US video game publisher Activision Blizzard has benefited from a 'stay-at-home' thematic driven by lockdowns and its growth is set to go beyond the virus crisis.

Shares of video game publisher and developer Activision Blizzard have been strong in recent months, which is not surprising given the stay-at-home theme during the global lockdown.

This has made consumers flock to entertainment that can be consumed in their own homes and gaming has certainly been high on the list.

Activision's Call of Duty, which is one of the best-selling video game franchises in history.Activision

We covered the stocks in this column a few years ago, and they have been quite literally a strong "play" since. The shares have hit their highest levels since October 2018 as the companys recently released quarterly numbers beat already-elevated expectations.

Activisions high-quality video game franchises have seen increased engagement from gamers during the lockdowns. Adjusted revenue of $US1.52 billion ($2.32 billion) easily topped the $US1.32 billion expected.

Quarterly net income hit $US505 million, or 65 a share, up from $US447 million and 58 a share in the year-earlier period. Excluding certain items, non-GAAP earnings per share came in at 76 a share, double the 38 a share consensus estimate.

The companys new free-to-play "battle royale" entry, Warzone, from the popular Call of Duty franchise, has recorded an impressive 60 million players so far.

Activision lifted its 2020 adjusted revenue forecast to $US6.9 billion from $US6.73 billion and forecast full-year adjusted earnings of $US2.62 a share, which compares well with the $US2.48 that had been expected.

The video game industry is enjoying secular growth and the stay-at-home restrictions have had increased engagement that is likely to persist even when restrictions are eased.

We note that a big positive for the company was discussed on the earnings call, with the companys developers still on track to release a new Call of Duty (CoD) game this year despite some interruption from COVID-19.

Call of Duty is one of the best-selling video game franchises in history and regularly tops the charts for console game sales each year. Activision has multiple developers working on Call of Duty titles to enable this feat, as typically a game would be in development for a few years.

By "rolling" across development teams, Call of Duty fans can get their "fix" each year. Releasing a new title later this year is a big positive and we continue to view the company favourably.

We believe CoD: Warzone could also be a game-changer for Activision, with its free-to-play model potentially generating more revenue than the traditional video game model, which generally charges an upfront cost (that is, when gamers buy the game).

With the free-to-play model, Activision will focus on charging fees for in-game costumes and content. This has been enormously successful when gamer engagement is high. Note that other free-to-play rivals like Fortnite reportedly generated $US1.8 billion in revenue in 2019.

We also believe Activision will make more headway in Asia, specifically in China. The company has been increasing its focus on that huge market opportunity, partly because of COVID-19.

App Annie data shows that game downloads surged 80 per cent year-on-year in the first three weeks of February. Activision has a larger exposure to Asia than its two big peers at 14 per cent of revenues and the surge in stay-at-home cases in Asia should lead to growth in this arena.

We see this growth continuing after the lockdowns and even as stay-at-home restrictions are eased. Gaming, like many others, is a "hard habit to break", as they say.

Disclosure: Interests associated with Fat Prophets hold shares in Activision Blizzard.

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Activision's growth is set to outlast the pandemic - The Australian Financial Review

There are numerous stories of human endurance in fight against unpleasant situations but the current circumstances caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic have come to test us all in new ways. The spirit of kindness and generosity during Ramadan helps some people in strengthening faith, and ward off negativity. Fasting itself can boost human endurance and inculcate patience. French expatriate Pierre Daniel is a strong athlete and sportsman who has gained fame in Qatar by making a world record for the fastest crossing of the country from north to south on foot. He recently shared his views on the current health crisis and experience of Ramadan in Qatar with Community. Talking about how as an active outgoing person he has been dealing with the new situation, Pierre said: I work for the marketing department of the Aspire Zone Foundation. I have been living in Doha with my family for more than 11 years. We have been coping with the current situation with patience. I am a great outdoor sports aficionado. Reducing the amount of time I spend outside practising sports and training with friends or travelling to some adventure is what probably I miss the most. But we all have to face this situation with philosophy of positive thinking. Beating ourselves up with negative thoughts is pointless and makes it only harder. So, why not focus on the positive and make the most of the situation. For the past weeks, we have all been staying indoor, juggling between home schooling for our three kids and working from home. Fortunately, Aspire has immediately set up many digitals tools to enable us to carry on working and we are all trying to conduct business as usual. The athlete sees social distancing norm as an opportunity to realise the value of social interactions. I believe social distancing and this unfortunate global situation are factors that may help us realise the value of social interactions and how much we need the others for our personal development. It brings us back to the universality of humanity. All of us are affected by a disease that can infect any one of us. It has managed to destabilise our global economy, and so we all equally need social interactions. As for Ramadan, Pierre has consistently been fasting in solidarity with his Muslim friends in Qatar. For the past decade, I have been sharing the spirit of Ramadan with the Muslim community here in Qatar. I have been consistently fasting in solidarity with my Muslim friends. It first started when we just moved to Qatar. I very quickly had a lot of Muslim friends and when Ramadan came I was very eager to experience it fully with them as part of my thirst of discovering in depth the local culture and also for the reason that it gathers many values I respect, such as the spirit of communion and charity as well as self-discipline, self-control and endurance in scarcity. Not to mention the physical and spiritual benefits of fasting which I recently applied to my lifestyle when I started to fast for a full day twice a week every Monday and Thursday. The French athlete sees the spirit of self-love and love for humanity in Ramadan. I believe that regardless of our application of a dogma or pursuit of spirituality in the form of our interaction with our self and with others, the way we appreciate and experience everything during the holy month is a demonstration of the universality of love. It includes self-love, love to others, love of life, love of working, creating and caring. It is a mindset that can be reached by all and that is very much present in the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadan. Pierre added: This Ramadan is a bit special because people cannot meet and share this moment of communion. However, the mindset is still present, and friends and families try to stay close nonetheless using all the tools available. I have many digital meetings with my friends where we break the fast together and some of them even sent food to my home as a nice gift. I believe that with positivity and discipline we will prevail and adapt to and hopefully get back to a more normal life soon.

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French athlete sees the spirit of love for humanity in Ramadan - Gulf Times

Farmer Jane Smith was blown away by the group dynamic and drive when she and husband Blair hosted the North Otago-based Growth and Development in Farming Action Group at Newhaven Farms in Oamaru.

While the group members are all working in diverse farming operations, they all have a common purpose aspiring to farm business ownership.

It was inspiring to host a group of young people that are passionate about the industry and looking at ways, outside of the box, to get a step up into their own farming businesses, Smith says. They are very focused on what they are doing now and what it will take for them to get where they want to be.

The Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) Action Network model supports small groups of seven to nine farm businesses to work together to explore ideas and share expert resources to help them to make positive changes on-farm. As a rule, kick-start funding of $4,000 per farm business is pooled to fund facilitation and expertise.

This group is structured a little differently, with a different funding model, to meet its particular needs which really demonstrates the flexibility of the Action Group programme, says the groups facilitator Hamish Campbell a senior agri manager for Ravensdown in North Otago, who spends a lot of time on the road working with farmers.

While its still fairly early days we launched in June 2019 and have had three meetings to date its clear members are getting value out of it, he says. One of the things we are now looking at is having mentors within the industry. Many people who have done well are only too happy to share support and advice. We are looking at doing an exercise to get them to identify and approach a potential mentor.

Campbell says the idea of the group originated with some of his clients, who saw the value it could offer to young people they either employ or know in the sector.

One of my farmer clients is in an RMPP pilot group and floated the idea and asked if I would like to facilitate it, he says.

I was keen and Ravensdown encourages us to be involved with industry meetings and discussion groups, so it worked well. The RMPP facilitator training I did was great for learning effective facilitation and in terms of personal development.

Campbell says membership of the group comprises eight farming couples and it is a diverse group.

Some people are in sheep and beef and some in dairy. We have farm managers, sharemilkers, people who are going through succession and one couple have bought a dairy farm since the group started.

Members of the Action Group learn about Jane and Blair Smiths farming journey.

The group decided to start off with the two compulsory workshops for their first two meetings. Campbell says the group got a lot out of those and the focus is now very much on members driving the direction of learning and making decisions on content.

Specialist rural accountant and advisor Fraser McKenzie led the financials workshop.

A lot came out of that around how to financially structure your business and different avenues to farm ownership, Campbell explains. There was a conversation about asset purchases and how to structure loans. Members were keen to take that further, so our next meeting is going to be with a financial advisor to look in more depth at structuring loans.

He says the group also wants to look more closely at governance and who they surround themselves with and how to get the best advice.

It got them thinking differently about how they can use an accountant for advice and benchmarking and analysis of how the business is doing.

Confidence growing

Group members Grant and Lucy Tremewan bought their 150 Ha dairy farm in Duntroon in December, having previously been sharemilking.

I think being part of the group gave us more confidence to buy the business, says Grant.

Things we took out of the financial workshop included how you need to shop around different banks. We ended up going with our existing bank, but we looked at others.

He says one thing they have taken from the group is to use expertise.

We paid KPMG to do our proposal for buying the property, rather than doing it ourselves. Having a bound professional report to show to banks, with all the analysis, was definitely an advantage.

Grant Tremewan says members also appreciate the structure of the group.

The networking and communication are valuable too. We had moved into the area, so its been good to get to know other young farmers, he adds.

I have 160 of my heifers on one of the other group members places at the moment. We share ideas and ask each other for advice. With such a mix of disciplines and roles, from sheep and beef managers to drystock or dairy farmers, there is always someone in the group who can help or provide ideas.

Excerpt from:
Eyes open to different ways of farm ownership - Rural News Group

Shanghai Jawha

All of the product type and application segments of the Natural and Organic Personal Care Products market included in the report are deeply analyzed based on CAGR, market size, and other crucial factors. The segmentation study provided by the report authors could help players and investors to make the right decisions when looking to invest in certain market segments.

The Essential Content Covered in the Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Report :

* Top Key Company Profiles. * Main Business and Rival Information * SWOT Analysis and PESTEL Analysis * Production, Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin * Market Share and Size

By Product:

The report is a compilation of different studies, including regional analysis where leading regional Natural and Organic Personal Care Products markets are comprehensive studied by market experts. Both developed and developing regions and countries are covered in the report for a 360-degree geographic analysis of the Natural and Organic Personal Care Products market. The regional analysis section helps readers to become familiar with the growth patterns of important regional Natural and Organic Personal Care Products markets. It also provides information on lucrative opportunities available in key regional Natural and Organic Personal Care Products markets.

Ask For Discounts, Click Here @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=280206&utm_source=COD&utm_medium=888

Table of Content

1 Introduction of Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market

1.1 Overview of the Market 1.2 Scope of Report 1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology

3.1 Data Mining 3.2 Validation 3.3 Primary Interviews 3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Outlook

4.1 Overview 4.2 Market Dynamics 4.2.1 Drivers 4.2.2 Restraints 4.2.3 Opportunities 4.3 Porters Five Force Model 4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market, By Deployment Model

5.1 Overview

6 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market, By Solution

6.1 Overview

7 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market, By Vertical

7.1 Overview

8 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market, By Geography

8.1 Overview 8.2 North America 8.2.1 U.S. 8.2.2 Canada 8.2.3 Mexico 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 Germany 8.3.2 U.K. 8.3.3 France 8.3.4 Rest of Europe 8.4 Asia Pacific 8.4.1 China 8.4.2 Japan 8.4.3 India 8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific 8.5 Rest of the World 8.5.1 Latin America 8.5.2 Middle East

9 Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Competitive Landscape

9.1 Overview 9.2 Company Market Ranking 9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles

10.1.1 Overview 10.1.2 Financial Performance 10.1.3 Product Outlook 10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix

11.1 Related Research

Get Complete Report

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Market Research Intellect provides syndicated and customized research reports to clients from various industries and organizations with the aim of delivering functional expertise. We provide reports for all industries including Energy, Technology, Manufacturing and Construction, Chemicals and Materials, Food and Beverage and more. These reports deliver an in-depth study of the market with industry analysis, market value for regions and countries and trends that are pertinent to the industry.

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Tags: Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Size, Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Trends, Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Growth, Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Forecast, Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Analysis Sarkari result, Government Jobs, Sarkari naukri, NMK, Majhi Naukri,

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Natural and Organic Personal Care Products Market Development, Trends, Key Driven Factors, Segmentation And Forecast to 2020-2026 - Cole of Duty

Casella

All of the product type and application segments of the Personal Dosimeter market included in the report are deeply analyzed based on CAGR, market size, and other crucial factors. The segmentation study provided by the report authors could help players and investors to make the right decisions when looking to invest in certain market segments.

The Essential Content Covered in the Personal Dosimeter Market Report :

* Top Key Company Profiles. * Main Business and Rival Information * SWOT Analysis and PESTEL Analysis * Production, Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin * Market Share and Size

By Product:

The report is a compilation of different studies, including regional analysis where leading regional Personal Dosimeter markets are comprehensive studied by market experts. Both developed and developing regions and countries are covered in the report for a 360-degree geographic analysis of the Personal Dosimeter market. The regional analysis section helps readers to become familiar with the growth patterns of important regional Personal Dosimeter markets. It also provides information on lucrative opportunities available in key regional Personal Dosimeter markets.

Ask For Discounts, Click Here @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=282514&utm_source=COD&utm_medium=888

Table of Content

1 Introduction of Personal Dosimeter Market

1.1 Overview of the Market 1.2 Scope of Report 1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology

3.1 Data Mining 3.2 Validation 3.3 Primary Interviews 3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Personal Dosimeter Market Outlook

4.1 Overview 4.2 Market Dynamics 4.2.1 Drivers 4.2.2 Restraints 4.2.3 Opportunities 4.3 Porters Five Force Model 4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Personal Dosimeter Market, By Deployment Model

5.1 Overview

6 Personal Dosimeter Market, By Solution

6.1 Overview

7 Personal Dosimeter Market, By Vertical

7.1 Overview

8 Personal Dosimeter Market, By Geography

8.1 Overview 8.2 North America 8.2.1 U.S. 8.2.2 Canada 8.2.3 Mexico 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 Germany 8.3.2 U.K. 8.3.3 France 8.3.4 Rest of Europe 8.4 Asia Pacific 8.4.1 China 8.4.2 Japan 8.4.3 India 8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific 8.5 Rest of the World 8.5.1 Latin America 8.5.2 Middle East

9 Personal Dosimeter Market Competitive Landscape

9.1 Overview 9.2 Company Market Ranking 9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles

10.1.1 Overview 10.1.2 Financial Performance 10.1.3 Product Outlook 10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix

11.1 Related Research

Get Complete Report

@ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/need-customization/?rid=282514&utm_source=COD&utm_medium=888

About Us:

Market Research Intellect provides syndicated and customized research reports to clients from various industries and organizations with the aim of delivering functional expertise. We provide reports for all industries including Energy, Technology, Manufacturing and Construction, Chemicals and Materials, Food and Beverage and more. These reports deliver an in-depth study of the market with industry analysis, market value for regions and countries and trends that are pertinent to the industry.

Contact Us:

Mr. Steven Fernandes

Market Research Intellect

New Jersey ( USA )

Tel: +1-650-781-4080

Tags: Personal Dosimeter Market Size, Personal Dosimeter Market Trends, Personal Dosimeter Market Growth, Personal Dosimeter Market Forecast, Personal Dosimeter Market Analysis Sarkari result, Government Jobs, Sarkari naukri, NMK, Majhi Naukri,

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Personal Dosimeter Market Development, Trends, Key Driven Factors, Segmentation And Forecast to 2020-2026 Cole Reports - Cole of Duty

The present time is always the best time for reflection and attempts at self improvement and personal development.

Below, is a list of great ways to improve self Development and Self Development Skills.

Lets look at when we try personal Development and Self Development Skills!

At new years, we make make promises and resolutions aimed at out personal development.

We often try to quit cigarettes, alcohol and be a better friend.

This is a matter of tradition to try to improve ones self.

If youve already broken all your resolutions for the New Year then now is the perfect time to set yourself some more achievable goals to improve your professional and personal life.

A good CV can make all the difference between landing an interview for that dream job, and being passed over.

Therefore, it can pay to sharpen up your CV writing development skills.

This gives you a better chance to make a good first impression.

In todays globalised business environment, being multi-lingual can be an invaluable personal asset and help with your self development.

While you cant expect to become fluent in another language within a matter of months, even knowing a little bit of another language can be useful in certain situations.

This list of 20 websites can be useful if you want to learn a language for free

Change is constant, and often attempts to resist change can be futile.

Its better to embrace it when it comes along in the interests of personal development, so that you are better positioned to adapt to the new environment and seize the opportunities it presents.

Social media influence is all-important these days, and one of the most reliable measures of this is your Klout score.

To see yours, simply sign up to Klout and connect your social media accounts and then investigate what you can do to improve it.

Presentations are a fact of life in many jobs, and by working on your presentation skills, you can transform this into a valuable professional asset to increase your self development.

This might entail working on your diction (see Clear Speech), your body language, and your public speaking skills.

If you would like to improve your presentation skills you can take a online course such as a MOOCs. Future learn, for example, providers users with fantastic courses.

If you cant sell yourself, how can you expect anyone to believe in you?

While those inclined to modesty might balk at the prospect of bigging themselves up, its a vital skill in a number of scenarios such as job interviews, sales presentations, and pitches.

So its worth getting better at highlighting your strengths without coming across as big headed. Will not making a personal website where you can blog about your expertise ?

Arguments can be terribly destructive and detrimental to your personal development, but if you approach them in the right way, they can be a force for good.

The key is to learn how to argue constructively, which often means keeping emotions in check and showing greater consideration for the views of others.

Job interviews can be harrowing experiences, but you can take great strides towards performing well in them just by brushing up on your interview technique.

The internet is full of tips on how to do this.

Its easy to waste time if you havent got a clear plan of how you are going to assign it to various tasks.

By employing time-management techniques, you can improve your punctuality and professionalism, while making more time for the things that are really important to you.

There are fantastic apps to help you with this, such as this time clock app.

Some believe creativity cant be learned, but everyone has some capacity for it it just might be well hidden.

There are plenty of exercises and activities that can be employed to foster a more creative mindset, which can be valuable in a number of professional and personal situations.

Never forget how business is linked with creativity.

What can you do to foster it and bring it to your work environment?

Being able to speak clearly, making sure that words are properly enunciated and given the right energy, is an underrated talent, and one that can be especially useful when giving presentations or attending interviews.

By learning a few tricks, and doing a bit of practice on your own time, you can improve on this vital aspect of your communication skills.

There is a definite art to dressing well, and if you can master it, it will help to create a much more positive first impression when you meet influential people, such as potential employers or clients.

You dont need to splash out on expensive suits its often simply a case of finding clothes that fit you well, and have a degree of colour co-ordination.

As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and if you dont give yourself the right fuel, you wont be in the right shape to achieve your personal and professional goals.

You dont need to go on a crazy diet just take a few steps to improve the nutritional quality of the food you do eat, and cut down on unhealthy snacks.

Energy is the key to productivity, and by exercising regularly, you can boost your energy levels significantly.

Start by setting achievable goals, such as walking 10,000 steps per day or getting out of breath at least twice a week.

Playing an instrument can be a lot of fun, and can certainly help you to unwind and focus after a long day at the coalface.

Also, it can improve your brain function, especially spatial awareness and co-ordination, so you may find it has a beneficial knock-on effect on your professional performance.

If your job involves sitting in a chair all day, you need to do something to get those joints flexing and the blood pumping.

Yoga is one of the most effective, and beneficial forms of exercise, and it can be done easily at home using free instructional videos.

No matter what your skill level as a writer, everyone has room to improve their written communication skills.

This is especially important in an age where text-based communication via email.

Social media, and SMS has become a lot more important in many cases than verbal communication.

Being stuck in a rut can be bad news for your motivation levels.

The key to self-motivation is to find things that genuinely excite you, and pursue them.

This involves being honest with yourself about the things that you really find stimulating, and trying to gear your professional life towards including more of these aspects.

Everyone makes mistakes, and at the very least you can always learn from them.

Also, in many lines of work, its more important to have the freedom to make mistake.

This is rather than erring on the side of caution all the time .

Although this advice obviously doesnt apply if you drive or operate heavy machinery for a living!

Optimism can be a huge energising force, both for yourself and the people around you.

By cultivating a relentlessly positive attitude, you can make yourself more productive, more approachable, and more productive.

After all, positive things happen to positive people.

The New Year is often a time when people attempt to give up bad habits via New Years Resolutions .

But, only to break them shortly after which inhibits your personal development and lowers your confidence.

In general, its better to make small improvements to your lifestyle one at a time, rather than trying to cut out several bad habits at once.

Becoming self-aware is a long process, but by knowing yourself.

You will be much better placed to make the right decisions about your professional and personal life.

This enables personal development on the highest levels.

There are lots of things you can do to promote self-awareness in yourself.

For example, by filling out personality tests or brainstorming.

Being a good listener is the key to successful verbal communication.

Yet, many of us drift off when others are talking, fail to give our full attention, and even talk over people when one of our own thoughts bubbles to the surface.

By getting good at listening, you can markedly improve the quality of your communications with others, and be better positioned to respond when it is your turn to speak.

I am a writer based in London, specialising in finance, trading, investment, and forex. Aside from the articles and content I write for IntelligentHQ, I also write for euroinvestor.com, and I have also written educational trading and investment guides for various websites including tradingquarter.com. Before specialising in finance, I worked as a writer for various digital marketing firms, specialising in online SEO-friendly content. I grew up in Aberdeen, Scotland, and I have an MA in English Literature from the University of Glasgow and I am a lead musician in a band. You can find me on twitter @pmilne100.

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25 Personal Development / Self Development Skills To Learn ...

Back in 1997 I had just completed an MSc in Finance in the UK and was in London looking for a banking job. I couldnt find any work for six months, despite applying for more than 30 positions. A few banks granted me interviews but they all rejected me.

Then I ran out of money, having burned through all I had saved up before my Masters. With no chance of getting a job in London, I returned to Singapore. Soon after I got back, however, the Asian financial crisis hit! The job market suddenly changed for the worse, and my hopes of landing a role as a derivatives structurer disappeared.

So I changed tack and decided to apply for risk management vacancies instead. Before too long Standard Chartered offered me a risk control position, which wasnt my ideal job but came as a great relief after several months of searching. My boss then, Prasanna Thombre, always believed in me. He even seconded me to London and Hong Kong so that I could develop myself further. He was the reason I went on to build a successful front-office banking career and eventually became an MD.

The point of this story is that its possible, with the right approach, for junior banking professionals to adjust their career strategies and successfully navigate the tough times. Here are some lessons I learned during the Asian crisis (and throughout the ups and downs of my career) that are just as relevant to young people today during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Work for bosses who believe in you

When I got the job offer from Stan Chart back in 1997, I also received a similar offer from a much bigger European bank. I chose SCB because I believed my manager there would be great for my personal development. If you cannot get your ideal job in your desired bank, try to work for a boss who believes in you. During this current period of uncertainty, the last thing you need is a boss micromanaging you and asking you to submit your activities report on a daily basis.

Be adaptable in your choice of job

There are many loan and bond defaults in the current market, so credit structuring and credit risk management roles at banks will be in demand during the Covid-19 outbreak. But hiring in some parts of front-office investment banking has slowed down because capital market investors are now more selective when it comes to investing in IPOs and new bond issuance. If you cannot join an investment bank as a junior, perhaps consider joining a corporate in the TMT or real estate space to build up your knowledge in order to become an investment banker specialising in that sector later on.

Build your personal brand

With a personal brand, you can win trust, attract opportunities and charge a premium. When you go to the supermarket to buy a carton of milk, it is very unlikely that you will choose one that has no brand. When there is no brand, there is no trust. And trust is most important for our careers because nobody is going to hire us until they can trust us.

In psychology, there is a well-known cognitive bias called availability heuristic, a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a persons mind when making a decision. If a fellow MD asks me to recommend a junior banker, for example, I will most likely recommend someone I know and have seen on LinkedIn recently. A strong personal brand attracts opportunities.

If you look at the big brands around us say, Apple, Audi, or Grand Hyatt they all have one thing in common: they charge a premium and yet customers still willingly pay for their products and services. When you have a personal brand, you can also command a premium. Build your brand on social media, especially on LinkedIn.

Make high quality connections

During this time when hiring is slow, banks may not advertise as much to get the candidates they want. So it is crucial to build relationships with people who can refer jobs to you. There are three types of relationships: friends, acquaintances and high-quality connections (HQC).

Friends can be high maintenance if you dont invite them to your parties, they get upset. Although acquaintances are low maintenance, they dont add much value to your career. But HQC are like-minded people who shared common values, so they are low maintenance and add a lot of value. They can initially be found on LinkedIn, but you then need to offer them something in return, so spend time engaging with them before you actually need a job.

Be ready for the most frequently asked question

Tell me about yourself will soon be taken over by What did you do during the lockdown/circuit breaker? as the most frequently asked interview question in banking. Interviewers want to see how you dealt with uncertainty and made use of the downtime. Spending time with family and taking the opportunity to slow down to reflect about life are good answers, but are unlikely to get you the job. You have a higher chance to ace the interview if you say you picked up a new skill for example, you did a video editing course or became a Zoom master.

With 2 million followers on Linkedin, Eric Sim, CFA, PRM, is one of the most followed finance professionals globally. A successful career coach, Eric is the founder of Institute of Life (IOL), whose mission is to help young professionals be more successful at work and in life. He currently guest lectures at the National University of Singapore and Queens University (Canada). Previously Eric was a managing director at UBS Investment Bank based out of Hong Kong.

Photo by Drew Graham on Unsplash

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How I got a job in the Asian Financial Crisis. And how you can get one during Covid-19 - eFinancialCareers

Director of Contracts and Procurement Annual salary range: $149,062 to $223,592 Application deadline: Open until filled. First review of resumes: Monday, June 8, 2020.

The San Mateo County Transit District (District) is the administrative body for the principal public transit and transportation programs in San Mateo County and serves nearly 100,000 customers each weekday on its SamTrans buses, Redi-Wheel paratransit vehicles, Caltrain commuter rail cars and shuttles, as well as a robust capital program. The District, which is in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, is also the managing agency for the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA). Caltrain and the TA have contracted with the District to serve as their managing agency, under the direction of their appointed boards.

The Director, Contracts and Procurement reports to the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for direction of the contracts and procurement department for the District (SamTrans), the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA). This position will oversee all phases of procurement of supplies, equipment, rolling stock, materials, services, professional services, construction, other public works projects, and asset disposition.

Candidates should enjoy a fast-paced environment that is rarely boring with a diverse portfolio of projects and services. Organizational investment in transportation infrastructure will be in the billions of dollars and the professional staff is eager and ready to support the new Director in managing critical procurements. Staff members enjoy a dynamic organization that fosters personal development and professional advancement. The Districts core values include integrity, customer focus, respect, quality, teamwork, leadership, and accountability the successful candidate will champion these values and foster a culture of customer service, both inside and outside of the organization.

To be considered, please submit a cover letter, list of six work-related references, and resume to: https://executivesearch.cpshr.us/JobDetail?ID=651

For additional information, contact:

Josh Jones CPS HR Consulting 916-471-3301

To view an online brochure for this position visit: executivesearch.cpshr.us San Mateo County Transit District website: http://www.smctd.com

The San Mateo County Transit District is an equal opportunity employer.

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Director of Contracts and Procurement - MassTransitMag.com

I see them before me, as they were. I remember their seating arrangement, adopted as routine. In the back row, Simranjeet Kaur sat next to Cathy Ho sat next to Marchella Prado. In the front, Tiana Frederick sat next to Ayshe Kerim sat next to Emilio Lopez sat next to Edwin Almanzar. To my right, Nora Osman is raising her hand to share a textual interpretation and Oscar Aguirre is nodding in affirmation. In the center of the room, Abigail Thomas, an LGBTQIA+ activist with venerable expertise, is only jumping in with exposition when needed. In the rear corner, Kaylah Mack and Ana Gil are respectfully building on peer contributions; in the middle, Jennifer Deane is conferring with Mehrangiz Abduhabibova, Arafat Miah, and Andy Chantes; Lesley Trujillo is inadvertently spilling a huge quantity of pretzels, and Jacqueline Meza is laughing.

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In defense of the classroom: Understanding the kind of learning that only takes place in person - New York Daily News

By Jessica Thiefels3 minute Read

Out of sight, out of mind. As you settle into working from home, even if temporarily, it can be scary to think that if youre not in front of your boss each day it will be harder to grow in your position and career. The good news is if youre still dedicated to developing your career, and you openly communicate about the work youre putting in when chatting on virtual communication channels or during reviews and meetings, you can still grow in your position.

Here are a few simple ways to make the most of your opportunities, regardless of location.

If you agree with the 62% of employees who feel their companys performance review is often incomplete, dont wait for another boring and structured review session. Instead, ask for feedback. Not only does asking for feedback innately help you grow in your position because youre learning whats working and whats not; its also an opportunity to show your manager that youre being proactive about growing and learning.

When asking for feedback, be clear about what you want to know and what time you have available to speak about it. This avoids back-and-forth emails about timing and allows your boss to prepare for the conversation.

Dont get complacent with personal development now that your couch and Netflix are a few steps away from your office. If you want to grow in your position, continual personal learning is critical. With more time than ever to go through some professional development books thanks to quarantine, you can build your skill set on a budget and grow in your position as a result. Here are a few good book lists to help you find your next read:

Once youve read the book, dont forget to share what youve learned with your boss and coworkers. You can mention the book in a meeting, refer to something you learned when working on a project, or even post a short review in a group chat.

When working virtually, your digital communication becomes a focal point because its one of the only formats for connecting with managers and colleagues. During a stressful time when work is uncertain and youre adjusting to a new working situation, its easy to overlook mistakes. But getting into a habit of consistently sending poorly written messages and emails reflects poorly on you and is harder to overlook when its the only way youre communicating.

In my recent article about improving your writing skills, I shared a few key tips Ive learned as a longtime writer that can be applied to your chat and email efforts:

Show your boss and coworkers that you take your work seriously by adding value when you werent asked or expected to do so. For example, when working on a team project, you can take your part of the work one step further by collecting extra data or research or sending your talking points for a brainstorm meeting ahead of time.

Take proactive steps to show that youre willing to give more to the team at the expense of your own time. This is a key trait of great leaders, so if you want to move into a management position, the little extra work will go a long way toward securing that promotion youve been hoping for.

You can show your boss and the people you work with that youre learning and willing to go the extra mile, even when working from home. Use these simple tips to keep growing your position and career, no matter where youre located.

Jessica Thiefels is the founder and CEO of Jessica Thiefels Consulting, an organic content marketing agency for midsized B2B businessesoutsourcing content marketing. Shes been writing for more than 10 years and has been featured in top publications includingForbes, Entrepreneur,andFast Company.She also regularly contributes to Glassdoor, Score.org, and more. Follow her onTwitterand connect onLinkedIn.

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4 easy ways to grow in your current job while working from home - Fast Company