Tuesday 3 March 2015

Why More Business Schools Are Adopting Digital Learning Technologies

With the ever growing popularity of online degrees, more and more business schools are now turning away from conventional business models and offering high quality online learning solutions to aspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs. If you are also planning to boost your career prospects with an online business diploma or degree, then keep reading....

Digitisation Of Business Education

Nowadays, most universities and B-schools around the world are now adopting the newest digital technologies available in the market to improve the scope of education. This will allow the learners to study what they want, how they want and when they want. Recently the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary in Virginia introduced their full online degree. Students will need to utilise an online app and smart devices to connect with fellow learners and professors. Seb Murray from Business Because said “This is the latest digital innovation in education, with many MBA programs dishing out smart devices, tablets and laptops to enable students to learn and connect with peers on the go.”

The Indiana University Kelley School of Business also launched an all new innovation and entrepreneurship programme which aims to analyse the changes with businesses and organisations. According to a press release form the institute, soon the new generation of learners and professionals will “look for non-traditional career options as many companies move away from present business models.”

Growing Digital Learning Opportunities

Currently you can find a wide range of online programmes and majors offered by various reputed universities and colleges. According to data available from an employer survey by NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers), the top 5 college majors for 2015 with the highest earnings potential are-

Engineering
Computer science
Math and sciences
Business
Agriculture and natural resources

Among these majors, business education is undoubtedly one of the most popular online programmes among learners worldwide. With growing challenges in the job market, more and more students and professionals are now pursuing online business management diploma programmes to enhance their employability and avail better job opportunities. In fact even in the medical profession a business degree is an added advantage especially in the field of hospital administration where MBA's are traditionally employed.  Maria Chandler, the president of the Association of M.D./M.B.A. Programs and herself a recipient of both degrees, mentioned that the degree combination “fast tracks” graduates who aspire to reach the zenith of their career. 

As a result on this increasing demand for digital degrees, most business school have already started offering online business programmes while many other are gearing up to attract the growing volume of online learners.

B-Schools Need To Take A Global Approach

Della Bradshaw, business education editor at the Financial Times, believes that B-schools need to modify themselves to meet the demands of the learners in a scenario of rapid technological advancements and globalisation. She said “How do you compete globally? Business schools are actually incredibly small places. How do you teach and extend your influence when you’re so small? That’s a big debate.”

Bradshaw believes universities and business schools need to do more than just recruiting educators from overseas and developing mutual relationships with institutes in different countries. Institutes need to encourage better relationships with developing countries and enable students across the globe to access business education in an easy and affordable manner. One of the best ways to achieve this is to offer more online learning opportunities.

Bradshaw added “I think what Yale is doing is quite interesting with the Global Network. I think that one of the problems with business schools, not just the U.S. ones, is they tend to look at being international as working with countries that have been good to them. What most business schools have not acknowledged is that there are huge power shifts happening in the world economy.”

The Bottom Line

So if you are looking forward to pursuing an online business course, now is surely the best time to study an online business management diploma programme and lead your career towards success.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

Top 10 Tips To Impress In Your Next Interview

Are you feeling nervous about an upcoming job interview? Studies show that almost 92 per cent of all job seekers are apprehensive about the interview process. Hence it becomes imperative that you prepare yourself and brush up your communication skills and confidence before going for an interview.

Impressing The Interviewer

Rebecca Hersey, HR Coordinator for a Kent Law Firm, said “We want to see a commitment to achieving high standards, whatever level you’re at, for yourself and for the firm. That’s very important to us – a lot of our reputation is founded on our high standards and client service.”

The fact is one in every 3 hiring managers make the decision to hire or reject a candidate in the first 90 seconds. So make sure that you take all the right steps to create the right first impression. One of the main mistakes that 67 per cent interviewees do is fail to maintain eye contact, which depicts lack of confidence. Moreover, 38 per cent of candidates do not smile and remain too serious during the interviewing. So it’s important that you master the right interview skills and land your dream job.

So here we are going to share the top 10 tips which will help you make a strong impression on your interviewer-
  • Be Confident
Being confident is key to creating the right impression during an interview. No company will want to recruit a candidate who lacks confidence as it will affect his/her performance. One of the best ways to boost your confidence is to prepare for the event. Do some research about the company and practice the most probable interview questions beforehand. However make sure that you do not over-rehearse.
  • Be Serious
Having a casual approach for the initial round of an interview may result in sealing your fate, particularly with an interviewer from the HR department. You need to consider every interview as the most important one for your career.
  • Improve Your Handshake
When you meet your potential interviewer or employer, make sure that you offer a nice and firm handshake. A sweaty hand or a flimsy handshake can certainly ruin the deal. The right handshake will show that you are confident and give you a head start for the interview.
  • Have A Positive Attitude
Being enthusiastic about an interview can help you start the process in the right way. If you have a negative attitude, then your interviewer will not give your candidature a second thought. Having a positive approach can take you a long way.
  • Ask The Right Questions
Asking a few questions to your interviewer or prospective employer can actually help you to get the job. By asking the right question you will have better clarity about the company, your job role and how you can help. Moreover it will show the interviewer that you are enthusiastic about the job.
  • Make Eye Contact
Maintaining eye contact during job interviews is highly important. Make sure to look directly into the eyes of your interviewer when you meet for the first time. However, you need to do this in a non-threatening yet a confident way.
  • Be Happy
Going to the interview with a bad mood or being upset or too serious can create the wrong impression on the interviewer. It is best to take deep breaths, think positively and have a good mood when going for an interview. Your smile can make a bid difference to the outcome.
  • Have Good Communication Skills
Being nervous can lead you to talk fast. Hence take some time and think through what you want to say when asked a question. You also need to control your body language and speak in more conversational manner, instead of sounding rehearsed.
  • Be Outstanding
Let’s face it, you are certainly not the only one applying for the job position. Hence you need to create such an impression that you will become memorable for the interview panel and HR team. This will help the management to recall your candidature when finalising the top candidates.
  • Openly Ask For The Job
Frankly and confidently tell the interviewer that you want the job. It is simple and effective. Informing your prospective employer that you wish to work with their company is surely a great idea.

Do you have some more ideas that can help to impress the interviewer? Then feel free to share your views and opinions with us by commenting below.

How You Can Impress In Your Interview