Starting a business on a shoestring
Entrepreneurs are increasingly likely to start a business with limited funds according to new research by Shell LiveWire. Its poll of 241 entrepreneurs found that more than a quarter spent less than £1,000 in the first year of launching their business. Another 24% spent less than £5,000 while 7% spent more than £100,000. The research also showed that most start-up funding starts at home. Almost three-quarters of those polled said they had used savings to start their business and 30% also borrowed from friends and family. Only 10% took out a bank loan and less than 5% raised money from crowdfunding or by re-mortgaging their home.
Why selfies could damage your job prospects
Research by Jobvite has highlighted the extent to which employers look on social media sites to decide if candidates are right for the job. It found that recruiters are most likely to look at the length of average tenure in previous jobs (57%), political affiliations (63%) and mutual connections (29%). As well as evidence of alcohol consumption and drug use, recruiters also run a mile from job-seekers that post a lot of selfies - according to the research, 34% view these images negatively.
Demand rises for digital marketing freelancers
SMEs are increasingly turning to freelancers to help them with their digital content marketing according to the online freelance marketplace, PeoplePerHour. And social media experts are most in demand, it says, in particular with the growth of sites such as Instagram. It says that freelance consultants are doing well because they provide expertise at an affordable average of £30 per hour, compared to recruiting a full-time digital marketing expert for £30,000-£60,000 per annum.
New app measures staff happiness
A new online assessment tool for HR and line managers allows businesses to measure the happiness and performance of their staff. We Thrive allows employees to complete an online questionnaire which then highlights areas of concern. The app asks questions that often may not occur to busy or inexperienced managers in one-to-one performance reviews, says ceo Andrew Heath. We Thrive is offering a free 30-day trial for up to ten staff.