Business

4 easy ways to increase profits and rents

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Cha Ching! It’s the first week of the month and the time to cash these checks. It’s not always easy, but I love having rentals; especially now that rents are through the roof. The challenge now is to find a property to buy. If you’ve been lucky enough to acquire a few properties in the past few years, you’re probably doing very well, but maybe you could be even better! Here are four ways to do even better on your rental portfolio.

Consider renting additional space separately. There are a huge number of advantages to this. Garages immediately come to mind, but I have also rented storage sheds separately and have heard of people renting out sections of the lot for horse boarding or additional storage.

I have a property now that I rent the garage separately. It’s a two car garage that I rent for $200 a month. This strategy increases my income by 10% and there is little to no expense with renting the garage, so it actually increases profit by more than that!

Rent additional items. I have heard of rental property owners renting out items like televisions, computers, or furniture to increase income. I haven’t done that, but I have rented washer/dryers separately. Washers and dryers tend to break down, so I will never include them in my rental units. If I buy a property with a washer/dryer or get it from a tenant who has moved out, I usually offer it to the tenant for free or rent it to them. Obviously, renting the washer and dryer will increase your monthly cash flow, but you’ll be liable if something goes wrong. It might increase your headache, but it will also increase your profits. If the tenant does not want to rent them to you, you can offer them for free or you will want to take them away. The last thing you want is the responsibility of making sure your washer and dryer run without any income for the added inconvenience.

Bill tenants for utilities. For some reason this was difficult for me. I was taught from the beginning that I, as the owner, had to pay for the water. The argument is that water is the only utility provider that can bind your property for non-payment. While that is true, it still makes the tenant pay for the water. The worst case scenario is that the tenant doesn’t pay and you have to.

In my market, it’s becoming more acceptable to ask the tenant to pay all the utilities, so why not give them what they expect? The two benefits are increased cash flow for you and you will use less. I just spoke with Travis in my office about this. He has a triplex that had extremely high water bills. He had trouble solving it and he paid that bill every month as the owner. This was cutting his earnings by over $300 a month!! The solution for him was to pay a company $2,500 to install a system to individually measure each of the 3 units. Within a month, he discovered that one unit was responsible for most of the water use and discovered that they were growing marijuana. Those tenants were asked to leave and replaced with a much better tenant that saved Travis over $150 a month. His next step will be to start billing each tenant for their water usage, which will increase his income by another $150.

Reduce rotations. This one may seem obvious, but it is often overlooked. Turnovers can be very expensive. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a turnover to ruin your profits on a unit for two or more years. Cause includes loss of rent, marketing for a new tenant, repairs, and more. Reducing turnover can be tricky. Here are some ideas to help.

screen supporters – This is the best way to keep turnovers down. It is extremely important to get quality tenants, and the only way to do that is to select them properly. Obviously, credit and criminal checks are essential, but it’s also a good idea to interview your prospect about why they’re moving and why they want to rent to you, ask for references, make sure they can afford rent and utility payments, have a steady drama. free lifestyle, take care of their things (look in their car when you meet them) and have an emergency contact to help them if they have financial problems.

Smaller Rent Increases – In a hot rental market like we are in, it is challenging to keep up with rising rents. Rent in the area often goes up faster than I can go up, which is a very positive thing. The reason this is happening to me is that I don’t want to raise the rent more than a tenant can afford. My experience is that if the tenant can’t pay the rent increase, they won’t tell you. They will try to make it work and eventually fall behind, creating expensive turnover. It is much better, in my opinion, to work with your tenant with reasonable raises and keep him happy and paying his rent every month.

Maintenance – I just had my maintenance crew go to a rental to unclog my shower drain. I received a bill for the service of $125. On the bill it mentioned that it found hair in the drain. Why is it my responsibility to clean a drain that the tenant clogged? Well, the answer is… it isn’t. My lease states that I am not responsible for any clogged drains, so when I received the bill I created a bill that I sent to the tenant with a copy of the lease and a copy of the bill I received for the maintenance call. I just got the check for $125 in the mail today. Now the tenant is conditioned to take better care of the unit because I am not paying for the problems they create.

The other thing about maintenance that has worked really well for me is taking care of the items that I am responsible for right away. I don’t delay anything. When I get a maintenance call, I’ll have my team take care of it right away. The tenant will usually hear from the person scheduled to fix the problem the same day. This has really helped me keep tenants. I have had tenants tell me multiple times how much they appreciate it. It’s not uncommon for a tenant to ask me to rent another place when they decide to move, and it’s also not uncommon for me to hear that a tenant stayed longer than they wanted simply because I took care of them.

As I mentioned, buying rentals is challenging right now, so this is the perfect time to work on increasing profits on your current portfolio. This will help you exponentially in the future as you find additional properties.

Home Kitchen

Start your home design with these home design tools

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You have decided that you want to build a new house. Where do you start? First, we suggest that you purchase your land, as this will surely impact the design of your home. Second, start putting your ideas together before visiting your architect.

Start with a vision for your new home. Is there an architectural style that you prefer? Colonial? Layer? salt box? Cottage? From there, start with the basics in home design. How many bedrooms will you need? Do you want a master bedroom with or without an en-suite master bathroom? Will it be located on the first or second floor? If it is a vacation home that will become your retirement home, you may prefer to have the main rooms located on the first floor for easy access in later years. Do you want a large eat-in kitchen or a separate dining room?

Are you planning to entertain small or large groups of people in your home? Is the Great Hall of a cathedral on your priority list? Will you need a family room or media room separate from your great room? Do you have a specific hobby or interest that requires a separate room or area?

Compare all of these areas to your current home. Does the space you have now meet your needs? Write down the measurements of your space and then mark whether the space is adequate or not. Whenever possible, look for areas to reduce living space. For example, if you now have a large laundry room and you really only use half the space, mark it as a potential space saver. Every time you reduce the square footage of your new home, you’ll save money on initial material costs, but also on energy costs over the life of the home.

A home serves many purposes, but it can also satisfy numerous personal, aesthetic, and emotional requirements that may be difficult to describe in words. As you begin to envision the layout of your home, it will help your architect if you identify and communicate what you want each space to look like. feel. How?

You may find it challenging to explain how you want a room to feel. Start by doing some simple exercises. Pick up a home magazine or imagine a home you are familiar with. Find a room you like. What do you like about it? The way the afternoon sunlight casts shadows into the room? The intimacy of the room or its abundant space?

Think of other spaces you enjoy: the park, the library, a friend’s house. How does the space make you feel? What creates that feeling? Be specific and write down what you like about it. For example, you could write “I like how the color tones in the room change as the sun goes down” or “I love how the outdoors are brought indoors.” These small accomplishments will help your home design evolve from a floor plan to a custom home that is an extension of your philosophy of living.

Do this for each room in your home design. It’s also helpful to describe what you don’t like about certain floor plans, rooms, or spaces. For example, if you don’t like having to walk through your closet to get into your master bedroom, document that. Maybe you like the big room of a photography magazine, but you don’t like the TV being the center of attention. Or, you may like the space but find it lacks the privacy you seek in your home: a cozy nook where you can chat with another couple, a well-lit reading area, or a secluded place for your cell phone chargers, mail and phone. Keep all your notes together. Cut out full pages or small photos that describe your likes and dislikes. As you go through this process, you can update your thoughts with text and photos. Eventually, you’ll come to a good understanding of how you want your custom home to look and feel. Bring your notebook to your first meeting with your architect. Starting with your vision in hand will speed up the design process and ensure success.

Your custom home architect will spend time with you to guide you through this process and translate your ideas into a preliminary design for your consideration and review. The result will be much more than a home with a standard floor plan – you’ll have a custom home design that matches your philosophy and lifestyle, a reflection of who you are, your dreams and aspirations.

Auto

SWOT Analysis of the New Honda Fuel Cell Vehicle

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Honda is changing the vehicle market as we know it by building a vehicle that emits water vapor. Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel cell car is the next generation of eco-friendly cars. This car has some similarities to hybrids, but nothing compares to its new hydrogen fuel source. In addition to hydrogen, it is powered by an electric motor that generates electricity for the fuel cell and a lithium-ion battery. The lithium-ion battery serves as a supplementary power source. The lithium ion battery charges under braking and deceleration. Some questions may arise when thinking about this new fuel cell vehicle, such as what makes this car better than other hybrid cars? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Honda FCX Clarity?

One of the greatest strengths of this new fuel cell vehicle is that it emits water vapor and is designated as a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given this vehicle the lowest possible emissions rating. It can also be driven up to 280 miles before being refueled with hydrogen. FCX Clarity achieves 55% energy efficiency, which is twice the energy efficiency of hybrid vehicles and triple the efficiency of regular gasoline vehicles. Because FCX Clarity is more energy efficient, it was one of the first fuel cell vehicles to receive certification from the EPA and the California Air Resources Board. Unlike hybrids, the FCX Clarity doesn’t need to be plugged in to charge and there’s no need for regular gasoline.

Honda has many opportunities with this new fuel cell vehicle. First of all, Honda is designing a domestic service station. You no longer have to worry about getting out and refueling at the pump. Home refueling stations will put stress on the pump. Furthermore, Honda could make this fuel cell vehicle a household name and market it around the world. Honda just needs to get out there to show off their new vehicle. Honda is starting to commercialize the new fuel cell a bit. Honda just released the FCX Clarity for Japan.

One of the few weaknesses of this fuel cell vehicle is its limited availability in the United States. Southern California and Japan are the only two areas where this new vehicle is available. Honda plans to launch around 200 vehicles in 3 years in California and Japan. Honda believes that this new fuel cell vehicle will be able to be mass-produced by 2018. I think one of the biggest drawbacks for Honda is the limited launch and scarcity of gas stations.

This car is a bit small, it can only carry four people. Cost for the FCX Clarity is approximately $600 per month on a 3 year lease. It seems a bit expensive for someone from the middle class to pay that fee. Not everyone in California will be able to lease this new vehicle. These people who are selected live near service stations and make a limited number of trips to work.

Basically, Toyota and GM vehicles are Honda’s biggest threat. With so many new gas-saving hybrids and small cars, this creates a problem for Honda. Another threat is Chevrolet. Chevrolet has developed a fuel cell SUV “the Equinox” and it has already arrived in New York City, Washington DC and Southern California. That being said, it becomes a race between Honda and Chevrolet with the new fuel cell technology. How would the new fuel cell FCX Clarity grow in popularity? Lack of mass production and service stations, Honda will not stand a chance.

I think Honda has created a good prototype with their new fuel source. The new fuel source should be further investigated before this vehicle is placed on the market. This car is for people who are willing to go green and have the money to do it. The whole problem is making this car available to the public and easily accessible.

On the other hand, Honda has a comparative advantage because of its local service station. There is no other vehicle that you can plug in and refuel at home. Hybrid vehicles rely on battery and gas to run. You have to plug in the hybrid to recharge the battery.

Digital Marketing

Content Marketing: Embrace the Publisher Mindset

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The vision

To become a publisher, content creator and the “CNN” of your business. The strategy should focus on positioning your business as a thought leader and trusted content source. The objective will be to create and curate the most relevant content in our industry and use it to engage in quality discussions with stakeholders. This approach will allow you to develop proprietary media channels that can be modified on a campaign-by-campaign basis.

The value gained from becoming the source and owning the media channel vs. Paying for it is the ability to extend reach, increase market share, and build brand loyalty.

This will allow you to communicate more effectively with stakeholders. Communications from involved stakeholders can be monitored, measured, and optimized to meet your pre-defined success metrics.

Taking a publisher approach

The goal of a publisher is to create content that is relevant to a target audience. The more credible and authoritative the publisher, the more likely people will read and share. The publisher mindset is as much about quality as it is about frequency. The basic structure of a publishing process is to create or curate content (a story, for example) and then engage people with specific means to share it. As part of the content marketing strategy, the publisher will operate out of a “digital newsroom” and have a specific set of digital tools that can be used to create, curate, or distribute content. The digital newsroom will serve as a content factory. It will be where the content is added and distributed. This can be categorized as “owned media” and will provide a way to “win” audience engagement.

The digital newsroom will have a dual purpose:

1. It will allow us to increase organic (earned) visits from the search engine.

2. It will allow interested parties and potential customers to opt-in for content updates (lead generation).

Each newsroom component will have its own success metric. Make sure you have analytics installed to help track behavior. Examples of success metrics can be defined as (but not limited to) increased website visits, downloads, views, followers, and shares. The data collected will enable you to make informed decisions on how to best allocate resources while optimizing labor and maximizing budget.

audience development

To build an audience, you must first research and map the appropriate digital channel with the appropriate audience/demographics. The first step is to identify and monitor trends in media consumption among the various levels of stakeholders. By recognizing and respecting the specific communication preferences of stakeholders, you will gain credibility and increase the size of your audience. By monitoring audience engagement, you’ll be able to respond much faster, leading to additional communication opportunities. This will create a looping process that reminds people of the channels they can access to communicate with your business, 1-on-1. This will help position your business as transparent and accessible. There is also an element of customization that happens within this stage. Personalization happens within the individual conversations that take place between your company and stakeholders. By fostering a dialogue, rather than a cold and sterile online experience, you can cultivate a human component that hasn’t yet been capitalized on within your specific competitive space. This integrated approach to one-to-one communication will set you apart from competing service providers.

Relationship

Potty Training Resistance: How To Quickly End Potty Training Resistance

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Resistance to potty training or using the toilet is a problem that most parents encounter in their child’s development. Here are some hints and tips to help take the stress out of potty training your child.

1. Make sure the child is ready to start using the potty. It’s always a good idea to start as early as possible, but keep in mind that while some children will be ready at around 18 months, your child may not be ready for another year or so.

2. Make sure you’re up for the challenge. Although this can (and should) be a joyful and memorable moment, most children will, at one point or another, reject the concept and present you with an opportunity, as a parent, to demonstrate your love and patience.

3. Understand that the changes will affect your child. When you take a new job, are expecting another baby, move to a new home, or anything that changes your child’s routine, it can confuse your child and present new problems.

4. Boys are different from girls. Obviously, you could say, but you have to remember that the methods for training boys and girls have some important differences. Probably the most important thing is to make sure girls learn to wipe from front to back early on. Children should learn good manners, such as aiming and keeping the toilet seat down.

5. Accidents happen. Once again, I apologize for the obviousness, but sometimes we forget that all this is new for the child and that sometimes they are forced to break the routine. Be patient and never scold the child. Correct them in a gentle but firm voice and be encouraging and understanding.

Legal Law

Fannie Merritt Farmer – American Cookbook Mother

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When a person, whether a foodie or simply someone who appreciates good, well-prepared food, thinks of delicious and innovative food, the name of Fannie Merritt Farmer comes to mind. Her story is one of determination to teach the public that one does not have to be a professional chef to live an ideal life in the kitchen and at home.

Bostonian Fannie Merritt Farmer (b. March 23, 1857) was the eldest of four daughters born to a strong Unitarian family headed by John Franklin Merritt and Mary Ann Watson. Her parents strongly believed in a good education for her daughters and it was a given that each of them would finish college. Unfortunately for her, Fannie, while still in high school, suffered a paralytic stroke in her left leg, possibly as a result of polio. Treated as an invalid for several years, she was not allowed to return to school.

Not wanting to spend her remaining years languishing in bed, 30-year-old Farmer hired herself as a help-mother to a prominent family friend, Mrs. Carlos Shaw. Ms. Shaw urged Fannie to enroll in classes at the Boston Cooking School to become a professional cooking instructor. Founded in 1879 by the Boston Women’s Education Association, the school emphasized a more intellectual and structured approach to food preparation and attention to diet, and over time, women gained elevated status not only as cooks, but as educated cooks. health instructors and authorities, both for the normally healthy but also for the chronically ill in its post-Civil War school form founded by philanthropists and reformers. Working-class women were given the opportunity to enter the professional workforce when the job market for women was less than optimal. With an emphasis on science and household skills, the Boston Cooking-School quietly encouraged upper-class women to learn a “respectable” means of supporting themselves in the event of a change of fortune or the death of a husband. Mrs. Mary Johnson Lincoln, following the collapse of her husband’s finances, was one such woman. Becoming a renowned cooking teacher and author of the original edition of the Boston Culinary School Cookbook, she was an inspiration to Fannie Farmer. Farmer completed the school’s 2-year program in 1889, rising to assistant principal and then principal in 1891.

Fannie Farmer’s first cookbook, a revised version of Mrs. Lincoln’s The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook, was published in 1896 and is still in print today. It was based on Mrs. Lincoln’s school recipes, giving Lincoln no credit for them. The Farmer’s Edition was concise and simple, with a comprehensive scope. Its selling point was in how well it blended food science with enticing recipes. The farmer’s book formed a systematic description of the kitchen. The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook undoubtedly left Fannie Farmer a woman of generous means. Because the publisher was wary of taking on a commercial venture designed by a woman, they insisted that she pay all the initial printing costs. Because of this one-sided attitude, Farmer ended up withholding the royalties and profits and was in the position, if she so wished, to make some men very uncomfortable by doubting her business acumen. .

In 1902, Farmer left her position so that she could open Miss Farmer’s Cookery School. Here she placed greater emphasis on teaching the housewives and midwives of society. Her new goal was to focus on healthy diets for the sick and the chronically ill or disabled. Farmer was involved in training hospital dietitians and nurses, as well as regularly lecturing at Harvard Medical School. Farmer also published, in 1904, what she considered her magnus corpus: Food and Cooking for the Sick and Convalescent. The topics he tackled here ranged from breastfeeding babies to drinking alcohol to practically a treatise on diabetes, all the while cajoling his readers into making cute food presentations for the sick: Serve a bread-and-butter sandwich at heart shape on a delicate plate instead of carelessly tossing a piece of bread and a ball of butter. She felt that the aesthetics helped the patient to have a faster recovery.

During the remaining years of his life, Farmer continued to lecture across the country. Towards the end, she suffered two more strokes and was forced back into her wheelchair. She read until ten days before she died (January 15, 1915). Her school continued to flourish under the direction of Alice Bradley until it closed in 1944.

If for nothing else, Fannie Merritt Farmer was revered by millions for her innovations in the way a recipe was written. She standardized the size of the measurements so that a cup was always a cup, no matter what substance was being measured. This brought much more precision so that in theory the recipe could be doubled each and every time without all the guesswork to be expected – that little element of surprise! Her successes led the public to call her the “mother of level measurements” or “the pioneer of the modern recipe”.

NEXT TAKE: Lizzie Black Kander created the famous cookbook that has been used for the past 100 years by all strata of American society. Originally written to teach recently arrived immigrants how to fit in properly in turn-of-the-century (20) Milwaukee, these young women learned to do everything in the home, from baking to cleaning, in a manner equal to that of well-assimilated. resident. From this book came the famous Milwaukee Settlement House and its even more renowned cookbook.

Lifestyle Fashion

Big dogs in small apartments – 6 essentials

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As the mom of a 75lb Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, I constantly hear about how big my dog ​​is. To me, he is just “Cooper”, a part of my family, and he will move in with me regardless of where I land. We then moved from a city that required a 45-minute commute to get work done (hello, carbon emissions) to a fancy new apartment in an exciting suburban city, Birmingham, MI.

This meant that our big space became a small (albeit beautiful) space. With this move, Cooper’s backyard was rejected for a new lifestyle. I’ve compiled six things you must do to keep our big dogs happy and healthy in even the smallest of dwellings!

  1. Make little walks with your dog count. Receiving the mail is an opportunity to stretch. In fact, take the long road. Think of it the same way you could park in the back and get the extra steps.
  2. Give your dog (or her) her own space. Even your little bed is a place to call your own. She will make you feel more at home.
  3. Choose an apartment complex with a courtyard. City life doesn’t often offer a backyard or a park across the street. Even if you did, I wouldn’t be as inclined to visit you as I would if you were literally outside your door. I chose an apartment complex with a nearly fully enclosed courtyard, allowing Cooper room to run around and fetch a ball. (Luckily, Cooper’s memory was trained. Never let a dog run loose without this critical skill.)
  4. Sew a first floor apartment. The mornings are early. Do not fool yourself. Keep slippers by the door and eliminate falls down the stairs before breakfast.
  5. Play throw. Tug games don’t require a lot of space and can wear out your big dog without freezing you up (or getting sunburned if you’re not up north here).
  6. Keep chews around. Although there is some controversy regarding rawhides, be sure to keep chew toys for fidgety times. You will avoid losing your favorite shoes and you will keep your dog-human relationship happy.
Pets

Harrogate – The city that has it all

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Harrogate is situated in the picturesque county of North Yorkshire. With the perfect mix of modern and traditional, Harrogate has it all. A beautiful town, with stylish restaurants and bars, exclusive boutiques and excellent leisure facilities, but all within easy reach of the area’s beautiful heritage sites such as Brimham Rocks and Ripley Castle.

So why not relax and unwind at the Harrogate Turkish Baths and Health Spa, followed by an evening at the Harrogate Theatre, followed by a drink in one of the city’s many cosmopolitan pubs and wine bars.

Make sure you don’t miss out on a fancy high tea at Bettys Café Tearooms. Established in 1919 and owned by the same company that makes Yorkshire Tea, this renowned chain of tea rooms is a traditional coffee shop offering the highest levels of service: drink your tea from china cups and eat your cream pies in a silver cake stand!

Harrogate is surrounded by some stunning sites, including How Stean Gorge, a magnificent limestone gorge, teeming with opportunities for active pursuits such as abseiling or gorge walks. Thrill seekers can also visit Lightwater Valley, in Ripon, where attractions include The Ultimate; the longest roller coaster in Europe, or the Wave; Britain’s largest Swing Boat.

Harrogate really does have all the facilities you would expect in a big city, but without the hustle, bustle, noise and pollution of city life. Only 30 minutes from York, and also close to Leeds, whilst being surrounded by the county’s vast offer of beautiful scenery, it really is the perfect place for a weekend getaway. Click here for hotels in Harrogate.

Real Estate

Information about Merbau wooden floors

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Merbau is one of the rare hardwood flooring options compared to other types of options like maple and oak. Generally, Merbau wooden floors are used and preferred by those who want their home to stand out from the rest. It is considered an exotic wood and can be a great addition to any room and space. The best thing about Merbau wood floors is that they are durable, beautiful and affordable, adding character to any room as soon as they are placed in it. The wood has a very rich, dark honey color which makes it a very popular choice for homeowners.

Once installed, Merbau wood warms the space and the room. Some of the manufacturers also offer many other shades ranging from light to dark.

Appearance and Properties of Merbau Wood

Merbau wood grows in the Indo-Malaysian region and in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and many Pacific islands. When the wood is cut fresh, the heart of the wood is orange-brown to yellowish in color. However, when the wood darkens, it turns a reddish-brown or brown color. The grain of the wood varies from wavy or interlocking to straight. The unique feature of Merbau wood is that the surface of the wood is speckled with yellow and when finished it looks as if it is speckled with gold. Merbau is robust and as hard as teak. It has a lower density than walnut and has high stability. Another benefit of Merbau is that it is resistant to termites.

Durability and Hardness

Merbau is known to be one of the most durable and hard woods when it comes to flooring. It is on the Janka scale and is 5% harder than wenge wood, 18% harder than hard maple and is therefore considered one of the most durable woods. Merbau also has a good grip and even if it does develop scratches or any type of damage with use over time, it can be easily restored by sanding. However, you must be very careful with the Merbau wooden floor as it can stain when it comes into contact with ferrous metals, iron or moisture.

Merbau is used not only on hardwood floors, but can also be seen on musical instruments, cabinets, wood trim, paneling, joinery, and all types of furniture. If you have any furniture made of Merbau in your home, then Merbau hardwood floors would go quite well with it. Merbau is suitable for homes with high traffic and children. Even if you have pets and children in your family, with just a little care and maintenance it is possible to ensure that your Merbau wood floors stay looking new for years to come. Over the years, floors take on their own character and continue to evolve over time, looking more beautiful than ever.

Shopping Product Reviews

Job Search: 7 Tips for Successful Phone Interviews

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The phone interview is such a crucial part of the hiring phase because if you can’t make a good first impression over the phone, your chances of being invited for an in-person interview are nil. Below are 7 tips to keep in mind for successful phone interviews.

1. Choose a quiet environment. Make sure you take the call in a place where you won’t be distracted and where there are no background noises like TV, radio, barking dogs, crying children, etc. For example, if you’re surprised by a call on your cell phone while you’re at the grocery store, ask the person if you can call them back or put them on hold until you can find a quiet, secluded place to talk. Better yet, ask the caller if she can schedule the interview for a mutually convenient time, preferably when she can be away from the commotion and take notes.

2. Prepare as you would for an in-person interview. You might be the type who can answer questions on the fly, and maybe you know the job description pretty well by heart. Still, it’s best to prepare ahead of time and have your notes, job description, resume, and any other reference materials you need on hand. Most phone interviews are efficient screening calls made by recruiters. They want to know if you meet the criteria in the job description and if your salary is in the ballpark. Experienced recruiters can usually determine this fairly quickly. However, you may find that some recruiters prefer to have a more in-depth conversation with you, and sometimes the hiring manager does the phone interview. Just in case, you should prepare as you would for a full in-person interview.

3. Be prepared to answer screening questions. The typical purpose of the phone interview is to screen out candidates. The interviewer is looking for red flags. He or she is trying to narrow the field of candidates and select the best matches to invite for a face-to-face interview. You will get questions like:

  • Why are you looking for a new position? (Respond positively no matter how unhappy you are with your situation!)
  • Show me your background. Why did you leave here, why did you leave there…? (Always put a positive spin on your reason for leaving. Talk about what he did in his previous experience related to the position in question.)
  • What are your strengths/weaknesses?
  • What was your greatest achievement during your last position?
  • What specific projects have you worked on?
  • Why are you interested in our position/company?

4. Engage with good questions. First of all, definitely ask questions. However, don’t ask what might seem like “it’s all about me” questions. Also, at this stage, it’s best for the interviewer to bring up money or benefits. These are topics that you may need to address when asked about during a phone interview, but are best left until later and/or final stages of the hiring process if possible. Your only goal at this point should be to convince the interviewer that his skills and experience are a good fit for him. Ask the interviewer how they define success for this position. Ask the interviewer what the most important elements of the job description are. Ask the interviewer why the position is open. Those are examples of good questions for a phone interview. And, of course, listen carefully to their responses, taking notes if you can.

5. Speak clearly. This may be obvious advice, but it’s a very important thing to remember in phone interviews because it’s through your words and your tone of voice that you have the opportunity to make a great impression. Keep the mouthpiece close to your mouth. Do not chew gum, eat, drink or smoke. Sounds are amplified through the phone – the sounds of slapping, chewing, swallowing and inhaling/exhaling are sure to be picked up. Also, if your mouth is busy with that other activity, you won’t be as coherent as you should be when you need to talk.

6. Use the name of your interviewer. Write down the interviewer’s name when you first hear it and use it from time to time during the conversation. People like the sound of their own name, and this simple tip will go a long way in building rapport. Of course, be careful not to exaggerate. The key word here is “occasionally”. Using a person’s name every time you reply can sound artificial and unnatural.

7. Smile. Let the interviewer “hear the smile” in your voice. Some experts say that you should hold a mirror where you are doing the interview so that you can observe yourself and therefore remind yourself to smile. If you’d rather not do that, at least have a sticky note with the word “smile” written on it and put it where you’ll see it during the call. Phone interviews deprive you of the opportunity to communicate your excitement and interest through your facial expressions and eye contact. Your voice is the only way you have to project positive energy and convey how you feel. You will naturally feel more excited when you smile and your voice will definitely reflect your smile.