Career Planning vs. Succession Planning: What’s the Difference?

It’s no secret that the corporate world is changing so quickly. And with all these changes, we can’t help but encounter questions and doubts about where we’re really headed to. But perhaps, the ultimate question that many people face in the modern-day workforce is whether or not they’re going to adapt to these changes—or if they even have the opportunity to do so at all. 

If you are part of an organization that offers job security, there’s likely little concern about how you will keep your job in the years to come. But what about everyone else? If you aren’t sure what your career future holds, it might be time to start thinking about succession planning and how it relates to career planning at your company.

Career planning is the process of setting goals and making decisions that will help you achieve your desired career, and there are two major types of career planning: short-term and long-term. 

A succession plan involves the process of identifying and developing individuals who have the potential to fill key roles in your company. It’s important to have a succession plan in place so that a business can continue to run smoothly if someone in a key position leaves or retire.

Career planning and succession planning are both ways to help an employee grow within their organization, but they have some key differences. While both involve developing long-term strategies, they differ in several key areas that you’ll want to keep in mind as you decide which company is best for you. 

In this blog post, you’ll learn about these differences, so you can start making effective plans that will make sure you stay happy and engaged.

Career Planning

Most people already have an idea of what they want to do with their lives and what they want to achieve in the future. They may not know the specific details, but they have a general sense of the path they want to take. This is where career planning enters the picture.

Short-term planning looks at the next 3-5 years, while long-term focuses on what can be accomplished in 10+ years. If you have no idea what type of work would be best for you, short-term planning might be for you. 

Short-Term Planning Vs. Long-Term Career Planning

Short-term career planning is about finding out where your interests lie and then identifying which careers or jobs these interests fit into. For instance, if you’re unsure about the specifics of how to find a job after college or what profession is right for you, you can consider skillsets interest you most as well as whether there are any opportunities available locally that match these skillsets.

Long-term career planning, on the other hand, is more suited for people who already know what they want to do with their lives, either because it’s something they’ve wanted since childhood or because it came from an epiphany later in life. 

A resource like the Berry College website may be essential to looking at doors you can open by getting a higher degree. Berry College emphasizes hands-on learning and internships, giving students real-world experience in their fields. The website showcases programs designed to build critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills, which are essential in corporate settings.

6 Steps for Career Planning (For Anyone Who Wants an Exciting and Fulfilling Career)

If you’re feeling frustrated or stuck with your career, it’s time to take action and start planning your next steps. You don’t have to accept whatever career path life throws at you; you can choose the direction you want to take, while always keeping an eye on the future, and on your own wants and needs. 

Career planning doesn’t have to be complicated, either; these six steps will get you started on the right track with ease.

1. Explore Your Career Options

There are a lot of great career assessment tools out there that can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know what you’re good at, you can start exploring different career options that might be a good fit for you.

2. Perform Field Research

What are your interests? What are your skills? What are your values? Once you know the answers to these questions, you can begin to narrow down your options and find a career path that’s right for you.

3. Know What Job You Want

The next step is knowing what job you want. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to have a clear idea of the role you want to play in the workforce. 

There are a few ways to help you figure it out. Talk with friends about their jobs or passions and see if any spark something inside of you. Keep a list of everything you like doing or things that interest you so that when it comes time to narrow down the options, they’ll be easy to pick from. You can also try taking an online quiz or survey to get started like this one

4. Build Your Credentials and Make a Resume

You can then build your credentials in the field you want to enter. If you don’t have any experience, look for internships or volunteer opportunities. Once you have some experience under your belt, start putting together a professional online resume that highlights your skills and accomplishments.

For this, you can use an online resume maker. It also comes with other handy features for your job application, such as a cover letter maker.

An online resume maker usually has pre-set templates available so you don’t have to write anything from scratch. You may also find other sources for good professional resume templates.

5. Prepare for the Job Search

The job search can be a daunting task, but preparation is key. Here are a few things you can do to get ready:

  • If possible, work on updating your resume before your leave your current job. Don’t worry about making it perfect the first time around. Just make sure it includes the most relevant information about what you’ve done so far in your career and what skills you have that could be transferable to other careers or industries. 
  • Make connections with friends of friends or family members who may know people at companies where they would like to work. If you’re going to an alumni event or networking event, bring copies of your resume with you. You never know how many contacts one person might lead to. Additionally, consider leveraging a company alumni network, which can provide valuable job leads, mentorship opportunities, and insider connections that may help you secure your next role.
  • Start practicing interview questions with someone close to you. Ask them what types of questions employers ask and come up with good answers.
  • Create a list of questions that are important for the type of job one is interested in. Then, prepare answers for them.

6. Begin Your Job Search

As long as you have a good understanding of what you want, you can easily look for jobs that align with your goals. When searching for jobs, the internet is your friend. A quick search on Google will give you a list of possible opportunities you can apply for.

A lot of times, people don’t feel like they’re skilled enough to pursue certain careers even though these same occupations require less education than others. To avoid being in this situation, do research on different industries to see if your skill set matches up with them; if it does, go ahead and apply! Don’t ever underestimate yourself just because you don’t have formal training; show off what you can offer instead.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is an important part of running a business, whether you own it or work there. If you’re currently working in the business and have no plans to leave anytime soon, succession planning might not seem like that much of an issue for you. However, you still need to make sure that if something were to happen to you today, the business would be able to continue successfully.

A good succession plan will help keep your organization running efficiently even after an unexpected departure. Then again, for a succession plan to be successful, it needs to be well-developed and carefully executed. 

You’ll need to outline what steps you want future employees to take before they are ready for promotion. You’ll also need to decide on what criteria they must meet in order for them to become qualified candidates for these positions as well as how long they should work at each level before being considered for promotion. 

Let’s say you have an executive assistant who has been with your company for 20 years and is nearing retirement age. For this individual, there may not be any single replacement candidate because of their vast knowledge and experience with the company. But for sure, several people could assume their responsibilities while gradually stepping up into their shoes over time.

How to Correctly Do Succession Planning for Your Business

Succession planning is important for any business, but it’s especially crucial if you want to keep your company afloat once you move on from it. It’s one thing to leave the day-to-day operations to someone else, but it’s another matter entirely to let go of the reins completely and let your business start trending downward. 

With the right succession plan in place, you can gradually transfer power over to your successor while keeping things on track as much as possible. The most important thing here will be to determine who will be your successor (or successors) before any plans are made at all.

1. Identify the Key Positions

In any business, there are key positions that are essential to the company’s success. These positions may be filled by one person or by a team of people, but they all play a vital role in keeping the business running smoothly. When succession planning, it’s important to identify these key positions and have a plan in place for who will fill them if the current occupants can no longer do so.

2. Determine the Position’s Needs

The next step in succession planning is to determine the needs of the position that you are looking to fill. This includes taking into account the skills, experience, and knowledge that will be required for the role. 

3. Work on the Job Profiles

In this step, you need to identify the skills and experience needed for each position. You can use this information as a reference when recruiting or promoting employees for the new role.

4. Begin the Recruitment Process

One of the most important aspects of succession planning is recruiting the right people to take over your business. This can undoubtedly be a daunting task, but there are a few things you can do to somehow make it easier. 

First, decide what kind of person you want to work with – someone who shares your same values or someone who has the skills and experience that would fit well with what you have established in your company. 

Second, find out if they are looking for a new job or if they don’t want anything more than their current employment. Third, discuss what compensation package they’re expecting. If they’re not willing to meet your requirements, then it’s time to move on and find another candidate.

5. Choose a Successor

This person will be responsible for taking over your business when you retire or are no longer able to run it. When choosing a successor, consider the following: 

  • You may want to choose someone from within your organization, but this may not always be possible. So, look closely and make sure the candidate is capable of meeting the job’s needs and demands.
  • If you plan on hiring an outside successor, make sure they have the same values and ethics as you do, so that they can maintain the same level of quality within your company. 

6. Handover the Tasks

This can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that you’re doing this so that you can focus on the things that you’re good at. Once you’ve handed over the tasks, you need to start training the successor. This includes teaching them how to do the job and how to handle any challenges that may come up.

7. Document the Entire Transition

You should not only make a list of who will take over when you retire or die, but also document how they will take over your responsibilities and tasks. By documenting the transition, it allows you to think about what is going on with the company today as well as what could happen tomorrow. That way, there are no surprises that would negatively affect business operations if someone was suddenly thrust into the role without preparation.

The Need for Career Planning and Succession Planning

The workforce is changing. The traditional career path is no longer the norm, and the concept of a lifelong job has been replaced by short-term contracts and freelance work. This change in the workforce has led to an increased focus on succession planning, as employers are now realizing that they need to prepare for the day when their employees retire or leave.

This only means that succession planning should be in place not just for the sake of the organization but also for the sake of employees who may be passed up for succession planning.

Organizations should take care to ensure that employees are aware of their succession plan and have a chance to prepare themselves for it. They should also make sure that they are providing opportunities for employees to grow in their current roles and keep them engaged with their work.

Organizations should also have to be more transparent about what they are looking for in a candidate and what the job entails. They should provide training for their employees so that they can learn new skills and stay relevant.

Lastly, organizations should also provide opportunities for employees to take on new roles, responsibilities, or projects. This will help them find their strengths and get recognized for things or work they excel in.

The Key Differences between Career Planning and Succession Planning

You may be wondering, what is the key difference between career planning and succession planning? As you can see, career planning is an individualized process that helps employees assess their skills and interests, set goals, and create a plan to achieve those goals. Succession planning, on the one hand, is a process that organizations use to identify and develop individuals who are potential candidates for key leadership positions. It involves assessing talent, identifying gaps in succession plans, and creating a strategy to address these gaps. 

Organizations usually establish succession plans at all levels of the organization, not just top-level positions. The when and how of implementing or going about both as part of an employee’s growth prospects within the organization depend largely on whether you’re an employer or employee.

Wrapping Up

When it comes to planning for the future of your business, the two main approaches you can take are succession planning and career planning. Both involve setting goals and taking steps to achieve them, but there are some key differences between the two. 

For instance, succession planning is typically aimed at employees with long-term prospects within an organization, while career planning may not be as detailed or as wide-ranging in scope. It may also be necessary to map out specific objectives in order to have a successful outcome from either process.

As a business owner, you have to remember that your people plays a critical role in your organization. So, value the work they do and give credit and recognition to whoever is deserving. Guide your team members as they plan for their personal career growth, and prepare a succession plan to keep them motivated as both of you hit both your business and personal goals.

How to Make Money on Affiliate Programs: Step by Step Guide

Working with CPA affiliate programs is a great way to make money on the Internet in a convenient format and with a minimum initial investment. This type of cooperation consists in the fact that the advertiser pays the affiliate marketer for the targeted action performed by the user.

Different actions can be considered targeted: buying a product or service, registering on a website, filling out a form, downloading an application. That is why the CPA model is most often used in the B2C industry. But in order to get a stable income in the CPA network, you need to start somewhere. We will tell you about what should be the first steps on the path to success in affiliate marketing.

Search for an Affiliate Program

The affiliate program brings together advertisers and affiliate marketers, and each of them benefits from cooperation. Typically, affiliate networks sign contracts with various Internet resources on the one hand and with advertisers on the other.

However, it is important to be cautious of affiliate marketing scams and thoroughly research the reputation and transparency of statistics before partnering with a CPA program.

However, if you have never worked with a CPA network before, you should start with direct programs. This is a special type of CPA affiliate program where the network acts as an advertiser. That is, you will work without intermediaries or complex schemes. Benefits of working with direct programs include:

  • A huge selection of offers
  • Your own support service
  • Reliable and regular payments
  • High rates.

When choosing an affiliate network, also find out how open the company is, how much traffic it has, whether the statistics are transparent, whether there is a possibility of direct interaction with affiliate marketers to discuss individual conditions. The transparency of statistics will help you partner with the best affiliate programs.

Selection of Offers for Promotion

The next step in working with an affiliate program is choosing the offers that you will promote. An offer is a commercial offer that should interest the buyer. Offers are combined into verticals, and each of them has its own characteristics. Some of the most profitable and popular verticals are nutra, e-commerce, household, lifestyle and online gaming.

It is worth choosing offers you are well versed in, because in the future it will be difficult for you to advertise products that are unfamiliar and uninteresting to you. When choosing offers in a CPA network commodity, examine them for three criteria:

1) How relevant are the offers to the consumer?

2) What payouts does the CPA network offer for these products?

3) What is the expected cost of traffic?

Product Study

You have decided on the offers. Now you need to pay attention to the target audience of the product. Different factors are important: gender, age, level of education, target audience areas of employment. Geo plays a particularly important role – having studied it, you can take into account the peculiarities of the culture, language and mentality of buyers.

In addition, it is worth learning about what desires, needs, problems that need to be solved, interests and hobbies users have, as well as where they most often spend time (in the future, this will help you choose the right traffic channels).

This analysis of the target audience is necessary in order to understand how much the consumer may be interested in your offer, and to choose the most effective tools for its promotion.

Find the Audience Source

After choosing an offer, you will need to select a traffic source. The main task is to find the most effective channels that will help attract an audience to an offer from an affiliate network. If you are a beginner, it would be optimal to start with 2-3 channels, if necessary, changing the traffic sources or their number.

Please note that most offers have lists of allowed and prohibited sources. Popular traffic channels include social networks, native ads, push notifications, pops, banners and other types of advertising.

One of the most powerful tools it to use SubID tracking for affiliates. This is a way to track additional data on your affiliate link that gives you granular detail on the customer. Tools like this are invaluable to get the focus no need to succeed.

Audience sources that increase the effectiveness of the offer, combine well with each other and bring traffic, form the so-called “working bundle”.

Run Ads and Earn

We advise you to start working with a CPA network commodity with one product – this way the cost of a mistake will be insignificant, and you will be able to gain experience in promoting the offer. Run ads on offer and start earning.

When the first successes appear, connect other products to the promotion. It is desirable that the offers are from the same affiliate program, so you will have a better chance of getting good traffic and profit from all offers.

Do not be afraid to practice and test different offers – you can profit from any of them. With minimal experience and a willingness to develop, working with a CPA network can be an excellent source of income. Your task is simply to take the first step.

Top 6 Popular Programming Courses

Programming courses are hugely popular these days as they’re essential in today’s job market. But with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. So let us do the work for you and put together a quick list of 6 popular programming courses that are worth checking out.

1. Python

Python is currently the most popular language used in data science and is used by many of the world’s leading companies. If you want to get into big data, Python is the perfect language to learn. It is a course that will teach you how to build HTML5 and SQL database apps – the skills that are most sought after in the modern job market.

2. R and Software Development

This course teaches you fundamentals of programming in the R language, a powerful language used by many of the world’s top tech companies and research institutes. If you want to be well versed in statistical analysis and are willing to learn a new skill, this course is for you.

3.Fundamentals of Java Programming

Java is one of the leading programming languages in the world and one that almost all developers have heard of. It is used as an enterprise language by most companies and startups alike, which makes this course essential for those who are serious about their careers. It teaches many fundamental skills such as data structures, algorithms and software design principles with Java GUI development on Windows/Linux/Mac platforms using Eclipse integrated development environment (IDE).

4. Google Cloud Platform Architecture

Google Cloud Platform is a Cloud software that is based on the same technology that runs Google Search, Google Maps and Gmail. This course will teach you how to use their myriad of applications at your disposal and help you to create a highly available and scalable application using their entire suite of cloud-based tools. This course help with programming homework.

5.Android N Developer

If you want to be able to develop apps for an Android device, this is the course to take. Fundamentals of Java Programming is a pre-requisite as it teaches students how to code in Java on the Android platform. It also teaches how to develop mobile apps using the Android SDK, a collection of tools to help Android developers write apps for users on Android devices.

6. Redux and React

React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Redux is a predictable state container for JavaScript apps. This course will teach you how to use both technologies and how to combine them together to build scalable, easy-to-maintain, and performant web applications. It’s perfect for students who want to get into web app development.

7. iOS 11 and Swift Developer

This course teaches you how to develop apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch platforms using Swift. It also teaches you how to use Apple’s Cocoa Touch frameworks and APIs to enhance your apps. iOS 11 Developer is a massive undertaking that can take up to 15 hours per week and lasts for 10 weeks. It is perfect for students who want a career in mobile app development and are serious about becoming iOS developer.

Best 10 Automation Testing Conferences in 2022

As the software testing field is remarkably growing, the thirst for information in this valuable area is also rising accordingly. Thus attending conferences is one of the best ways to enhance and keep up on the latest software testing information. The industry-leading conferences provide the software testing organization with valuable content from esteemed industry speakers, leaders, and strategists.

If you are eager to attend automation testing conferences but are confused about choosing what conference to attend this year then this article is going to help you to decide.

We have compiled a list of the top 10 conferences on automation testing taking place in 2022 all over the world (USA, Canada, Europe, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, India, China, Australia, etc.). These conferences feature events on-site and online. For your ease, the conferences are sorted by date, starting from the earliest to the latest, so that you can find them using upcoming and past conferences scheduled in the next months.

Before we go ahead with our list let’s first understand the reason to attend a conference and what are the things to keep in mind to get ready for a conference.

Attending automation testing conferences allows you to enhance your test automation methods and competencies as well as makes you familiar with real-life use cases and solutions so that you can implement them in your organization.

Conferences are a great way to improve your testing skills and techniques, keep up on the latest in software testing and quality, and of course, they enable you to connect with your peers in the larger communities. Attending software testing conferences offers you an opportunity to get to learn about the modern tools and technologies in the testing industry, as well as meet and exchange ideas with industry leaders. If you want to know more and enhance your knowledge about the software testing industry, the best way is to attend the conference on testing.

But due to the past situation with the coronavirus (COVID-19), attending conferences has become a bit different than in the past few years. Some in-person conferences are coming back again safely, but there are still a lot of conferences going on online to become better informed and more well-rounded.

Every year there are a number of automation testing conferences held. If you are given a chance to attend an event, then feel privileged and go for it. But before you decide to participate in any, it is important to ensure that you attend the one that will help you as a person as well as your organization.

Things to Keep In Mind Before You Register

There are checklists to be followed before you plan or register for a conference or event. Going through the points mentioned below will help you to be in a better position to decide which conference would be the best to attend.

  • Go through the respective website carefully to get all the information about the conference thoroughly.
  • Check the schedule, and the topics to be presented to get an idea. Think whether attending the conference will be worthwhile for you or not, because at the conference you will be spending a big amount additionally, some conferences demand some prerequisites to be followed.
  • Check the venue to ensure it is feasible to attend.
  • Know a little bit about the speakers in advance.

Now when you already know how to do things while deciding to attend any conference. It is equally important to know the reason for attending conferences so that you can decide wisely.

Benefits From Attending Software Testing Conference:

  • Attending Conferences helps in meeting professional goals as it focuses on current challenges.
  • Allows getting to know about the latest tools and skills that are important in a leading industry.
  • Helps in collecting ideas for improving existing knowledge about the testing process and developing new solutions to existing problems. Because it shares best practices and real-world case studies.
  • Conference/Events provide the testers an opportunity to increase their expertise in software testing and its techniques.
  • It provides professional networking opportunities by giving chances to meet skilled and experienced Industry leaders.
  • Offer an opportunity to get recognized among peers and networks by sharing ideas, experiences, thoughts, and learning.

Testμ Conference By LambdaTest

The Testμ pronounced as TestU Conference aims to bring software testers, developers, influencers, and community builders together to discuss comprehensively the future of testing. It is a yearly three days conference that provides an excellent opportunity to the audience to network, learn and upskill themselves from some of the best minds in the industry.

The Testu conferences are organized by LambdaTest, a leading cloud-based cross browser testing platform and also an independent learning hub that provides training on a wide variety of topics in the IT space.

This year it was held from 23rd to 25th of October, 2022. The discussion topic was Unit Testing, API Testing, Mobile Testing, Automation, Selenium, Accessibility, Visual Regression, Cross Browser Testing. It also includes keynotes, tutorials, and sessions, all presented in an interactive format

It is an online conference that comes up yearly with more than 30 speakers. the main Speakers at Testu conference are, Maaret Pyhajarvi (Principal Test Engineer, Vaisala), Richard Bradshaw (CEO, Ministry of Testing), Chaithanya Kolar (Managing Director & Quality Engineering Leader, Deloitte US), Maneesh Sharma (COO, LambdaTest), and Manoj Kumar (VP Developer Relations, LambdaTest)

If you have missed Testu which took place this year in 2022, there is no need to worry because it provides on-demand videos of the whole event. So that you don’t miss the chance to become the hero of your organization through your testing skills.

Automation Guild online Conference 2022

Automation Guild organizes a yearly Online Event in February. It is an Online, community-based event intended for all software automation testing and software development needs. This year it was held from the 7th to 11th of February 2022.  It is committed to helping testers succeed with all Automation Testing efforts and attain reliable and less flaky automation.

It provides lifetime access to the completion of a 5-day live event held annually.  It features the latest and most relevant topics, tools, and techniques. The sessions and topics are covered by skilled trainers and the world’s top E2E automation experts. It provides a  community of more than 2000 expert testers to ask questions and get feedback.

It organizes events for improving the tester’s existing testing skills, learning how to automate tedious testing processes, getting equipped with actionable principles and techniques, creating the art of testing in your company, and becoming the most valuable part of your team. You can register for any of the events and get the information, resources, and education to enhance your talent and skills. The price you will pay for the registration will be worthwhile.

Codeless Test Automation Conference Online

When the world is moving speedily, and technological advancements are evolving, the need for cordless codeless test automation comes into the picture. This solution helps in relieving the coding load, allocating extra programming resources, and maintaining test scripts. Automation testers can use codeless testing as a tool to accelerate their work. As they don’t have to spend all of their time creating code to automate regression tests. 

This global conference organizes events every year to help the testers to enhance their test skills and speed up the planning and execution of tests even for the most complex test scripts.

This year it was held on the 9th and 10th of April  2022 at Global Research. It arranges events for all testers, novices, test automation engineers, community leaders, and all those interested in knowing how the world’s latest testing technology can help to move forward. Through the global conference, you can Learn as much as you can to be a Codeless Automation Pro.

This conference covers topics on the Test automation approach, Web Codeless automation, Mobile Codeless automation, Latest testing tools and techniques, and QA best practices.

Using a free testing management tool can simplify any engineers daily routine.

User Conference On Advanced Automation Testing( UCAAT)

UCAAT is a yearly conference and it was hosted this year on 13-15 September by Siemens Munich in Germany. This is a well-established event that addresses the practical challenges faced by the industry in testing and test automation. It is devoted to all aspects of automated testing with unlimited scope.

Rapid technical advancement in application areas such as information and communication technology, industrial automation enterprise information technology, as well as DevOps practices and machine learning techniques applied to software development are ever increasing the demands on testing. Hence testing has become an urgent task that needs to be addressed by appropriate methods, tools, and processes. UCAAT 2022 has discussed all the aspects concerning the trustworthiness of systems and how they can be tackled best in testing.

It offers a unique opportunity for practitioners, test service providers, test engineers, designers, automation test experts, developers, and researchers from different application domains to come together to learn and upskill modern test automation techniques, methods, and tools. It also allows the attendees to exchange on the latest advancement in the industrial use of test automation.

AutomationSTAR 2022 Conference

AutomationSTAR is coordinated by the EuroSTAR Conference Team. It is a yearly conference and this year it will be held in Munich on the 17th and 18th of October 2022. This conference brings together international software testing professionals with a program to explore automation testing. It is the perfect place for sharing experiences, and perspectives, sparking new ideas and shaping the future of test automation

This is a great space where you can. It is a 2-day, 2-track (dual language) conference for software testers, one track is in English and another track is in German.

This conference is all about the latest insights, new ways of working, progressive ideas, and new approaches from thought leaders, global experts in testing, expert opinion makers, and trendsetters. They share their ideas, skills, and techniques and talk about automation in software testing.

Attending this conference will allow you to discover and learn the most up-to-date and actionable techniques and test tools, Improve testing processes, network with your peers, and learn from transformative sessions and talks.

OnlineTestConf 2022

OnlineTestConf has been running online for the past 6 years. This year it will be held on November 29th, 2022 all over the world. Since it is online it does not come with the limitations of scheduling, expenses, and traveling. Attendees join from all parts of the world, and its hosts are well-known experts as well as young presenters, who discuss everything related to Testing and QA.

It provides all the advantages of attending professional QA-related conferences, personal learning, testing, networking, etc.

Attending this conference does not involve any charges/fees to attend this conference anyone who sees themselves involved in testing and the testing community can join.

Selenium Conference 2022

The Selenium Conference is a non-profit event presented by members of the Selenium Community. The aim of this conference is to bring Selenium developers and enthusiasts together from across the world to give out their ideas, socialize, and work together to move forward with the present and future success of their Selenium testing projects.

This conference is for product leaders, ground-level testers, automatons, product developers, or those who use Selenium, and even for those who are not exactly Selenium-centric but are part of test automation.

This is an online annual conference. This year it was held in India from 29- 30 July 2022, by Selenium professional/experts and Practitioners from around the world. This time there were pre and post-conference workshops, as well as opportunities to get Selenium advice and tutorials from experts.

Agile Testing Days

Agile Testing Days is a fascinating event for software engineers, testing professionals, and agile practitioners. The speakers at the conference deliver unforgettable and engaging words by using sound, visuals,  and technology. It is a fun platform to learn, connect, share ideas, evolve professional/personal skills, and network in the agile community. Anyone with a software testing background, software architects, application developers, IT managers, and software engineers can attend this conference.

This year this conference is going to be held in Potsdam, Germany from the 21st to 24th of November 2022. Join this conference to listen to 90 expert speakers and 100 sessions.

Testit 2022

Testit is an annual, one-day IT conference to be in Malmo this year on the 13th of September 2022. This conference is particularly focused on software testing. This one-day conference offers interesting and inspiring sessions to the testers, by testers with various specializations and knowledge levels. It offers and shares various skills, knowledge, presentations, workshops, and sessions on testing with some of the best expert speakers both (local and international) in a particular field.

International Conference on Software Testing, Verification, and Validation

At the International Conference on Software Testing, Verification and Validation all the leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars come together to discuss and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of software testing, verification, and validation. It is a two days conference going to be held in San Francisco, California, USA, on the 27th and 28th of September 2022.

All the Students, academics, educators, industry researchers, and practitioners interested in or involved in software testing can attend this conference.

Conclusion

You may have understood from the above discussion that the best way to upskill and enhance your knowledge about software testing is to attend the conference on testing.

Hope these conferences are going to help you to enhance your software testing skills and techniques. Attending these conferences will provide you with a chance to explore new tools and technologies that enable you to share your ideas with industry leaders.

A Complete Guide on How to Write an A-Grade TOK Essay

Everything You Need to Know When Writing TOK Essay

If you’re reading this, you’re probably taking the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course as part of your International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, which is worth about 67% of your final grade. You’ll need to write a TOK essay discussing how you plan to approach the question. But what does “how you plan to approach the question” mean? What kind of thinking do you need to do before you start writing?

This post will go over some tips and tricks for structuring your essay. Here, we’ll discuss how IB defines the “theory of knowledge” (TOK). And finally, we’ll talk about how to structure your response to get a good grade on the essay. Let’s get started!

What Is Theory of Knowledge (TOK)?

In 2021, around 170,000 students worldwide wrote TOK essays, which shows its importance. So, let’s discuss what it is and what examiners expect from you.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is one of three core components that make up the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. To receive your diploma, you must write an extended essay on a topic in this subject area and receive an A. The other core components are Values & Ethics and Global Awareness & Responsibility.

In short, IB wants you to think about how you know what you know. The question is: How can you be sure that your thoughts, feelings, and ideas are accurate? It is what TOK is all about.

What does IB mean by “theory of knowledge”? They want you to think about how you collect information, form beliefs and judgments, and make decisions. Basically, IB wants you to think about how you know what you know.

Because of it, your TOK essay should be structured around answering one basic question: “What is the basis of my knowledge?” You can phrase it in different ways. For example, “How do I know that X is true?” The idea is always the same – you’re asking yourself why you believe something and whether or not that belief is justified. It is the basic structure of all TOK essays.

Some students buy TOK essays, while others write essays themselves. There are many trustworthy sites that provide such services, so you can be sure you will get a high-quality paper.

What to Know When Writing TOK Essay?

First, you should know what kind of questions the IB examiners ask in the TOK section. They’re looking for a well-structured and clear answer – not just “good.” You must ensure that your response fits these criteria before you start writing.

Second, your essay should explain how you came up with your ideas. You can’t just state a personal opinion as a fact (“I think X is true”) and expect it to work. You need to explain why you think something is correct – this is the “basis of your knowledge.”

Finally, your essay should include some examples that back up what you’re saying (if possible). If you can’t find any good examples, then at least make sure you explain how your example fits into the bigger picture of your idea (“It’s important because …”).

Tip: Remember that an IB examiner will read your TOK essay. That means you must write clearly and logically so that the examiner understands what you’re saying without too much trouble.

How to Structure the TOK Essay?

Here are some tips for structuring your response:

  • Tip #1. Your first paragraph should be a general statement about something you believe. The rest of your paragraphs will explain why you believe it.
  • Tip #2. Your second paragraph is called the “evidence” section because it describes your reasons for believing what you believe. You can’t just say, “I think X is true,” because that’s not enough – you need to explain why you think this way.
  • Tip #3. Your final paragraph is called the “conclusion” because it’s where you sum up what you’ve written. Your conclusion should show that you understand why other people might disagree with you – this is important.

Think of the structure as a triangle, with each paragraph representing one corner of the triangle. The first and last paragraphs tell us something about the middle paragraph; the second paragraph tells us something about the first and third; and so on.

5 Tips to Make the TOK Essay Better

You must understand the task and requirements to score well on the essay. Here are five tips to help you make your TOK essay better:

  • Make sure to answer the question. The TOK essay is all about analysis and interpretation, so you must answer the question that is asked.
  • Use evidence to support your claims. The essay should contain concrete examples and evidence supporting the topic’s analysis and interpretation.
  • Be consistent with your style. You should ensure you are writing in a consistent tone so that the reader understands your ideas clearly.
  • Use appropriate language. TOK essays require you to use advanced vocabulary, which means you should be appropriate to the context and respectful of differing views.
  • Show your understanding of the topic. You should demonstrate a critical understanding of their own society’s values, beliefs, and practices and those of other societies worldwide by providing examples from their own lives, or they can describe specific instances that illustrate the points being made.

Conclusion

We hope these tips will help students write an outstanding TOK essay by providing clear guidelines and helping them to organize their thoughts. In particular, we recommend that students brainstorm their ideas before beginning to write and that they structure their essays clearly and logically.

What Are Some Red Flags That Might Show Up on a Background Check?

There is no definitive answer to this question as every background check is unique and will reveal different information depending on the individual’s history. However, there are some general red flags that may show up on a background check, including:

A Criminal Record

If you have a criminal record, it is important to be honest and disclose this information to potential employers. A criminal record can impact your ability to get a job, so it is important to be proactive and take steps to mitigate the impact. There are organizations that can help you clear your record, and there are also steps you can take to improve your chances of getting a job. It is important to be honest and proactive if you have a criminal record, and to remember that there are people who can help you.

A History of Drug Abuse

When you apply for a job, you may be asked to provide a background check. A history of drug abuse might show up on a background check. This could impact your ability to get the job you want. Drug abuse can impact an individual’s ability to get a job. In some cases, drug abuse may disqualify an individual from getting a job. Drug abuse can also lead to criminal charges. If you have a history of drug abuse, you should be honest about it when you apply for a job. You should also be prepared to discuss the steps you have taken to address your drug abuse. If you are honest about your drug abuse, you may be able to get the help you need. You may also be able to find a job that is a good fit for you.

A History of Mental Illness

Mental illness can be a barrier to employment in a number of ways. It can lead to difficulty in getting along with co-workers, problems following directions, and absences from work. In some cases, it can also lead to more serious issues such as violence or property damage.

A History of Violent Behavior

A background check can tell you a lot about a person, and one of the things it can tell you is if that person has a history of violent behavior. If you’re looking to hire a new nanny, for example, and you see that the person you’re considering has a history of violent behavior, you might want to look elsewhere. This isn’t to say that everyone with a history of violent behavior is automatically a danger to others, but it is something that you should be aware of. If you’re thinking about dating someone, for example, and you see that they have a history of violent behavior, you might want to think twice about getting too involved.

“It is important to recognize and be aware of red flags that may appear on a background check. A history of violent behavior is a serious warning sign, and should not be taken lightly when making decisions about hiring or potential relationships.” – domestic violence lawyer from Meltzer & Bell, P.A

A History of Financial Instability

A person’s credit history can tell a lot about them. It can show whether or not they are responsible with their money, and it can be a good indicator of how likely they are to repay a loan. That’s why a history of financial instability might appear on a background check. A history of financial instability can be a red flag for potential lenders. It can show that the person is not responsible with their money, and it can make them more likely to default on a loan. That’s why a history of financial instability might appear on a motor vehicle background check.

A History of Problems With the Law

There are many reasons why someone’s criminal history might appear on a background check. One reason is that they may have a history of criminal activity. A history of criminal activity might appear on a background check because the person has been arrested or convicted of a crime in the past. Another reason why someone’s criminal history might appear on a background check is because the person has a criminal record. A criminal record might appear on a background check because the person has been arrested or convicted of a crime in the past.

5 Ways to Build Your Social Media Marketing Career

Businesses of all sizes now understand the importance of growing their online presence compared to the past decade. This is contributing to the increasing demand for tech-savvy social media professionals globally.

Social media marketers help brands develop marketing strategies for boosting visibility, managing their communities, and driving more revenue. Besides, they often rely on organic and paid tactics to achieve these goals.

Several aspiring marketers usually find the benefits that come with the position enticing. For instance, you can opt for a job that will allow you to work from home and set a flexible schedule. Millennials and Gen Z are choosing this career path and similar ones to pursue the type of lifestyle they want.

Apart from that, it’s an opportunity to exploit your creativity. If you’re ready to become a social media marketer, here are some tips for building your career.

1. Enroll in professional courses

Getting professional certifications will show recruiters that you take your growth seriously. The good thing is that most social media marketing courses only take a few weeks or months.  Each time you bag a certificate, add it to your portfolio.  

2. Search and apply for jobs

There are several ways to get social media marketer jobs. Nevertheless, don’t be ashamed to take entry-level jobs or join internship programs at the beginning of your career. Many top professionals also took this route. 

Take advantage of authentic social media job boards which are regularly updated. Several people got their dream jobs on these platforms. Another option is to leverage social media channels. Consider following your favorite brands to avoid missing out on their updates.

Build relationships with mentors in the industry too. Whenever you come across a relevant job ad, read the description carefully before applying.

3. Hone your skills

Social media marketing goes beyond adding captions to images and sharing them on social media channels.

It takes thorough research to understand a brand’s target audience since they won’t likely appeal to everyone. The best thing is to find the type of content that’s appropriate for each platform and when to share it.

Skills such as communication, content marketing, and data analytics are in high demand in the social media marketing world. They are essential for targeting the right audience, tracking performance, and analyzing data while executing campaigns.

Try to acquire other skills, such as SEO marketing or graphic designing if you have a flair for writing.  

4. Have an eye for trends

The social media marketing sector is unarguably one of the fastest-growing industries. Each social media platform has unique algorithms and requirements. This is why you must stay up to date with emerging trends. Try employing a social media manager.

Subscribe to authority digital marketing websites and understand the common industry jargon.

5. Invest in personal branding

Recruiters will assess your personal brand to determine whether you have what it takes to build their brand. It’s ideal for building your brand as you search for jobs. One effective way to hone your social media skills is to practice with your profiles.

Professional Application Advice

The résumé helps to tell you briefly and clearly what you have learned and what you can do. At the same time, it should “hook” the employer and present you as a successful employee. We have gathered tips on which points you should pay special attention to on your resume.

A perfectly polished and well-written resume is the main secret weapon in your job search. While most people dutifully work their way up the corporate ladder, you’ll get the hang of it right from the start and start flying high. This resume writing guide outlines the basic elements needed to create such powerful resumes.

It’s best not to write your final resume with a classic word processor. MS Word, Excel and similar programs are problematic in many ways and actually put obstacles in your way from the very beginning.

The established standard for most resume submissions is PDF. The benefits are obvious in most cases: uniform formatting that always stays the same no matter which viewer you use, and that can also be read by most software systems.

The ideal tools for creating clean, concise, and visually appealing resumes are dedicated online resume editors, also called resume builders. These web or software solutions are ideal tools for creating technically functional and content-optimized resumes that are, above all, visually compelling. Using a service/platform specifically designed for resume writing will save you a lot of time and hassle.

Visual Character, Patterns and First Impressions

We are all visually inclined. Our first impression is always based on aesthetics, symmetry and image.

When we are invited for an interview, we pay special attention to our clothes. You want to dress and appear the same as your interviewer. This may mean you need to check your appearance. For women that means using a good facial cleanser and light makeup to look cheerful and optimistic. For men it means being manscaped and groomed for C-Suite success.

So why shouldn’t we be just as careful with our résumé? After all, a resume is our most important business card even before we even get to our first meeting.

Of course, you can create your own templates, but if you are not a professional designer, it is better to use professional curriculum vitae writing service that work well in practice. Templates suggest a certain character or mood through their design: they can emphasize creativity, reliability, discipline, and other qualities.

Resume Formats: Structure Definition

Enough about looks. Now let’s plunge into the endless expanses of the text world. If we look at the main division of the text in the summary, then at the very beginning we will see three main forms:

  • Reverse chronological
  • Functional
  • Combined (mixture of both types)

The reverse chronological form is the most common. Such a resume is widely used in most industries and is practically expected by most employers. The main advantage of a reverse-chronological resume is its clear and understandable linear structure.

Here you will find competently composed examples of resumes for various professions.

How Lead Generation For Doctors Is Changing Right Now and What You Should Know?

Lead generation software is a tool that helps physicians convert their patients into leads. Physicians use it to help them market to patients and generate new business. The software provides the physician with an opportunity to increase their revenue by increasing the number of leads they can get through marketing efforts.

The process that comes before conversion is called lead generation. As soon as potential consumers learn about your clinic, you keep in touch with them to pique their awareness and help them to call you to schedule a meeting. To know more about Lead Generation For Doctors, contact Pearl Lemon Leads today, to avail the best services.

Why Lead Generation For Doctors Is The Changing Game For Their Profession?

Physicians are always on the lookout for ways to improve their practice. One way is through the use of marketing software. Lead generation software is one such tool that can help a physician market their practice more effectively and efficiently.

Lead generation software, also known as marketing automation software, helps physicians generate leads and convert them into patients. These programs have been around for a while but are still evolving with time to meet the needs of physicians.

Lead generation software helps physicians market their practices in a cost-effective manner by generating leads from search engines, social media platforms, and other sources of information that would otherwise be impossible to reach without a marketing automation tool. These tools offer an easy way for physicians to track conversion rates on their website or app as well as find out which types of content work best for each type of visitor.

The Main Types of Software Used for Lead Generation Include:

Email marketing services that have templates that can be customized by physicians.CRM suite that offers leads and chatbot functionality.

Marketing automation platforms, which offer a range of lead generation features including webinars, email campaigns, and messaging based on demographic data and user behavior, can be used to help generate more leads for your business. The results that you get from marketing automation platforms are the insight that allows you to make more informed decisions on how to improve performance and ROI in the long run.

The Importance of Lead Generation For Doctors

Being able to simultaneously communicate with thousands of people is one of the best things about online marketing.

You can connect with audiences that conventional marketing would have been unable to reach through Search engine optimization, Adwords, social networks, as well as a host of other strategies. The value of this, though, depends on your ability to convert them into prospects.

Without a lead-generating plan, you can waste time and resources bringing in clients that won’t benefit your practice. By generating leads, you may concentrate your efforts on patients who are most willing to visit your office and persuade them to do so.

You may guide them through the process of arranging an appointment as you enhance engagement and connection, gain a better understanding of what customers want or need from a physician, and gain their faith and credibility in your staff.

Why Should You Keep Your Resume Updated Frequently?

A resume is not a one-time document that you create while changing careers. Rather, it should be seen as a summary of your professional experiences and accomplishments that you must update at each stage of your career.

Your career is a dynamic entity that changes as you acquire experience and make an influence on the world around you. The document that should convey this vitality is your resume. However, most of us will fall short of creating a complete picture of our path in the resume.

While you fall into the trap of revising the document when a job interview is approaching, you run the potential risk of racing against the clock and creating something that does not really represent who you are as a professional.

Download PowerPoint templates if you want to showcase yourself as a professional in the eyes of the recruiters. It will allow you to demonstrate your professional journey in a compelling way.

While you fall into the trap of revising the document when a job interview is approaching, you run the potential risk of racing against the clock and creating something that does not really represent who you are as a professional. To better prepare, consider practicing with an AI interview tool that can simulate real interview scenarios and provide feedback, helping you refine your responses and present your best self.

Furthermore, there are several practical reasons why this should be done, even if it requires some time to evaluate and make the necessary modifications on a regular basis. Using a resume builder can make this process more efficient and straightforward.

In this blog, we will discuss some of the most essential reasons why you should update your resume on a regular basis.

Allows You To Look Back Into Your Professional Journey

Looking back on previous work enables you to realize where you’ve been and plan your future strides in your profession. You’ll know what to do next by analyzing your own professional choices and discovering potential career paths.

These pathways might include applying for a new career, completing specialized training, getting project experience, or earning a higher degree or qualification.

In any scenario, you’ll have a thorough understanding of your successes and failures. If you can learn from your mistakes, your next career move will get you closer to your goals.

Eliminates Last Minute Panics

We’re all waiting for that phone call from the headhunter. But will you be ready if they call? Recruiters are continuously sifting through resumes to identify the ideal candidate for the job.

You will be requested to submit your resume if they consider you – somewhat qualified for the post. You won’t have enough time to make updates, and you could speed through them, missing essential aspects of your outstanding career.

If you want to avoid last-minute stress, keep your CV up to date on a regular basis. It is critical that you mention all of your professional achievements and updates. If you learn a new skill or obtain new experiences, make a note of it as quickly as possible.

Enables You To Grab Any New Opportunity Work Immediately

This fresh opportunity may come in the shape of a networking connection enquiring about a position in their organization. It might also be an opportunity to grow inside your current organization, such as a promotion to a senior position or the chance to oversee a new project.

Updating your resume on a regular basis will guarantee that top highlights are available to you on demand. These will be fresh in your mind and written down.

Your interactions and updated resume will show that you are well-organized, competent, and have relevant experience for this potential new position.

Does this also apply to gig work?

Maintain an up-to-date resume on your social platforms so that recruiters and current contacts can discover it; they may glance at your profile to see whether you’re a good fit for the job.

Having the most updated resume enhances the likelihood that you’ll be ready to jump on anything of interest as soon as it becomes available, saving you significant time.

Leverage The Benefits Of The Latest Trends

Companies today use the most contemporary communication trends. Rather than reading a printed copy of a CV, employers may prefer a detailed linked-in profile. Moreover, utilizing an ai headshot generator can ensure your profile stands out with a professional and polished image.

There isn’t enough time under time constraints to hunting for alternate approaches to demonstrate your profile, so you could just stick with the standard MS Word-based resumes.

Take notice of the most latest trends. You should be knowledgeable of the latest design trends as well as how to create an effective CV.

Helps You in Analyzing Gaps

You may find areas where you fall short if you take the time and effort to check your resume against your intended job description. You may need further skills, training, or experience to get your desired career.

This, over time, can ensure that you are able to rise and shine when the occasion calls for it. Not only will you have the proper key points, but you will also have the experience to back them up.

Acts As A Performance Review

Consider your yearly performance evaluations to be a “job interview” for your organization. To demonstrate your worth, you must comprehend and be able to describe the most important things you’ve done in the previous year, as well as your skills and talents.

If you’ve been upgrading your resume with your accomplishments, skill development, and educational triumphs, you’ll be able to showcase them to your boss with confidence and detail how you’ll apply them to your firm in the future. You may also portray yourself as a skilled professional that your organization wants to retain.

Portrays Your Professionalism

Only by consistently updating your resume can you portray professionalism. Recruiters will recognize your expertise and may call you for an interview at their organization.

Every recruiter seeks professionals for positions because they appear to be more qualified. Ensure that you are portraying a professional image. You can also read about the best resume writing tips to help you enhance your resume.

Saves Time

Consider the last time you needed your CV, and it was out of date. How long has it taken you to go back and update the missing information? Did you recall everything exactly?

Because you don’t have time to dig out the exact facts that demonstrate your expertise and achievements, a resume made under a strict deadline may not present you in the best light.

Updating your resume on a frequent basis allows you to add things as they happen, ensuring that you don’t neglect any vital information, including all of the necessary facts that demonstrate your qualifications. It also saves time and effort in exploring old records to get these facts.

Wrapping It Up

Your resume should highlight your most recent skills and experiences that make you a great job prospect.

As time passes, you will most certainly gain new skills, get more experience, and perhaps achieve new degrees or certificates. As a result, you should revise your CV to reflect these modifications.

Constant updates just take a couple of minutes, and you can always find a plethora of career opportunities.

Is CCIE Dead Or Still a Valuable Certification?

One of the hot discussions today in the IT community is whether Cisco’s CCIE Certification is valuable as before or not. With the popularity and common deployment of Cloud Networking, Network Automation, Software Defined Networking type of certifications and knowledge, many people have been questioning the importance of the CCIE certification.

In this post, we will discuss briefly this point and will make a couple of points for why CCIE certification is still valuable. Of course, a good CCIE enterprise infrastructure training for real-life knowledge is very important, but also it helps to pass the certification exam as well. 

CCIE vs. Cloud Certifications

These days, AWS, Microsoft Azure, and GCP Cloud certifications are very popular. They are popular because so many companies started to use different types of cloud services, they take sometimes even just for price advantage.

In private, Public, and Hybrid clouds, many people utilize the agility and flexibility of Cloud Services. When a particular technology becomes mainstream and so many companies start using it, many job opportunity arises.

When Engineers see these opportunities, of course, they want to explore the opportunities. But we need to understand that, still all traditional IT services and models still there, but just in someone else’s Datacenter.

Networking, Storage, Database, and many other traditional IT domains still continue, still there, just maybe not on your own premises. Network Engineers get CCIE certificate because, during their study journey, they need to learn so much about networking, that they become an expert in network operation, deployment, and troubleshooting.

They utilize these skills in Cloud as well of course. So, it is not CCIE vs Cloud, it is CCIE and Cloud!.

CCIE Certification Is Still One of the Most Demanded Certifications by the HR Professionals

To understand whether it is valuable or not, we can check the Job posts. As you will realize from the many job advertisements, many CCIE tracks are still so demanded.

CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CCIE Security, CCIE Datacenter, and so on. For example, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure requires a good level of networking, especially switching and routing knowledge, practical, hands-on experience, and it is utilized in Cloud, IoT, SDN, and many other evolving technologies as well.

Same as understanding Datacenter technologies such as VPLS, OTV, EVPN, Fabricpath, and many others during the CCIE Datacenter journey will help a lot in real-life and in many of the job advertisements today, these technologies will be required too.

Thus, we recommend you to get good training for your CCIE certification exams, gain real-life design and operation knowledge from the training vendors and ask them whether they can support you in a mentorship model as well.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Start an Event Planning Business

Businesses large and small worldwide are turning to event planners when they need help organizing an event. If you’re interested in learning how to start an event planning business, here’s everything you need to know.

What is Event Planning?

Think back on some of the events that you’ve gone to recently. Maybe it was a wedding, a family reunion, or even a birthday party thrown by someone you knew. What did these events have in common? All of them were planned by an event planner!

An event planner helps ensure all the details go smoothly so that the host can enjoy their time with guests without worrying about making sure everyone has food or drinks or knows where to go. Chances are everyone probably muddled through, but what if there was a way to make the event better and more enjoyable for all of the guests?

Event Planning Job Duties

Beyond the planning of large events, and fundraisers, one of the primary responsibilities of an event planner is helping people coordinate their schedules with the host or organizer.

An experiential event planning team takes on this role by managing logistics, vendor coordination, and attendee engagement to ensure seamless execution. For instance, a potential client might need someone to help plan their anniversary dinner or big birthday bash.

Hire an experienced event photography company for your event to provide photo and video services to document your conference or fundraiser.

This person hires you as an assistant to ensure everything goes according to plan, from reserving a location and booking entertainment to ensuring everyone knows about it and what to expect.Hire

Another example would be a business owner who is relocating and needs help organizing a housewarming party (typically one of the most popular types of events for planners). This person hires you to hire caterers, DJs and ensure that everything goes smoothly with ordering food and drinks.

How to Start Your Own Event Planning Business

So now that we know what event planning involves, let’s take a look at how you can start your own event planning business:

Plan Ahead: The first step to owning an event planning business is to plan ahead, as in months and months ahead. It takes a long time to develop fresh concepts for themes and venues that haven’t been done before. Your planning process should take as much time as the events themselves to ensure everything comes out perfectly.

For example, if you’re hosting a Thanksgiving-themed party, make sure there isn’t another one scheduled for the same day. Consider alternatives like hosting it on a different holiday or weeknight instead of a Thursday. Also, keep in mind you’ll need a few months lead time before sending invitations and raising awareness about your event, so guests have enough time to clear their schedules.

Create a Website: The first thing someone looking for an event planner or assistant will do is search online. You need to have an attractive website with all the information people might need to get them interested in hiring you. Ensure your site includes samples of past work along with testimonials from happy customers.

Of course, make sure your site looks nice and functions well on all devices (since most people will be browsing through their smartphones or tablets).

Know Your Niche: It’s essential to have a niche, such as event planning, release events, funeral planning, etc.. in mind when starting an event planning business. The last thing you want is to be all over the place with your events. If you try to please everyone, you’ll fail at pleasing anyone. People are more likely to hire planners who specialize in their preferred function.

For example, if someone wants a high-class catered wedding, they’ll call up the most expensive 5% of wedding planning services rather than hiring the cheapest one around who also happens to do weddings. Your best bet is to socialize with potential clients and see what type of events they usually host so you can focus on those instead of doing everything under the sun.

Know the Trends: For your business to succeed, you’ll need to stay up-to-date with trending events and new ideas. Things like Pinterest boards and Instagram accounts are great places for discovering new ideas and staying ahead of the game (literally).

Get Creative: There’s more than one way to steal people’s attention, but nothing screams “unique” more than creativity. It takes a lot of thinking outside the box, and some practice before perfection, so don’t be afraid to test things out.

Remember those Pinterest or Instagram accounts we mentioned? They could also double your portfolio so clients know what type of work you can produce.

Decide How Much You’ll Charge for Your Services: Pricing is always a difficult step when starting any small business, but considering that you’ll generally earn 75% of contracted fees makes this decision less tough to work out.

When deciding how much to charge for your services, it’s important to consider the variability in pricing, especially in specific markets such as weddings. Wedding venues can range from picturesque beachfronts to grand banquet halls, and this diversity significantly influences pricing. Additionally, getting married in Texas is vastly different from getting married in California, which also plays a crucial role in determining costs.

You can also choose to have different tiers of packages available, which allow you to have more flexibility when working with clients.

Be Sure to Join Local Associations: Joining an organization can help increase your credibility, especially if other event planners are members. Organizations will also schedule networking events, which ultimately enable you to meet people in the industry that could turn into future clients/mentors/employees.

Network: One of the best things about being a part of an association is meeting like-minded individuals who can provide valuable guidance and feedback throughout your business venture. Make sure to attend every possible networking event, speak with everyone you meet, and try not to sell yourself too much – work on providing value for others.

It’s always good to keep business cards on you, just in case you have the opportunity to meet someone.

Plan Sample Events: Find some places willing to let you test your skills as an event planner before taking on large commissions. This could be anything from planning a wedding reception or birthday party for one of your friends or even orchestrating a fundraiser event for local non-profit organizations.

Use these events to gain experience and build up your portfolio so potential clients can see what type of work you do.

Have Fun: If you’re not having fun doing what you love, there’s no way it’ll ever succeed anyways. Whether you enjoy the creative process or just like managing everything behind closed doors, event planning should be one of those things that get you excited because why would anyone want to do something they hate?

All work and no play make running a successful event planning business pretty difficult, so don’t forget to take some time off and attend events as a guest to see how other companies run their operations before jumping into this crazy industry full-time!

Conclusion

It would be best to always have a business plan ready before diving into any new adventure because it’ll help guide you when things aren’t going according to plan. Building a business plan isn’t all too difficult, and there are plenty of free resources available online.

Running your own business is always difficult, but there are some perks to working for yourself. Not only do you have complete control over the entire process, but the skills you learn will also help you with any future career ventures.

If event planning doesn’t end up being your thing, then at least you’ll have plenty of experience that can be transferred elsewhere.