speeches he delivered at educational institutes such as Yale and Dhirubhai Ambani International school.

At the recent Ted TALK held at Vancouver, SRK was in august company. Elon Musk and Serena Williams were also sharing life lessons at the conference. But the Badshah of Bollywood had some special lessons that seemed just right for the workplace.

Believe in yourself, all the time
High self-esteem is your first step in believing in yourself. It shows that you respect your own self and builds self-confidence. Over time, it has an intense effect on your emotions, thinking, desires, values, happiness and goals. It's important to think highly of yourself for people with high self-esteem uplift, inspire and empower. Shah Rukh has never shied away from believing in himself. “I sell dreams, and I peddle love to millions of people... I've been made to understand there are lots of you here who have never seen my work, and I feel really sad for you… "[I'm] completely self-obsessed, as a movie star should be,” he said at TED.

Tip: Make sure your self-esteem isn't setting you up for obnoxious narcissism. 

Humour can almost always provide a way out
We all know a smile can connect faster than long introductions and shared laughter can create a bond. In Humor As A Tool In Conflict Resolution, Michael Nagler and Karen Ridd wrote: “Humor can be very effective in establishing a human connection between parties in a conflict, and thereby defusing the conflict itself, though it can be very hard to remember when the heat is really on.” No one knows and wields the power of humour better than SRK. At the TED talk, he shared some personal and professional anecdotes, but his lungi dance was what brought the house down.

Tip: Remember to poke fun at the behavior or attitudes that are causing problems, not at the person.

As you age, look for ways to better yourselfSRK made his debut as a gangly youth in Fauji; he’s come a long way now – he’s 51. But the actor knows that he needs to keep on “shining nevertheless”. The first Indian film star to give a TED Talk, compared his "ageing" movie star persona to humanity. “Humanity is a lot like me. It's an ageing movie star, grappling with all the newness around it, wondering whether it got it right in the first place and still trying to find a way to keep on shining regardless," he said. Over time, SRK has consistently tried to explore new avenues and break away from expectations. Apart from being an actor, he's a producer, co-owns an IPL team, is a frequent TV presenter and stage show performer, and endorses quite a few brands. But he’s still exploring. He returns to TV as the host of TED Talks’ Hindi version, titled TED Talks India: Nayi Soch, where he will play the role of curator Chris Anderson.

Tip: Keep working on yourself – this is one investment that will always pay off. 

Make an effort to balance duality of a manager’s role
Why is Superman a hero? He has power, it's true, but more than that it's that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use that power wisely. The same is true of any manager or supervisor. In The Manager: Master and Servant of Power, an article in the Harvard Business Review, Fernando Bartolomé and André Laurent write that most managers are action oriented and “don’t fully realize, for example, how power differences can disturb interpersonal relations at work and, consequently, undermine organizational effectiveness”. As SRK said in Vancouver to loud applause: “You may use your power to build walls and keep people outside. Or you may use it to break barriers and welcome them in. You may use your faith to make people afraid and terrify them into submission. Or you can use it to give courage to people, so they rise to the greatest heights of enlightenment."

Tip: Use your power as a manager wisely. Remember that blatant use of clout can never lead to effective working relationships. 
"I've learned that whatever moves you, whatever urges you to create, build, whatever keeps you from failing, whatever helps you survive, is perhaps the oldest and the simplest emotion known to mankind, and that is love," Khan said at the talk, putting into words what we all know to be true.
“The present you is brave. The present you is hopeful. The present you is innovative and resourceful. And, of course, the present you is annoyingly indefinable.” Let that be true…

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Here are 20 qualities that define successful entrepreneurs

Many desire to be an entrepreneur, it's always exciting to chart one's own vision, be your own boss & create wealth. Idea, concept or product alone cannot assure success. The success is directly proportional to qualities that define the entrepreneur.

1. Is a salesman, knows the critical difference between price & value
   
2.  Driven by speed of execution, creates time budgets, set deadlines & values time more over money.
   
3.  Ability to say "I do not know"
   
4.  Have an opinion & respect opinions
   
5.  Eye on what's missing, understand what & where are the gaps
   
6.  Knows how to reward, build team & has the attitude of gratitude
7.  Leverage the power of numbers to engage investor by continuous improvements with measurement of business metrics.
   
8.  Get into tough conversations, be expressive & can say "No"
   
9. Religiously confirms planning commitments, minutes & instructions in writing, leaving no room for assumptions
   
10. Lead from front, network with people effectively & navigate through obstacles efficiently
    
11.  Brevity & clarity in communication & negotiations
    
12. Attitude of zero tolerance, no overlooking of facts, problems & errors
    
13. 13.Values courtesy principles by giving the deserving respect to all & working hard to earn the respect, reputation & recognition
    
14. Does not frequently use these words "Usually, Maybe, Confused, Worried, Suspect, Probably, Likely, Might, Won't, Need"
    
15. Understands quitting is not equal to failure, not afraid of rejection while shameless self promotion
16. Accessible to team, customer, investors & loves to be in market than office
    
17. Avid listener, craves learning with sponge like nature to absorb knowledge
    
18. Not pursuing every possible opportunity in the world but stay focused on the precise goals
    
19. Enthusiastic, motivated & contagious personality
    
20. Understand ambiguity, perseverance & risks associated with entrepreneurship journey

There is no scientific study on above list or it's a comprehensive list nor it's foolproof list. The references above are based on my personal journey as an entrepreneur having built businesses, successfully exited them. The majority of insights are from angel investing in 45 odd companies wherein I met entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds & businesses. Today it's my check list of attributes for the quest to invest in right entrepreneurs, than right ideas.

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The 10 Worst Mistakes Career Changers Make

Changing careers is never easy. Half the world thinks you've lost your mind, headhunters say you'll never work again and your mother-in-law steps up the old, "I told you so" routine. But for many burned-out, bored or multitalented folks who are sitting on skills they're not getting a chance to use, changing fields is the only way to keep from losing their marbles. 

Regardless of your career change strategy, never make these 10 mistakes 

1. Don't look for a job in another field without some intense introspection. 
Nothing is worse than leaping before you look. Make sure you're not escaping to a field that fits you just as poorly as your last. Check out these self-assessment articles. 
Get thorough information about the fields you're considering by networking, reading and doing online research. Having informational interviews with alumni from your college, colleagues, friends or family is a fun way to get the scoop on different fields. 

2. Don't look for "hot" fields unless they're a good fit for you. 
You wouldn't try to squeeze into your skinny cousin's suit, so why try a field because it works for him? People who are trying to help you will come along and do the equivalent of whispering "plastics" in your ear. Instead of jumping at their suggestions, take time to consider your options. Decide what you really want to do. When you enter a field just because it's hot, burnout isn't far behind. 

3. Don't go into a field because your friend is doing well in it. 
Get thorough information about the fields you're considering by networking, reading and doing online research. Having informational interviews with alumni from your college, colleagues, friends or family is a fun way to get the scoop on different fields. 

4. Don't stick to possibilities you already know about. 
Stretch your perception of what might work for you. Read some job profiles and explore career fields you learn about from self-assessment exercises. 


5. Don't let money be the deciding factor. 
There's not enough money in the world to make you happy if your job doesn't suit you. Workplace dissatisfaction and stress is the number-one health problem for working adults. This is particularly true for career changers, who often earn less until they get their sea legs in a different field. 

6. Don't keep your dissatisfaction to yourself or try to make the switch alone. 
This is the time to talk to people (probably not your boss just yet). Friends, family and colleagues need to know what's going on so they can help you tap into those 90-plus percent of jobs that aren't advertised until somebody has them all sewn up. 

7. Don't go back to school to get retreaded unless you've done some test drives in the new field. 
You're never too old for an internship, a volunteer experience or trying your hand at a contract assignment in a new field. There are lots of ways to get experience that won't cost you anything except your time. A new degree may or may not make the world sit up and take notice. Be very sure where you want to go before you put yourself through the pain and debt of another degree program. 

8. Be careful when using placement agencies or search firms. 
Do some research to be sure to find a good match. Ask those who work in the field you're trying to get into or other successful career changers for suggestions. Try to find a firm that knows how to be creative when placing career changers -- not one that solely focuses on moving people up the ladder in the same field. 

9. Don't go to a career counsellor or a career transitions agency expecting they can tell you which field to enter. 
Career advisors are facilitators, and they'll follow your lead. They can help ferret out your long-buried dreams and talents, but you'll have to do the research and the decision making by yourself. Anyone who promises to tell you what to do is dangerous. 

10. Don't expect to switch overnight. 
A thorough career change usually will take a minimum of six months to pull off, and the time frequently stretches to a year or more. Changing fields is one of the most invigorating things you can do. It's like experiencing youth all over again, except with the wisdom of whatever age you are now.

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Why Should We Hire You?

"Why should we hire you?" is another common interview question that can take you down the wrong road unless you've done some thinking ahead of time. This question is purely about selling yourself in the interview. Think of yourself as the product. Why should the customer buy?

 

The Wrong Track: The question actually means "What can you do for us?" Be specific on how your skills can benefit the organization. Sell yourself to get the job. You could also list out some soft skills like your problem solving capabilities with examples.

 

Develop a Sales Statement: The more detail you give, the better your answer will be. This is not a time to talk about what you want. Rather, it is a time to summarize your accomplishments and relate what makes you unique.

 

Product Inventory Exercise: The bottom line of this question is, "What can you do for this company?" Start by looking at the job description or posting. What is the employer stressing as requirements of the job? What will it take to get the job done? Make a list of those requirements.

 

Next, do an inventory to determine what you have to offer as a fit for those requirements. Think of two or three key qualities you have to offer that match those the employer is seeking. Don't underestimate personal traits that make you unique; your energy, personality type, working style and people skills are all very relevant to any job.

 

The Sales Pitch: You Are the Solution: From the list of requirements, match what you have to offer and merge the two into a summary statement. This is your sales pitch. It should be no more than two minutes long and should stress the traits that make you unique and a good match for the job.

 

What Makes You Unique? Completing an exercise around this question will allow you to concentrate on your unique qualities. Like snowflakes, no two people are alike. Take some time to think about what sets you apart from others.

Let the interviewer know that you have been listening to the problem and have what it takes to do the job -- that you are the solution to the problem

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