Aflac Careers - Six Important Considerations

Quack Quack so the commercial goes. Aflac is one of the best know insurance companies in the United States. The company was started in 1955 and has grown to insurance 50,000,000 people in USA and Japan. It also boasts 185,000 licensed sales agents. It has truly been a success story, but is the opportunity still viable for you?

Before starting your Aflac career it's wise to check Aflac reviews and get a feel of the company and what it takes to be successful selling Aflac ins. Below are six very important considerations we will cover in this article.

Insurance License

Training

Cold Calling

Sales Rep Turn Over

Income

Commissions
Since Aflac is an insurance product you are required to get an Insurance License before you can start making any money. Each state is a little different, but normally it takes a few weeks to study for and pass the licensing test. Also, it will probably cost a little less than $1000 for your study course and licensing fees. To keep your license active you are also required to pay for continuing education and renewal fees.

Once you have your license you are ready for training. This is the first stumbling block. Training is done by the local manager. Some are very good, but others are too busy trying to make a living or too busy hiring other sales reps to help you. If you are new to sales it can be very frustrating, but if you're an experienced salesperson you can wade in.

Even though Aflac has a huge advertising presence all of your sales will come from you cold calling. Don't expect any leads. Cold calling is not for the timid, but if you have a solid work ethic and skin that is not too thin you can get results. Just remember you need to see 25 businesses a day and have 2 or 3 serious sit downs with the business owners each day to be successful. Once you get the hang of it, it's not too hard.

A lot of new agents won't get the hang of it which is why there is a very high turnover rate with Aflac. Some of the biggest complaints new agents have is hearing business owners say you are the 5th Aflac agent I have seen this year. Having so many inexperienced agents also creates another problem and that is misinformation to customers. There is a vocal percentage of dissatisfied customers and I am sure poorly trained sales reps adds to the problem.

Sales rep's satisfaction usually boils down to income. Most managers paint a picture that many reps are making $50,000 to $100,000 per year. Where in fact, it's closer to $25,000 if they even make it one year. Yet there are always going to be a few that hit the jackpot.

Lastly, you need to understand this is an all commission job. As such don't expect to start receiving any pay checks for at least two months after getting your license and actually start cold calling. If you are successful your checks will start out slow, but will increase over time.

If this doesn't sound like your cup of tea or if you just like to keep your options open there is another company in a similar line that doesn't have all of the negatives of Aflac.

They sell a high demand insurance backed product to businesses and individuals. The market is actually larger and easier for you to get into. It doesn't require an insurance license and you won't be tripping over fellow reps.

A recruitment agency article by Dougles Chan - An expert recruitment agencies mentor that trains individuals on how to start a recruitment agency business effectively and and grow their business profitability.

Job Interview - Best Prep Questions

As professional recruiters, we have learned over the years there one question we can ask of almost any job candidate prospect to determine their level of willingness to cooperate with the hiring process, and their ability to adapt their preconceptions of the hiring process to the practical aspects of a professional job search. Everyone answers that one question pretty much the same. The question:

"Who can present your credentials best, you - the person who actually lived your experiences, or me?" Well the obvious answer is "you," the person who lived your experiences. But that is the wrong answer. Which illustrates why so many folks have difficulties with job interviews, often wondering later why things didn't turn out better. Why would your recruiter be a better person to present your credentials than yourself? Because a recruiter will organize your credentials so they appear as a solution to the employer's needs. Typically, when job candidates present their own resume and supporting credentials in an interview, they present their background in a way that is the most flattering, not necessarily the most effective or logical for getting the job at hand. This article reviews how a job candidate can organize and present their credentials in a job interview so it is to their best advantage. The best way to prepare for a job interview is by learning which questions will likely arise in a job interview, and having some predetermined answers for those questions - answers that both illustrate your skills and successes and present your experiences as the solution to the job you seek.
Often, face to face interviews are preceded by a telephone screening, whereby a key Human
Resources or other representative contacts the job candidate directly by phone to ask some basic questions. While the strategies described herein apply to phone and on-site job interviews, the objectives differ. In the telephone interview, the objective should be to quickly illustrate your interest in the job and skills you bring to bear so as to generate a job interview. With the face to face interview, the objective should be to lead to a job offer. Attempting to get a job offer differs from actually getting the job. A job candidate who asks for the job offer by selling themselves to the company as the best fit and most motivated candidate, will likely leave the job interview with an offer in hand.

MOST IMPORTANT JOB INTERVIEW CONSIDERATIONS:

DON'T BE ON TIME - BE EARLY
It is important you arrive at the interview 20-30 minutes early. Obviously, being late sends a negative message about you to the interviewer. Many interviewers don't meet with candidates who arrive late. Plan ahead. Investigate traffic patterns relative to the time of your job interview. Don't expect the interviewer will be sensitive to delays caused by traffic congestion or an unexpected traffic accident. They expect you will allow for those eventualities, just like they do.

DRESS & LOOK PROFESSIONAL
Women: A skirt, dress or dress-suit or pant-suit are the most appropriate for the female candidate. Make sure your clothes are neat, clean and well pressed and make sense. Avoid controversial garb, anything too revealing or too trendy. You want to look professional, not like you are there to get a date or express a fashion statement.

Men: A dress suit, shirt and tie is the most appropriate clothing for the male candidate. Make sure your clothes are neat, clean and well pressed. Avoid flashy colors, jeans, T-shirts or tennis shoes. Wear your hair neat (including facial hair), clean and well groomed.

Oh yeah, and please cover tattoos and body piercings. While your private friends may enjoy the current fad of body art, most likely, a new employer isn't impressed, in fact, may look upon those expressions as somewhat immature - regardless of how you may feel about them. If such corporate attitudes are uncomfortable for you, find another prospective employer who is more open to such un-requested expressions of personality. Otherwise, be professional, dress professional, behave professionally.

PREPARE
Have a pen, notepad and extra copy of your resume and references with you. Make notes of questions you want to ask that relate to the job and company. Put those items in a place that will be easy for you to get to when you need them in the interview. If you currently use a daily/weekly planner, bring that with you too. You should try to arrive at your interview well rested, with a clear mind and a plan for presenting your credentials and supporting materials like references.

GREET JOB INTERVIEWER ENTHUSIASTICALLY
Smile, be friendly, not nervous, offer a solid handshake and say something friendly, like: "Good morning, pleasure to meet you, and thank you for the opportunity to visit with you today." Show your enthusiasm about the opportunity to work for their company. Remember, they are interviewing you for a job that requires specific skills and genuine enthusiasm -- if you don't express that at the interview, they many not be convinced you have the stamina required for the job.

DON'T HIGHLIGHT NEGATIVES
For the job interviewer, it is all about filling the job with the right person. Believe me, most job interviewers don't want to hear about your antique tin can collection, or how you landed that elk last year on your vacation. An interviewer wants your undivided attention on their job needs. Your personal habits distract from that focus. Such personal comments may include topics like: smoking, chewing gum, nervous finger or feet movement, tapping a pencil or a fork, humming, whistling, stretching, cleaning finger nails, clearing your throat, excessive "ums" in conversation, or focusing too much time on unrelated topics. Don't make negative remarks about your past or present employers or workmates. Negative remarks will not help your cause, and will seem as though you are blaming others for poor results.

RESEARCH THE COMPANY THOROUGHLY
Learn as much as you can about the company and the duties of the job position which interests you, like income range and associated benefits. Family and friends are sometimes sources of information about the company you seek for employment. But don't rely on hearsay, try to talk to someone in the company about the requirement and expectations of the job you seek. And utilize more than one source of comments about the company you are considering. Any positive things you learn about the company, make sure you mention them to the interviewer as a way to express your long term interest in the job you seek. Be prepared to answer questions about why you want to work for their company, offering sensible reasons that are practical in results.

PREPARE TO ASK QUESTIONS
You don't want to confuse the interviewer with too many questions. Remember, they are interviewing you, so be prepared to answer all their questions smartly. But challenge the interviewer with some of your own questions - determine those questions before you arrive to the job interview. Keep good eye contact when you ask your questions. Don't get into lengthy discussions. The idea is to engage the interviewer, to show them you can take charge when required and get the information you need. You should strive to create a list of questions that go to the heart of the job you seek.

KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE
Be confident and knowledgeable and you will express a good attitude. But don't seem over confident in your abilities. Remain relaxed, answer questions sincerely. Be interested in the job and the company. Lighten up some and use a little humor! Your job interviewer should be made to feel you really want the job and their company. Show serious interest so that you will be considered a serious candidate. Do not mention offers of interviews with other companies, unless asked.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO EXPECT
When answering questions that have a pre-determined answer, remember to offer a straight forward and immediate answer, and keep it simple. Avoid yes/no answers, unless you are offering an example to illustrate your answer. In fact, as much as possible, try and offer your key answers in a format of : Strategy-then-example. In that sense, if you were to discuss aspects of how to build a team of your workmates, you could answer with a short comment about your overall strategy of how to build a team, then follow that up with a quick real-time example of how you recently utilized that strategy and the results you got. Something like - "I build a team by making sure everyone involved understands our mutual goals, the timing, and their influence on those goals. When I did that last Spring, as we were introducing a new product, the goal was to sell more product by training team members to up-sell the new product to existing customers - we increased sales over 20-percent in one month."

"TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF"
Most people feel their personal lives are important, so when this question is asked they talk about everything from their children to their wives to their religion and even their favorite hobby or television show. Job interviewers want to hear some of that, or they don't feel they did a proper interview. But, the truth is, the job interviewer is more interested in getting the right skills and experience for the job. So keep your personal comments superficial, and in answering those personal questions, spin your answers in a manner that your answer reflects the skills and knowledge required for the job. After all, you are interviewing for the job, not a hobby partner.

"WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS"
This is your primary time to express how your experience and skills match up to the requirements and needs of the job you seek. Be specific, but don't spend an hour. Keep your words simple. Write out as many of the answers as possible before the interview, so you can be comfortable when you explain your skills. Again, be brief and use examples.

WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Mature thinkers tend to know their weaknesses. That is why most job interviewers ask this question. Will you admit you have weaknesses, and if so, how do you manage those? Is the weakness too major to allow you to be successful in the job you seek? Meaning to say, know in advance how you will answer this question. For instance, many hard workers are accused of working to many hours. Sometimes it's to do with the workload, sometimes it's just a matter of poor time-management. So if you say you are accused of being a "workaholic," temper that answer by admitting you do work hard, but that you always maintain a reasonable workload for you and your team, so you and your team (if there is one) are active, but you are not really behind in your work. So admit a weakness or two, but express how your results don't suffer.

DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE?
If you are seeking a management oriented position, describe your management style. Is it more hands-on? Is it analysis based? Do you delegate and verify results? Whatever your style, describe it specifically, not generically. Don't offer hourly-wage answers, offer management oriented answers; hourly wage answers include comments like: "I'm always to work on time; I always get my work done; I get along with others;" and such. Those are the attributes a manager expects of the people who report to them. Make your answers relative to management. Describe your ability and success when you delegate; your success with smart, accurate analysis and reporting and how those reports lead your activities; outline strategies you use to motivate or influence team members. Be detailed, but in short answers.

"WHY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR CURRENT JOB?"
There is nothing wrong with leaving one job for a better one. Make sure the interviewer sees you as being in that mind-set. If there are serious issues afoot in your current or recent job, don't spend time discussing those, keep the focus on how you are a good match for the job at hand, and how you are motivated to improve and advance. A good response might be something like: " I am always looking to better myself. I heard positive things about your company and this job in particular, so I wanted to explore my options".

"WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS"
This isn't a trick question, like most people believe, having two sides: 1) To show how ambitious are you. 2) Are you loyal. It's okay to say you want to advance, if that is the case. But do it politely, a good generic response may be something like: "I want to be a better manager than I am now." Or, "I would be actively working towards promotions in this company."

OTHER QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER:
Obviously, there are too many hiring scenarios to try and cover all pertinent job interview questions here. But, there are some basic questions that may likely arise, and for which you should generate pre-fabbed answers, so you can offer an intelligent and job related response if such questions come up in conversation. Write out your answers to each of these questions.

How will you be an asset to our company (good opportunity to mention prior achievements, without being boastful.)

Why did you pick this industry?
Describe a unrelated leadership role that you held.
What has been your greatest challenge in your career?
Give me an example of a problem that arose in your job, and how you solved it.
Tell me about a project you initiated and the results.
What types of situations put you under pressure and how did you deal with it?
Give me a situation in which you failed, how did you deal with it?
How do you work with difficult people?
What was your greatest accomplishment?
What challenges are you looking for in a position?
What motivates you?
If I asked people who know you to describe you, what three words would they use?
Describe a situation where you had to work with someone who was difficult. How did you handle it?
What traits are most important for a good manager?
Tell me a about a team project of which your are particularly proud of. What was your contribution?
What type of environment appeals to you the most?
What characteristics are most important in a good manager? How have you displayed one of them?
What makes someone a good leader?
What are your expectations of a good employer?
What do you do in your spare time?

The whole idea here is to leave nothing to chance. Literally write out your answers in advance. Most job candidates do not follow this good advice, believing they already know how best to present their credentials. Don't make that mistake. Organize your answers in advance, put them in perspective of how your skills and know-how best fit the job for which you are interviewing. By organizing these simple tasks to prepare for your job interview, you will greatly increase your odds of getting hired. Don't leave your next great job to chance. Prepare for it now.

Head hunt for Singapore job consultants or executive search,check out this directory. A internet marketing campaign by Scotts DIGITAL

KPMG Financial Services Consulting - Defining a Market Strategy

To be more successful, businesses should manage more strategically. There is at least one business that took its own advice and did just that, with outstanding results. This brief article discusses the early steps in that business's strategic management process, and provides a good example of how strategic management can dramatically improve a business's performance.

During the years from 1993 to 2001, KPMG's financial services consulting practice (FSC) in the United States grew at an unprecedented rate. Revenue for the practice grew during that period at a compound annual growth rate of just over 40%. Outside the US, this high rate of growth began a couple of years later than in the US, but once started the results were similar. From a starting point of less than $100 million in 1993, in 2001, after several years of significant growth, global revenue for FSC exceeded $1.2 billion.

There were many factors that contributed to this extraordinary growth. The purpose of this article is to discuss one of them, the market strategy that was defined for the practice. A strong case can be made that market strategy was the most important factor in the success of the practice, but regardless, it did at least represent the first step in moving the practice forward.

Market Strategy
The market strategy that was selected for FSC was "business management". That market strategy proved to be an excellent choice for FSC, for a couple of major reasons:

• The "business management" strategy clearly differentiated FSC from competitors. At the time, firms in the market that were consulting to financial services organizations could be categorized into three major types. There were systems integration and managed services firms that approached the market with their functional skills and large pools of resources. There were general strategy firms that approached the market with their consulting process and corporate level reputations. There were also dozens of niche firms that approached the market with their knowledge and experience in a limited array of services. No firms in the market offered services where depth of business knowledge was a requirement. FSC chose that path, and quickly became differentiated in the marketplace.

• The "business management" strategy built on FSC's core strengths. Traditionally, FSC hired consultants with at least three years of industry experience. This hands-on business experience became a good starting point for developing even more depth of business knowledge and understanding of best practices across an industry.

Natural Client
The natural clients for FSC's "business management" strategy were the heads of the internal lines of business at the large financial services organizations. These were people who usually had Executive Vice President titles, or sometimes Vice Chairman titles, and who had full profit and loss responsibility for retail, corporate, capital markets, and other major businesses. Other firms were focused on the heads of technology, the Board of Directors, or at lower levels across the organization. Other firms did not identify strongly with the executives who had day-to-day responsibility for the P&L, and who were also the chief visionaries for their businesses in the market.
FSC's market strategy appealed to line of business heads, and they controlled significant consulting budgets. The market strategy demanded in depth knowledge of the business. Functional knowledge was also important, but only within the context of the business knowledge. Most of the time, the issues faced by line of business heads could not be segmented into functional components. It was necessary to blend various functional skills, such as strategy, risk, finance, operations, and technology, into project teams, all with deep business knowledge.

Buying Factors
The line of business heads, who were FSC's natural clients, had two buying factors that could not be compromised when selecting consulting firms:

• There could be no learning of the business on the job. FSC not only embraced this buying factor, but tried to take it a step further. The goal was to assign professionals to projects that knew the business better than client personnel ever could. Therefore, best practices in the industry were introduced to clients in the normal course of consulting projects.
• Consulting expenditures had to have bottom line payback. Once understood, this buying factor became a benefit to FSC. The heads of business lines were much more inclined to spend money on consulting projects when there was a quantified known payback. FSC had the knowledge and confidence to make commitments when necessary on paybacks.

* * * * * *
FSC enjoyed unprecedented growth during the 1990's. One of the major factors contributing to that growth was FSC's market strategy of "business management". The market strategy appealed to the internal heads of lines of business, who became FSC's natural clients. These natural clients had requirements for selecting consulting firms that demanded deep business knowledge and payback on consulting expenditures. The market strategy proved to be effective for FSC.

Taking the first step along the strategic management pathway required a tremendous amount of information gathering, analysis, insights, and hard work, but in the end, the results were worth the effort. FSC would not have been as successful during that period without, first, thinking strategically.

Headhunting for job consultancies in Singapore or executive search firms Singapore,click here. A marketing plan initiative by Scotts Digital

How Does a Construction Staffing Company Make Money?

A construction staffing company operates the same way as any employment agency does, except it works specifically with workers and companies in the construction industry. These agencies recruit key construction personnel -- executives or managers -- and deliver temporary skilled and unskilled labor or temporary-to-permanent employees based on the contract with the company that hires them. Multiple profit streams exist for construction staffing companies that offer all or some of these services.

Recruiting Efforts

Construction staffing agencies often make money from both construction firms and potential employees. Upfront flat-fee retainers are paid by the construction firm before it has hired someone from the agency's pool of recruits. After an agency's recruit has been hired, it charges the company a percentage -- up to 50 percent -- of the position's first-year salary. Some agencies might also charge a flat fee to the person looking for work in addition to the fees charged to the hiring company, unless it advertises that the fees for the position are paid by the employer.

Temporary Employees

When a construction company falls behind schedule or loses valuable workers, it might turn to a staffing agency to provide temporary employees. These can be skilled or unskilled workers, depending on the needs of the construction company. The staffing agency makes money by charging an additional cost on top of the temporary employee's salary. For instance, an unskilled laborer might make $10 an hour, but the staffing agency could charge $15 per hour or more for providing her.

Temp-to-Perm Employees

Many construction companies look to a construction staffing agency to screen potential employees for hire. In the temp-to-perm scenario, the construction company agrees to try out the candidate for up to 90 days. The staffing agency adds a percentage of the person's hourly wage -- up to 50 percent or more depending on its internal fee structure and contract. After the trial period, the construction company makes a decision to keep the temp-to-perm employee or let him go. Some construction staffing agencies might charge an additional "hiring" fee on top of the hourly percentage after the 90-day period.

Profits and Fee Structures

Construction staffing agencies typically have profit margins that range from 25 to 50 percent, usually on the higher end when they offer multiple employment services. Some construction companies contract with a staffing agency on a yearly basis to receive lower hourly fees. In these situations, the staffing agencies make their money on the monthly retainer and the sheer number of employees they provide to the construction company.

Checkout here for how to start an employment agency.

What About A Business To Business Franchise?

A business to business company differs from others in such that while the others cater to consumers, b2b caters to businesses in a particular area. The options and choices available upon thinking of going into this kind of business is not just profitable but diverse. Here you can offer blue collar services such as networking or marketing or white collar services like printing and janitorial services. In any case, a b2b or business to business company serves for the benefit of the other businesses in the area by providing them venues for outsourcing some of the work cheaply and effectively. This translates into a lower overhead for them as well as less problems in the logistics, acquisition and maintenance of people and equipments.

A b2b company also differs from other businesses because they are open for only certain hours of the day. Usually the hours that a b2b company is open depends on the hours of the businesses they serve.

This means that b2b companies usually have shorter hours than regular businesses. B2b companies also tend to cost less in monthly expenses such as the utility bills, personnel wages and equipment maintenance. This is because b2b centers runs of just a few personnel, requires less office space as well as less equipments. This means that you have a much lower monthly overhead and thus lower risk. Add this to the minimal start up cost of this type of business and you will see why it has become so popular as a form of business today.

Some b2b options may even be run from the comfort of your own home. Examples of these are internet based services such as transcription services and web hosting services. This results in a lot higher profits margins because of the negligible cost of maintaining a home office and high demand for services like these.

So if you are thinking of going into b2b, read about the different kinds of b2b businesses that you can start. Of course it is generally suggested that you go into a business where you are interested in, can market convincingly and with ease, and fits into your kind of lifestyle. Franchise opportunities are also available in this kind of business so you will definitely find it easier to start, maintain and grow to a successful business. In b2b the success of businesses you serve means a lot to the success of your own business.

So look up possible b2b businesses you might be interested in and choose the one that is perfect for you.

Finding for Singapore franchise business, visit http://www.dougleschan.com

Franchise Opportunities - 5 Advantages of Operating a Franchise Business

Looking to start your own business? If you want to own your own company, but are not sure where to start or how, you may want to consider purchasing a franchise. Franchises are great, because they offer many advantages to the franchisee, allowing them to operate their own business and gain profits, while providing a format to help direct your business.

If you are thinking that operating a franchise will be a ready-to-use business, you are mistaken. Although franchise ownership is not a buy-and-fly operation, many franchisees do find that starting and operating a franchised outlet fit their personal tastes much better than trying to start a company from scratch.

Here are some great examples of the most common advantages of operating a franchised business:

1. Instant Recognition: The main benefit of purchasing a franchised business is that it allows you to use your parent company's already-established name to attract a pre-existing customer base. A franchise is basically a license to use an existing company's name, trademarks, products, services, and other resources in return for agreeing to use that company's existing business formats and provide a percentage of your franchise's income and earnings. An established company means established products and services, which appeal to an established market, already waiting to buy your product!

2. Working Operations and Procedures: When you purchase a business format franchise, you gain the privilege of not only being able to sell the parent company's products or services, but also the right to use their established industry practices. These practices may include training programs, marketing strategies, trade secrets, accounting systems, etc. This cuts down drastically any problems you will encounter in trying to establish these systems on your own.

3. Lower Start-Up Costs: Normally, the initial fee of purchasing a franchise is substantially lower than the cost of setting up an enterprise from the ground up. Combine this with the pre-established operations formats that will be provided for you, mentioned above, and you have saved yourself quite a bit of money and energy.

4. Ongoing Support: While the initial advantages of operating a franchise have been illustrated, one of the most important aspects of having a franchisee is the fact that the parent company will provide you with ongoing support throughout your venture. You will never have to worry about being on your own.

5. Financial Clarification: In addition, most of the financial aspects of running a company will be much more straightforward. The franchisor will be able to provide you with details of both start-up costs and operational costs, taking much of the guess work out of running a business.

Finding for Singapore franchise opportunities business, visit http://www.dougleschan.com

Starting a Franchise Business

Research is essential before starting your franchise business. Your research should include knowledge about the market conditions, competition, the requirement and worth of the services or products that you are planning on selling, expenses, etc.

Knowledge of the demand of the products and services is as essential as knowledge about the competitors you will face. You need to know how you can divert clients to your franchise, how much your competitors charge for the services they provide, and if you can provide your clients something better, and cheaper.

To start your own business, you need big capital. You will need a lot of money to advertise your business. Starting a franchise business, on the other hand, requires lesser initial investment on your part. Franchisors will also help train you. They are also willing to support you financially in marketing your business.

Advertising is an integral part of running any business. You need to have an effective marketing strategy, and you need to account for the expenditures that you incur. Marketing through yellow pages, handbills, doorstep advertising, etc., for a regular business should not cost you more than $1500 every month. It can cost more, or less, but you need to know if you can afford that sum while your business is still in the initial startup phase. This cost can be less through a franchising opportunity.

You also need to make a profitable business plan before starting a franchise business. This will not only assist you in running the business in coming years, but will also prove to be a valuable teacher when you are in need of immediate answers.

Taking up a business course in a college is a good idea if you are not very well versed with the ways of the business world. Many colleges and private institutions offer short courses that can boost your management and business skills considerably. If you have a job, keep it until you are sure that your business will thrive. Remember, franchising is the best kept secret of the 21st Century!

Searching for best franchise in Singapore business, visit http://www.dougleschan.com