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Consider how foreign language skills can help your career..

14/1/2020

1 Comment

 
I have been working with Vocational Language Learning Centre (VLLC) for 28 years and have been CEO since 2013. VLLC  was created because there was a need within Australia for a language learning program that, was not only fast and effective, but also directly related to the vocational needs of the individual and specific organisations. We believe that there is no point learning a language, if that language is not a usable skill.

We have been delivering tailored language courses to enterprises and individuals for many reasons over the years. We have assisted clients in securing new markets within their businesses, developing existing ones, and allowing other professional individuals to communicate throughout the world. 
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Since its inception, VLLC has successfully taught languages to a range of students from many walks of life and for many reasons and to be able to communicate in their chosen fields.  Amongst these clientele are some of the larger Australian and overseas companies such as Mitsubishi, International College of Hotel Management, CSIRO and BHP, some government organisations such as Austrade, Australian Defence Force and the Australian Federal Police and some Volunteering organisations such as Red Cross and World Vision.  Students from these companies have been able to enrich their careers by being able to communicate with various cultures and communities.
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We have really enjoyed some very interesting motivations for students wishing to learn a language. We have had one gentleman who was a vet, who needed to learn Japanese as he was going to Japan to work in the horse racing industry. We have had students who are in the car racing industry, are missionaries, work in foreign aid, won contracts with Indonesia, manufacturing and import export with China, diplomats, wanting to marry a spouse from another cultural background and being able to understand their mother in law and many other reasons and career opportunities.
If you are interested in ensuring that your career can be spectacular then contact VLLC and start your own language adventure.

Michele Colledge
CEO VLLC Aust
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New Years Resolutions for Business owners

8/1/2020

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Work Balance Life

I was looking on the about money website and it had a great article about how to reflect on the end of a year and plan for the following year and decide how you want your business to develop.
Do you want increased success in the coming year or the chance to enjoy the success you have already achieved?

​The top 10 resolutions are designed to help you strike a better work life balance, so that you can fully enjoy the New Year.

1) Learn how to delegate and do more of it. There are so many things to do when you're running a small business, it's easy to delude ourselves that we need to do all of them. Then we wonder why we're so tired and frazzled and have no time to do anything else!
2) Promote your business regularly and consistently. Too often the task of promoting a small business slips to the bottom of the to-do list in the press of urgent tasks. If you want to attract new customers, you have to make promotion a priority. Make a New Year's resolution to hire a marketing expert, or take the time to create a marketing plan on your own and follow through. 
3) Make business planning a weekly event. Planning is vital if you want a healthy, growing business. Business planning lets you take stock of what worked and what didn't work. It helps you to set new directions or adjust old goals. So why do it just once a year or once a quarter? Set aside time each week to review, adjust, and look forward. Not only will this help you avoid costly mistakes and stay on track, but you'll feel more focused and relaxed.
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4) Learn something new. What you choose to learn may be directly related to your business or completely unrelated. Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues, or friends. How will you find the time to learn something new? By delegating, remember? Considering learning a language so that you can expand your business into new horizons?
Networking group

5) Join a new business organisation or networking group. There's nothing like talking to other business people for sparking new ideas, refining old ones, and making contacts. Whether it's a group specifically designed for networking or an organization dedicated to a particular type of business, in person or over the 'Net, making the effort to be a part of a group will revitalize you and your business. 

6) Give something back to your community. There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community. Make a New Year's resolution to find a cause that matters to you, and give what you can. Make this the year that you serve on a committee, be a mentor, volunteer, or make regular donations to the groups in your community that try to make the place you live a better place. And those that give get.
7) Put time for you on your calendar. Schedule time for you. Remember how important it is to take the time to recharge and refresh yourself; a healthy work-life balance demands time out. All work and no play is a recipe for mental and physical disaster. So if you have trouble freeing up time to do the things you enjoy, write time regularly into your schedule to "meet with yourself" and stick to that commitment. If you won't invest in yourself, who will?
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8) Set realistic goals. Goal setting is a valuable habit - if the goals lead to success rather than distress. Make a New Year's resolution that the goals you set will be goals that are achievable, rather than unrealistic pipe dreams that are so far out of reach they only lead to frustration.
9) Don't make do; get a new one. Is there a piece of equipment in your office that's interfering with your success or something that you lack that's making your working life harder? Whether it's an old fax machine that's a pain to use, or the need for a new employee to lighten your work load, make a New Year's resolution to stop putting off getting what you need. The irritation of making do just isn't worth it.
10) Drop what's not working for you and move on. All products aren't going to be super sellers, all sales methods aren't going to work for everyone, and all suppliers or contractors aren't going to be ideally suited to your business. If a technique or a product or a business relationship isn't working for you, stop using it. Don't invest a lot of energy into trying to make the unworkable workable. Move on. Something better will turn up.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is like maintaining a good relationship; you have to keep working on it. But if you apply these New Year's resolutions throughout the year, your success is guaranteed!
http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/management/a/bizresolutions.htm
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Greece: Not only in the business of breaking plates

8/1/2020

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Tucked away in Southern Europe, bordering Bulgaria, sits one of the most ancient countries in the world, renowned for its mythology and as one of the modern founders of philosophy and what we today would call “Western Civilisation”.  Greece is one of the oldest countries with an observed and documented civilisation on Earth, and in recent years has seen some considerable turmoil in terms of its government and the economy.

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Despite the recent challenges, and even the economic fear that once loomed over Greece like an executioners axe, the country is very much open for business.  Business in Greece is not about ancient Gods and mythical creatures, nor is it about breaking plates, however, one does need to be aware that Greeks are tremendously proud of their history, heritage and mythology.  Greece is, and always has been, a partner with whom trade has been important and that trade is improved by speaking the Greek language.


Having been in recession since 2008, Greece is fighting hard to get back to a point where it is considered a strong trading partner. Heavily dependent on the service industry that accounts for over 80% of the economy, one could easily be forgiven by assuming that olives and fish would be  the larger part of what makes the country work, as olives and fish are perhaps what many think Greece produces. 
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The Greek language is something Grecians are proud of, it is a remarkable language with its own alphabet and if it were not for the winds of change, it could well have been the language most commonly spoken today.  Having an understanding of the language allows a person to converse and understand the little things that matter about doing business in Greece. Greeks are very passionate about history and the very well-known mythology and through having a grasp of the language the ancient stories of heroes, heroines and monsters can take on a whole new life breaking the ice to get a deal done.
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There are some taboos, and among them is Turkey or Cyprus, speaking the language will not only allow this subject  to be carefully avoided but will enable you to ask questions if you so wish in a calm and intellectual manner on this touchy subject. Greeks don’t appreciate criticism and sarcasm should be avoided, broken plates are part of Greek culture and not meant to be used to mock. Greeks take themselves seriously but with control of the language, humour soon becomes easy to share.

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But, it not just the spoken language that one needs to have a grasp of in Greece, there are a handful of hand gestures that are quite offensive in Greek too. The OK sign used is an obscene gesture between Greeks and the hand up in the “stop”  position is seen as an insult.  So be careful with your hands and your mouth when doing business in Greece.

Simple things matter when doing business in Greece. Greeks like to be informed and thus an agenda for a meeting should be sent before a meeting. Punctuality is advisable, as much as Greece may seem laid back, Greeks like to be on time and lateness does not look good. First meetings are often formal, and introductions likewise, with control of the language you will have immediate respect and first names soon become almost natural.
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The one thing to be aware of, and something that through speaking Greek will make easier, is the fact that Greeks want to get to know who they are dealing with and will ask a lot of questions. Trust and respect is easily created by simply having a conversation and this can be more easily achieved through conversing in Greek.

Don’t let doing business in Greece be all about Hercules and breaking plates, take some time to learn the language and you will soon be doing great business in one of the oldest civilisations on earth. Learn Greek at VLLC to help you success in business with Greece.

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