Nick Child

Top 5 Recruitment Strategies For Construction Companies

The demand for skilled construction workers has risen globally in recent decades. As a result, construction companies and industry project administrators compete to hire suitable candidates to fulfil their building activities and requirements.  If you need to recruit several new hires this year, it’s best to prepare to tackle the

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How to Protect Your Home from Pest Invasions

There is nothing worse than having your home invaded by pests, as it can cause not only damage to your home, but can also spread disease to you, your family, and your pets. As a homeowner, an encounter with pests is more than likely inevitable at some point, but there

Read More »

Spectacular Casino Designs in the UK

When compared to resorts and land-based gambling enterprises across the world, only a few structures are capable of making a long-lasting impact. There is reason to suppose that some of the most bizarre and amusing casino architecture may be seen in Las Vegas, sometimes known as Sin City. On the

Read More »

Business Insights: 4 Clever Ways To Offer Better Client Service

Continuous improvement is the mantra of some of the most successful business organizations. Even in supply chain management, where it seems that a business has already perfected its systems and processes, there’s always room for further improvement. This will help you provide better service and customer satisfaction for your primary

Read More »

10 Benefits to Become an Architect

Being an architect sounds all too fancy, with all imaginable perks and small luxuries that come with this prestigious profession. However, the studies are long and difficult, and there is barely any time for oneself. Still, no architect will ever say that they’ve repented to choosing this path in life,

Read More »

Upgrade your living room with wall sconces

Some things never change, some others do. Your whole living room’s vibe, for instance. You can have a brand new room just by changing the lighting design and wall light fixtures. Follow 2022’s trends in order to upgrade your family room for the year to come. Some of these trends

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Top Tips for Expats

If you’re moving to another country, you’ve got a lot to think about. It’s not an easy thing to do and it may take you several months to organize everything you need for a smooth transition into your new home. Aside from packing up all of your belongings, you will

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

Nick Child

Personal & Financial Questions Before Buying Your First Home

If you are thinking about buying your first home, there is no denying that you will have a lot to consider. After all, this is likely to be the biggest investment you have ever made (and by quite a significant amount!). The last thing you want to do is rush into the decision and purchase a property before you are really ready to do so. With that being said, continue reading to figure out whether you are ready to purchase your first home. Is it financially the right thing to do? The first thing you need to do is look at the financial side of things. You need to determine whether or not a property is something you can truly afford. There are a number of different elements you need to consider here.  Firstly, you need to figure out whether you would be approved for a mortgage, and if so, if this is something you can afford. You can get the likes of bad credit mortgages if you don’t have a good history, so there are certainly more options than there used to be in this regard. Once you have found a home loan lender, you need to make sure that you can accumulate the deposit that is required.  You then need to make sure that you have the money available should there be any problems around the home. After all, maintenance, repairs, and such like are going to fall on your shoulders. If your entire funds are being taken up every month with mortgage payments, you’re not going to have any money left to live.  Are you ready from a personal perspective?  You may have the finances to fund the purchase of a property, but are you really ready to move? Remember, when you buy a home, you are committing to the area in question. You are putting down roots. Is this something you are prepared to do? Are you confident that this is the best place for you to live?  Don’t just think about now but think about the future too. After all, there is no point in purchasing a property if it is only going to keep you satisfied for a year or two. You also need to think about the future in terms of the property’s resale value and whether it is a worthy investment. This is why research is so important.  Final words on the personal and financial questions to ask yourself before buying your first home Hopefully, this blog post has helped you to figure out whether or not you are ready to buy your first property. It is important to remember that there is no set time or deadline when it comes to buying a property. It is all about what is right for you. You can go your whole life without buying a home; it is about what makes you happy, so never buy a home just because you think you have to.

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Top 5 Recruitment Strategies For Construction Companies

The demand for skilled construction workers has risen globally in recent decades. As a result, construction companies and industry project administrators compete to hire suitable candidates to fulfil their building activities and requirements.  If you need to recruit several new hires this year, it’s best to prepare to tackle the task beforehand. Here are some strategies that enable your recruitment department to source highly-skilled construction workers. Before conducting interviews, it’s helpful to screen applicants using psychometric assessments. Psychometric tests measure an individual’s specific characteristics using a wide range of assessments. Traditionally, these qualifications include cognitive abilities and behavioural traits, evaluated through aptitude and personality tests.  In addition to enabling employers to make more informed hiring decisions, psychometric tests streamline the recruitment process. The concepts and data driving psychometric tests are scientific, making them more dependable than personal judgments from the hiring staff. Large multinational corporations are increasingly using psychometric testing in hiring new employees, suggesting its effectiveness. With that being said, the construction industry can also use this screening method.  Whether building sustainable homes, constructing manufacturing plants, or working on real estate projects, you must hire the best construction workers. Unfortunately, not all construction companies know how to effectively advertise work opportunities, leading to low applicant turnout. One primary step in recruitment is knowing who and where your target audience is. Multiple candidates often visit various platforms to seek job advertisements. Therefore, construction companies must place job postings on sites where many potential applicants keep an account or actively use it. Consider these two major platforms:  Many people rely on social media platforms to seek something important. These could include vintage and rare items, long-lost friends, and ideal jobs. They visit these social networking sites at least once a day. For instance, 72% of the American public today uses at least one type of social media platform, according to Pew Research Center. Therefore, it’s essential to know whom to target and decide which social media platforms are popular and widely used by them. “LinkedIn is arguably the most popular way to find good recruits. Remember to also check out the industry groups (actively participating where possible),” comments James Durr of Birmingham auction house Property Solvers. Besides social media platforms, job seekers often maintain accounts on job recruitment sites. These digital platforms are widely accessible to employers and employees.  Evaluate these sites and pick those that allow construction workers and staff to perform job searches effectively. A hiring manager can also check which websites have the most qualified candidates and devote more resources to these platforms.  Besides leaving it to the hiring specialist, there are options like online hiring platforms and free recruitment agency software, which complete the work of a manager by choosing skilled candidates. You don’t even have to be that involved in the hiring process. These tools are specifically made to filter and create shortlists of potential workers, so you won’t have to go through each one and collect. Besides, you can even send the whole list to your client with one click. You can forget about asking writers to create offers for your potential workers since these tools also do that. On top of it all, you can track the status of your proposals and be able to follow every stage of the hiring.  Companies may not be the only ones assessing in a highly competitive job market. Candidates also look at an employer’s working conditions and benefits before applying. As such, study how your organization can entice more skilled workers. Consider conducting a survey or placing yourself in a construction worker’s shoes and determine which work factors are essential.  Look beyond your salary and monetary offers, insurance and health benefits. Study the different motivations that drive an employee, including job security and career advancement. Simply put, provide an attractive package that allows them to choose to work for you rather than your competitors.  After determining which positions in your construction company you need to fill, it’s time to write better and more effective job descriptions to guide your future candidates. When creating an outline for your job post, be concise in describing the job requirements so applicants can discern whether the construction job is a good fit for them. Vacancy announcements should clearly state your company’s minimum requirements and avoid posting vague job descriptions.  A construction job description must be written clearly and include what skills are vital for the position. A job vacancy post must also indicate the required experience, education, or background requirements.  Additionally, clearly state whether the job is temporary, contractual, or permanent. Think of all the other details necessary for a candidate to know and add them to the posting.  Safety must be a primordial concern for a construction company, as workers in the sector are highly vulnerable to injuries. Advertising your company’s safety compliance accreditations or its record of solid safety practices can be used as leverage to attract more qualified candidates. This holds especially for those who consider this element a major deciding factor for their job application journey.  Recruiting new employees becomes easier when you use a safety culture that promotes worker protection. It also demonstrates that you’re concerned about your employees’ well-being and implement the appropriate critical measures to make their jobs as safe as possible.  Conclusion  Setting up recruitment strategies is essential for any construction company. Hiring qualified candidates will allow your construction business to operate smoothly, incur lesser risks and damages, decrease turnover, and improve productivity. The key is to generate the proper methods and ways to attract new and efficient employees. To effectively hire the ideal candidates, know where to find them and be clear with what you want from them. Consider providing attractive compensation packages to help you become one of the most preferred construction industry employers.

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How to Protect Your Home from Pest Invasions

There is nothing worse than having your home invaded by pests, as it can cause not only damage to your home, but can also spread disease to you, your family, and your pets. As a homeowner, an encounter with pests is more than likely inevitable at some point, but there are ways to prevent these pest invasions from occurring. Continue reading to learn how to protect your home from pest invasions. Start With Your Yard             It should be stated that if your yard is not attractive to nuisance pests, they will be much less likely to make their way into your home. One of the best ways to make your yard less attractive is to get rid of easy sources of food and shelter for nuisance wildlife. Clean up any fallen leaves, brush piles, or any debris laying around your yard. These are food and shelter havens for rodents, snakes, and insects. Picking up any fallen fruit from fruit trees is also a very simple fix. Be sure to secure your pet’s food so it is not left outside all night. By doing these simple steps, you will decrease the attractiveness of your yard, and more than likely prevent a pest invasion. Inspect Your Home             The most important step you can take to protect your home from pest invasions is to give your house a thorough examination, in which you will want to check for any entry points that allow easy access for pests. If you would prefer a professional pest control company to examine your home and perform prevention services, be sure to reach out to a pest control company like Mighty Men Pest Control. You can begin by checking the exterior of your house. Pay special attention to the roofline, roof, and all along your attic. These are some of the more common places that nuisance wildlife find entrance into homes. Look specifically for loose siding, loose shingles, and any gaps, cracks, and holes you may find along the exterior. Most problem areas should be easily repaired, but some may require professional work done. Next, it would be wise to perform the same inspection on the interior of your home. When examining the inside, be sure to pay special attention to the attic, as attics provide an excellent refuge for all kinds of pests. If you find any problem areas in your attic, you can repair them on your own, or you might want to call a professional repairman.  Simply inspecting your home for problem areas can protect you from pest invasions quite well! In fact a visit to stuart pest control will make sure all these critters are taken care of once and for all!!!…. Pest Removal             If, despite all of your precautions, your home does undergo a pest invasion, there is no need to panic. You have two options you can choose from: DIY wildlife pests removal or hiring a professional wildlife removal company. There are pros and cons to both options, but the general recommendation is to hire a wildlife removal company, as they have the skills and experience to get your pest infestation taken care of in a cost-effective manner, while keeping you, your family, and your pets safe from any harmful diseases the pests are carrying. If you are interested in a professional, well-done removal job, it would be wise to reach out to a pest control company like Complete Wildlife Removal. Learn About Pests             One of the best ways you can protect yourself from pest invasions is to read up on different types of nuisance pests you may encounter. Visit getridofpests.com to learn more about insect pests, as well as a variety of other nuisance wildlife. When you learn the behaviors of these pest animals, you will be able to understand what motivates them to come into your home, and how you can attempt to prevent this from occurring. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Spectacular Casino Designs in the UK

When compared to resorts and land-based gambling enterprises across the world, only a few structures are capable of making a long-lasting impact. There is reason to suppose that some of the most bizarre and amusing casino architecture may be seen in Las Vegas, sometimes known as Sin City. On the other hand, Europeans will discover various casinos with a more contemporary style that integrates with the neighborhood in which the casino operates. Brief History The Gambling Act 2005 governs gambling in the UK on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). This Act brought the expanding Internet gaming sector under British authority for the first time and introduced a new system of protections for children and vulnerable persons. Gambling has always been a popular UK pastime. Horse racing has been a hot issue for over 300 years. It is regulated. However, its most vociferous opponents have been evangelical Protestants and social reformers. Gambling is legally allowed in the United Kingdom. However, if you bet online, the site must be licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). All of the greatest and newest betting sites in the UK do, in order to be on the safe side it is always recommended turning to a trustworthy source that will list such sites including comprehensive reviews. (Source: safebettingsites.com ) However, with the implementation of COVID-19 casino closures and lockdowns, most people resorted to online gambling and betting. This article will look at some of London’s most stunning casino architecture. Continue reading to find out why these buildings deserve to be on this list. The Palm Beach Casino A relationship between Fisch and Genting has been formed to consolidate the Palm Beach Casino of Mayfair as the location to be observed to please a fast-growing yet discriminating clientele. The casino bar has recently been reoriented for increased capacity and importance, and the a la carte Restaurant, renowned for being highly fashionable, has been firmly re-established in the casino’s heart. The game area is less congested and more up-to-date, as it flows more efficiently, with a greater emphasis on mixed play. “Beautiful casino with a particular design and effervescence that offers the ideal mood for a classy night out. Options for high-stakes gaming and learner-friendly world-class service. After various adjustments and restorations, London’s Palm Beach Casino has lived up to its name, providing entertainment and pleasure reminiscent of Florida’s famed Palm Beach,” according to a review by Mayfair Casinos. There are subtle Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired screening and feature designs throughout the rooms. This makes The Palm Beach Casino one of London’s best. The customer’s need is achieved with gorgeous gold and chocolate with catching greys and red. Choose your style and visit this gaming business if you have extra time! London’s Barracuda Casino When asked how this casino differs from others, Barracuda’s managing director answers just the mood and environment. The Barracuda is a bustling casino with a welcoming atmosphere. Because of its appealing look, visitors and activities are always going on. This allows individuals to hold talks without interfering with anybody else or having anyone meddle with them. The Barracuda casino has a particularly international atmosphere since it attracts people from all over the world. Every casino strives to provide something unique to get customers to return, and the Barracuda seems to have added hospitality to its stunning building. The majority of Barracuda’s clients are regulars who are confident in what they do and the hospitality on offer. If you want a taste of culture in London, you may be interested in meeting the Barracuda employees. Many of the casino’s employees are from all over the globe and speak various languages. Find Chinese, French, Middle Eastern, Italian, and other employees who will strike up a conversation with anybody! The Grosvenor Victoria Casino The Grosvenor Victoria Casino, sometimes known as “The Vic,” is situated in the centre of London, precisely on Edgware Road. It is not just visually appealing due to its construction and aesthetics; it is also one of the largest and longest-established land-based casinos in the United Kingdom. The Vic casino provides gamers and guests with the most significant leisure experience, whether gambling or touring. Notable features include a superb restaurant, a well-equipped casino gaming, and poker area, and two bars. Every night at Grosvenor Victoria Casino, the gaming floor is filled with adrenaline seekers. Many gaming tables, slot machines, and electronic games suit all tastes. The Barracuda is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for individuals who don’t mind the time. The casino is conveniently located between Marble Arch and Edgeware Road tube stations. When you go into a casino, the first thing that springs to mind is the casino’s entertainment and the prizes you will get. While this is the primary reason to visit a casino, many other elements must be considered to guarantee that you remain in a casino and spend your money. Casino architecture is at the top of the list. Casino design contributes significantly to raising casino income and enticing more gamblers in the United Kingdom. Investing in the correct casino design is a definite method to increase casino income.

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Business Insights: 4 Clever Ways To Offer Better Client Service

Continuous improvement is the mantra of some of the most successful business organizations. Even in supply chain management, where it seems that a business has already perfected its systems and processes, there’s always room for further improvement. This will help you provide better service and customer satisfaction for your primary client. Your main objective in continuous improvement is to identify gaps and opportunities for further improving the service you provide to your clients. If you’re looking for ways to improve your supply chain management capabilities, you might want to look into integrated supply chain services. Here are a few other suggestions on how you can offer better services to your client. 1. Do An End-To-End Analysis One of the first few things you can do if you’re looking to deliver better service for your supply chain management (SCM) clients is an end-to-end analysis. Gather people from all departments or units involved in the SCM process. You can task them with reviewing the entire SCM system and process. This will allow them to identify any gaps or inefficiencies. You can also use data analytics technology to help in the review. By doing an end-to-end analysis, you’ll be able to identify specific gaps or opportunities for improvement, as well as see the overall system and how everything comes together. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll find something wrong with the SCM setup; you might just see a few gaps or flaws here and there. In looking to deliver better client service, you should try to identify ways to reduce time spent on certain tasks, as well as ways to bring down expenses. These two are the easiest to quantify and measure, though they’re not the only areas of opportunity for improvement. You can also review your client’s SCM process for possible redundancies or roundabout processes that can be further simplified or streamlined. 2. Focus On Client’s Core Objectives You should make sure to focus your efforts on your client’s core objectives. If you provide services for the whole SCM process of your client, this gives you the room to make changes where they’re needed. But even if you’re providing services or solutions for only a portion of the SCM process, you can still find ways to improve. For example, if you provide logistics solutions and transporting services to a food processing company, you can offer to review the schedule and routing of the pickup, transportation, delivery, and unloading of their products. If you pick up from several hubs, plants, or processing centers, you can propose to do a review. The review should be focused on how to optimize the whole schedule and routing system. There might be ways to reduce the number of trips made or to use the backload as an opportunity to deliver other items or transport to nearby delivery points. 3. Train The Front Lines To Enhance The Customer Experience Of The End User If you have some level of interaction with the client or end user, that’s another opportunity to create value-added service for your client. You can, for instance, focus on enhancing customer experience if you’re the service provider for the customer support hotline or the portal for the monitoring and tracking of deliveries. As a service provider for the customer support operations of your client, you can also conduct a review of the whole process of customer service engagement and operations. Your objective here would be to look for further opportunities to improve the experience of your client’s users or customers whenever they contact customer support. 4. Integrate Order Entry And Customer Service Systems If you’re the service provider for both your client’s supply chain order entry and fulfillment systems, as well as the customer service systems, you have the opportunity to propose that their order entry system be integrated with the customer service systems. This will give their customers a seamless experience, which would greatly contribute to customer satisfaction. An example is if you provide the order entry and fulfillment platform as well as the customer service portal for your client and they’re separate systems. The end users would have to interact with one platform for order entry and then another for customer service. They might not know this if you don’t say outright that a separate entity handles the customer support operations. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t experience the separation of your order entry and customer support systems. They might have an idea if the customer support frontliners admit or disclose that they can’t answer some of the customers’ queries because they don’t have access to certain tools in the order entry platform. This may negatively affect customer satisfaction because their issue won’t be easily resolved and they’re being made to wait due to the divide in the order entry and customer support systems. Conclusion You should conduct an end-to-end analysis of your client’s SCM system and process so you can get both the big-picture view and the details of what needs to be improved. With the information you get from the review, you can identify specific gaps and opportunities for improvement. You can suggest intelligent pickup and delivery scheduling and routing systems, train frontline customer service support, and also integrate customer service portals and order entry systems.

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How To Tell The Difference Between Closed & Open Bridging Loans

A bridging loan could be the ideal solution when considering applying for short-term finance. But how do you know which type of bridging loan is the best option? Closed and open bridging loans are two of the most common types you can choose from. We explain how to tell the difference between the two. Reasons to choose a bridging loan A bridging loan is one way to bridge a short-term gap in your finances. Intended to be paid back over a shorter period of time than a standard loan, there are several reasons why bridging finance could be used, including: When applying for a bridging loan, two main types are available – closed and open. Here are the key differences between the two. Open Bridging Loan This is a loan which is open-ended, i.e., it has no set exit strategy or end date. However, most open bridge financing will typically clear within 12 months as a short-term loan. Closed Bridge Loans Unlike an open loan, a closed bridge arrangement will have a pre-agreed end date and an exit strategy that includes a clear repayment plan. Closed bridge loans are seen as more secure by lenders in terms of repayment. Open or closed bridge finance – which one to choose? The final bridge loan product you choose will be dependent on your circumstances and whether you have exchanged or completed on your current property or not. If you know you will have the finances to pay off the loan and can evidence it to your broker, you will be offered a closed bridge loan. They are also considered more secure by most lenders and can attract better interest rates. If you are still in the process of selling your property and have not yet had a firm offer or exchanged, then you can still apply for a bridge loan to buy a new property, but it will be open-ended. If you are in any doubt, a bridging loan specialist should be your first port of call before applying for bridging finance.

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How to have the perfect wall decoration in your home

One of the most important elements in a house are the walls. This is where you can see what kind of house it is and, above all, what kind of style and design it should have. This is because there are often things that are out of place, a sign that the attention paid to the furnishings is not up to standard. In fact, it is not uncommon to find minimalist styles but multicoloured, almost baroque walls. In such cases, it means that the fact that the walls are an integral part of the home is not taken into account. Same style as the room you have them in When deciding which exclusive wall stickers to put up, you have to start from the source. We said it at the beginning, and now we’ll say it again: before choosing which ones to put, it’s important to understand the style of the house. Because it’s really bad to see a meaningless mix of styles that only lead to confusion. That’s not to say it can’t be done, of course. But you have to make sure that everything is done in a linear way and, perhaps, in steps. So, if the style of the house is baroque, it is unthinkable to create a minimal style for the walls. Or, if you want to do it, it is important to rely on someone expert who can create a winning mix. And that will leave your guests stunned. A touch of customisation never hurts Make something unique! Want personalised wall stickers to make everything special? You need to follow two basic points. The first is to see where you need to apply them. It’s one thing to put them in the baby’s room and another in the bedroom. In the first case, in fact, top priority is given to cartoons or, in any case, anything specific to children. In the second case, you should focus on something more mature. So maybe a trip you’ve taken or an experience you’re particularly fond of. Or a map of a city you’ve seen, or even a continent. This is just an idea, but the theme can also be something else, not necessarily about travels. In any case, the advice is always to personalise with a certain criteria because, even in this case, it must absolutely not ‘clash’ with the style and design of your home. Of course, it’s not easy. But you have to succeed. Otherwise, you will get exactly the opposite effect. Pay attention to quality This seems trivial, but in fact it is not at all. Quality is crucial and if you only look at the price you won’t always be able to find the right solution. And you will realise this when you want to change the wall to put in another one. Because you will see that there may be stains on the wall when you remove them. Those stains that were difficult to remove and that you let slide. Also, it’s going to be really difficult to take it off because it could tear in an instant. These are all complications that you would not have if you choose a quality product. As much as you spend, you get. It’s always like that. In all fields, even in this one.

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10 Benefits to Become an Architect

Being an architect sounds all too fancy, with all imaginable perks and small luxuries that come with this prestigious profession. However, the studies are long and difficult, and there is barely any time for oneself. Still, no architect will ever say that they’ve repented to choosing this path in life, and to learn more about why that is so, here is a list of 10 Benefits of becoming an architect. 1.   Good Money Architects can make good money. In the USA, for example, an architect can make upwards of 100k a year. Not bad, especially for an office job. We guess this explains the beautiful houses they can afford to live in. 2.   Interesting Studies Studying architecture is very interesting as there is a lot of creativity involved. However, not all is a honey path for architecture students, as the studies are long and stressful. This is why many architecture students look for those who can write essays for money. Hiring professionals can save time and ensure that architecture students can cope with the workload. 3.   Work with a Variety of People Yet another benefit of being an architect is that you will work with many clients and will have many coworkers. The story does not end there, as a significant portion of these people will be of international origin. Speak of self-growth opportunities as you learn about cultures from all over the world. 4.   A lot of Travel Opportunities Traveling is a must for an architect. Visiting museums, new complexes in Asia, and different architectural achievements are necessary to stay in touch with the latest developments. With traveling comes knowing other languages as well, as it makes communication so much easier and more fluent. 5.   No Extra Hours No overtime work may seem like a thing from the imagination for so many people. However, for architects, it is a reality. The studies are long and draining, but the work itself mostly ends at 40 hours a week. The extra time studying is easily made up with extra free time once in the workplace. 6.   You can Make your Own Company Many architecture students go on to become self-employed. The money is worth it and makes it relatively easy to sustain a small sole proprietorship for a long time. If you want to do the same and want to take a loan, use writing help online to develop a business plan that banks won’t be able to say no to. This way, you save time and get access to a nifty amount of money for starting your business venture. 7.   Creativity is a Plus Architecture is one of the rare fields that demand creativity. Being able to express yourself is a big plus in the industry. Being hyper-creative will also mean that you can make very individual contributions and leave a mark to last for decades. 8.   No Physical Work There is no physical work for architects. The heaviest thing you will ever lift is your briefcase. Unlike engineers, you can relax and spare your back. 9.   Easy to Find a Job Finding a job as an architect is relatively easy. Finding good places to study architecture is a different story. Ensure you get your spot by applying early enough and having a more-than-decent application letter. 10.                Work Indoors Architects mostly work indoors. The breeze from your AC and a decent shade is all you need to let your creativity flourish. This is probably one of the biggest benefits of being an architect, as much work is done remotely. Final Thoughts Becoming an architect means a lot of work and dedication. On the other hand, being an architect is one of the best jobs there is. With significant perks and a decent salary, no wonder that so many students want to study this particular field. Ashley Carter Ashley Carter loves art and design. She hopes to be a landscape designer one day. To achieve her dreams, she reads about form and different movements in arts whenever she has time.

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Upgrade your living room with wall sconces

Some things never change, some others do. Your whole living room’s vibe, for instance. You can have a brand new room just by changing the lighting design and wall light fixtures. Follow 2022’s trends in order to upgrade your family room for the year to come. Some of these trends are here to stay, others are passing, but they will all make your home trendy and stylish. Same goes for a hotel’s main hall or a restaurant’s waiting room. Choose the right wall light fixtures The living room is the most useful space in your home. This is where you welcome guests, share quality time with your family, help your children doing their homework, relax or plan for the next big adventure. This is why you need to make it comfortable, warm and bright. Also, try to brighten up the space with colorful and stylish accent pieces that will give a trendy vibe to the most important room in your home. How should you do that? Follow these trends for 2022 design, colors and styles. 1.   Back to the ‘70s A huge trend both in fashion and home decor is the Seventies’ vibe. How can you get it from wall light fixtures? Choose bright colors and simple lines in order to highlight a psychedelic wallpaper or a special feature in your living room. Happiness and nostalgia should be your guidelines. As opposed to the complex geometries of the ‘90s, vintage lamps inspired by the Seventies are simple yet optimistic. 2.   A recall to serenity Just like the serenity blue color is for Pantone, the serenity vibe in home decor is suited to give your home a peaceful and relaxed feeling. You can obtain it by using pastel colors, soft textures and an angelic light. In wall light fixtures, this translates into simple shapes, lots of cotton and silk, the paler hues of wood and a diffused light coming from the sconces. 3.   Industrial style wall lamps Industrial style is everywhere nowadays, but how can you find it in wall light fixtures? Just like pendant lights, sconces with a single bulb are perfect to achieve this goal. A rough, unfinished vibe creates the illusion of industrial design. You can arrange different light bulbs on the wall in order to create shapes, letterings and other brilliant designs. Just remember not to submit form to functionality: your wall lights should be as useful as they are beautiful. 4.   Geometric shapes This is the perfect kind of wall light fixtures for a minimalistic home. Geometrical lamps highlight the neat and tidy aesthetic of your space with a little sparkle. Choose a metallic sconce or a circular elastic fabric for your lamp and make it the centerpiece of your walls. If you want a more eccentric, creative style, try pairing up different shapes. A triangle and a circle, a square and a clean line will give a futuristic look to your living room. 5.   Sculpture-like design A designer wall light fixture is like a piece of art. The masters of lighting design find the perfect balance between form and function for accent fixtures that will illuminate both your home and your personal style. Choose unusual shapes, recycled materials, accent colors to create art with your wall lamps. Trust your lighting designer completely: they know how to leave your guests speechless.

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Top Tips for Expats

If you’re moving to another country, you’ve got a lot to think about. It’s not an easy thing to do and it may take you several months to organize everything you need for a smooth transition into your new home. Aside from packing up all of your belongings, you will also need to sort out your insurance, visas, finances, and accommodation. Despite being a complex process, becoming an expat will be one of the most exciting things you’ll ever do. Moving to a foreign country gives you the incredible opportunity to see unique parts of the world and explore new cultures. To help make your transition into becoming an expat as smooth as possible, here are some top tips to follow. Sort Out Your Insurance Heath insurance is a must-have when you’re moving to another country. You never know when you’re going to fall sick or get injured while living abroad. Having health insurance will significantly reduce your medical expenses if you need treatment. This is particularly important if the country you’re moving to doesn’t offer free national healthcare. Even if your new home country has a national healthcare system, you may not have free access to it unless you’ve lived in the country for a long length of time and you’ve got permanent residency. Make sure you find a reliable health insurance company, such as IMG Global that offers extensive insurance policies. Having adequate coverage means you can enjoy your time as an expat without worrying about potential medical bills. Meet The Locals and Other Expats Interacting with other people is key to getting comfortable in your new environment. This is particularly important if you’re moving to another country on your own. The worst thing you can do is isolate yourself and not bother making friends! Push yourself to go to local events or classes. This will give you the opportunity to meet the locals and other expats. There might be in-person or online clubs and societies that you can join with weekly sessions. Making friends with the local residents might be difficult if you don’t speak the language. However, attending local events is one of the best ways to learn the language. Or you can learn a little from their language through a language learning app on your mobile phone. Familiarizing simple words can help you converse with the locals, and learning their language will come smoothly. You can also find events that are specifically for expats if you’re not yet comfortable interacting with the locals. Expat events enable you to meet like-minded people who are in the same position as you. Look online to see what options are available and sign yourself up for at least one event a week to get settled into your new home town. Use Social Media In the wonderful digital world that we now live in, social media is everywhere. It’s a great tool that you can use to meet people in your new country or learn more about your town. You can find local events through Facebook or you can scroll through local hashtags on Instagram to find new exciting places to explore. Of course, you can also use social media to stay in touch with your loved ones back at home. Social media platforms have direct messaging options that are easy to use and enable you to instantly communicate with anybody, no matter where they are in the world. Learn The Language Learning a brand-new language isn’t easy but it’s necessary if you plan on living in another country permanently. Be realistic. You aren’t going to become fluent immediately. But even if you just focus on learning the basics to begin with, that’s a great place to start. Try to learn some of the most useful basic phrases before you move. This way, you can communicate with the locals from day one. You never know when you’ll need to ask someone for help. As you interact with the locals more and more, you’ll naturally start to pick up more complex words and phrases. You can also use phrasebooks or online language resources to help you learn more of the local language. Sort Out Your Accommodation Early On For obvious reasons, you’ll need to organize your accommodation before you move to another country. If you’re buying somewhere, you’ll need to do your research well before you actually move. Purchasing a property can take months to complete. If you’re renting or leasing a place, you will still need to get this sorted a few months in advance. You want to be certain that you’ll have somewhere to move into as soon as you land in your new home town. Research potential areas and consider the community, the local amenities, and the accommodation that is available. As an expat, finding somewhere that makes you feel comfortable and safe is important, and you won’t want to travel for miles just to get some groceries. Visit the area you’re moving to before you commit to signing a lease or purchasing a property if possible. You can also contact a relocation agent who will be able to provide advice about which areas are the best for you based on your needs.

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