Why digital marketing should be in every business’ bucket list

In a digital era, where almost everyone is digitally enabled, you want to ride with the wave and not against it. Most businesses have come to realize the power that digital marketing holds and they have jumped ship. It is all about getting hold of your market share and maintaining that position while you grow your brand. With a digital marketing agency, different marketing strategies are employed to attain a specific objective.

It allows businesses to have a sense of direction, know their market share, and gain a competitive edge. Getting it right at first is important and that why you should work with an expert who has proven experience in the field. Other reasons to embrace digital marketing include:

To grow your tribe

Imagine going door to door to ask for people to buy your product or subscribe to your business for services. It may take a lot of time to grow your customer base. With digital marketing, it is all about growing your tribe online. It is the perfect way to see your brand flourish within a short period of time.

With a good digital marketing agency working by your side, you will be able to hack some of the most complex puzzles in online marketing. It places you at a better position of succeeding when it comes to gaining a strong online presence for your small business.

Cost friendly marketing strategies

Any reliable digital marketing company will have multiple marketing plans based on the budget and the objectives of its clients. It is for this that you have to sit down with your digital marketing expert before you can settle for any plan.

For a small business, it is only fair to start with that you can afford. If the cost outweighs the benefit, then there is no need of exploring that marketing path.

Digital marketing gives countless options based on the budget of the client, which makes the entire campaign cost friendly and result-oriented at the same time.

Reduces repetitions

There can be a lot of repetitions when you do not have a clear cut strategy. A reputed digital marketing company like Shout Agency  will use an integrated digital marketing plan to achieve the main objective. This narrows down the number of strategies you can employ in a single campaign to only one. As such, you avoid repetitions which can be resource and time consuming.

Small businesses cannot afford to play on the same playing field with large companies in an offline platform. It is too costly and offers limited options or small businesses. Digital marketing offers a better solution for both large and small businesses.

Saves time and resources

As a small business resources are scarce by a large margin. In that case, you cannot afford a marketing department since you are on a budget constraint. This is especially the case for a startup which limits you in terms of the marketing options to take.

However, by outsourcing all the marketing solutions to a digital marketing agency you save on the cost and also get a better chance to boost sales. It is all about saving on the cost and optimizing resource use for better results.

It eliminates trial and error

With offline marketing, it is either costly or not possible to run analytics. This includes what the views of your customers which will help you know the direction your business will take in terms of running campaigns.

However, with the digital aspect of marketing, you can easily analyze the raw data regardless of the bulk and make decisive conclusion on which direction to take. It gives you better insights and near accurate data when it comes to decision making.

You get to be creative with the dynamic field

When it comes to marketing, being creative is a must-have quality if you want to stay ahead. It involves researching on the behaviors of your customers or readers in terms of what they see interesting.

Differences tastes and preferences will change for your customers and you have to stay ahead of those changes in order to satisfy their wants. A good digital marketing agency will concentrate on your target audience behavior when coming up with a versatile digital marketing strategy. This allows you to get the results you need which makes sense business wise.

 

6 proven ways to speed up exercise recovery

Everybody wants to see progress from working out as quickly as possible. However, going hard and fast in the gym every single day will actually hinder your post-exercise recovery and can affect performance, as well as putting you at risk of serious injury.

During hard exercise, the muscles are actually damaged with micro-tears. This is what causes post-workout soreness and stiffness. To get the most out of your workout program, consider exercise recovery as part of your routine. This will help your muscles to heal faster so they can work at full power and allow you to achieve greater gains.

1. Stretching

Stretching helps to warm up the muscles and make them pliable so the risk of injury is reduced. Stretching can also help release tightness in your joints. This tightness may prevent you from getting the maximum benefits out of your workouts.

Allow 5-10 minutes before your workout to warm up your muscles before your stretching routine. After exercise, you should also include stretches as part of your cool-down routine to release muscle tightness and soreness and help your muscles return to their resting state.

2. Foam rolling

Using a foam roller is an effective way to give yourself a sports massage without the hefty price tag. Rolling your muscles will help to work out knots, which can relieve muscle soreness and speed up recovery time. You can see a selection of foam rollers for different exercises and pressure intensities here.

Foam rolling before a workout also helps to warm up the muscles and reduce the risk of injury. Concentrate on the muscles that will be working hardest during your exercise routine and continue the pressure for 10-20 seconds on each muscle group.

3. Pre and post workout nutrition

During a workout, your body needs carbohydrates for energy, and post-workout it needs protein to rebuild muscle fibres. For the best of both worlds, aim to eat a meal that contains high-quality lean protein and complex carbohydrates about two hours prior to exercise.

Foods rich in potassium can also help to reduce muscle soreness as potassium stores are sapped during intense exercise. Try adding a banana to your protein shake to consume post workout and aid in muscle recovery.

4. Rest and recovery days

If you work out hard every day, your body will have no time to rest and repair your muscles. This puts you at increased risk of injury and reduces your athletic performance.

You need at least 24-72 hours rest between workouts. Schedule in recovery days to give your body time to recover. If you don’t like taking days off from the gym, rotate through muscle groups so that your legs get a break while you’re working on your arms. If you’re following an intense exercise plan, include a recovery week every month or so with lower intensity workouts, lighter lifting, and fewer repetitions.

5. Stay hydrated

Water makes up the majority of the human body and the importance of drinking enough shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when you’re working out and losing fluids in the form of sweat.

Dehydration can hinder the body’s natural ability to repair itself, so it’s vital to stay hydrated both during and after a workout.

Aim to drink one litre of water 90 minutes before your workout and at least half a litre after your workout. Over the day you should aim for at least three litres, or more on hot days.

6. Get more sleep

If the only time you can find to workout is late at night, or you’re getting up very early in the morning to head to the gym, you may be compromising your sleep.

While it can be difficult fitting exercise into a busy lifestyle, you shouldn’t sacrifice your sleep in order to do so. Your body repairs itself while you’re asleep, so if you’re not getting enough it can result in reduced performance and an increased risk of injury.

Aim for at least seven hours of sleep a night, although some people may need closer to nine for peak performance.

Climb the ladder by sprucing up your Python skills!

Python is becoming a hot favourite of the tech world, and experts are getting immense opportunities in the field too. But, at the same time, the rising demand and popularity is giving rise to the competition as well. Therefore, every specialist has to keep up with the changing dynamics of the tech landscape. Also, they have to stay abreast with the latest happenings in the Python world so that they are able to perform their level best, and give a tough time to their opponents.

When it comes to stepping up the ladder of success, be it in the field of Python or anything else as well, a person has to keep practising. Python experts have to keep practising, have to keep trying newer and newer projects so that they are always on the top of their game. Also, learning new things on a regular basis is a great way to keep polishing their Python skills.

Let’s talk about a few techniques of becoming a better and better Python expert with each passing day!

Develop your own unique coding style

It is believed that most of the Python developers have their own, distinctive coding style. They are comfortable with a certain way of coding. So, if you want to be successful in the world of coding, then firstly, you will have to identify your coding style. The style should make it comfortable for you to accomplish your tasks without any hassle. Plus, it should also help you to save a lot of your time. Then, once you have figured out your own style, for the initial iteration, make the code work perfectly well for you, and make the submission. Ensure that your code passes each and every test case with ease. Once, you are sure that your code is passing the cases, and you are comfortable with your style, then you are pretty much ready to create brilliant Python software development based projects.

Give your best performance with efficient external packages for the significant codes
Python makes almost all the programming activities very smooth, however, it may not offer the best performance when it comes to time-critical activities, all the time. With the help of a machine language external package which is apt for a time-critical activity, you can easily amplify the performance of your application. Most of these packages are platform related. This means that you may require the suitable package for the particular platform that you are using.

Try creating new and interesting things using Python

One of the best ways of mastering any language is by trying to develop newer things using the language. Practising the language for even small projects can really help you to get hold of the programming language. Be it trying to create Twitter Bots or Music track data using the code, there are a lot of interesting ways to improve your Python skills on your own!

The community surely helps too!

One of the most fantastic ways of mastering any subject is by getting in touch with the experts of the field. It would be great if you join the Python communities and indulge in useful conversations to learn more about the language. Also, you can even try to accompany a friend in a new project just for practising.

Conclusion

Some people even compare the art of learning to program to learning the game of chess. As, both the activities require a good amount of concentration. Whenever we want to learn newer moves in chess, we only require a good amount of understanding. And, when it comes to learning or mastering a new language, just like Python, the person just has to understand the syntax which is involved with that particular programming language. It is all about translating an idea into a code, or a successful project at the end. It requires vision and planning. Therefore, if you want to be a topnotch expert than you have to practice a lot.

Benefits of trampolining for toning

Achieving that dream body doesn’t have to involve hours slogging away on the treadmill. Trampolining is an excellent way of toning the body and improving your overall fitness and strength. Trampolines provide a unique and fun workout that engages and tones the entire body.

What is toning?

Toning is a word people use to describe losing fat to achieve more muscle definition and a slender appearance. There is a misconception that toning can only be achieved through intense workouts and lifting weights.

In fact, cardiovascular activity achieved through a workout like trampolining is essential in getting rid of that ‘jiggly’ fat. If you are looking to get toned, then you are looking to get rid of excess fat and get a more supple or tighter body. When looking to tone up, people are generally aiming to lose excess fat around the stomach, thighs and arms.

3 Benefits of trampolining for toning

The benefits of trampolining go far beyond that childhood rush you get from bouncing high into the air! Trampolining burns fat, increases muscle tone, improves digestion and reduces stress. This low-impact, high-intensity cardiovascular workout burns calories, improves coordination and balance as well as helping to increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.

1. Trampolining for weight loss

To lose weight and tone the body, you need to be build muscle through resistance training and cardio. Trampolining combines the two, making it a great alternative to high-impact sports like running or skipping. Jumping on the trampoline raises the heart rate and works all muscle groups while being safe for joints.

2. Improve gut health

The up and down motion of jumping on a trampoline stimulates the stomach muscles and contracts and relaxes the digestive tract. Researchers also believe that bouncing helps to flush toxins out of the body and in turn, boosts immunity and improves digestion and circulation.  

3. Stress relief

Bouncing increases blood flow which helps the body to release those feel-good endorphins. Trampolining is a fun way to reduce stress, depression and anxiety. The greatest benefit of trampolining is that it’s for everyone regardless of age or fitness level!

Trampoline exercises for toning

Trampolining as a form of exercise has become legitimized by the rise of fitness centres incorporating trampolines as part of an ongoing workout routine. Establishments such as Bounce and FlipOut are making trampolining accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels. The great advantage of trampolining is that you can easily do your exercise routine at home with your own trampoline.

Cardio and strength workout on the trampoline

To reap the full benefits of the trampoline and to achieve a well-toned body, incorporate both cardio and resistance training in your exercise routine. To start, stand tall on your trampoline, shoulder-width apart and begin walking on the spot, slowly increasing the pace.

For a great high-intensity workout, march or bounce on the spot as fast as you can for 40 seconds then slow-walk or lightly bounce for 20 seconds. Rest and repeat for five minutes. After this quick yet effective cardio blast, you can then try some resistance exercises such as performing a 30-60 second plank (you will need an exercise trampoline or an in-ground trampoline for performing planks or push ups) and follow with 12-15 reps of squats on the mat.

By performing a squat on the trampoline mat your body will be working extra hard to maintain balance and as a result, will engage more muscles while keeping the core contracted leading to proper form and a stronger foundation. Follow this with 12-15 reps of oblique twists or crunches and 12-15 reps of bird-dog extensions to tone the entire body.

Bounce your way to your health goal

Trampolining is a fun and easy way to tone and shape the body. Jumping on a trampoline promotes an overall improvement of both body and mind by losing weight, building muscle and increasing happiness. It’s an exercise regimen you’re certain to stick to because of its built-in pleasure factor!

Best wearables for various workouts

In today’s world, staying fit is not just for the general state of health and well-being. Staying fit and healthy has become a lifestyle. You will find people all over the world grinding at the gym or sweating it out on long runs. Everyone wants to eat healthily and live a fit life. Maintaining that perfect figure is not easy, we all need some kind of motivation. So what gets better than fitness wearables to help us stay on track? However, not all of us follow the same fitness routine. Some like to swim, while some like to run and some enjoy peaceful meditation and yoga. Fitness bands have tonnes of benefits and advantages if you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Top wearable for cycling: Fitbit Surge

Most of us will agree to the fact that, there is just something totally refreshing about riding around on a bicycle watching the city around you come to life in the morning. If you are one of those fitness enthusiasts who enjoy cycling to maintain their fitness routine, then the ‘Fitbit Surge’ activity tracker is the perfect match for you. In fact, Fitbit Surge has become highly popular among cyclists. This fitness tracker sports a stylish design and looks and houses tons of features.

Fitbit Surge can keep a track on the distance travelled, average speed, and calories burned to help you view your workout summary. Additionally, it also monitors and provides the wearer with accurate heart rate data. And are you wondering what more? The tracker comes with built-in GPS to help you enjoy your ride in newer locations. Moreover, the tracker is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, so you don’t have to think twice before getting this tracker for your workout.

Top wearable for swimming: Moov Now

If you want a wearable that will track your performance in the pool, then ‘Moov Now’ certainly gets a nod. Moov Now is completely waterproof and can easily be taken in water up to 30 meters deep. Moov Now has been in the market for quite some time now. However, in spite of this, it has managed to stay at the top when it comes to waterproof wearables. The fitness tracker comes with a built-in swimming mode to track all the pool related activities such as monitoring laps, strokes, time, distance and pace.

It is also capable of providing the wearer with a complete in-depth data like stroke rate and distance per stroke. This feedback will help all swimmers understand where they are lacking, and improve their performance. An added bonus of this fitness tracker is its strong and durable battery. The tracker is capable of lasting for more than 200 workouts.

Top wearable for running: Garmin Forerunner 235

If you are trying to get in shape with running, then you don’t have to look beyond ‘Garmin Forerunner 235’ to help you. The best feature about the Forerunner 235 is that it comes with Elevate heart rate technology that can measure your heart rate 24/7, allowing you to run without a strap. Additionally, with a built-in accelerometer, the tracker is capable of measuring the distance and the pace. It can also distinguish if you are running outdoors or on an indoor treadmill.

Like all other trackers, the Forerunner 235 provides users with charts and graphs to help them view their activity and track progress. And not just running, it keeps a track on your steps and calories throughout the day. Another interesting option for runners is the Apple Watch Series 3. It is a smartwatch that sports running apps like Strava, Nike+ Run Club and Runkeeper. The smartwatch looks good, has tons of features and also works as an activity tracker. It’s the best you could ask for.

Top wearable for the gym: Samsung Gear Sport

Now this one is for most ladies reading this. If like most people, you enjoy sweating it out in the gym then the ‘Samsung Gear Sport’ is one of the most sporty smartwatches that there is. The smartwatch looks smart and trendy and boasts a wide range of features. Samsung Gear Sport is capable of keeping a track of overall fitness activities. An added advantage of this smartwatch is the sporty look and nice watch face.

As for the features, this smartwatch comes with a rotating bezel which makes it easier for users to navigate through the interface. The smartwatch can track all fitness activities like the number of steps walked, distance, pace, calories burnt and more. In addition to that, it also monitors the heart rate and sleep activities. What more? Samsung Gear Sport features Samsung’s exclusive offline Spotify streaming. So, you can enjoy listening to music while you work out.

Top wearable for sleep monitoring: Fitbit Ionic

Did you know that sleep plays a huge role to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle? Well, improper sleep causes fatigue, bloatedness and messes with everyday activity. A sleep tracker will monitor your sleep patterns and activities like snoring and breathing. Fitbit Ionic is the perfect smartwatch and activity tracker to make sure that you get a good night’s sleep. Fitbit Ionic comes with a stylish design.

The device is capable of keeping a track of all your activities during the day, as well as monitors your sleep at night. During the day, the tracker will give you regular reminders to move around if you have been sitting idle for too long. At night with the help of inbuilt movement sensors and heart rate monitor, the tracker keeps a watch on your sleep level and gives you a detailed insight of your sleep the next morning (light, deep and REM), to help you improve your sleep quality. Additionally, the smartwatch will also give you gentle reminders to get to bed on time every night so that you can catch up on some quality sleep.

*This article is a private opinion based on private research and should not be taken as advice*

How Spot Trender is changing the landscape of ad-testing

Spot Trender is a leader in cloud-based ad-testing technology. Their software is designed to help marketing managers make faster, more informed decisions regarding advertising and marketing efforts. Its platform allows for pre-testing of commercials, affording marketers with key information surrounding the projected success of their campaigns.

An impressive launch

Spot Trender effectively launched a new advertising and brand testing model that aims to assist users with predicting annual sales using ad testing data. Put simply, the launch was incredibly successful, with more than 80% of Spot Trender’s full-service clients choosing to adopt the Spot Trender Cloud. Notably, much of Spot Trender’s client base is made up of Fortune 500 companies.

Super Bowl success

How Spot Trender is changing the landscape of ad-testing
Photo: WikiImages, Pixabay

Spot Trender ran their annual Super Bowl Ad Performance Test in 2016, measuring viewer insights in terms of representations of gender roles. This was Spot Trender’s third annual Ad Performance Test for the Super Bowl and involved a scientific poll with 1301 participants in a national representative study.

Each participant viewed one commercial and completed the subsequent questionnaire. Spot Trender’s involvement has helped create greater publicity for their company and the innovativeness of their advertising technology.

Why is Spot Trender Cloud so popular?

Spot Trender’s new platform has revitalised the potential of ad-testing and brand tracking technologies. At the time, the market lacked a single solution that would enable marketers to achieve and monitor their key objectives.

These include tracking customised qualitative and quantitative metrics, using highly targeted and large sample spaces to harness more realistic results on advertising campaigns. At the same time, the new platform generates immediately actionable insights in real-time for users.

What makes Spot Trender superior to competitors?

How Spot Trender is changing the landscape of ad-testing
Photo: Free-Photos, Pixabay

There are several key areas that differentiate Spot Trender from its competition. Firstly, Spot Trender’s advertising technology is significantly faster and more cost-effective than its main competitors, consistently outperforming more traditional methods of market research.

Indeed, their current platform boasts ad performance results within just a 3 hour period. For most other platforms, results are not available until after 3 weeks!

So what’s the benefit of this? It means companies now have greater flexibility and adaptability when making quick marketing decisions in real time and at any stage during the creative process, whether it be in idea conception or post production.

On top of this, Spot Trender’s brand tracking can be highly customised at a large scale. Long gone are the days when clients were stuck with small-scale, standardised marketing metrics. Instead, Spot Trender benefits from having one of the largest participant pools in the world, with over 100 million participants throughout the world.

What this means is that users gain from a plethora of consumer insights and information, which are so valuable when formulating real-time advertising campaigns.

Likewise, Spot Trender is made all the more unique with its Live Emotional Reactions Feedback System, which provides richer, more in-depth consumer data regarding ad opinions. While the platform provides users with standardised survey sets and questions, these can be modified and customised to test for c and behaviours.

Additionally, Spot Trender’s advertising technology offers a highly advanced analytics platform that provides users with insights and suggested strategic decisions in real time. With Spot Trender, there are no delays, wait times or questioning, just a simple, user friendly platform that possesses greater functionality and usability for market researchers.

In essence, the information is there and users have the chance to act on it within hours of deploying the program. Once the results are in, Spot Trender’s Snap program generates understandable, personalised reports at record speed.

This all means more advertising power for SME’s

How Spot Trender is changing the landscape of ad-testing
Photo: Free-Photos, Pixabay

Not only is Spot Trender more advanced than its competition, their platform has essentially “democratised” ad testing. In the world of marketing, more companies are on a level playing when designing marketing campaigns, regardless of existing brand strength and value.

While most of their clients are Fortune 500 companies, Spot Trender’s competitive prices and confidence-building platform means that smaller more medium-sized firms have access to large scale samples and more relevant consumer information. With Spot Trender, smaller brands can now test their brand strength, monitor and refine their marketing efforts, much like the Fortune 500 companies.

Simultaneously, more established brands can now afford to test their advertising campaigns more often, giving them more power over monitoring and refining their ads. Put simply, this improves a brand’s relative strength and influence in the marketplace, since companies now have greater access to predictive results from real-time testing.

The outcome: companies now have the power to dramatically increase their return on investment through the use of advanced advertising technology.

Wallabies sink to lowest ever ranking

After an error-ridden performance against the Argentina Pumas on the Gold Coast last weekend the Wallabies have sunk to their lowest ever world ranking – 7th. Australia were unable to turn their advantages (the scrum and Israel Folau’s running game) into game changers, while their numerous mistakes were pounced upon by the Argentine side.

The Australians did have the opportunity to snatch a victory in the final seconds of the match, but Folau decided to run himself (which he had been doing successfully all night, including a scintillating run that broke 5 tackles on the way to a try) and ignored the opportunity to put Bernard Foley over in the corner untouched. This play represents a failure on the part of the Wallabies set up, given the attacking fluency that Folau and Foley have enjoyed all year at the Waratahs.

The Wallabies and coach Michael Cheika have been racked over the coals in the days since the clash, which saw an Australian side full of heart but with extremely poor execution. In defence the side made a number of bone crunching hits, but also missed a quarter of the total number of tackles attempted.

Similarly, in attack the Wallabies looked like world beaters when they could string some passes together, but a huge number of errors ruined most of their efforts.The Pumas were similarly full of heart, and in the end their superior accuracy earned them their first win in Australia in 35 years in a scrappy game.

Australia are now ranked 7th on the World Rugby rankings – the Wallabies worst ever ranking. They are also outright last on the Rugby Championship ladder after the Springboks upset the All Blacks a few hours earlier than the Gold Coast debacle. The loss increased pressure on coach Michael Cheika a year out from the next Rugby World Cup, with his security stemming from a lack of money from Rugby Australia to pay out his contract and a dearth of suitable replacements.

 

 

Senator calls for aged care royal commission to include disability sector

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has argued that the royal commission into the aged care sector should be expanded to investigate the disability sector as well.

This news comes after Scott Morrison announced a royal commission into Australia’s aged care system.

Senator Steele-John is also the first Australian with a disability to sit in the Upper House of Parliament. He said that he has often heard horrific abuse stories from the disability sector.

He spoke about “people who have died because of neglect” and “unspeakable acts of cruelty”.

He cited examples where people living with a disability had been locked inside rooms, restrained and assaulted by care centre staff.

While the royal commission’s terms of reference are still not fully clear, the Government has said that the probe would also look at issues surrounding young Australians with a disability who are also living in nursing homes.

However, Senator Steele-John does not believe this goes far enough and argues that the royal commission should be expanded to cover the broader disability sector.

He said that “the same factors” that are leading to “horrendous abuse” in the aged care system are also observable in the disability sector, citing issues of “underpaying of staff” as well as “lack of training”.

He also said that there was a “culture” that elderly and disabled Australians were not seen as equal human beings and that this has contributed to cases of abuse.

Responding to the Senator’s concerns, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he wanted the royal commission to be “focused” but reiterated that it would look at cases of young Australians with a disability in nursing homes.

Labor agrees that a royal commission is needed to investigate the disability sector, but wants a separate inquiry.

Carol Brown, Labors’ spokesperson for disability and carers, said if Labor won the next election they would begin establishing a separate inquiry “straight away”

Scott Morrison announces Royal Commission into aged care sector

In response to growing concerns regarding care standards, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a royal commission into the aged care sector.

The investigation is set to focus on in-home and residential aged care given to seniors as well as care given to young people with severe disabilities.

The Prime Minister said he had been shocked by what he called a “disturbing” series of issues regarding non-compliance in the aged care system and cited information he had been briefed with since becoming Prime Minister in the Liberal leadership spill last month.

Mr Morrison said that one aged care centre had been closed by authorities and that several under were under sanction. He said that Australians should “brace ourselves” in preparation of “some pretty bruising information” regarding “real mistreatment”.

Following the Oakden nursing home scandal last year, where there were reports of seniors being denied food for difficult behaviour, the Government has been reviewing the quality of care in the aged care sector.

It is speculated that the Royal Commission has been prompted by the ABC’s recent Four Corners investigation into the matter. On the program, Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said he did not believe a Royal Commission was necessary, preferring to instead spend the money on frontline services.

Standing alongside Scott Morrison, Mr Wyatt changed his position, citing that he had seen new evidence since the filming of the program that warranted a Royal Commission.

The move has been welcomed by the Labor party, with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten saying that it was “overdue”.

Mr Shorten said that when he raised the issue of aged care a few months ago, he was accused of fear-mongering by the Government.

Mr Shorten cited issues of the impact of low pay for aged centre staff as well as a lack of qualified staff. He also mentioned the impact of Federal funding cuts.

3 best accounting internship placements

Accounting is a competitive and rigorous discipline. Having a strong academic record in your accounting studies is certainly important, but in the recruitment process, employers search for more.

In this continually changing business landscape, coupled with the competitive nature of universities, developing your individual advantage is essential.

One key way of building your skillset and what you can offer to an employer is undertaking practical experience in the field. Not only will this allow you to develop technical skills by providing you with hands-on experience with accounting software, but it will help you in gaining soft skills too.

An accounting internship will give you exposure to the day-to-day activities of an accounting firm. This immersive experience will prepare you for working in the field, and provide you with an idea of how you should conduct yourself.

Your professional development will be furthered as you gain relevant experience and apply your theoretical knowledge into practical activities.

While gaining an internship placement is a great opportunity, it can be difficult to navigate the search and ensure that the company you intern for is reliable and worthwhile.

This can be particularly hard to do on your own, especially if you have limited industry knowledge and connections. For this reason, people tend to turn to intermediaries who are able to connect students looking for work with businesses looking for fresh talent.

These companies are beneficial because you can trust that your placement will be a valuable experience, as the firm you’re interning with will have already been checked. As intermediaries, these companies consider the preferences of students and firms, finding the best fit for each of their clients.

This makes the accounting internship search a lot easier and ensures you are matched with a firm that suits your preferences, not just the best firm you could find.

More and more of these companies are emerging as students have a higher demand for practical experience. It’s important that you contact a company who can be trusted to facilitate a valuable experience!

So, who are the top companies for accounting internships?

Rank: Business: Website: Best Feature:
    1 Premium Graduate www.premiumgraduate.com.au Comprehensive program
    2 Career DC www.careerdc.com.au International experiences
    3 Ecare Careers www.ecarecareers.com.au Robust business connections

 

Make sure you have a good accounting internship placement by contacting one of these three companies.

Premium Graduate

3 best accounting internship placements
Premium Graduate Placements. Photo: Screenshot: premiumgraduate.com.au

Premium Graduate offers a comprehensive Premium Graduate program that accounts for preparation and the development of soft skills, whilst offering you that coveted practical internship.

With a wide array of connections, from ASX listed companies to budding start-ups, Premium Graduate can connect you with the work environment you desire.

Almost 100% of students who have gone through the Premium Graduate accounting program have stated that it has helped them to gain the experience they need. Having that accounting internship placement on your CV significantly increases the likelihood of being employed after graduation.

But aside from the actual experience, Premium Graduate offers a lot of other benefits, too. What really sets this company apart from others is its highly developed program, which guides you through the journey of becoming more employable.

There are four steps to the Premium Graduate Internship Program:

  1. Building your career profile

Premium Graduate will take the time to sit down with you and offer counsel on the career that you want and where your preferences may lead you in the workforce. They will look at your skills, interests, and experiences to determine the accounting placement that you will benefit from.

  1. Skills development

Find yourself lacking in communication skills? No worries. Premium Graduate has you covered, with this being the next step of their program. Training you for interviews, giving feedback on your resume and guidance on your career path are all services that Premium Graduate offers.

You’ll be connected with Industry Mentors and skilled professionals in order to get the exposure and insight into the accounting profession that you need.

  1. Matching you with your host company

Once you are well-equipped for your recruitment process, your program consultants connect you with a host company which is best suited to you based on your career profile. You will then have an interview face-to-face or over Skype.

  1. Internship

You’ll then be ready to start your internship, which typically runs for 3 days a week over a 12 week period. Throughout your accounting internship, you’ll have access to Premium Graduate’s trainers, to whom you can direct your questions. You’ll also be covered by accident and public liability insurance over the duration of the internship!

At the completion of your internship, not only will you have gained practical experience and improved your soft skills, you will have earned two certificates: a nationally accredited statement for BSBIND201 – Work Effectively in Business Environment and a Certificate of Completion for the Premium Internship Program. You will also gain a reference from your internship provider.

Premium Graduate is extremely flexible and gives you the option to start your internship at any time or place, in any major Australian city. Simply agree on a start and end date with your host company.

Premium Graduate is a great option for individuals who are seeking a holistic program. It comprehensively introduces you to the working world, giving you the accounting experience you need to apply for graduate roles.

CareerDC

3 best accounting internship placements
Photo: Screenshot from careerdc.com.au

CareerDC is another great option. It follows a similar general process to Premium Graduate and offers international placements, so if you want the experience of working abroad, this is a good choice.

CareerDC is specifically geared towards students for whom it is necessary to complete an accounting internship as part of their degree’s requirements.

You will be able to obtain credit for your internship so it can count towards your studies. CareerDC is equally flexible regarding the start and end date and the location of the program.

Simply follow these six key steps to get started!

  1. Send your resume/CV to CareerDC
  2. Discuss your internship requirements over the phone
  3. Fill out the application form and pay enrolment fee
  4. Attend internships with host organisations until a successful match occurs
  5. Complete payment for internship search and placement fee
  6. Commence your internship

Unlike Premium Graduate, CareerDC does not offer specialised mentoring or training, but still cuts down the search time for you. If you’re stressed about searching for an accounting internship, CareerDC will match you to organisations until a successful match is made.

Ecare Careers

3 best accounting internship placements
Photo: Screenshot ecarecareers.com.au

Ecare Careers is another good option for those searching for a professional placement in the industry. Specialising in the business industry, Ecare Careers offers services from internship matching, graduate job search, and courses in excel and SAP.

If you are looking for an accounting internship, Ecare Careers is a good company to use. Much like Premium Graduate, Ecare Careers offers career consulting to help you figure out what path you want to take. Ecare also offers tutoring classes for Professional Certification exams.

With a range of services to assist in your professional development, Ecare Careers is definitely one to consider. Ecare Careers is catered towards students, graduates, working employees, sole proprietors, and local enterprises!

As a student, Ecare Careers can help you nurture your professional development and encourage you to develop a career path and professional network. They pride themselves on connecting people to the right companies.

Which accounting internship will you go with?

3 best accounting internship placements
Photo: fizkes, Bigstock

An accounting internship placement is a valuable asset to your employability. Not only will it look good on your resume, it will help you to gain technical and soft skills that will contribute towards your personal development and allow you to thrive when you get into the professional work environment.

No matter what company you choose in the end, having any accounting internship placement under your belt is a great accomplishment.