When to resign from your job

It's a sad fact that most of our generation will be working until we're way into our late sixties. As awful a prospect as this seems, it simply means we could, and should, be picky about where we work. No one says we have to stay in the job we trained in, and in the same vein it doesn't mean we all need oodles of letters after our names to be able to have a shot in a new industry.

If we're to survive our working lives with some sanity - spanning five decades for some - we need a good work ethic, a little bit of luck, and an industry we want to support.

So what happens when you realise your career prospects aren't taking you any further than your current role? It's time to look elsewhere. And when you find a new job, it means there'll be one awkward conversation: a meeting where you say thanks for the opportunity Mr Boss Man/Lady, but I'm off.

For me, this happened a month ago.

And
I
Was
Petrified.

So say you've been offered a new job. You've got the call. When should you resign? I called on the expert advice of Annabel of Irenicon again to iron out the facts.

When to resign from your job

Check your contractual notice period... if you have one.

When you get news you've been offered a new role, chances are you'll get a written contract outlining everything from your company pension to holiday entitlement. If you're working for a smaller place, though,  or your role is a bit more casual, you might not be asked to sign a thing. But that doesn't mean you don't have a contract - it's just a verbal one.

Annabel says anything written down can serve as your contract, from informal emails to handwritten memos, so check these to see if there's any indication about your notice period in any correspondence.

Ok, so you've checked and there's nothing about your notice period anywhere. "In the absence of a contractual term about notice, you and your employer are on ‘reasonable notice’. For the majority of short term ordinary employees this will be the same as statutory notice which kicks in at one month’s service and is a week from either party."

So now you know your legal obligation, whether it's one weeks notice or one year. What next?

Don't burn your bridges.

As mentioned in this feature, you may want to slam the letter of your boss' desk, flip him/her the finger and tip over the water machine while moonwalking out of the building knowing you have mere days left at your desk. But not only is that a terrible idea, it could leave you without a job to go to next.

"Are you going to want a reference from these people at some point now or in the future? If their policy is to give ‘tombstone’ references only (which is to say you worked here from that date to that date as a whatever your job title is) then you are not going to affect that. It might be worth checking it out before you arrive at a decision though..."

Your employer has been decent enough to (hopefully) always pay your wages and give you a shot at your career. There's no need to act entitled just because you've decided to leave.

Work out a plan of action.

Firstly, sign your contract with your new employer. After all, there may be terms in your new job you aren't happy to just accept, so there could be a bit of negotiation needed before you go ahead. Only after the contract has been signed and sent should you then decide to have the chat - otherwise, tell no one.

Secondly, work out any remaining holiday you're entitled to. Again, check your contract for whether you need to take it as leave before you go or whether  you'll need to work the full period of notice and be paid in addition.

Thirdly, in this world of Instant Messaging and E-Mail it can be easy to type something up and fire it off. But you got the job face-to-face. So do the right thing and schedule a meeting to inform your boss.

It's not the easiest thing to have to do, especially if you've been at your place of work for years, or if you're a fairly intrinsic part of the company. Remember though, that not everything is permanent, and at the end of the day, it's just business. When you find a job you love (like I have) then you'll realise that quitting could have been the best thing to do.

Note: for tips on how to resign, click here.

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Is deciding not to head to university career suicide?

We've heard from A Boy and A Laura about how university helped them, not just bag their job in an industry they love, but also build their confidence with people, relationships and friends.

But what happens if you think university isn't for you? Are you doomed to a life of manual labour and friendless-ness?

No.

As Another Laura, here's why I think you can make it without those letters after your name.

When I was 16, which was far too long ago to even remember how I felt back then, I was a bit indecisive. My parents are both successfully self-employed, with dad only taking an Open University course when he was in his late thirties. So I grew up with the notion that uni wasn't necessary for all things. It was about priorities, working hard, and not slacking.

Plus, the plan was to always move abroad, so being settled wasn't ingrained in me as much as travel was.

At 16 I had literally no clue which direction I wanted my career to take. I wasn't even sure I wanted a career, preferring instead to earn cash monies and get a car/buy clothes/go on holiday than devote my life to work. I didn't want to take a course at uni for the sake of it, wasting my time and racking up a debt I wouldn't be able to pay.

So I went to college for a bit and started to study beauty therapy. Which I decided wasn't for me. I knew I liked working with people, though. But how and in what way I was unsure of.

Ten years later...

One day I woke up and I decided journalism was for me. I don't know what it was that told me this was my career, but I knew I wanted to pursue it. Desperate to learn and soak in all the knowledge I could, I took an intensive online course to get the basics, and then got stuck in pitching to editors left right and centre.

I worked damn hard to impress and network with those in the know, and after a stint at the Beeb and a few months interning at a press agency I found a job as a copywriter for a beauty website. It's led to so many opportunities, writing words for newspapers and magazines, for New Look and H&M, on tube ads to scripts for tv advertising. I've seen my work in print and on screen, and I know I've fought damn hard to make it happen. I know I'll also always have to prove myself to make up for my lack of formal qualifications.

Now, I face another career change, taking my work from freelance to something a bit more steady. I started my brand spanking new job as a Communications Executive for a really exciting travel brand almost a month ago. And I didn't need uni to get there. I just needed drive, enthusiasm, courage and the ability to learn new things pretty damn quickly.

And walking past a recruiter's window one Sunday afternoon.

So, in my opinion, uni isn't always necessary. And I'd advise anyone unsure if it's for them to think about forging their own career path rather than following the crowd. You can make a career without uni. It may take longer, it may be stressful, and it may require some raw talent mixed with sheer determination to be the best you can, but you can do it.

Dealing with disappointment and the scary decision

Someone else who shares my point of view is Hannah, 22, who blogs at Love Icon Fantasy Ego. She went to school in Solihull, and almost all her classmates packed up and headed to uni after A Levels. Not her.

Like me, Hannah says there are three reasons why she gave it a miss. "I didn't know what course I wanted to do, I didn't want to get into debt, and my parents didn't go and are very successful in their careers." Valid reasons lots of others can relate to.

But what did others think? "I didn't get opposition from family or friends," she says, "but my college mentors were disappointed because I was a high achiever and I think they always thought I would go."

"I worked in what I thought was my dream career as an assistant buyer straight out of college, asking persistently for a shot at it. Nothing happened straight away, so I decided to set up my own company. My now-boss saw my ambition and drive to succeed, as well as my business acumen, and employed me. I currently work as a Marketing Assistant."

Hannah hasn't been treated any different by employers, but admits that a few job seekers may resent us non-uni folk for not spending the time and money on study. "To be honest other people will have their opinions regardless."

Her advice for anyone who isn't sure what to do? "If you change your mind about working straight out of school and it doesn't work out uni will always be there, you don't have to go now."

What do you think? Have you managed to make a career without university on your CV? What did it take for you to make it happen?

Interested? Read on...

We Ask A Boy: Is going to university worth more than a degree?

Uni is seen as the natural progression for most people. And it can lead to an amazing career. But is that all there is to higher education? We ask a boy whether uni changes people for better or worse, and whether it's worth considering a course for more than just learning.

From a relatively young age, I knew I wanted to go to university. Not because it was the done thing, or because my parents rail-roaded me into it, but because I knew at the other end I would have a set of skills that would help me get to where I am now.

Don’t get me wrong – this isn't to say if you don't go to university you'll end up being a social moron. Far from it. I know plenty of people who struggle in social situations, even with the experience of university behind them. It is also not an implication that if you choose college at 16 then you’re doomed forever. There are success stories from both angles.

Let me explain. Prior to university, I was a shy, retiring chap who wouldn’t say boo to a goose. To be fair, I wouldn’t do so now. They terrify me. I was a creative writer, but wanted a career in journalism. Would a shy, retiring guy succeed in the bull-pen? Absolutely not.

So. I packed my things and shifted my life to Preston for three years. Besides the qualifications I left with, I also had a set of life skills and experiences behind me that I will never forget (which is ironic given most of those start with ‘when I was really drunk’).

One of the biggest reasons I would recommend university is your personal development. You learn a lot about yourself, how you can survive without the immediacy of mum and dad and what kind of person you really are. The difference in maturity between Child A that went off to university to fend for themselves and Child B that stayed at home to have the safety blanket of mum and dad can be stark.

I actually believe personal development is just as important as further education. For example, I have always held the opinion that you cannot train a journalist – they either get it or they don’t. No exams or dissertations or studying can bring that core talent out if it's not there to begin with.

But university forces you to become a different person. If you're already loud and confident, it's about finding a place and maturing without being overbearing. If, like me, you're timid and need a bit of coaxing to make conversation, it gives you the opportunity.

For those of you ready to embark on Fresher’s Week, I salute you. Don’t hold back. Do things you regret – it’s much better to regret something you did than something you did not, with no chance to rectify it. Mistakes will be made, but they make you a stronger person. University really is the best time of your life.



Laura, of Heroine in Heels fame, says she felt exactly the same:

@sixoutoftenmag before university I was so shy. I had low self esteem, under confident. now out going and way too confident sometimes ha!
— Heroine In Heels (@LauraJHyatt) September 10, 2014

Laura was born and raised in Warrington. At 22, she says only half her class ended up at uni, due in no small part to its vocational college which offered hands-on training for skilled workers.

"University was driven into me from day one by my parents though," she says. "Neither went to college and so they wanted me to better myself and get a good career. It was never not on the cards."

Like our A Boy, Laura's parents advised her to go on a summer pre-university camp. "Basically it was four weeks living on campus and attending a few lecture style classes with around 100 people. They made me go as I was shy and nervous, so they thought it would ease me in."

This changed everything. She explains: "I used to feel quite bad about myself and I couldn't talk to a lot of people as I thought they'd laugh at me. I was the quiet and reserved one in my group back then. University threw me in at the deep end but surprisingly I took to it very well."

Instead of worrying about what people thought, she let herself come out of her shell. Gradually others started noticing her talking up more, and could see the change in her confidence. And then of course, there were the boys. A Boy puts his confidence with women - which he discovered during his first year at university - down to similar reasons.

Laura carries on: "I was late to the game as again I didn't think I was pretty or that boys would want me. Well I discovered that some boys do! Ha!" Laura actually met her boyfriend at university during her first year, which she says "worked out quite nicely."

Now, she works for JP Morgan as a technology analyst. "I got my job by working so incredibly hard. I did internships at various city companies, and I was applying for if not close to 50 jobs. Graduates say there aren't any jobs, but that's not strictly true. You just have to apply again and again and again."

Laura knows without her degree she wouldn't have her job. "But also university as an experience changed me as a person. I know have so much confidence, energy and the ability to go for things if I want them. The degree is essential for my role, but the best part is the way I've changed."

Her advice? Live with a big group of people and join a few societies. "It's a great way to meet people in an environment that you feel comfortable in."

What do you think? Did uni change you? Stay tuned for our next feature, on getting your dream career without a degree.

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Images: michael/flickr Julia Manzerova/flickr

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Why you should remove PR Friendly from your bio and blog. Now.

I think of all the gripes I have about the blogger/PR relationship, this is one of the top three. Maybe even the top one. When bloggers call themselves PR Friendly it's actually counter-intuitive to the message they're trying to get across. It's not necessary at all. In fact, putting PR Friendly in your twitter bio or in your blog's intro is actually something that will put a PR off working with you. Why? In my true ranting style, as usual, here are five reasons you need to read.

It's a little bit of desperate and a lot of lazy

You accept reviews, great. But there's no need to shout about it, and especially not in your bio. Save those precious, precious characters and use them to describe your blog a bit more, or link to another social channel. As for being lazy, you know those same-olds who constantly spam #prrequest for free holidays, buggies, kids toys (why do the mummy bloggers seem the worst at this?) and cars? PR Friendly, to me, is on the same level as that. We don't need to be told, so don't waste your breath. Work for your collaborations, don't just wait for them.

It shows you won't be loyal to me

I want to build a relationship with bloggers. I want it to be monogamous, ideally. I don't want to leave one night and come back in the morning to see a blogger's basically just accepted everything from all and sundry and who know where else they've been. This is no place for slutty board games. PR Friendly suggests you're happy to accept anything and everything. And that's actually not very good to PR folk. We all love a freebie, sure. But there's more to blogging than free stuff, and we need to make you're you're going to shout about us, rather than everyone.

It's seriously unoriginal and means nothing

We work in a really creative industry. We're constantly thinking of new angles and way to reach the masses with our client's message. Whether it's the #nomakeupselfie, the Ice Bucket Challenge or Paddy Power style virals, we need to work with people who can tell a creative story. So sorry, but when you say PR Friendly all I think is that you're like every other lipstick-smearing, flamingo-posing blogger out there with reams and reams of asterisked features and freebies you're seeeeeeeeh thankful to have received. THANKS MR POSTMAN OMG YOU MUST HATE ME WITH ALL MY PARCELS!!1!1! Bore.

It makes no sense

Every blogger who values their readers is PR friendly. Every. Single. One. Because whether it's a friendly 'no thanks!' or a 'sure, I'll try your product,' there's rarely anyone being out and out unfriendly to us PR folk. The ones who are unfriendly to a PR stranger asking if they want to be added to their press list are ones who are unfriendly to chuggers, and sales callers, and any other unsolicited contact. They probably kick puppies too.

It screams amateur

Look at any bigger blogger and you'll find a well-crafted PR page, and no mention of it anywhere else. We're by no means anywhere near as big as a 'big' blogger, but we have a press page for any fellow folk who want to get in touch. It's clear, easy to read and accessible from any post. Even better, this explains to PRs your terms and conditions there and then, and how you work. Saying you're PR Friendly is basically the online equivalent of begging. No sophisticated blogger would dream of including it in such a brash manner.

So what subtle, professional hints can bloggers give to consumer PRs to say work with me?

1. Remove the banners, and delete the bios. You don't need to mention you're PR friendly, because if your blog reflects who you are, PRs will be clamouring to get in touch regardless of that label.

2. Be contactable through a contact us box, and if you want it online have your email right-clickable (which means no JPGs) so I can access and copy it easily.

3. Tell me your name. Just so you bloggers don't get one of those oh-so-annoying Dear Blogger emails.

It's as simple as that! Want to read more about working with PRs? Find out how to use Twitter to get a job, how to create a media pack/press kit for your blog and how to avoid finding yourself on a PR's blacklist in our series of blog marketing features.

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Image: jaimekop/flickr

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The real world of tabloid journalism - one inexperienced writer's opinion

You may have remembered a shout-out on social media looking for a young aspiring writer to head up a new column for The Sun. The lazily named Column Idol (why. Why does everything have to be like this) competition saw young people all over the UK vie for the chance to see their words and byline in print. We spoke to ArrayO'Style founder Kheira, 16, about her experience as a finalist, and why tabloid journalism has left a bitter taste in her mouth.

As part of the Media Trust's Column Idol competition,­ I featured in The Sun newspaper and received a mentor to help critique and finalise my article. But I'll be writing about how I felt let down by the whole process.

With credentials as shiny as their glass desks­ it's clear to see how fascinating it would be to work for such a prestigious newspaper and how featuring in it would be a dream. However, whilst sitting in a plush, classy conference room with the other competitors I felt weak and insecure.

I was the youngest there, and while that would be classed as an advantage to some, everyone in the room had degrees from the most sought-after universities in the world... and I was sat there anticipating my highest ever level of education, my GCSE results.

After discussions it appeared there were two candidates from Essex,­ myself and another chap four years older than me. While breaking the ice, which involved stating your location, educational achievements and just general status, it became evident after a few sniggers from the word 'Essex' my heart thundered, ferociously and spine shuddered. Was this tokenism, I wondered?

My mentor (a high up editor) was not present on the day, and with only a week to write the article  panic struck and it felt like bad luck was going to be accompanying me throughout this journey.

To date I still haven't met my mentor and have had no telephone communication with her. But to be honest, as we're both nine to fivers­ it was obvious we would rarely share words. The organisers knew of our employment commitments prior. We exchanged about four emails­ of which it was mainly me writing drafts and her reading through them.

She stated she thought my idea, entitled The Perils of the Pretty Faces 'really captured the reader's intention and makes them want to read on,' before mentioning I couldn't chose which pictures were selected alongside the article. I thought this was a crude decision as I wrote about model apartments - girls sharing with up to eight other models - and needed factual pictures­ which I gathered for the piece.

The article also mentioned many case studies but no actual model in particular. Nothing else was said before the article went to print.



The features were written and placed online.

Watching the other articles being fiercely retweeted and exposed on Twitter I had a clear list of contacts ready to help publicise the article's digital copy. During the Column Idol fortnight, the first week of contestants had their digital PDF copies posted on three different Twitter accounts under The Sun's stable, with total followers topping almost a million. They even had their web link directly placed in those tweets, one of which has over 500,000 followers alone.

In contrast to mine, where I was desperately asking The Sun to retweet. My picture was just a snapshot of the feature­ in their newspaper. And still no appreciation.

Had I wasted a week of my time writing something even the publisher didn't want exposed to others?

It was tweeted by one account; late at night, with no digital copy or web link. I had to keep emailing my promoters to wait, it was coming. It came a week and a half later and the model agencies weren't interested in passing it to their girls for exposure as it wasn't current.

On press day and feeling like a child at Christmas, I ran to the local corner shop to purchase the copy and see my words in print, words of which I agonised over for too long. Unbeknown to me, the dreaded had happened. Instead of my carefully chosen headline, I saw a different title, 'Ugly Side to Glam Lifestyle of Top Models.' It didn't even make any sense grammatically. A five-year-old could've picked that up.

Ok, it captured the reader's attention and made them want to read on­. But I had no mention of Cara Delevingne or Kate Moss, and it seemed only half of the words were mine.

I was heartbroken.

Yes, others were full of praise and recognition. But, it wasn't mine. Needless to say it was mine originally, but in my opinion it had been manufactured into a mess. Which I would then be judged on. How could so many negative feelings come from such an initially positive experience?

I remained silent then and have done since as the competition isn't finished. But I just can't help thinking: was this set-up really meant to be my dream come true?

Photo: Mark O'Henly/flickr ArrayO'Style

Interested? Read on...

Can your Twitter account turn a hobby into a career?

Whether it be blogging, vlogging, making music or creating your own business, we’ve all heard about the newly invented phenomena of certain individuals earning the title ‘internet famous’. But the real question is how did they acquire this level of success and how can you gain it too? How did these ordinary people manage to create a following of around 1 million people to anywhere up to 15 million?

Obviously personal traits (such as being hard-working, being dedicated and being able to persevere) need to be accredited to success, but social media plays a huge role in the path to creating a buzz around your online hobby.

For the purpose of leaving this list at a reasonable word count, I am going to use the example of creating a successful blog in the below tips, but they are applicable to any website you are trying to enhance.

Without further ado, in no particular order, here are the top five points to have social media help transform your hobby into a career: 

Grow your Twitter audience

Before you create a Twitter account, make sure you have content already as nobody wants to be enticed into clicking onto a blog page that's as empty as a student’s bank account!

Once you have a few posts up and running, create a Twitter account. The way to begin your growth in audience is to search for a few blogs that are similar to your own and follow them. For example, if you are writing a blog about travelling, follow other travel blogs. This will get you noticed in the blogging community and the word will begin spreading about YOUR posts.

Interact with key individuals 

Key individuals can mean a diverse range of people, but put simple, they're people interested in your blog. They can be other bloggers, industry experts and just ordinary people with an interest in what you’re writing about. Make sure you regularly interact and develop relationships them because when it comes down to it, they will choose your blog to read first if they feel like they know you personally.

If you develop relationships with industry experts they're more likely to promote your blog if you've developed a friendly relationship.

Relationships are key when starting out so make sure not to underestimate the power of old- fashioned techniques evolving in a modern world. World of mouth (or word of tweets and status updates nowadays) can still be one of the most effective ways to get people talking about your website.

Write great content

It's all well and good growing an audience to share your hobby, but you need to provide good content for them to returning and to share your posts with others. Tweeting about your new post will generate a few clicks to your blog, but great content will ensure people are coming back to your posts on their own, without little nudges from you.

Interesting, well researched content will create loyal, regular followers for you who also share your posts with their followers and friends.

Hashtags and directing tweets

Hashtags are searchable on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr etc. so make sure you use hashtags that are searched often. Using general hashtags that are popular to search (such as #beautytips, #holiday and #bloggerswanted) will make your blog viewable to many people that may have not found it before.

Hashtags are a great way of getting your social media posts out in the open to be seen by new potential followers and also a great way of telling these followers what many of your posts will be based around.

For example:

NEW UPLOAD: Hair Growth Treatments. http://t.co/FF5RX19bYx @TheBlogGuideRT @FemaleBloggerRT #longhair #bbloggers
— Charlotte (@BeautyandBolder) August 23, 2014

With this tweet, many people now know that I am a beauty blogger and will be posting regularly about beauty products, reviews and tips. Also, directing tweets to specific people and companies can be a good way to boost the buzz around your blog. If you tweet people with a higher following than yours, they will reply or retweet your tweet and you will get noticed by their following.

This is the same for companies but usually with a much larger following than individuals – sometimes with a following into the millions. This kind of promotion can give your blog the boost it needs to gain a large following and for you to be able to make your hobby into a career.

Show individuality in your social media channel

You will lose followers if you spam people’s newsfeeds with persistent begging tweets. You have to put across your individual personality with your feed so you are personable and approachable. Showing yourself to be a three dimensional person in the sometimes-restricting platform of social media is imperative to get through to your audience and create a loyal following.

People will prefer to promote a real person behind a good blog instead of an annoying spammer.

If you follow the above points, your following WILL grow. But above else, you must believe in the snowball effect. A small snowball rolling down a hill grows until it is huge and has collected a large amount of snow to attach to itself. The pickup of people noticing your hobby will start slowly but the longer time you dedicate to growing your following and creating great content, the bigger the following you will attract.

Anything worth having takes time and effort, so patience is key to turning your hobby into a career.

Good luck! :)

By Charlotte A’ Court of Beauty and Bolder

Image: Doug8888/flickr

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to: Create and write a blogger press kit / media pack

Hi [you],

My name's [PR's name] and I'm the account manager for [client]. I've had a look at your blog and I really love it! Your writing style is fantastic and you cover a lot of interesting subjects we feel could pair well with our clients.

I'm emailing to see if you'd consider a press trip to London to cover the launch of [fabulous bar]. We can cover travel expenses there and back, but you would need to make sure you arrange accommodation if you'd like to stay over.

If you could send over your blog's stats that would be brilliant. Do let me know if this is something you'd consider for your blog and I can give you more information.

Thanks [blogger], speak soon.

[PR's name]

Have you ever had anything like this pop in your inbox? To some, getting that elusive email can be the sign you've made it*. A PR thinks you're good enough to spend time and money on. WOW.

Getting that email means you've worked hard to get on a PRs radar, to make a popular, well-presented site documenting your passion. Whether it's fashion or food, baking or beauty, travel or tattoos, cocktails or cats… whatever you love to write about you've done it well.

When PR ask for stats, what we really need is called a press or media pack. This is so when we have to fill in those endless forms for our client about upcoming and secured coverage, we can show reach - how far that sample will go. To 50 people or 50,000. Who those people are. Where they're located. Basically, we want to know if our client can and should justify the time and expense offering a blogger their product. They want a return on what they're giving away for free after all.

If you have a long-running blog and feel like you could start reaching out to PR people, then you should start thinking about putting a pack together. I say pack, it only needs to be a one page PDF ideally, with a splash of colour. I've seen some incredibly beautiful spreads which show, to me, a blogger's really in the know about working with PRs, but even if it's a well put together one page, you've got the edge over others from the get go.

So. What should you include?

The details

You blog name should be fairly obvious, but the strapline, your motto or how you'd describe your site, could be the best thing you ever write. Make it short, sharp and to the point and tell PRs in an instant what you do. At best, you'll be the only blogger contacted. At worst, you'll be one of 100. Make sure your details are easily accessible. And always include a mobile number.

A photo

Show us what you look like. It means we know who you are if we're inviting you to a press launch. Try and make this as professional as possible. It just gives a better impression. No obvious selfies please!

About you

Not your life story. But include your age, what you do for a living, where you live. This is where you sell yourself so make it fun and pithy. Explain why you write about what you write about and include other places you've written if they have weight (we're talking HuffPo, Company, Glamour, not your local cat shelter's newsletter... long story with that one)

About your blog

Tell us what you cover on your blog, and what its niche is. Then talk about when you started it and why you blog. Talk about your plans for the future too - do you want to branch out into other topics? Have you got a strategy to increase readership?

Social media

Include Twitter followers, Pinterest stats, Facebook likes, Google+ whatevertheyares, Bloglovin follows, etc etc… this shows how far your reach is. Reach is how far a tweet or Pin goes.

Blog stats

Visitor, page views, Moz rank, page rank... all of it. Have an all-time section and stats for the past month too. Include logos of places your blog's been features, i.e Buzzfeed, Metro, HuffPo etc

Who reads your blog?

This might need a bit of work, but it's so so important. Who. Where. Why. What they like. Where they shop. How old they are. How many kids they have. How much they earn. And so forth. To get this, invite your readers to take part in a quick survey - create a free one using Survey Monkey, then offer a giveaway using collected email addresses. Nice for your readers and good for you too.

Reviews

Talk about how reviews work. What you'll review, what you won't, how posts will look, will it be disclosed, will you post negative experiences etc.

Sponsored posts

State how much you'll charge, how they'll look, how many words per post etc. and also include your disclosure and nofollow policy too. If you don't know all this, then just make a note as to whether you will accept a sponsored post or not.

Giveaways

Again, add info about types products you'll accept, how giveaways work, whether you'll incorporate social media or not and how many people applied for your last giveaway.

Forward features

Magazines often have a 12 month plan of what they're likely to feature. So if you have a general plan of where your blog is going in the next few months make a note of it here. This is a great way to ensure you have a steady stream of content, and also start getting paid for it too.

Ideally update your kit every month to keep it current, but if that's a bit too much then create a quarterly pack to reflect the last three month's stats.

Do you have a media pack? Do you need one? Do you even want PRs to contact you? Let me know. If you have one, or need advice on anything PR, tweet me at @sixoutoftenmag


*Not that a blog is ever less worthy than another based on the opportunities they're given, definitely not. I happen to think there are some sites out there getting a lot of attention when others are put together by far better writers. Perhaps that's just me though!

Photo Thomas Eagle

Interested? Read on...

Bloggers, write a negative review without being libellous

"I went out for a meal last night, the restaurant was vile. They use cheap cuts of meat and vegetables probably not fit for human consumption. The beef was fatty, I've never had this from other restaurants I've been to, and I've been dining out at places like this for years. The management had no interest in me or my guest, they're clearly only interested in money. 

They certainly use cheap ingredients and cheap meat, if it is meat at all, and this isn't reflected in the price you pay - ££££ per meal with cheap goods means they must be raking it in! Save your money and eat elsewhere. Our night out was ruined due to the fact the chef and management couldn't be bothered to serve us decent food. We were totally ripped off."

It's happened to all of us. We get sub-standard service. Once upon a time it was a case of telling friends, and getting them to tell their friends, and so on. Now, the lure of review sites and access to a highly influential blog means we can write a terrible review and it can be seen by thousands for years to come. Dirty laundry is well and truly aired. Before we know it we're complaining our little hearts out online, telling the world of the wrongs inflicted on us in the hopes of letting others know never to step foot in their door.

Hey, it's your opinion, free speech and all. What could go wrong, huh?

Well, a bad review can leave a massive problem for the writer, even if they feel 100% justified in their claims. In fact, the paragraphs above are actually what the legal world would call libellous.

libel 1) n. to publish in print (including pictures), writing or broadcast through radio, television or film, an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation, by tending to bring the target into ridicule, hatred, scorn or contempt of others. Libel is the written or broadcast form of defamation, distinguished from slander which is oral defamation.

"But it's true!" you cry. "Everything is true!" While that may be the case, it doesn't give the reviewer the right to call the brand's reputation into question even if you feel 100% justified in doing so. Unless you can unequivocally prove every statement (can you prove where their meat comes from? Can you prove the manager ignored you? That he was only after your money? Can you prove the ingredients aren't fit for human consumption?) then don't write it.

A writer would only be able to defend themselves if the statements are true, or if they were based on the facts at the time. And although the UK is yet to see a settlement American-style, where writers have been sued in the millions for complaining about services and products, the precedent is being set.

So, what can you write online if you want to slam someone's business or product, or warn others not to make the same mistake?

Firstly, don't be hasty. 

Give the management time to respond to your complaint. You may find they're willing to help and will go out of their way into resolving the situation. Don't ever post a review or blog post without giving them time to respond. Seven days is usually adequate. If you feel their offer isn't good enough, make them aware of it.

Don't threaten.  

"Don't ignore this. I have a blog that reaches a wide audience, and I know people who work in the media," is likely to get everyone on edge because it's considered social blackmail. A business with resources and the right contacts may have a legal team on standby ready to go if they feel threatened or pressured into acting a certain way. This could damage the relationship beyond repair and scupper any chances of a resolution. After all, that's all anyone wants, right?

If you must review, make it factual, but only if you can prove it. 

If you've given them time to respond and you're not happy with their suggestions, if you've told them so and they still won't budge, then and only then consider writing a review. State dates, times, and record all correspondence. Say you ordered a lipstick online via recorded postal service. It didn't arrive at the stated time. You then follow up by email and they don't respond. The package arrives late, and the lipstick is broken. The online store denies all knowledge and refuses a refund. These are the facts. You would easily write what could be proved and let others come to their own conclusion.

What could land you in hot water is calling the establishment 'scam artists', using hyperbole such as 'the sales adviser screamed at me and duped me into buying  shoddy product' or writing a 5,000 word epic. The more words you write, the more danger you're in.

Don't exaggerate. 

Instead of definites, use qualifiers. 'To me, it seemed the manager was too busy to take my call', or 'I felt the service I received was poor, which in turn made me feel uncomfortable asking for a replacement.'

Be prepared to defend yourself. And be prepared to take legal advice if what you're saying could even sniff at libel.

Ok, so what about PRs, when we send our a product for review and see nothing but negativity? Or if we receive an alert to say we've had a blogger leave a bad review? Well, that's the chance we take with sending our client out to the masses. Some will love, some will hate.

Depending on the severity of the review will depend on what action to take. Most of the time, bloggers will get in touch saying they didn't like the product. You can then offer a replacement. If they insist on writing about their experience, it's a case of just letting it go. However if the review calls into question integrity, honesty, or ethics and could damage the reputation of the client, then contacting the reviewer is the best option.

If a resolution can't be reached, perhaps by replacement, refund or goodwill, then it's either a case of leaving the review online, or taking legal advice. Both have negatives. The online review will be seen forever and ever, which could cost the company business. And seeking legal action could create a media storm. After all, BIG BUSINESS GOES AFTER TEEN BLOGGER is a sure fire way of getting the wrong kind of attention.

Businesses are born from the net, and can die because of it. As long as bloggers act reasonably and brands go out of their way to rectify an issue when they fall short (whether rightly or wrongly), we can keep dirty laundry off the internet.

As you probably know, this isn't legal advice in any way, shape or form although legal professionals have been contacted to verify accuracy. If you're worried about a negative review you've written, get in touch with the appropriate legal organisations who'll be able to help. Images courtesy Kelsey Christina Karstrand and Ralph Hockens.

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to: make PR people work for your blog and avoid getting blacklisted

I wrote this post for a different blog, but seeing as it's out of circulation, and after seeing Bess' post, I thought I'd repost this here, with a few more details thrown in.

PR is all about getting exposure for a brand. So, this can mean winning a double-page spread in a national newspaper, or creating an experiential event that gets people talking. For me when I first wrote this, it was about national press to raise a brand's image. Right now, it's all about local press to drive sales.

Some PRs manage multiple clients in agencies. Some are in-house. I am the latter. The client tells me what they want from public relations. They give me a budget for samples. They also give me a budget for full products which only go out to The Big Journalists. Everything, from every press release to every sample is approved by them. If they say yes, I steam ahead. If they say no I'll fight my case, but the ultimate decision rests on them. I have measurements to think about, also known as How I Can Prove I've Been Doing My Job. I have targets to reach. If I fail at these consistently I won't have a job.

PR is portrayed as glamorous, full of champers and air kisses. It's not. It's high stress sales with creativity and ALL THE IDEAS thrown in. It's tight deadlines with a helluva lot of expectation. There's just never enough time. And the champers is needed just to wind down after a high pressure day.

Each blogger has value. Erica and I used to host #mybchat before life got in the way, and it was mainly full of bloggers asking for tips of getting along well with PRs. And it got me thinking. When I have a product to send out, invites to give away or just some fun news to share, I know the value bloggers have.

How do we find your blog? There are the old favourites, bloggers who have been around the block since LiveJournal. We read these to keep up to date with trends and see what our competitors are doing. And then we see comments left by other bloggers and check out their blogs as we know they're active in the community. We use twitter lists, Bloglovin and all manner of paid for agencies. Be active on the blogging scene and you'll get noticed.

So. Here are my five tips for getting PRs to notice your blog, and bagging a few press invites along the way. Oh, and the big one, how to stay on side and avoid the blacklist.

Don't be a catalogue

It's really, really easy to tell when a blogger's in it for the freebies. And endless beauty product reviews get a bit dull. How will my product stand out from all the others who smear lipstick over the backs of their hands or do the flamingo pose? Answer: it won't. A blog with personality and heart will really make all the difference.

Every sample I send to a blogger means a different blogger missing out. So although we're not paying for content, we still have to budget and allocate to the best and brightest out there.

Say I send over a press release, and you're interested. Pitch to me. Instead of writing up your experience with xyz moisturiser, make it a bit more of a feature. Maybe give it to boy to review. Or tie it in to a post about your night out. Be creative, show us what you've got and let me tell my client why we should invest in you.

There's nothing better than sending my client a blogger's pitch who really gets it.

OMG speling n grammer mattaz LOL

I won't consider ever approaching a blogger with grammatical errors and typos. The worst is apostrophe abuse. Idea's. Moisturiser's. PR's. Too/to. Women/woman. It's really not that difficult to get your head around and, especially if you want to write for a living, it's something that needs attention and care. We're not talking the odd typo here. I'm not that much of a pedant, lord knows how many posts I've speed edited after reading an inexcusable typo. But it's a proven fact spelling errors cheapen a product and drive away sales, so even if a readership is high, I'd give it a miss.

I'm not going to call anyone out on it, of course not. But I do have bloggers on my radar who make far too many errors on a far too regular basis for me to even consider working with. Snobbish maybe. But if I'm thinking that on a fairly small-scale brand, you can be sure high end PRs think the same.

It's not always about numbers, it's about engaging with people (and even then it's still about numbers)

Blogs with high readership are obviously the first port of call, as they'll reach far more people really quickly. I can't help that my client wants someone with 250,000 followers on twitter to promote their product. Sorry. It doesn't mean the blogger's better than you. In all honesty some high ranking bloggers I've never understood their popularity.

A blog with only a few hundred followers, but over thirty or forty comments on each post means that people are engaged and more likely to value what the blogger's writing about - their blog is more than just a static site, it's a living breathing conversation. So always keep people engaged as much as possible. Write about what your readers love, and trust me, your readers don't love reviews after reviews. A survey I carried out for this site showed readers were desperate for more features and less reviews. So guess what we did? We turned down the invitations and started thinking of ideas.

Ask your trusted readers what they love. And what they hate. Take all criticism on board and you'll come out on top.

Network with other bloggers and create solid friendships so I know when you write about something, your blogging pals will be talking about it too.

New blogger? It takes time. If you've only been blogging two months, have a following of a mere handful and post sporadically I can't work with you.

Yet.

It's not what you know, it's who you know

Twitter's great for this. Are you a beauty blogger? Get to know beauty PRs. Are you more into events and going out? Follow a few experiential agencies. Obviously there's a level of harassment that you'd want to be aware of, but talk to them. Try and figure out who's behind the account, as often companies are limited to what they can and can't say from it. Say hello. Email them with your media pack, and with ideas for a few features that tie in with their client, and see what they say. Work with them on a small project, perhaps requesting images and actually posting content, before asking for all the freebs.

Be friendly, don't overly promote your blog and keep an eye out on their clients, new wins and contracts ending. Don't just slap up a press release verbatim. The Daily Mail are flipping awful at doing this and it's so dull.

Again, network at events when you can. You never know who you'll meet. If they don't know you exist, how will they ever contact you?

And now for a rant: Don't get all bitchy because PRs don't personalise. Lose the entitlement because if actual journalists don't care, you really shouldn't either

Ah, the topic I so passive aggressively tweet about so very often. Entitlement.

You know how many bloggers I have on my press lists? 300. 300 bloggers of all shapes and sizes, of varying ages, of different genres. All of whom I know have value to me and my client in some form or another and are a damn fine writer to boot. I've read their blog at some point and thought 'yeah, you're awesome, on the list for xyz'. I have another list dedicated to women's interest magazines and papers. And male interest. Health, beauty and medical too. Newspapers, online, magazines... lists upon lists of names for each release.

So guess what little old me, in a one woman team, isn't going to do? I'm not going to spend a week emailing each blogger individually waxing lyrical about how great their blog is for the sake of pleasantries with no guarantee it's going to be worth it. What if I spend an hour reading a blog, crafting a pitch and the blogger doesn't reply?

x 300.

You see this?



You see where we rank? After the Daily Mail, who just went with the press release with a few extra images, and ShortList who used it as a small feature. We got the same information. The Daily Mail didn't get a personalised email. Neither did ShortList. Neither did I. And yet a blogger deserves one because...?

I think the main problem comes from bloggers having no idea what a press release is.

It's this. This release has no value to this magazine. But all press releases look similar. They're sent via a mass emailer by the hundreds and thousands. There's no indication of my name, even an opening greeting. But you bet your ass if music was what I was about I'd be emailing Red Bull back for more details and building that relationship.



I'd be crazy to think that OMG no name *bin* was a valid reason for burning that contact to the ground. I don't get all stressed that WE DON'T DO MUSIC WHY HAVE YOU APPROACHED ME. Have you ever considered sometimes agencies have more than one client? Or that someone has moved from one agency to another and taken her oh so valuable black book with her?

If a blogger has a sense of entitlement (HOW DARE YOU, LOWLY PR LADY, TAKE YOUR SAMPLES AND ADDRESS ME BY NAME AND READ THE LAST YEAR'S WORTH OF POSTS AND PERHAPS THEN I WILL DEIGN TO INDULGE YOU IN CONVERSATION) they're blacklisted.

Oh I'll still read their blog, I'll even like them as a person.

But if a blogger cant appreciate my job, set by my client, my deadlines, set by my client, my press releases, approved by my client, and my strategy, created with my client, if they can't understand the absolute stress of creating a story from nothing, of chasing leads all day, of clients demanding results, of there only being 24 hours in a day in which to do this while sleeping for five of those hours, and of the sheer damn unreliability of bloggers, then I don't see that person as a viable business partnership. Ignore the release, fine. But whine about your name not being on it and OMG HAS THE PR EVEN READ MY BLOG?!!!11!?!, in my eyes at least, you're unprofessional.

Can you believe I once sent out a release, hand written and personalised to around thirty of the most up and coming blogs of 2000-whenever. I addressed them by name, read their last few posts, did a bit of background research and tailored the experience to them. It took an age.

The invitation was for a night of free drink and fun. A bar tab in the hundreds spent in each venue, taxis to all the hottest bars in London, private tables with bottles of Cristal waiting for them with a hotel stay thrown in if they missed the last tube. Spared no expense.

There I was standing at the bar with my colleague. Ten minutes passed. She wasn't there. Half an hour. An hour. I'm still waiting years later. What a damn waste of my time. All that effort I put in for her not to show meant another blogger down the list missed out.

How many of you would have passed up that invitation just because you weren't flattered by the PR first, or your invite wasn't addressed to you by name? Seriously. The bigger bloggers know not to get all hot and bothered by this because they view PRs as we do them: there are thousands of you, and if you can't offer me something, someone else will.

Blogging is a hobby. And as that's the case I take a chance on every blogger I collaborate with. So of course I'm going to hedge my bets and approach more than one at a time - whether that's for a review, samples, an event or a release. I can't afford for a blogger to promise the world and give nothing back. It happens on a monthly basis and makes me look like a damn fool every time. I can't afford for bloggers to mail back a week later showing interest, my deadline has already passed.

Because for the blogger it's a hobby.

For me it's my neck on the line.

So sometimes it means offering samples to get an idea of how much interest there is, then allocating according to budget. Yes to some, no to others. Annoying I know, I've been there myself trying to arrange a review at a great venue, only to get a 'sorry, someone bigger wants to come along so we'll have to miss it this time'. I hate it. But I understand. A client has a budget, and we need to stick to it. It's nothing personal, just business.

If you get a press release, even a mass-emailed one, take the opportunity from the PR who views you as valuable and use it to form a working relationship so they can start getting to know you as a reliable blogger.

There is an exception. For paid opportunities PRs should know the pitch which means knowing a blogger's brand, what they represent and how the partnership will be mutually beneficial. There is an element of 'I love your site, let's work together Blogger Name' for long term projects, such as brand ambassadors, advertising campaigns where a blogger is used to promote, or feature series. But as a general rule, even if you see a 'Hello Your Name', it's a trick.

Also you can moan if you get a Dear Blogger email, those are pretty lame.

So feel grateful that I think your blog has value even if I have sent an opportunity to you in a mass email. And I'll feel grateful when you reply, and when you turn up, and when you actually write about the thing I sent you months ago. Stick with me, and I'll give you the world. But you have to keep your end of the bargain too. A relationship needs to be built and proved before you'll get a personalised email from me. I've offered my hand. You can spit on it, or you can shake it. Your choice.

So, these are my tips and my rant. Do you agree? Do you not? Do you care? Do I?

---

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Here's how to... stay positive when you're unemployed

How much of who you are is defined by what you do for a living? Probably a lot more than you realise. Perhaps the best test of this is when you’re forced to answer the king of all small talk questions:

“What do you do for a living?”
“Me? Oh nothing. I’m unemployed.”

Or words that effect. Phrase it however you like, the reaction is likely to be the same - general awkwardness and embarrassment all round.

Whether you were made redundant, or decided to resign, if you don’t have something else to go to, you’ve just been catapulted into a whole new world. A world with no dreaded early morning bleep of alarm clocks, and as much daytime TV as your eyes and ears can take. Although during stressed-out deadline riddled long days at the office this kind of lifestyle might sound like a dream, in reality, it can be pretty scary.

OK, you don’t have a job. Now what?

First of all do nothing. For a short while at least. If you’ve found yourself unemployed chances are you got to that place through some kind of stressful or emotional times. So give yourself a break, relax and get some perspective on what you’ve just dealt with. Once you’ve done this you can start looking ahead.

BUT I DON’T HAVE A JOB?!

Yes, you may find yourself repeating the above in varying degrees of hysteria, because being without the familiar daily routine can leave you with a sense of unreality. And this might go on for some time. Even once you dive headlong into the new job-searching process, with weeks stretching between closing dates and interviews, applications can often be a long-winded affair.

So how do you keep your chin up when every day’s a weekend?

If you do one thing, do three things
Without the structure a nine til five used to offer, days can quickly slip by in a haze of job hunting and household chores. All too easily you can be left with a sense of having achieved very little. Make a list of three things every morning and resolve to have ticked them off by teatime. Try doing one difficult task, one you enjoy and follow it up with a non work related treat - whether that’s as simple as a nice big brew or a walk around the block.

Stay in touch
The land of unemployment can be a lonely place which gives you too much time to think and dwell on the future. Keep yourself busy, all those “I’d love to see you but just can’t squeeze you in!” excuses really don’t cut it now. Use your newly spare time to catch up with friends and family and chat about how you’re feeling.

Healthy body, healthy brain
Staying fit is key to staying upbeat. If your pricey gym membership is one of the things you’ve had to ditch as part of your tighter budget you can still get the adrenaline pumping and some lungfuls of fresh air with a power walk or bike ride. The good news is neither of these will cost you a bean!

Volunteer
Although reinstating a regular income is no doubt top of your priority list, don’t dismiss a bit of volunteering in the short term. It’ll give your CV a big boost, help explain career gaps to future employers, add to your skills and also benefits others. What’s not to like?

Learn!
You’ve got a whole load of spare time on your hands, so make the most of it - why not learn something new? Whether you’ve always wanted to try knitting, learn to breakdance or research your family tree, now’s a great time to give it a go. And it needn’t cost a fortune either - join your local library for free and take advantage of the resources they have on offer. Note: if breakdancing really is your thing you may need to look further afield than the library.

So next time someone asks you what you do during a jobless phase you can tell them with pride: “I study, I keep fit, I volunteer, and MORE!”

Look at your spell out of the job market in a different way, and you may just come to see it as a brilliant opportunity.

By Lindsay, a Nottingham-based comms/PR girl. She's a fan of cider, sun-lounging, Coronation Street and Take That (but we won't hold that against her!).

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to... resign from your job

There's nothing better than leaving a job for better things, whether those things are a shiny new role, a trip to an unexplored land, or just sitting at home in your pants watching Jeremy Kyle. Long hours, a demanding boss, bitchy workmates, horrific commute or boring work are just some reasons why thousands will be looking for a new job in 2014.

So say something better comes along and you want to take your chances at a happier ten hours a day for the rest of your life because retirement just won't happen for most of us. How are you supposed to go about letting your current employer know you're jumping ship?

We asked Annabel, Managing Director of Irenicon, an employment law firm, to give you guys her tips for making sure the process goes smoothly.

1. Be honest
If you're unhappy and stressed out, tell your employer and they might be able to fix the bits you're not fond of. For now...

2. Be crafty
So you've spoken to your boss, given it a few months, and nothing's changed. You know there's no progression and you want out. Keep the fact you're searching for a job quiet. No one wants to work alongside someone who's always making it known they want something else. And honestly, it could be the reason why you're not progressing, or your job is dull. What manager wants to invest in training if you're going to scarper? So keep your thoughts to yourself. Seriously. Don't ever tweet about it, never post anything on Facebook, and certainly don't tell work friends. Because sometimes, those you think have got your back actually have got a backstabbing implement/shiv.

3. Resign with grace and poise
As much as you may want to tell your old boss to shove it, don't. I can't stress that enough. You took a job with them, and (hopefully) you've been paid to do that job. Airing your dirty laundry to all and sundry could make your life difficult during your notice period, and could even get you fired. Unless you have someone higher than you giving you that all-important good reference, you're kinda screwed. So write your thoughts in a journal, or tell your cat, then let them go. Remember, it'll all be over soon anyway.

4. Have a chat. Write a letter. Then email.

Most places will demand at least a week's notice of you. Some want two, and depending on how long you've been with your company, some may even ask for three months. Send a letter, followed by an email if you're in a rush. "Try to say 'I am resigning', not 'I would like to resign.' If there are good things to say, this is a place to say them." Also, detail the start date of your notice period (usually the day after you hand in a letter) and the day you'll finish. Make a note of any remaining holiday days too, you're entitled to take them.

5. During your notice period...

Be sure to work all days. Walking out early could get you in trouble - even if the job you want is an immediate start. "If the notice you give is too short you may forfeit some benefits and some holiday pay," says Annabel. "You may even be liable for damages - for example if your boss has to hire an expensive temp to cover your role for the notice period. This is rare but it can happen." Another tip: delete personal stuff from your office computer, and save any files you may need for your portfolio in good time.

Have you ever resigned? How did you deal with the process? Let our readers know below.

Interested? Read on...

Here's how to... survive working as a Christmas retail temp

Our writer Shannon's got some tips for anyone (un)lucky enough to be earning cold hard cash as a Christmas temp this year. Here are her tips for staying same.

Working in retail is one of those things that everyone ends up doing at some point, but it isn’t exactly something very many people want to do, especially in the run up towards Christmas. Over the past few months, retail outlets, boutiques and supermarkets have all been on the lookout for people who can spare a few hours over the holiday to help out with the mad rush of shoppers desperate to find a party outfit, that perfect present or the biggest turkey.

And sure, it's not the most exciting work. At the end of the day though, someone needs to do the job and if that someone happens to be you hopefully these tips will help.

1. Be your own customer

Firstly, if at all possible, which I know it isn’t always, try to get a job in shop you like to shop in yourself. At least this way you’ll enjoy looking at all the new products as you put them out and you might even be lucky enough to grab yourself some bargains with your employee discount!

2. The customer might be right, but they can be a pain in the backside too

If you’re working in retail, it is a given that you will have to deal with a lot of customers. Despite the inevitability that the phrase ‘the customer is always right’ will be drummed into your system, in reality they will quite often be the cause of most of your problems. Not everyone who comes into the shop is going to be polite and treat you with respect. But it is vital you remember that if they are rude to you, chances are it really has nothing to do with you. In fact it is probably more to do with themselves and the fact they’ve left their shopping too late again. Just take a deep breath, smile and be courteous. It’s quite likely the customer will calm down as everyone finds it difficult to pick an argument with someone who isn’t willing to fight back.

3. Mean Girls isn't just a film, y'know

It isn’t just customers you’re going to have to deal with. Working in retail can quite often feel like being back at school. There may be cliques, they may all bitch about one another, and it’s quite possible that as a Christmas temp, you’ll probably feel a little bit left out. Just rise above it, definitely don’t join in with the catty conversations and try to avoid the people who really wind you up. There is nothing worse than spending your entire day bubbling with anger just because of a colleague. If that doesn’t work, or it’s not possible to get away from the other staff, just remember you’re a temp, so you won’t even have to deal with it for too long and in no time at all you can be on your way.

4. Forget the time, and lose the watch

While you are at work, try your best to play the ‘avoid-looking-at-the-clock’ game. Seriously, this tip is probably the most important one. Trust me, I know how difficult it is to not check the time when you’re bored at work but if you keep glancing at the clock every few minutes you’ll find your day really, really drags on. Instead, try to set yourself a target. Don’t look at the clock until you’ve finished the big task of the day. You will feel so much better if you’re constantly saying to yourself ‘wow that took me half an hour to finish’ rather than ‘I’ve still got half an hour to go’.

5. And finally, remember this important tip...

When all else fails, just think of the money. Whether a Christmas bonus (which I’m afraid to say is probably unlikely) or just the amount of extra hours you have put in during the run up to the big day. No matter where the money is coming from, you can sleep easy knowing at the end of the month you’ll have a nice, hefty pay check coming your way just in time for the January sales!

Interested? Read on...

So you're in your twenties. Time for travel, or creating a career?

We asked writer Laura Greenslade which was best for twenty-somethings: forging a career like a mini Donald Trump, or travelling the world?

Your early twenties - they're filled with so much expectation. Waving farewell to those awkward teenage years, we're supposed to hit twenty and somehow get our lives together. It's a time when we're supposed to do, see, and be a million plus one things.

But what are our twenties really for? Are they for starting a career, establishing your profession and working towards your dream? Or are they for travelling, seeing the world and finding new places? If, like me, you are a recent graduate you've probably pondered this question many times while putting off an essay or mindlessly staring at your depleting bank balance.

For many graduates and 'young professionals' it's an age-old question, much like the the Chicken and Egg dilemma. Which should come first? Travel or a career? Both are unique and worthy paths to follow.

Starting a career early can obviously have so many benefits. With the economic crisis still in full bloom, and literally thousands of job seekers willing to recite the Greek alphabet while jumping on a pogo stick and making cup of tea after cup of tea just to get an internship and work FOR FREE, it can make you wonder if it is worth joining the working world just yet. Industries, particularly media and journalism, are becoming ever increasingly more competitive, and unless you're well connected, opportunities seem to become fewer and farther between.

But should this encourage us all to run away travelling just because it’s going to be a hard slog? I spend some days living in fear that if don't start my career now then too many opportunities will have passed and too many connections will have given up on me.

But maybe all this worry and self-doubt is the reason that I should go travelling, to relax, discover and be at one.

Many twenty somethings load up their backpack, wave goodbye to family, travel the world and return home months or years later inevitably with a tan, sun-kissed hair, way too many shell necklaces/leather bracelets and a subtlety hidden tattoo that doesn’t quite translate properly. Cliché? Yes. Do I want to do it? Yes. Most of us probably don’t particularly feel the need to go on an epic journey to ‘find ourselves’. Most of us have probably had a good grasp on who we are. But that doesn’t mean we don’t still have things to learn. And maybe, just maybe, we just want to see the world. We all know that immersing ourselves in other cultures can make us more well-rounded, educated and open minded individuals. 

If this is true, then surely travelling only enriches life therefore making you more qualified for any future jobs?

So what's the right choice to make? I suppose the answer is simply that your twenties are the time to do whatever's best for you. In an ideal world I would probably be working abroad somewhere completely culturally different to the UK. But for now I guess I’ll just wait a little longer to find out the answer to that question. What comes first?

What do you think? Are your twenties a time to travel, tick off your bucket list and be reckless, or are they the time to work like a dog on the building blocks that may establish your future career?

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What do you wish was taught at school?

I was sat at my desk looking through my general expenditure thinking how the actual hell did I manage to spend £15 in Poundland I'm sure I only bought 3 packs of Wagon Wheels, when it hit me. I've only really learnt how to do this stuff through winging it, Google, and asking my dad who is a maths genius and car expert. I didn't learn most of the skills I use in every day life from school.

When I watched Educating Yorkshire it was pretty evident children feel learning the rhyming pattern of a limerick isn't going to help them in everyday life. And they're right. The oldies among you may remember spending hours upon tearful hours with Emma's Dilemma, a GCSE maths coursework assignment I literally can't even remember. I think it had something to do with 'x!' but in all honesty, in the ten years it's been since leaving school I've never used it.

Those hours spent trying to figure out formula and proving my reasoning may have been good in a very specialist sense, but it ain't no help when I'm trying to figure out how to fix a leaking tap. So what do you wish was taught in school when you were a yungun? Here are my four subjects:

1. Social skills

I don't mean sitting there with a book on your head for perfect posture. Things like why saying please and thank you can get you far. How reasoning rather than shouting can win an argument. And this could also branch out into broader areas. Worldwide travel is more accessible than ever. Why not learn about other cultures? Not in a 'xxx many people live here, the average rainfall is 2cm per month and climate is arid.' Most people head over to SE Asia on gap years, so learning how to greet someone respectfully, about their customs, religions, traditions and languages will surely only help a generation become more aware of the world around them.

2. Money

What bank accounts are available, what each one does, what happens when you go overdrawn or hit your reserve, the difference between a savings account and current account, how credit cards work and, now especially, what payday loans are all about. Yeah, it sounds dull as hell. But if I was told that learning how to save meant I could spend £500 on a wicked cool holiday by transferring some of my income into a high interest savings account thus basically giving me free cash money I'd have paid attention.

3. House and home

I think women are too easily prickled by this and are quick to shout FEMINIST HATERZ when it's mentioned. It doesn't mean we need to learn how to get a meal ready for your lord and master when he walks through the door. It's about learning how to bleed a radiator, refit a fuse, change a tyre. Or how to paint a room. How to maintain a garden. How to hang a picture. How to unblock a U bend. And sew a hem on your skirt. Because when you've got a job interview in half an hour and you realise that one skirt you bought for that one reason is coming apart at the seams, you can fix it. Speaking of which...

4. Working life

There's never been more competition for jobs. If you're a specialist in your field with decades of experience it might be easier to find a decent role. But for the vast majority trying to find entry level jobs, competition is fierce. So, how to write a CV and why it should be written like that. How to write a cover letter. How to handle yourself in an interview. How to handle a nightmare boss or workplace dispute. And how to handle rejection. It would have also been great if we were told about local business and were given the chance to research the roles they might offer. Because it was only 6 years later I realised that I lived literally minutes away from a consumer magazine publishing house. Talk about a wasted Trident.

So those are my thoughts. What about you? Would you have like to learn code? Crafting? How to set up an internet business? Let us know! Oh, and I just googled Emma's dilemma and felt the same rush of fear and sweat seeing the formula. Memories, ey?

*Actual photo of my old secondary school.

Interested? Read on...