While you might informally argue that some of the investors of the 1920s deserved to lose their money, that s not the kind of argument that belongs in formal essay writing.
The thesis statement of any essay belongs in
Your thesis is the statement that describes the argument you plan to make in your essay. A well-written thesis will intrigue your reader and entice them to read your entire paper. The goal of your essay is to convince your reader that your thesis is correct.
Where Should Your Thesis Go?
Your thesis belongs in your introductory paragraph, which is the first paragraph of your essay. The most effective way to incorporate your thesis is to work it in towards the end of this paragraph. Begin with some general information that introduces your topic before coming to your thesis, which will tell your reader the argument you plan to make in relation to this topic. For an example of a strong introductory paragraph with an effective thesis, see below.
What Makes A Good Thesis?
It is focused on the topic of your paper.
It makes an argument and not a statement of fact.
It reflects the supporting arguments (main points) that you will develop in your essay in the order that you will discuss them.
It sounds original and not mechanical.
It is phrased as a statement, not a question.
Examples: Negative thesis:The voting age should not be lowered for any reason.
This argument would be difficult to support because the writer would have to take into account every possible argument in favour of lowering the voting age and show all of them to be invalid.
Positive thesis: The voting age should be lowered to sixteen because youth are highly impacted by government decisions, and they are willing and responsible enough to take on this important civic duty.
This argument would be easier to prove because the writer can focus on developing only the specific points mentioned in the thesis.
Still not sure how to write a thesis? Check out this helpful video:
How do I create a strong thesis from a very general writing topic?
8 Things to Avoid When Writing a Thesis
The following examples are poorly written thesis statements for papers on the topic of lowering the voting age in Canada.
1. Being unclear or too general: The voting age should be lowered to sixteen for many reasons.
2. Making a statement of fact rather than opinion: Y ou must be eighteen-years-old to vote in Canada, but the government has the power to lower the voting age to sixteen.
3. Not taking a clear stance on the issue: I think the voting age should be lowered to sixteen, but there are also many reasons to keep the current voting age of eighteen.
4. Sounding formulaic or mechanical: In this essay I will discuss the many reasons sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote, including their maturity, the support systems they have in place and the need for young people to be more involved in politics.
5. Using an example in your thesis: Sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote because they are already given many responsibilities; for example, they can drive a car.
6. Using information that is contradictory or not logically connected to your argument: While some sixteen-year-olds are responsible and mature enough to vote, many would not exercise their right to vote or take voting seriously if the age was lowered.
7. Phrasing your thesis as a question: Should the voting age be lowered to sixteen?
8. Veering off-topic in your thesis: The government should change laws that discriminate against teenagers, like the voting age and the graduated licensing system.
An Example of an Effective Introductory Paragraph and Thesis
One of the biggest challenges facing our democracy in Canada is voter apathy, especially among youth. In fact, young people aged eighteen to twenty-four are the least likely to cast a ballot on election day (Barnes par. 11). When teens first learn about the political system in Canada, they are in high school and considered too young to vote. While they may feel passionate about political issues when they first learn about them, they must wait, sometimes for several years, before they can vote and make their voices heard. Political leaders may dismiss the views of youth because they are too young to vote and cannot help their party to get elected. This whole process can be very discouraging and causes many young people to withdraw from political life before they even turn eighteen. The government should consider lowering the voting age to sixteen so that Canada’s youth become more politically active and engaged at a time when they are most passionate about political issues, have the free time to become involved in politics and still have the support of parents and teachers to guide them in taking on this important responsibility.
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The thesis statement of any essay belongs in
Your thesis is the statement that describes the argument you plan to make in your essay. A well-written thesis will intrigue your reader and entice them to read your entire paper. The goal of your essay is to convince your reader that your thesis is correct.
Your thesis belongs in your introductory paragraph, which is the first paragraph of your essay. The most effective way to incorporate your thesis is to work it in towards the end of this paragraph. Begin with some general information that introduces your topic before coming to your thesis, which will tell your reader the argument you plan to make in relation to this topic. For an example of a strong introductory paragraph with an effective thesis, see below.
Make a Statement
Making a statement of fact rather than opinion Y ou must be eighteen-years-old to vote in Canada, but the government has the power to lower the voting age to sixteen. Perhaps it is a synthesis of ideas and research that you have distilled into one point, and the rest of your paper will unpack it and present factual examples to show how you arrived at this idea.
Dr. Richard Nordquist is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Georgia Southern University and the author of several university-level grammar and composition textbooks.
The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said.
Do Schools Give Out Too Much Homework Now? Yes, They Do, and it Needs to Stop
With more than 60% of students from high school and college seeking counseling for a variety of conditions ranging from general anxiety to clinical depression, all of which induced by school and studies, it’s safe to say that our country’s children are stressed out more than they should be. In fact, more and more students in the high school level are starting to report stress levels that rival that of adults working in officers, in some cases even exceeding those stress levels.
But what’s got them so riled up? The answer: Homework. Now, before you go full boomer and say “homework was more difficult back in my day!”, let’s make one thing clear: today’s educational system is far more advanced, complex, and even more difficult than it was a couple of decades ago.
Is There Too Much Homework in High School?
Of course, sometimes homework is necessary, but if it cuts into a child’s social, family, and down time, it borders on the cruel and unnecessary. Children should NOT be subjected to what-is-essentially training to be overworked in the corporate world. But how long does the average high school spend on homework? 3 hours a night. That’s 3 hours a night per class to complete, so it’s no wonder that our high school students are getting less than the National Sleep Foundation’s required 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night, with 68% of high school students reportedly getting less than 7 hours of sleep on the weekdays.
And that’s not even an exaggeration: in between a full day’s worth of school work, extracurricular activities, and homework, a high school student’s life is almost designed to be stressful. Sure, the point of all those activities is to turn them into an educated, well-balanced individual, but at what expense? A modern-day American student might know how to solve for X and throw a pigskin to the end zone, but what good is all of that if they’re haggard all the time and constantly deprived of sleep?
And what of the parents? It’s not like they can just leave their kids to the wolves: most parents (the responsible ones, at least) will want to help their kids with the influx of work they’ll be doing once they hit 9 th grade, as if a full day’s work and commuting wasn’t enough. All to fulfill antiquated ideas of course fulfillments and state-mandated credit requirement.
But rather than focusing on busy work, why not focus on things that actually matter, like fulfilling learning standards while maintaining positive mental health?
Educators across the country need to rethink homework, why they need to give it and what kind of work they should be giving our children.
Is Homework Even Necessary?
With the amount of stress students go through, it’s tempting to curse the person who invented homework. But take note: it’s not all bad.
Homework now can seem like unnecessary busy work instead of actual learning materials, but before we get further into this topic, let’s be clear: some homework is necessary (although researchers are still waiting for conclusive evidence for homework’s necessity).
What researchers can agree on, however, is that any type of school work that is purposeful, appropriately challenging, and aligned with the student’s interest truly is beneficial: not only does it teach the lesson for that subject, it also improves study habits, establishes self-discipline, and develops independent problem-solving skills and critical thinking.
However, if homework is mind-numbingly tedious, without purpose (other than to fulfill a quota), and overwhelming, then it becomes detrimental: not only will it demotivate a student from learning, it can also affect the way they view school, negatively affect their learning retention, and eventually turn them off completely to that subject.
Unfortunately, many schools across the country use homework as a way of creating extra class time beyond what is mandated by the state. Not only is this inefficient, it’s needlessly cruel. If a teacher is using homework as an excuse to make your child do their job for them, you need to contact your child’s school and set up a meeting. Homework should be a tool that supplements lessons, not replace lessons as a whole.
How Can We Make Homework Better?
The National PTA suggests that high school students should have a maximum of 2 hours of homework per night, a far cry from cramming 18 hours’ worth of schoolwork into 4-5 hours after school. We can do better by demanding that schools revisit their requirements for students and reconsider lessening the amount of required homework they give students.
As for the teachers, it’s time to treat homework not as busywork but as actual tools to help students learn more about your subject. It doesn’t have to be fun per se, but it should be inspiring enough for your students to take a more active role in your class the next day. Homework should stoke the fires of creativity and instill a spirit of inquisitiveness; homework shouldn’t be a chore that students dread doing, nor should it be an impossible activity designed to confuse them or punish them.
Homework should include activities that reinforce what they learned throughout the class and not something that combines lessons for the next day with activities designed to test what they’ve learned on their own. Not only is that tedious and inefficient, it’s also a lazy way to teach.
For parents, get a better idea of what your child is going through by taking the time to sit down with them to listen to their concerns. Keep an open mind and avoid being dismissive; this is the best way for your teenage child to open up and is an opportunity for them to practice critical communication skills with people they can trust (i.e. their parents).
What Countries Give the Most Homework?
However, if homework is mind-numbingly tedious, without purpose other than to fulfill a quota , and overwhelming, then it becomes detrimental not only will it demotivate a student from learning, it can also affect the way they view school, negatively affect their learning retention, and eventually turn them off completely to that subject. Homework should stoke the fires of creativity and instill a spirit of inquisitiveness; homework shouldn t be a chore that students dread doing, nor should it be an impossible activity designed to confuse them or punish them.
"This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points," said Pope, who is also a co-founder of Challenge Success, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the GSE that conducts research and works with schools and parents to improve students’ educational experiences..
Make sure to check yes when claiming California residency this has nothing to do with legal status.
No essay, no problem — How the CSU application may affect the university’s diversity
Cal Poly’s application for the Fall 2019 term opened Oct. 1 on the university’s online application portal, Cal State Apply. Cal State Apply allows applicants to apply to multiple California State University (CSU) campuses with the same application. Unlike many colleges and universities, Cal Poly’s application does not require an essay.
Prospective students can fill out the general application through Cal State Apply and are then redirected to additional admission criteria based on the schools they are applying to.
The 2017 State of College Admission report from The National Association for College Admission Counseling found that a majority of colleges and universities see the essay as moderately important in determining academically qualified students.
Admission essays showcase writing skills, but also help the admission boards to humanize applicants, according to the report. The essay allows students an opportunity to express their goals in life or the obstacles they have faced — something not found through test scores or grade point averages.
“I honestly don’t know how they would know who I am as a person because it’s mainly just putting in your transcript and grades,” business administration freshman Savannah Juel said. “Obviously, you can see that each student here is academically talented, but I don’t think the application process shows much interest in diversity and what people actually do outside of school.”
According to the enrollment data from the CSU and University of California (UC) systems in 2018, Cal Poly had the least racially diverse student population of all California public universities. In Fall 2017, 54.8 percent of Cal Poly’s student population identified as white — the highest of all schools in the 23-campus CSU system and 10-university UC system. The university was also ranked among the worst universities for Black students by the USC Race and Equity Center.
Race and ethnicity do not play apart in the admission process, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier. The use of race or ethnicity in admission processes is against state law according to California Proposition 209.
The admissions boards may not be able to use race/ethnicity as a factor when evaluating students, but diversity also accounts for age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and much more.
An essay can show the life experiences and personality of an applicant. This can help admissions take into account factors other than grades.
CSU spokesperson Elizabeth Chapin said Cal State Apply does not include an essay, but requires general information such as test scores, transcripts, citizen status, etc. to keep it a uniform application for all 23 campuses. Later on in the application process, more information may be required, but that is up to the campus and program being applied to.
According to Cal Poly Director of Admissions Terrance Harris, one main way Cal Poly’s selection of students differs from the processes of other CSU campuses is its comprehensive review as part of the Cal Poly impaction strategy. Many other CSU campuses use an eligibility index — a combination of an individual’s high school grade point average (GPA) and score on either the ACT or SAT to create a single number.
Cal Poly’s admission for undergraduate programs is highly impacted and competitive. When applying to Cal Poly, students are required to declare a major. Potential students are evaluated through variables under the faculty-mandated Multi-Criteria Admission (MCA) process.
Juel said she had to specify how many hours a week she participated in extracurricular activities, like volunteering, leading a club or playing a sport, but was never asked to describe her role in the activities or clubs on Cal Poly’s application.
“Diversity at Cal Poly is impacted by so many factors. One of the best ways to positively impact diversity at Cal Poly is to ensure that the students who are here attending Cal Poly have as positive an experience as possible,” Harris said. “The better the experience of our current students, the better opportunity we have to retain and recruit diverse students.”
Cal Poly only accepts applications for the fall term through the Cal State Apply online application. The application fee is $55.00. Interested students must apply within the window between Oct. 1 and Nov. 30. All applicants will be notified with an admission decision via email by April 1 and students have until May 1 to accept or decline an admission offer.
What is admission based on?
Some CSU campuses are impacted, or have programs that are impacted meaning the number of applications received from qualified applicants is greater than the number of available spaces. Dual enrollment college courses must be reported on the CSU application as college courses , regardless of where they are taught and whether the student will earn high school credit.
Historically, admission to 22 of the 23 CSUs was determined by an eligibility index based on two criteria
How To Write A Blog Post: The Professional Blog Writing Guide
Whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been blogging for years, learning how to write a blog post is something everyone needs to master. Unfortunately, so many people out there are writing blog posts that are thin, not formatted properly and will never be shared by humans or loved by Google bots.
There’s a simple and easy-to-follow formula that you can use to make sure that you’re creating the best content possible, both for your readers and for search engines. If you know how to write a blog post properly, then you can grow your audience, keep readers on your pages and help more people with your blog.
In this post I’m going to show you the secret to how we’ve written so many blog posts that have helped us grow this blog to over 375,000 readers per month and how you can write articles that people will share on their social platforms, helping you to grow your traffic quickly.
How To Write a Blog Post (Blog Writing Basics)
Don’t worry, if you’ve been blogging for a long time and looking for some advanced strategies, we’ll get there later on in this post. But first, we have to cover some of the basics of how to write a blog post. Surprisingly, even some pro-bloggers fail to follow the basic rules of blog writing.
1. Write an Intro
Every good blog post is like an essay. It needs to have a well-defined beginning, middle, and end. The intro to your blog post should be no more than 3-4 paragraphs and in the first paragraph, you should clearly outline what your post will be.
In the case of a travel blog, this might mean making it clear that you have spent more than a few hours at the destination you’re writing about (Did you live there? Spend a week there?). For a tech review, it should be clear that you know what you’re talking about and have personally used the product you’re reviewing for a considerable amount of time.
This is a little something to entice them to continue reading. Sometimes this will come in the form of a short sentence that says something like “read on to find out which places to visit and why I wouldn’t go to some of them again”. This kind of writing can hook people into reading more of your content and helps to keep them engaged.
2. Write “The Middle”
The middle of your content is the meat of the post. Make sure you break up this content well and make it as easy to read as possible (more about blog post formatting later in this article). You should have as much information as you can about the topic you’re writing on.
3. Write an Outro
The biggest mistake that bloggers make when writing an outro is that they simply repeat the intro. This is a big no-no. The outro is one of the most important parts of a blog post because if people made it that far, they obviously like what you wrote. This is your chance to get them to remember you.
Leave them with something to think about. Give them a question to engage with. Offer them something extra like a short ebook on the topic. Get their email if you can. Encourage them to comment. Lead them to more posts on your blog that are about a similar topic.
It’s important to note here that you should never open a new line of thought in your outro. It can be very jarring to a reader – who has managed to complete reading a long post – to reach the end and find that there’s much more that wasn’t discussed in the article.
Research Blog Post Ideas
How-to post – a how-to article is a step-by-step guide that educates readers on a specific activity. Here’s an example of a how-to post by Vicky Newbold Nutrition, which shares a step-by-step guide to make a poke bowl:
List post – a list post, also called a “listicle,” is an article written in list format. This content type is easy to recognize as it commonly contains a number in its headline. List articles are also easy to read and skim, allowing readers to quickly understand and get important information.
What post – this blog post type aims to introduce and explain a specific subject, highlighting the importance and relevance of the concept. A pro tip for writing a blog post using this format is avoiding jargon and only using analogies that readers understand.
Thought leadership post – the idea behind thought leadership posts is usually to educate the audience about the latest news or trends in an industry. This blog content type is excellent for those who want to be seen as experts in their field.
Interview post – this content type is excellent for introducing the perspective of an authority figure on a particular subject. It’s also great for developing relationships with experts or influencers within an industry and attracting their audiences to your blog.
Review post – review blog posts typically talk about the pros and cons of a product or service. According to Podium, 93% of customers read online reviews before buying a product. That’s why this format is one of the most popular content types.
Comparison post – as the name suggests, this format compares different solutions to help readers decide. To write a fair comparison article, make sure to include facts and statistics from third-party sources to back up your claims.
Curated post – curated content is a selection of helpful resources about a specific topic. This type of post is suitable for aggregating content such as statistics or industry examples. Here’s a curated post example from our blog about the latest eCommerce statistics:
Before picking your first blog post format, identify the search intent behind the topic’s main keyword. This shows what users are attempting to accomplish when they enter a query, allowing you to match the content with their expectations.
Informational – people with informational intent have a specific question and want to know more about a particular topic. Some formats that might be suitable for this intent are list, how-to, and what posts.
Navigational – users with this type of intent usually want to visit a specific website or web page. In other words, a page will be irrelevant to their needs unless it’s precisely what they’re looking for. For instance, people who search for “LinkedIn” are usually on their way to the LinkedIn website.
Transactional – people searching with transactional intent usually plan to buy a product or service and use search engines to do their research. Consider writing blog post types such as comparisons or reviews for terms with this intent.
Aim for an Engaging Title
Before you start to write a blog post, try creating a working title – it’s a temporary title that describes the topic and works as the starting focus point for writing.
A working title doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be specific enough to guide the blog post. When you finish writing the blog content, it’s time to focus on making a perfect post title.
Expert Tip
Add numbers – if you’re creating a list post, consider using numbers in the headline since a title with a number performs better than other types of headlines. Additionally, including a number can tell readers how long an article will be. Here’s an example of how we used a number in our tutorial about profitable things to make and sell:
Avoid vague headlines – a headline should have a clear value and indicates certain promises. The more precise the benefit, the more likely target readers are to click. Ask the question “What’s in it for me?” on behalf of your reader when writing headlines.
Prepare multiple titles for each post – according to a study by Orbit Media, bloggers who spend time writing lots of headlines before choosing one see better results. Try creating several titles using different formulas and choose the most appealing one for the blog post.
Consider a negative title – one excellent method to create a great blog post title that generates clicks is to include a negative sentiment in the headline. A study by Backlinko shows that a negative title has a 7.2% higher click-through rate (CTR) than a neutral headline.
Ask a question to spark curiosity – question headlines can be a compelling hook to generate interest and draw in readers curious about the answer to the subject you’re asking. Based on Backlinko’s research, titles containing a question have a 14.1% higher CTR than pages without a question in their headline.
Use a page title generator – utilizing a free tool like Portent’s Content Idea Generator can be an excellent solution for those struggling to come up with great blog posts’ titles.
Write long headlines – according to BuzzSumo, long headlines work better when it comes to engagement. A long headline usually contains more information, helping readers understand the benefit of clicking on that blog post.
Include hyphens and colons – titles with hyphens or colons perform better than other headlines. A simple technique for using hyphens and colons is to use target keywords at the beginning and add a compelling title after it.
Improve the title – use a headline analyzer to provide feedback on what to improve in a title.
How to Write a Telephone Conversation in a Screenplay
P hone calls can be an essential component to a film’s narrative and the driving force behind a scene. They can be an opportunity for suspense, humor, and conflict. It is important to understand how to write a telephone conversation in a screenplay in the common case that your story calls for one (no pun intended). Although formatting can often be confusing, we’ve broken it down so that you can implement a proper screenplay format phone call into your next script.
Phone call screenplay format matters
Most phone calls will involve at least two parties. Who the audience hears and sees during that phone call is up to the screenwriter. This decision can be made based on what information the writer is trying to communicate or what emotion they are trying elicit.
Are they trying to create suspense? Humor? Or maybe conflict? Remember that proper screenplay formatting is very important. If you’re trying to sell a script, improper formatting on Page One can get your screenplay tossed in the trash. When doing a script breakdown, the 1st AD needs build a tight and efficient shooting schedule, which is heavily-based on industry standard formatting. And, finally, one aspect of preparing a budget is based on the length of individual scenes and the script as a whole. More pages equals more shooting days equals bigger budget.
Therefore, when a phone call comes along in your script, format matters. We’ve created examples of telephone conversation script formatting and style using StudioBinderʼs Screenwriting Software to analyze how to write a phone call script in various ways.
How to write a phone call script
Use action descriptions
Some phone scenes involve only one character where we do not hear the person on the other side of the call. This can create curiosity in the audience as they are unaware of what the character is hearing.
Phone conversation sample script
How to write a telephone conversation in a screenplay • One-Sided Call Version
Sample Customer Service Telephone Scripts
When Potential Customers Call In
Customers and potential customers of an organization frequently call designated customer service telephone numbers to make inquiries about a company’s goods, services or operation. Here’s a simple customer service telephone script to ensure customer service personnel are efficient at collecting relevant customer information while remaining friendly and professional.
Customer Service Telephone Script (Example for Receiving Calls)
We are open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. We don’t open on weekends but on weekends you can place orders to Monday morning on our website for delivery. * Listen to pause for additional questions or requests*
When You Call Out
Organizations often call customers to confirm orders or forward orders for delivery to partner organisations. This is a simple telephone script for customer service to ensure that calls are carried out seamlessly:
Script Phone Customer Service (Example for Calling Out)
Jonathan from ABC Inc. “Good morning. I call for an order sent to your company from ABC Inc. to be delivered. This is 09****101 order number. If the order was sent to the customer, can you confirm it? * Pause and listen as the recipient answers * * Please take note of the data provided*
When There Has Been a Service Failure
Service failures occasionally occur in every organization, from minor late delivery incidences to any failure to satisfy a customer demand. A process to receive or resolve customer complaints is essential. Although a feedback form is used in most organizations, some customers may call to report service failures.
Customer Service Telephone Script (Example for Handling Service Failure)
I apologize for not having been informed of the longer delivery time by the customer who called to confirm your order. In general, the data are placed on the site underneath the goods. You can also track your delivery via your order number on our website.
When You Want to Market Your Products/Services
Cold calling potential and existing customers are a frequently used product or service promotion strategy. The method used to make such appeals may however be the difference between getting a new business as a spam caller and being blocked.
Customer Service Telephone Script (Example for Cold Calling)
“My name is Jane, good day and I call Infomat Inc. “I call. Our online business writing schedule has been completed recently. I’d like your program feedback. Were you pleased? * wait and hear customer feedback attentively *
I would also like to take that opportunity to inform you that you are entitled to a 10 percent discount in future courses as a previous customer. We also have an e-mail writing course which has just been added. *Active listening*
Sample Automated Attendant Scripts
Thank you for having called The Operations Tech Company, a venue for technology and business. If you know the extension of your party, you can always dial it. If not, select one of the options below:
Knowledge of the fundamental industry: Trust is the result of knowledge. Your receptionist should be able to understand and understand the inside and outside of your industry. For example, if you are employed by a law firm and you recipients don’t see the difference between property planning and litigation, they won’t help callers very much.
3. Organization: Douze hats are worn during the day by receptionists. Otherwise they can lose critical messages or forget to retract a customer without exceptional organizational skills, which results in lost revenues.
5. Tech-savvy: Welcome people work on multiple channels — including telephone, text, emails and even chatbots. They also manage the appointments and online management of customer documents. A receiver who is comfortable and technologically experienced will make fewer errors and take on more tasks every day.
6. Exceptional written and verbal communication: interactions are talked about your business with your receptionists. In both written and oral communication, receptionists should be able to communicate ideas clearly and accurately. Ensure that potential recipients use accurate language and evaluate their communication skills while interviewing and following up.
8. Time management: The job of a receptionist is shifty and inherently unpredictable. But it can take time to jump from task to task. Test your ability to manage your own time and schedules when evaluating receptionists. They should use software for project management or an internal system for management of tasks, schedules and priorities.
The motherlode of sales email templates
Ask questions
Ask key questions to understand each of your prospect’s needs better and show that you’re genuinely interested in helping them. By asking questions, you’ll be able to tailor your pitch for the prospect you’re speaking to.
Sample cold calling script
Highlight product efficiencies
Show prospects they’re missing out on efficiencies by not using your product. Explain which product features address these inefficiencies, and give examples of current customer wins.
Sample cold calling script
The reason I’m calling is that we develop software that notifies recruiters when clients hire their candidates and forget to tell them. Last year, we found over 4,200 missed fees across just 120 customers.
Tell an engaging story
Capture the attention of your prospects by sharing the outcome of a customer success story. Talk about the problem they experienced—choose a problem similar to the prospect’s—and explain how you worked with the customer to solve it. Only use this approach when the prospect says they have time to discuss. They won’t be receptive if they’re pressed for time.
The cold calling script below tells the story of an industry issue and how the product helped find a solution. The language is descriptive and paints a vivid picture for prospects.
Sample cold calling script
Got it! So TalentBin develops tools used by recruiters to find talent. And it does this by crawling the entire Internet for activity that those folks engage in. Because these sorts of candidates are highly employed, recruiting them often requires a passive-candidate outreach approach.
But at the same time, these folks tend to not spend time on professional social networks like LinkedIn. Finding them there can be problematic. Unlike recruiters and salespeople, they just don’t spend time there.
However, these sorts of professionals do spend time other places online, leaving trails of information about what they do professionally. TalentBin scoops up all of that information and makes it recruiter-ready.
As a result, TalentBin identifies more of these professionals than any other sourcing tool on the market. It makes it easy for you to reach them directly by providing personal contact information (like personal email addresses) and social communication vectors (like Twitter, Meetup, Facebook, and so on).
Utilize your industry expertise
Prospects want to work with a salesperson who understands the industry and offers relevant solutions. Show off your expertise by referencing recent customer successes and industry awards.
Sample cold calling script
TalentBin identifies more professionals than any other sourcing tool on the market. It makes it easy for you to reach them directly by providing personal contact information (like personal email addresses) and social communication vectors (like Twitter, Meetup, Facebook, and so on).
Yeah, what’s more: In a given geography, for instance, say TalentBin will have five to 10 times the number of Ruby, Java, .NET, iOS, and Android developers compared to LinkedIn and will have oodles of personal email addresses for those candidates. This is because TalentBin has crawled GitHub, Stack Overflow, Meetup, Twitter, and many other sites where those engineers hang out.
Explain next steps
Even if a cold call goes well and the prospect was engaged and asked lots of questions, you can still lose the connection. Don’t close the sale—instead, explain the next steps so prospects know what you need from them.
Sample cold calling script
Because of [ACCOUNT NAME’s] current hiring characteristics, I feel that this is something that would be very impactful to your business. I would love to set up a walk-through demo for your team with myself and my TalentBin product specialist colleague to dig in more.
Be polite yet persistent
If the prospect says they’re not interested, don’t immediately lose hope. Restate the benefits of your product or service for their company. Prospects will voice more common sales objections, but calmly explain what you can do for them. Don’t be aggressive or pushy.
Sample cold calling script
[PROSPECT NAME], I wouldn’t be on the phone with you right now if I didn’t strongly think that this could help [ACCOUNT NAME] hire more people faster, with less cost and less work on the part of your recruiters. [In the case of an agency, “And ultimately make ACCOUNT NAME more money.”]
I promise you that this sort of technology is going to be industry standard. By deferring consideration of it, you’re putting your business and your ability as a recruiter at a disadvantage.
Prepare for strategic follow-up
Try to set up the next meeting during your call. Sometimes, prospects will deflect and ask to connect through email when they can look at their calendar. If you follow up by email and they don’t respond, be persistent. Following up multiple times is normal–63 percent of prospects have to hear your pitch three to five times before they trust it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I set up an auto-attendant?
Most business phone systems like GoTo Connect and CloudTalk make it easy to set up an auto-attendant using drag-and-drop visual editors. Auto-attendants come with a phone tree menu, allowing you to associate triggers and responses. Each provider is different, so check their documentation for detailed instructions.
What is the difference between an IVR & an auto-attendant?
An interactive voice response (IVR) is an advanced version of an auto-attendant. Auto-attendants rely on button-dialing options, while an IVR system allows voice response as well. To learn more about how an IVR works, check out our article about IVR systems and discover their role in improving customer experience.
How do you respond to a phone script?
Button dialing or voice responses are used to answer phone scripts. With a button-dialing system, the caller will use their dialpad to input their response. With an IVR system, callers speak to the system to submit answers and initiate commands.
Bottom Line
Automated phone answering system scripts are an effective way to boost your brand image and streamline your routing system. However, this automated call management tool will be more efficient if they’re structured in a way that suits your customers’ needs and business goals. Whether it’s a holiday script or an individual extension script, make sure to follow the best practices to ensure an excellent calling experience for your customers.
About the Authors
Corey McCraw
Corey McCraw is a subject matter expert in the realm of VoIP and unified communications. He has leveraged more than two years in this space to become well-versed in both the providers and technology associated with VoIP and UC. His work has appeared on GetVoIP and the Mio Dispatch as well as places like the Let’s Move! blog. Prior to entering the world of VoIP, Corey has served as a communications analyst for GroupM and has 12 years of marketing and writing experience.
Marianne De Guzman
Before becoming a professional writer, Marianne worked as a freelance content writer and produced hundreds of content for global clients in Singapore, the UK, and the US. From there, she built her expertise in writing for various industries, such as information technology, real estate, business, lifestyle, education, and wellness. Today, Marianne is an Office Technology staff writer at Fit Small Business who covers business phone systems, VoIP, and video conferencing tools.
How to Answer the Question, ‘How Do You Define Success?’ In an Interview
In a job interview, you can expect some common questions from the hiring manager, regardless of the position for which you’re applying and the industry in which you work. One such question relates to how you define success. Often, hiring managers want to know what you see as personal, team, and organizational success to evaluate your suitability as a candidate for the company. Learn more about why employers ask this question, review steps for crafting an answer, consider example responses, and read about what not to say.
Asking about your definition of success is a popular tactic for employers and hiring managers because your answer to this open-ended question gives your potential employer important information about your priorities, personal work philosophy, and expectations.
Your answer could reflect what you think are the most important aspects of the position. For example, if you say success is seeing everyone on the team succeed, you’re telling the hiring manager that you value teamwork and communication.
You can also communicate your personal philosophy on your work to the hiring manager with your answer. For example, if you mention how important it is to complete every task by the set deadline, the hiring manager will see you hold yourself to high expectations when it comes to timeliness.
Finally, the hiring manager might be able to see what your expectations for the position are based on your response. If you say your definition of success in this role would be closing at least five new sales a month, the hiring manager gets a sense of what you expect the position to look like.
Sample Answers to “How Do You Define Success?”
Example Answer 1:
I define success as challenging myself, growing, and learning.
I also look at success in terms of how much I’m helping my team and company.
I don’t think you can have a good definition of success without looking at the results you achieve with your team.
Yet, I think it’s also a mistake to look only at results. I wouldn’t consider myself successful in my work if I weren’t improving, advancing to higher levels of work, analyzing mistakes to turn them into learning opportunities, etc.
Example Answer 2:
My definition of success is putting forth a consistent effort and working to get the best possible outcome in any situation. For me, success starts with my work ethic. When I look back and analyze my past work, I evaluate success based on whether I made the best of the situation.
Of course, I also recognize that there are more objective ways to define success in most roles, and I do track my work metrics and progress carefully. For example, in my last role, I tracked my performance among other sales staff, and relative to our team goals, to ensure I was contributing more than what was expected of me. This approach worked well to keep me motivated and accountable, and in the past year, I achieved more than 145% of my individual sales quota.
Example Answer 3:
I define success by looking at my effort and the overall outcome of a situation. I try to maintain a strong work ethic and approach each project and task with great effort and a positive attitude.
And I like to review the results of my work to look for ways to improve or make an even larger positive impact in the future.
I think that’s one way that any project can be successful — if you’re able to look back and learn a lot from it.
This definition of success has helped me be a consistent worker and steadily improve throughout my career.
I noticed in your job description that your company values professional development and learning on the job, so I was excited that the company’s vision seems to match up well with how I approach professional goals and how I define success.
Example Answer 4:
To me, success means giving my best effort to each task I’m working on, and also striving to learn and improve steadily.
I’ve taken this approach in my personal life, such as in sports, as well as in previous jobs.
I also think that success means being patient and planning for the long-term. Professional success takes time, and so it’s important to bring a high level of effort every day, not just the days when you feel like it.
To me, being a successful person means being someone my team can count on for that consistent effort.
And success means that I can look back after each month and year and see that I’ve improved, too.
Example Answer 5:
In a leadership position like the role I’ve applied for here, I think that success relates to the growth and performance of the team. Success should always be looked at as a team effort to some extent.
If my team isn’t producing great work, growing, bonding, and feeling positive, then I’m not succeeding as a manager.
When I reviewed your job posting, it seemed like teamwork and collaboration are some of your company’s top values, so I was excited to learn more about what you look for in the leaders you hire.
An Effective Answer Sample
Keep in mind that you should never learn by heart something that you found on the internet. Use it for cues, personalize it with your own story, and always be as natural and authentic as possible.
“To me, success can be defined in many ways depending on if you mean my career or my private life. In terms of my professional career, I would consider myself successful every time I am given the chance to work in a company that shares my values and goals.
Through my research, I’ve found out that your mission is to positively impact the world by accelerating our transition to sustainable energy. This is a significant undertaking for me, and I would be proud to help you succeed in that goal.
While I was working at [company name], I created a cost-benefit analysis that convinced my employer to switch from a standard energy source to a more sustainable option. This reduced our CO2 emissions by 60% in the first year while cutting electricity costs in half. I want to be part of similar successes with your company.”
Want More Support?
Start by considering the type of position you’re applying for and know what to expect based on that. Interviewing for a hostess job? Read about Hostess Interview Questions. Interviewing for a Cook position? Read all common Cook Interview Questions here. Also, check out our in-depth guidance in Answering Tell Me About Yourself in Interview, responding to Why Do You Want to Work Here? and the dreaded, Why We Should Hire You!
Guess what? We’ve also got a database full of common interview questions per US company chain! So, check out Dairy Queen Interview Questions, PetSmart Interview Questions, Dominos Pizza Interview Questions, Levi Strauss Interview Questions, Disney Store Interview Questions, and many, many more! Or type your dream company in our search box and check!
To achieve growth in your customer base, you’ll first need to focus on generating brand awareness for your e-commerce business. This requires having a top-notch marketing strategy in your arsenal. (Need help with your email marketing? Check out our guide to the best email marketing strategy here!)
Generating more brand awareness goes hand-in-hand with your marketing strategy. This means thinking even more about your brand as a whole, rather than simply how to sell your products.
When you start your ecommerce business, you want people to know what your site is about. As you grow, you want them to recognize you as one of the leading competitors within your industry.
Strengthen brand awareness by collaborating with other brands in your field. Distinctive brand visuals – like a well-designed logo and website – plus, an active social media account, can help tie everything together. With your message and branding in sync, you will have gone beyond the pure presentation of your product. Focusing on solidifying and growing your position in the market, will allow you to unlock the next step of your growth.
Another powerful way to draw more people to your brand is to create high-value content that they can engage with. This may be starting a blog, whereby you’re sharing valuable knowledge on subjects that you want your brand to be associated with.
The more engaging you make your content, and the wider your social reach, the more likely it is that users will have an emotional connection to it. Content isn’t just about promoting your product and brand, after all. It’s about bringing a relevant, personal and meaningful experience to your audience, each and every time they engage with you.
Let the data speak. Use the learnings from A/B testing to build and invest in a more sophisticated marketing strategy. Ensure it’s continuously analyzed and optimized. Advertise on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and have a lead and value-driven approach. You should also utilize the full potential of all relevant advertising and retargeting formats.
Combine this with pay-per-click advertising (PPC) — which is a must when it comes to increasing conversions. This will make sure you show up where and when your customer searches for you or your services/products. Plus, you can track analytics to see what gives the best results, boosting the performance of your upcoming campaigns based on these insights.
Also look into affiliate marketing, which works on a commission basis. This means you only pay the affiliate once they have driven a sale to you. Test, learn, improve and perform better over time. Go from generating leads and conversions to improving their quality and subsequently increasing the revenue you get from them.
Retarget Customers
Aside from attracting new customers, you shouldn’t forget the customers who were close to buying. Retargeting customers who visited you in the past, but left before making a purchase, is a great strategy. According to statistics, the average cart abandonment rate is just under 70%. That’s huge.
To avoid this, use targeted social media adverts and enticing, well-written email campaigns to convince users to complete their purchases. Although this seems basic, a lot of ecommerce platforms such as Shopify let you automate this abandoned cart recovery process.
Don’t Leave SEO Behind
Another string to your bow: a well-optimized website that ranks well and gets your company noticed by more people. In addition to the paid PPC campaign, your search engine advertising (SEA) strategy will bring in more customers.
How? Leverage SEO in all content on your website by improving it with the relevant keywords. Build a backlink profile for your website, remove any toxic links, and create a user experience that is even more seamless and intuitive.
Automate and Outsource Your Processes
In addition to investing in becoming more visible and driving more of the right conversions, think about internal optimization. Streamline your processes and use tools that promote efficiency.
Ideally, you’re looking for tools that will unify your financial data. This can be done by connecting your bank accounts, payment gateways, and ad networks in one place. Being able to track and monitor your cash flow and ROI, as well as invoice with automatic generation, will save you plenty of time.
You should automate any task that takes time away from focusing on your e-commerce business. This can be things such as scaling, accounting, answering customer support queries, and repricing.
By automating or outsourcing some of the day-to-day admin you face, you’ll also free up many hours otherwise spent on mundane tasks. Even if you have a large team of staff, sometimes you may not be able to get everything done.
As your business scales up, you’ll need to spend less time managing your accounting. Instead, you can spend time outsourcing the processing, packaging, and shipment of items, to a third party.
As you automate your internal processes, take the next step for your marketing. Embrace the technologies and platforms that increase your impact. Make it easier for your potential customers to connect with you, your products, or your services.
An example of AI is chatbots. Chatbots enable customers to get answers to commonly asked questions, while AR enables a customer to better visualize what they are going to purchase before buying.
Voice search is also becoming an increasingly popular addition to ecommerce business. With which customers are seeking online goods and services, these functionalities go beyond in terms of growth and service.
The systematic marketing strategy for eCommerce brands
When my lifestyle and consumer products brand, Yugenite , first started gaining traction, it was a single product that put the company on the map: a uniquely fashionable and reusable (non-medical) face mask.
Sales were good, but eventually plateaued as I hit a ceiling with my ad strategy. Faced with diminishing returns, I knew my goals: drive traffic, boost conversion rates, maximize average cart value, and create repeat customers. After reading up on every digital marketing strategy I could find, I threw everything at the wall to see what would stick.
I diligently monitored each tactic, decommissioning the ones that didn’t work and dialing up those that did. When the dust had settled, I could see the bigger picture: the winning strategies don’t succeed in isolation, but instead work together to create leads, close sales, and drive rapid growth. And that’s how I developed my systematic marketing strategy. It’s made up of three parts:
Outbound marketing
This could include outreach strategies like cold calls and cold emails. But unless you’re selling high-ticket products, services, or B2B, cold calls aren’t the way to go. Instead, most eCommerce brand owners turn to paid advertising as their first—and regrettably, their only—outbound marketing strategy.
At Yugenite, we ended up using multiple platforms to develop and close leads, but it started with a lesson from digital marketer Sabri Suby: 97% of your potential market is not ready to buy. Most of them aren’t even aware of the problem that your business solves. Some are aware of it, but don’t know that a solution exists. And even fewer are aware of the solutions and are gathering information in preparation to make a purchase.
When I learned that, I realized why my direct-response ad campaigns had such a low success rate. Immediately, we shifted our campaign to start not by trying to make a sale, but instead by educating the customer about why our product could solve their problems better than anything else out there. Ad viewers read about the different options on the market and became better educated about why our mask offered the highest quality, comfort, and durability.
Inbound marketing
Outbound marketing has been likened to targeting and throwing a metaphorical spear at your ideal prospects. In keeping with that metaphor, inbound marketing can be thought of as the creation of nets that you encourage your customers to swim into. (That makes it sound much more sinister than it is, I promise.)
Inbound marketing is about setting up your website the right way: clean design, clear CTAs, and a value proposition that speaks to the customers’ problems, questions, and desires. At Yugenite, a big part of this is through content marketing.
Part of our brand mission was to help people who were feeling anxious in the middle of the first round of COVID-19 shutdown orders. We also knew that we had a huge increase in the number of people coming to our website because we were spending so much on paid ads.
We decided to craft a brand message that encouraged a positive mindset and good mental and physical health in the midst of the pandemic. We regularly published to our blog to promote this message and encourage our audience. The increased traffic from our outbound ad strategy meant that we had thousands of readers on these messages.
In order to make the most of these eyeballs, we offered free downloads in exchange for our visitors’ email addresses, and as a result, rapidly built an email list of several thousand people. And that’s where the third component of systematic marketing strategy comes in.
Subscriber marketing
Subscriber marketing encompasses everything that you send to the people who have volunteered to receive messages from your brand—either through following you on social media or joining your email list.
The more powerful of the two is the email subscriber. The inbox is an intimate place that’s generally less casual reading than a social media feed. That’s why building an email subscriber list and developing an email marketing strategy is crucial to any eCommerce business.
Scale with a 4PL specialized in e-commerce
Nervous about shipping all those new orders? Don’t be. CBIP Logistics is a 4PL that specializes in scaling e-commerce supply chains. We’ll work with you to create a hand-tailored logistics plan that meets all your shipping needs, no matter where you are in your scaling process.
Thinking about going global or expanding to new markets? At CBIP we partner with hundreds of global providers to make sure you can send your product anywhere in the world.
From warehousing to last-mile fulfillment, CBIP has the network you need so you can grow your business quickly and hassle-free. Sound like something you need? Schedule a call with our team for a commitment-free meeting about your e-commerce business and we’ll talk you into it!
Innovation is defined as the ability of individuals, companies or even nations to explore ideas of different and successful way adding value to the market, governments and society. That is, the success of a business is not based only on its potential to generate income but also on how your idea generates positive impact on people.
This concept is generally associated with products, but can also occur at the level of technology, processes, services, management and marketing. The important thing is that innovation be used correctly in order to improve efficiency, productivity and business performance.
Creativity vs innovation
Creativity, as the word implies, is the ability to create. It’s about enjoying the mind to manage different ideas. Anyone can be creative, whatever the context in which it is inserted. In a business environment, creativity can help in the task management, performance improvement of the working team and the creation of quality products. For example, from the creativity companies can take a flexible and updated position in relation to new technologies that continue to be developed. With this definition in mind, it can be seen that creativity has a weight in importance of innovation.
As we have seen, innovation It is to develop business ideas into something useful and practical for society. In other words, it is the process of converting theory into action. And this is where creativity is distinguished from innovation: the action. To be creative, an individual must be able to present new ideas while, to be innovator, This needs to act on those ideas.
Types of innovation
Incremental Innovation (or continuity)
This is the most common type of innovation and it is to find ways to improve products, services or processes that already exist in the market. Here, the solutions are not created from scratch but by introducing small changes to existing ones, focusing on aspects that enhance its value.
A innovation Continuity brings less risk to the entrepreneur, however, requires a strategic approach and aimed to ensure that these changes are valued by customers. A good method to get opportunities innovation incremental is conduct a search together customers, identifying what they value most in their products or services and what aspects is that they would like to see improved.
Innovation radical (or breakthrough)
In this type of innovation It gives the breach of fundamental principles already adopted in the market for the creation of entirely new markets and industries. That is, a product, service or process never seen before is built from scratch and placed on the market in order to completely replace the previous solutions or responding to a necessity where there was a solution.
A innovation Disruptive brings several advantages to an entrepreneur, which highlights its unique participation in a new market leaving its pioneering brand, a considerable increase in profit of the business and its ability to innovate continuously. However, this type of innovation is the most difficult, time-consuming and usually involves a greater financial investment.
Business innovation as a workplace culture
Running a business requires cutting-edge solutions to a growing number of operational challenges. Without them, progress and success are impossible to achieve. And, it turns out that one of the best examples of how essential business innovation is for the survival of businesses comes from the Coronavirus pandemic.
Having forced half the world into adopting work-from-home practices , Covid-19 proved that the only way for companies to survive during difficult times was to adopt an agile workplace culture that focused on solutions rather than challenges.
Those who learned how to make the most of the situation – whether by adapting their practices or identifying new ones that would work better – thrived. And, those who refused to respond to the changes went under. A survey from May 2020 showed that 78% of business leaders expected employee productivity to suffer due to remote work.
These numbers perfectly illustrate the potential of an innovative approach to workplace culture. Sure, the pandemic may have disrupted workflows and operations. But it also uncovered areas for improvement in leading a productive workforce.
Companies discovered efficient ways of doing exceptional work with dispersed teams. Brands developed solutions and innovative technologies that eliminated newly-formed obstacles. Employees devised ingenious hacks to make up for less-than-ideal circumstances.
The idea is to think outside the box and improve collaboration by making it purposeful and limiting its time allotment. The resource suggests solutions like core collaboration blocks, limited team meetings, and greater levels of employee flexibility.
To some leaders, these suggestions may seem ludicrous. But to those who understand the value of innovation (in all its forms), they represent an experience-based business decision that promises success plus significant productivity gains.
Business innovation as the key to assessing and mitigating risk
The process of creating and implementing novel solutions or work philosophies looks toward the future. Consequently, an innovative approach makes for the most effective way to recognize potential setbacks and mitigate risk. Businesses would ideally do this through improving current practices and developing better ones that can drive success.
The idea that business success requires inventive thinking and an innovative approach employed in the service of risk management isn’t unusual. The current state of the U.S. job market shows an exceptional illustration of how the two can work together.
Furthermore, the first three months of 2021 saw a 17% hourly wage growth . That’s the fastest change in compensation over the past 20 years. The results? – A diminishing workforce in essential industries coupled with a rapidly growing cost of doing business.
Well, one solution would be to turn towards applying an innovative approach. In addition to traditional contributions to employee job satisfaction, like increasing wages or offering better benefits, employers could also look for new ways to attract and retain the right talent, that will not feel the need for job hopping. For example, the state of the tech industry currently shows a worryingly poor level of diversity .
So, one way for business owners to prepare for a changing job market would be to find new methods for offering better support to female and POC employees. Or, to prevent the shortage of qualified workers, employers could consider re-thinking credential requirements. They could even look for ways to eliminate, automate, or outsource cumbersome tasks to make the work more enjoyable.
Of course, HR is not the only area that can see long-term gains from an innovative approach to predicting and preventing operational hurdles. Every single aspect of running a business can benefit from business innovation ideas. Especially when it makes processes more secure, resilient, and self-sufficient.
Implementing and developing new innovative technologies like automated expense management software, for instance, can minimize the chances of human error . AI-powered customer support solutions help answer sudden surges in demand while preventing overspending. Digital whiteboards and project management solutions future-proof workflows and create new spaces for employee growth.
8 Example Answers to the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ Job Interview Question
‘Tell me about yourself’ is one of the most common job interview questions. It’s also one of the trickiest interview questions for many candidates. What is the interviewer really trying to find out?
The truth is the question isn’t that complicated. But it is one of the most important job interview questions as your answer can establish the tone for the rest of the interview.
The best way of answering this question is to use your answer to show interviewers why you’re the perfect candidate for the job. You can do this by framing your answer in a way that highlights your experiences, achievements and key skills.
Why Interviewers Ask ‘Tell Me About Yourself’
When asking this question, interviewers are looking for some insight into your professional life, not your personal life. So focus your answer on your career and use your answer to demonstrate your value as a professional.
How to Answer ‘Tell Me About Yourself’
One of the best ways to do this is to tell a short, concise story of your career that focuses on your career’s highlights. Then link this into how you’re an ideal candidate for the job.
Tailor Your Answer
When answering ‘tell me about yourself’, make sure your answer is tailored to the company you’re interviewing with. Show how you are aligned with the company’s values and culture. Show what skills you possess that make you an ideal candidate for the job.
Keep it Short
Show Your Value
If you can use your answer to ‘tell me about yourself’ to convey your value, you’ll make a positive impression on interviewers. Do this by showing how you have achieved success in the past.
8 Example Answers to ‘Tell Me About Yourself’
Example Answer 1
‘I have been employed in customer service for over 11 years. Having started my career as a customer service advisor in 2010, I have since progressed to customer service manager positions.
Currently employed as customer service manager at Example Company, I am responsible for the delivery of high-quality customer service. I provide leadership to a team of eight customer service agents and ensure teams have the capabilities to exceed daily and monthly targets. During my time in this role, I have increased customer satisfaction rates by 43% and increased response times to customer queries by 61%.
Example Answer 2
‘I’m a sales manager with over 12 years’ experience in the SaaS sphere. During my time in SaaS sales, I have used a consultative sales strategy, driving sales of software products by solving problems for customers and implementing the beneficial solutions.
In my current role, I have exceeded annual sales targets by more than 43% on three occasions and monthly sales targets by 88% on seven occasions. I have built profitable, genuine relationships with clients, and I generate high levels of repeat business.
Example Answer 3
‘I am a software developer, with over nine years’ experience. My career has seen me spearhead multiple complex software development initiatives that have added genuine value to companies.
Most recently, I developed a booking system for a major holiday company. This solution enabled the efficient management of customer’s holiday bookings. It saved thousands of people hours and over four-hundred thousand dollars per year in wages.
Since I was a teenager, I have been passionate about developing software. Back then, I used to develop my own video games for my friends. Some of these games were even sold in major video game stores across the United States. After leaving school, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, and I haven’t looked back since.’
Example Answer 4
Going forward, I intend to continue to help students improve and exceed their predicted grades. I believe that, considering my track record of improving student performance, I am the ideal candidate to excel in this job.’
Example Answer 5
Currently, I am responsible for providing admin support to the CEO of Example Company. This involves answering phones, responding to all forms of correspondence and managing the CEO’s diary. While employed in this role, I rewrote office policies and restructured processes. This generated annual cost-savings of over sixty-thousand dollars and saved thirty people hours per week.
In the future, I intend to continue to enable executives to make more effective use of their time. As the job advert states that you’re looking for an efficient executive assistant with a track record of high performance, I feel that I am the ideal candidate for this job.’
Example Answer 6
‘I have been employed as a plumber for over 12 years. Having started my career as an apprentice plumber in 2009, I have since gone on to work on major projects. These include projects to implement plumbing services in rail stations across London.
How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself
Alright, now that you know why this question is asked, it’s time to dive into how to answer “tell me about yourself.” Here’s a quick step-by-step process you can use to craft an outstanding response.
Use the Tailoring Method
First things first, you want to use the Tailoring Method to build your answer. That ensures your response is as relevant to the hiring manager as possible, allowing you to speak to their needs and preferences while you share details about your professional history.
Generally, you can find out a lot about what the hiring manager wants to know with a bit of research. Review the job description to find out more about the skills and traits their after, as well as the duties you might encounter. Then, review information about the company, including its mission, values, and products or services. That way, you can talk about points that will pique the hiring manager’s interest right at the beginning of the meeting.
Use a Chronological Approach
Overall, this is an interview question where your answer should feel like a story. Using a chronological, narrative-style approach lets you show the hiring manager how you’ve grown in your career, highlighting the occasional relevant achievement along the way. It keeps your answer compelling, all while making the details easier to follow.
Avoid These Mistakes
1) Regurgitating Your Cover Letter and Resume
The “Tell us about yourself” question isn’t an invitation for you to simply list off the same accomplishments you put on your resume. Yes, it’s important for you to highlight moments in your past when you were successful, but the real power lies in bringing more to the table, providing the hiring manager with relevant details that didn’t fit on your application.
2) Telling Your Life Story
3) “Well, What Do You Want to Know?”
4) The 10-Minute Monologue
For most interview questions, responses between 30 seconds to four minutes are ideal. With this one, something in the 60 to 90-second range is likely best. There are going to be a lot more questions coming down the pipe that will allow you to elaborate on your various experiences, skills, and accomplishments. Don’t feel like you have to answer all of them at once.
Just remember, this is just one question the hiring manager could ask you in your interview! That’s why we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview.
Example answers to “tell me about yourself”
As we’ve covered, how you answer the interview question “tell me about yourself” will depend on your motivation for applying for the role and what the interviewer is looking for. What matters is that you’ve spent some time researching both and can clearly articulate that you’re a good fit in your answer.
Example 1
“Of course! I’m based in Melbourne and currently a Customer Success Manager at Zeller, where I lead a team of 6 helping to onboard new small businesses onto the platform. It’s been a great role so far and I love helping customers, especially when they’re just starting out. Giving them the tools to grow their business is a great feeling because it’s hard enough to get started.
I started in early 2020 and have helped lead our CX team from 3 to 20 people and our NPS score is the highest in the industry which I’m super proud of! Outside of work, I’m super into cycling, I donate some time each week to a women’s shelter, and I write a small blog on customer experience and UX that is starting to get some traction.
Prior to Zeller, I worked at Airtable and Deel in similar B2B customer support roles. These were both great jobs — they were fast-paced and I learned how larger growth companies scale their customer success functions efficiently. I also learned how to be a wizard at Salesforce, Looker, and SQL.
While I really enjoy the work that I do at Zeller, I’m finding that my career has stagnated a bit now that the team is running smoothly. I’ve been following Square’s amazing growth for years and have always looked at your CX team for best practices — it’s truly amazing what your team has done to level the playing field for small businesses. I’d love the opportunity to help Square scale efficiently here in Australia to support more customers and the chance to onboard larger, enterprise-scale customers.”
Why it works: This isn’t a general answer. It shows the interviewer that you’ve read the job description, researched the company, are passionate about helping customers and understand how you could contribute to the company’s mission (in this case, helping businesses worldwide). It also shows that you understand Square’s tech stack and how your skills and prior experience could help.
Example 2
“I’ve been a frontend developer for about 6 years now and have worked mainly in agencies. I’m currently contracting for an agency called rtCamp and a little bit of freelance work. It’s been great and pretty flexible — I’m mainly working on a bunch of different eCommerce projects, mostly built with WordPress. They’re a remote team so I can go from my office to the surf which is pretty great! We moved from the city to the coast in 2020 to start a family.
The past few years, I’ve been investing more and more of my time into the no-code space and teaching myself to be better at UI design. It’s incredible how far frontend web builders have come and I’ve started convincing a few clients at rtCamp to go with Webflow for projects. Long story short, I’m sold.
I’m interested in this frontend dev position at Webflow because it revolves around two of my greatest strengths that I’m good at and enjoy: React and JavaScript. Seeing the impact of my work at rtCamp has been great, but I’d love to put my skills towards making web development accessible for everyone. I know that Webflow is the future and I’ve seen first-hand how empowering it can be to create for the web. I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity for my code to help even more people.”
Why it works: You’ve clearly researched the company, in fact, you’ve done one better by being an active user of the company’s product and recommend Webflow to your own clients. You’ve also outlined to the interviewer how your previous experience and technical skills could apply to the role. Even better, you’re clearly passionate about the company’s values (something hiring managers always look for) and highlight how your personal values align perfectly with Webflow’s mission to empower everyone to create for the web.
Example 3
“I’ve been passionate about web design since I was in high school. I remember using Photoshop on my school computers for the first time and was hooked. Since then, I’ve always wanted to pursueweb designas my career and studiedUXand Digital Media Design at Sisyphus College.
Tips for answering “tell me about yourself”
As we’ve covered, your answer to this interview question will vary depending on the company, role, and your experience. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your response and deviate from the sample answers above if it helps tell a story! Interviewers love outside-the-box answers from job candidates, so the more colorful you can make it the better. Here are some extra tips you need to know to make the best impression:
Don’t recite your resume or take too long (2 mins or less): Remember that the interviewer already has your resume and isn’t looking for every detail of your career path or life story. Part of this question is assessing how well you communicate. Try to be as succinct as possible — it’s easy to ramble for 10 minutes with such an open-ended question and this can get boring. There’s no right answer for how long your response should be, but the above examples are a good benchmark. Just make sure you’re reading the room and try to wrap up faster if the interviewer is looking distracted or bored.
Remember this is your first impression: More often than not, “tell me about yourself” is the opening interview question you’ll be asked. Most hiring decisions and first impressions are made up within the first minute, so make sure you’re prepared to put your best foot forward. This includes non-verbal body language such as eye contact, posture, and handshake (if face-to-face). For video conferencing interviews, check out our post on Zoom interview tips.
Don’t be afraid to share hobbies or projects: In general, as long as your projects, passions, and hobbies don’t interfere with your job, employers are happy for you to pursue them. Having interests outside of work is a great signal to hiring managers, especially if they’re related to the job because they show that you’re motivated and a self-starter. Always drop them in — they could be the differentiating factor between you and another job applicant.
You don’t need to share personal information unnecessarily: There’s no need to discuss private or personal matters in your answer unless you think they’re relevant. This includes details about your family members or children. It’s also a good idea to avoid potentially contentious subjects such as religion or political affiliations. While they may be important to you, they’re usually not relevant to the job and the interviewer may even be biased one way or the other.
Keep it positive and professional: As with all job interviews, always try to conduct yourself in a positive and professional manner. While it can be tempting to speak poorly of a previous job or manager, try to focus on the positives and what you learned from your past experiences. Badmouthing or blaming past employers is a massive red flag for potential employers.
22 Best Business Ideas To Start In Singapore For Your Entrepreneur’s Journey (2022)
The emergence of new technologies, shifts in customer demands, and the COVID-19 pandemic have revolutionised the way we do business. These factors have led to disruption in various industries, paving the way for emerging entrepreneurial trends. As a result, you have to stay up to date on what is happening in the world of business to be successful.
If you are wondering what business to start in Singapore, stay with us. We have compiled a list of the best businesses to start in Singapore. This article will help you make better decisions and make your entrepreneurial journey easier. It provides you with an analysis of the best business ideas to start in Singapore.
The best business ideas to start in Singapore
1. Consulting services
Singapore is known for its low corporate tax, making it a very popular business hub. Many global firms have set up their offices in the country, creating an opportunity for consultants. As a Singapore citizen, you can help global firms in the following ways:
Since you understand the dynamics of the country, set up a consulting firm to help global firms plan and strategise. The strategies will help them achieve their key performance indicators.
You can offer a broad array of consulting services in Singapore. The good thing is you can work from the comfort of your home. To start the consulting business, follow the steps below:
2. Translation services
Singapore is a centre for trade, and it’s perfect for translation services. With the high number of global businesses, you will find a market for your translation services. A translator in Singapore can make an average monthly income of S$6,880, depending on the job’s complexity.
Register a sole proprietor business if you would like to start a translation business. Translation business does not require any certification. However, it’s best to have the certificates showing your knowledge in multiple languages, as it gives your clients the confidence to trust in your work.
3. Video editing
If you are creative and detail-oriented, consider setting up a video editing business. Companies use video to tell their brand story and market their products. As a result, videos have become an important marketing component for every business.
You will need video software skills, and you can make an average income of S$4,000 per month from the comfort of your home. To start, make an explainer video showing the services you offer and share it on your social media platform.
4. Bookkeeping
If you are experienced and have the expertise, you can earn an average income of S$32 to S$52 per hour from your bookkeeping business. With accounting systems online, you can run your bookkeeping business from the comfort of your home. Bookkeeping is a lucrative field in Singapore, and you can charge per transaction, per hour, or a fixed monthly charge.
To operate a business from home, you must register for the home office scheme and follow the relevant regulations. According to the scheme, you can use part of your residence as an office. You are allowed to hire one to two non-resident employees.
Digital Marketing
If you’ve got the chops in areas of digital marketing, pay-per-click, SEO, social media management, web app development, content management, etc., then this is an excellent startup opportunity, that would give you the freedom to work from home.
According to blogging statistics, tens of thousands of bloggers are creating profitable content on topics like travel, film, lifestyle, home cooking, business, and more. The best part? It doesn’t cost much.
Your first step is to get into the technical side and then understand what your audiences want. Even if this takes some time, on the go, with the combination of revenue streams like affiliate marketing, email subscribers, and blog sponsorship you’ll be able to grow blogs into a six-figure business.
Small-Scale Business Ideas
22. Resume Writing
Many people don’t have the time, skills, or confidence to write themselves a winning resume. So if you’ve got experience writing job-winning resumes or have hired many people before, consider starting this small business from home. Check out sites like Upwork and Freelancer to find your first client.
23. Calligraphy
Google Trends shows that calligraphy has made a comeback in recent years – especially around the holidays. Why not start a business writing beautiful invitations, cards, and place settings for businesses and events?
24. Transcribing
Transcribing audio into text may not be the most glamorous small business idea, but it provides an enormous amount of flexibility and allows you to work from home. Get your first client through a site like:
25. Massage Therapy
26. Hairdressing
You don’t need to open a fancy salon to start a hairdressing business. Like massage therapy, you can start with home visits. You could also consider offering styling and makeup services.
27. Pet Grooming
The American Pet Products Association expects the demand for pet grooming services to grow in the coming years. If you love animals, why not start a mobile pet grooming service? Reach out to your network or offer your services on a platform like Nextdoor.
28. Sewing and Alterations
Many people still love to mend or alter their favorite clothes instead of throwing them away. If you’re talented with a needle or sewing machine, you could start a sewing alterations business.
29. Virtual Assisting
30. Home or Window Cleaning
31. Bookkeeping
Plenty of small businesses need help keeping track of their finances. If you love budgeting and finance, why not offer bookkeeping services? Reach out to local businesses or check out sites like Upwork or Fiverr to find your first client.
32. Data Entry
33. Tutoring
34. Handyperson
Are you always fixing things? Do you often help friends, family, and neighbors with a range of tasks? You could start a handyperson business. This is one of the best micro-business ideas for those new to entrepreneurship.
35. Pet Sitting
Do you love spending time with animals? If so, you could become a pet sitter in your local area. Plenty of people need help looking after their furry family. You could even get accredited by the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.
Best Small Business Ideas To Start Locally
If you’d prefer to avoid spending your days typing on a computer, or you want to start a small business in your local community, here are some small business ideas that you can start locally.
36. Catering
If you’re always cooking big family dinners, consider catering for local events and other families’ occasions. Reach out to your network to ask if anyone knows someone who may be interested in your services.
37. Personal Training
38. Landscaping and Gardening
If you love to work outside, consider starting a landscaping and gardening business. Whether it’s trimming hedges, cutting the grass, or repainting fences, many people need help maintaining their gardens and lawns.
39. Photography
Photography is undoubtedly one of the most creative small business ideas. Specialize in family, business, events, or wedding photography and start advertising your services locally. Alternatively, build a catalog of stock photography and sell photos online through sites like Shutterstock, Pexels, and Alamy.
40. Property Management
Countless people need help renting out their properties, managing tenants, and fixing problems onsite when they arise. If this sounds interesting to you, do some research to learn more!
41. Bed and Breakfast
42. Event Planning
If planning birthdays, graduation parties, and family outings is your idea of fun, why not use your skills and start an event planning business? Whether you specialize in weddings or business events, many people need help crafting enjoyable group experiences.
43. Food Truck
If you’ve always wanted to run a restaurant but don’t have the resources to invest in one, consider starting a food truck business. Once you’ve built a loyal following, you could always make the leap and open a restaurant. Check out the licensing requirements in your area.
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