IT interview questions

IT interview questions by Amber Rolfe When it comes to IT interviews, preparation is key… Because aside from testing your skills with common interview questions, employers will also need to make sure you have the technical and practical ability needed to do the job. This means you’ll be asked a range of IT-related questions specific to your field of expertise â€" and theyll also want to ensure your tech skills are up-to-date.To make sure you’re not caught off guard, here are five of the most common IT interview questions that you should prepare for:What is a/what is the difference between [insert technical term]?  Translation: how good are you at thinking on your feet?IT employers will commonly ask more than one of this type of question, and aside from checking that the qualifications on your CV check out, it’s also a great way of testing your communication skills and your ability to summarise information.A similar method could also involve the interviewer asking something along the lines o f, ‘explain a network to an eight-year-old’ â€" which primarily focuses on simplifying information (not to mention knowing when to stop talking).So whether you’re asked to describe HTML, what a network is, or the difference between optimistic and pessimistic locking â€" the skills you need to answer it are usually the same. Just make sure you brush up on your terminology before your interview.Right answer: HTML stands for ‘Hyper Text Markup Language’, and it’s the standard system used to tag text files. It allows you to create a range of font, colour, graphic, and hyperlink effects on websites.Wrong answer: What does HTML stand for? It stands for commitment, it stands for audacity, it stands for courage…    What’s the best piece of code you’ve ever written? The subject of this question depends on the type of IT you work in, and could refer to any kind of industry-specific task. But what you’re essentially being asked here is ‘what’s the best project you’ve ever worked on, and why?’Interviewers use it to test both your technical and practical ability, whilst trying to understand what areas of (in this case, coding) you’re strongest at. It’s also a subtle way to figure out how you deal with problems.Aside from choosing a project that’s related to the role you’re interviewing for, you should also cover all stages of development â€" not just the outcome. This will help you to demonstrate as many skills as you can.For example, if there were any challenges (e.g. bugs in the code) â€" mention them, but place your focus on how you worked to fix them. It might even be the ability to overcome an issue that made this piece of code your favourite.Right answer: In my first job as a Junior Administrator, I was asked to create a drop-down menu for a survey we were running. Although the code involved was pretty simple, it was actually the first instance I’d done any real programming at all. So I worked closely with the dev team, who help ed me learn some of the basics, and wrote X piece of code, which really improved the UX. It was from this experience that I really got interested in programming.Wrong answer: Probably the ‘bro code’. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?  What is your favourite technology-related blog, podcast, or website?In other words, are you tech-savvy enough to keep up in this industry?Unsurprisingly, this is a vital trait to have in any IT job. And your answer says a lot about your character, enthusiasm, and ability to stay up-to-date with current trends. So never say you don’t follow anything.Instead, make a list of your favourites before the interview â€" and think of how they link to the role you’re applying for, whilst noting the most current updates from each. That way, you’ll be able to prove your interest with contemporary examples that link back to your interests and skillset.This question may also be followed by ‘how do you manage your own online presence?’ In this case, remembe r to stay professional. They’re not asking about how often you update your profile picture, or how often you send game requests to your friends â€" they want to know how you use it to benefit your knowledge and career.Right answer: I try to follow as many related blogs and websites as possible. However, I recently discovered [insert website/podcast/blog name], which contains a range of tips and advice for developers â€" including everything from quick code fixes to recent news in the industry. They also just published a piece on [insert topic here] which actually helped me in a recent project.Wrong answer: I’m more into retro tech to be honest. Wanna see my Nokia 3310?  What would you do if a user was experiencing slow network speeds? This question is usually asked to ascertain your problem-solving skills, as well as your ability to communicate effectively with non-specialists.Aside from referencing the specific processes that should be followed before starting work on an issue (e.g. backlogs or raising tickets for tech support) place focus on how you would find out as much information as you can from the user before you proceeding with a resolution.This could involve a series of troubleshooting questions â€" including asking what operating system they’re using or getting them to explain any error messages. From there, you should be able to decide whether the problem can be fixed over the phone, or whether it needs a more hands-on approach.And don’t be tempted to respond with ‘I’d go and fix it straight away’. Although it might seem like the most proactive solution, jumping to conclusions could result in wasted time for both parties.Right answer: In my current job we ask users to raise a ticket, which gets added onto our backlog, then we work through the issues in order of priority. And when it comes to helping with slow network speeds, I’d start by asking the user a series of troubleshooting questions to figure out the most effective way to fi x it. By ascertaining the cause of the problem, I’d be better equipped to come up with a practical resolution.Wrong answer: I’d ask them if they tried turning it off and on again.How many ten pence pieces would it take to reach the top of the Shard? You can thank Google for starting the riddle-based-interview-question trend in the IT industry.Whatever you do, don’t panic. No one expects you to actually know the answer â€" whether it’s in response the above or to similar favourites such as ‘How many piano tuners are there are in Glasgow?’ or ‘How many traffic lights are there in London?’What the interviewer really wants from you is to exhibit a logical thought process, which leads you to a carefully prepared estimation. Or when all else fails, a response that tells them where they could actually find the answer.However, it’s worth bearing in mind that many software based roles place precedence on skills in accuracy and maths â€" so working this into your answer is a great way to earn bonus points.Right answer: I’d estimate the height of the Shard in line with the width of a ten pence piece. And, since it’s the tallest building in London, and a ten pence piece isn’t even as big as a centimetre thick, it would probably take in the region of a hundred thousand of them to reach the top. To get an accurate answer though, I’d find the exact measurements, and divide the height of the Shard with the width of a ten pence piece.Wrong answer: If I answer right, will you give me all of the ten pence pieces?Difficult interview questions and answersFive interview questions you should stop being scared ofStill searching for your perfect position? View available jobs now  Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Interview Techniques Job interview tips Preparing for an interview

What Is Included In A Resume?

What Is Included In A Resume?After all the parts to writing a resume that really matter and are worth considering, it will be time to consider what parts of a resume might be irrelevant. Before all the parts to writing a resume are considered, it will be time to think about what to put on the resume.These days a professional resume is not only the proper way to promote your career but can also be used as a way to determine your value to a company. In order to ensure that you fully understand what is included in the resume and the points that are needed to be covered, it will be important to do a little research. Once the list of items has been finalized, you will be ready to begin working on the things that should be left out.Using different online sources will allow you to find out which of the items on the resume are not necessary. After all the parts to writing a resume have been considered, there will be time to add them in one by one.The idea is to include everything that will l ead to a potential employer to take you seriously and will help you get the position. If you are unsure of what items you should include, it will be time to call or email your prospective employer. It will also be helpful to see if you have any resume sample form for the different positions you may apply for.Some of the parts to writing a resume include including a cover letter that can be written by yourself or with help from an editor. Many of the tools available to write cover letters are available online, allowing you to hire someone or purchase templates to begin creating the cover letter. In the end, it will be up to you to decide what personal information is necessary in a cover letter.The resume and cover letter can be complimented by your educational background. Of course, these must be completed and can be done on your own. The good news is that there are plenty of articles and even templates that are designed to help you get this information completed.If your resume inclu des career goals, it is important to include them. Most employers today have a need for resumes that have a lot of information. The fact that they are hiring indicates that they may be in a difficult situation and will need to be informed of your past work experience and the future plans you have in mind.Some of the parts to writing a resume include including a cover letter, highlighting education, and including information about any skills you may have that will help you meet the needs of a potential employer. Once all the parts to writing a resume have been considered, it will be time to start including them in one by one.

The 9 Business Models That Didnt Work and The One That Did (Part 1) - Classy Career Girl

The 9 Business Models That Didnt Work and The One That Did (Part 1) Today we are celebrating the fact that we’ve been in business for nine years! WOW! We are going to talk about a lot of the changes I have made in the last nine years at Classy Career Girl. Over the years, I’ve changed. I’m not the same person as I was when I started Classy Career Girl. I have quit my day job, I became a mom. The digital world is not the same as it was when I started. I have had to adapt to the digital landscape, but I have also had to adapt to myself, growing and changing.     I’ve tried a lot of things to see what works. Some things worked really well, but they just didn’t fit me. I didnt enjoy myself. And because fulfillment is so extremely important to me, I always have to ask myself, Am I happy doing this? Could I be happier doing it a little differently? Where you start isn’t where you have to end up! Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud 9 Business Models That Didn’t Work for Classy Career Girl Nothing is wrong with any of these business models. You can make any of these methods work. I found that I enjoyed one of them the best, and happiness and fulfillment is always what I aim for. 1) Advertising/Banner Ads This was the first way I made any money off my blog. I got an email from someone who said they wanted to pay me to post a picture on my site. Sometimes people would pay for links on my website instead. I charged $50-$100 per link or $100 per month. My first big win was a 6-month contract, and someone paid me six months in advance, so I made $600 for having an advertising image on my sidebar. I was in heaven!! I thought I had made it! Pro: You get paid to have a website and blog about what you love! Con: You have no control over if they will continue their contract. You are relying on other people to build your business. Not how I wanted to grow a business. You have to have a ton of traffic! The first step if you want to do this: Create a media kit! Showing your stats and traffic and reader demographics. 2) Sponsored Posts/Blog and Social Media This involved creating a post with a brand and sharing it with your audience. This is not easy. You have to be creative. You can try their product and write about it. You have to make it suitable for them. Sometimes affiliates fall into this. You can get paid by commission or by a lump sum; I always preferred a lump sum. You do have to watch out for sketchy people and sketchy links. Pro: You get paid to write about products you love! Con: Once again, you rely on someone else for an income. You have to really love it. You will cloud your readers with advertisements, and they might feel like you are not authentic. You have to be very careful. You have to have an audience. The first step if you want to do this: Create a media kit! Showing your stats and traffic and reader demographics. 3) Speaking You can get paid either by a corporation or association that pays you a lump sum. Or you can speak for free and pitch the audience at the end. I’ve done both. Pros: You can speak to a lot of people at once and make more sales than selling individual sales calls. You really grow your authority. Cons: You have to travel. You have to have your sales presentation down and be very confident in your material. You have to love your material. It can also be time-consuming.   The first step if you want to do this: Build your speaking sheet and start calling associations/organizations that need speakers and pitch yourself! 4) Publish an Ebook I didn’t like not having interaction. I thought I would just put it up and people would buy. You really need to have a promotion around it. I also like teaching, so it didn’t give me a way to actually teach. I love doing videos. I’m not just a reader, so for more value, I always add videos around my ebooks and make it a course instead. If you have something you know that others don’t, you need to do this. If you have been thinking about starting an income stream for a long time, this is where you start. You can put this up and sell it today.   Pros: Easy to put together and sell. Great way to start!! Quick wins. You can make it in Canva or word or create a PDF and sell it.   Cons: Your audience doesnt get to know YOU on camera and create a relationship with you. Can’t charge as much. No one is just going to come and buy. Need to create content around this and a funnel. The first step if you want to do this: Start blogging or writing. Consolidate your best posts into an ebook. Survey your followers and create an ebook and sell it. 5) Online Course You create videos or audios and worksheets and put them into a course. This is for people who want to learn one thing by the end of the course. My first course was the Get Unstuck Bootcamp with four people in it. I started on Ruzuku, but today there’s Teachable, and Kajabi and I use Wishlist Member to create my courses. Pros: If you love to teach, this is great. There are so many tech options to make this beautiful. Cons: High-quality content is essential these days. If you aren’t a teacher, this might not be for you. There are a lot of moving parts. May need help from a VA to get the tech stuff set up and ready to launch, but you can do it. The first step if you want to do this: Create an outline of the course. Find the result people want to get in 5-6 weeks. Brainstorm all of the things you would need to teach and create a path for them from start to finish. Survey your audience. Get questions, and start sharing behind the scenes what you are working on. Set a launch date and remember the content does not need to be complete when you launch. In part 2 next week, I’ll cover four more business models and then finally the one I love that really did and does work for us! Can’t wait for you to hear! Before we go, thank you so much for sharing that you are listening on Instagram! Thank you for sharing with others. That means so much. Thanks for the reviews too. Share a screenshot of this episode you are listening to in your Instagram stories or Facebook page and tag classy career girl. Leave a review. Can we get to 75 reviews? Almost at 66 reviews and 500,000 downloads.  (currently at 474,000 wow!!) Make sure you are subscribed to the show and review the show on iTunes or whatever platform you use. I read every single one of them. And if this is helping you, I’d love to know! If you enjoy this show, please share it with someone else! Thank you again for sharing with others. I truly appreciate you. Before we go, one last thing. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Just go at your own perfect pace and stop comparing yourself to other people. You are doing great!!

Personal Branding Interview Paul Sullivan - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Paul Sullivan - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Paul Sullivan, who writes the Wealth Matters column for The New York Times, and is the author of Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Dont. In this interview, Paul talks about what it means to be a clutch player in business, goes through some clutch scenarios, and more. How did you come up with the name and idea for CLUTCH? As a kid, I desperately wanted to be clutch in any of the dozens of golf tournaments I played in. Golf was the sport I played with my grandfather, and I played it well with him and friends. But in just about any tournament, I would fold under the pressure and shoot a horrendous score. However much this bothered me, it wasn’t until decades later when the economy started to falter that I started to think more deeply about people who aren’t clutch when it really matters. The term “clutch” is usually reserved for athletes, but we have all seen leaders from business and banking to politics and war that needed to be great under pressure and often weren’t. And that had far more serious consequences than playing badly in any game. It was from there that I set off to learn why some very qualified people excelled under pressure while other, seemingly, equally qualified people did not. Who are some clutch players in the corporate world? The one who comes right to mind is Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of J.P. Morgan Chase. In some ways, he is the definition of clutch â€" which I emphasize in the book is the ability to do what you can do under normal conditions but under pressure. This is key because so many people confuse clutch performance with luck. But if you look at how Dimon acquired Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual at the beginning and then in the depth of the financial crisis in 2008, respectively, he was clutch: he focused on assessing the value of each firm; he showed discipline in not paying more than he thought each was worth; he adapted when the deals shifted and he was always thinking in the present: what will this do to J.P. Morgan? It was how he would have made those decisions if the federal government had not been pressing him to do the deals. Dimon stood in stark contrast to Ken Lewis of Bank of America who made such horrible decisions after the ill-conceived acquisition of Merrill Lynch and the n refused to take full responsibility for any of them. The broader point here is there aren’t as many clutch leaders as you â€" or the leaders themselves â€" might think. My hope is a few will read Clutch and actually learn to be better under pressure instead of thinking they’re great and finding out otherwise when it really matters. What are some clutch scenarios and what is the best way to finish strong? A clutch situation is one in which there is not only a clearly defined right and wrong way, but real consequences if you don’t come through. In other words, the baseball player who hits a homerun in the ninth inning is not clutch if his team is down by seven runs or in last place. War, of course, is the ultimate clutch scenario, and I discuss what we can learn from the adaptability of special forces soldiers in the book. But a good, everyday example of a clutch scenario is a trial. When I spoke to David Boies, the attorney, he walked me through how he first prepared for a big trial and then maintained his focus once it was underway. At the time we were talking about A.I.G. vs SICO, a case that involved $4.2 billion but rested on arcane trust documents. He won that, but more recently he won the case for gay marriage in California. One thing Boies said that stuck with me is he how thinks of a trial in tennis terms: he is always just hitting another serve and never trying to hit the one that could win the U.S. Open. That kind of focus keeps him present so he can finish strong. Too many people anticipate their success â€" or worry about failure in a pressure scenario and that keeps them from coming through in the clutch. How do you know if youre a clutch player? Are some people just born with that ability? Great question. The person who blithely says I’m clutch most likely is not! I got an email the other day from a reader of my Times column who said that he can’t get enough pressure, that the more pressure on his business the better he does. That may be the case for him, but it’s not the norm. In fact, I found most of the people I interviewed who were truly clutch did not think of themselves in those terms. It actually goes to what I talk about in the chapter on overthinking, which is one of the key causes of choking. The pitcher David Price, who was the top major league baseball pick in 2008, told me he envisions himself failing before he goes out to pitch. He knows failing is a possibility. And once he has imagined that he focuses on doing what he has always done: throw pitches that get batters out. He has had the discipline to do this at every level and this year he was the starting pitcher in the All Star game, just two years after leaving college. What people don’t know is he almost quit baseball his freshman year at Vanderbilt because he did not think he was good enough under pressure! This is great news for everyone else. It shows people are not born with the ability to be clutch. It is something they can learn, but it takes a lot of hard work. If it was easy, we would all be clutch. What is the most fascinating piece of research that you uncovered while writing the book? The best part for me was finding a way to distill the traits of both clutch performers and choke artists into a format that people could not only understand and appreciate but learn from. I worked on telling this through a series of stories that illustrated each trait the ability to focus, show discipline, adapt, be present and in many cases understand the push and pull of fear and desire under pressure. The same was true for the three qualities of chokers. They commonly fail to accept responsibility for their actions â€" usually far in advance of the high-pressure moment are overconfident about their abilities and often overthink key situations. I know that doesn’t exactly answer your question, Dan. So if I had to pick one tidbit, it would be what Ari Kiev told me he learned working with the U.S. Olympic Riflery team. Kiev was a Harvard and Cornell-trained psychiatrist who went on to be a key adviser to SAC Capital, one of the country’s most consistently profitable hedge funds. But he got his start working on the U.S. Sports Medicine Committee in the 1970s. Member of the riflery team wanted to know why they couldn’t shoot as well in competition as they could in practice. To me this is the ultimate test for clutch performance because unlike other sports where you have teammates or an opposing team, nothing ever changes for a rifleman: shooting in a practice range should be exactly the same as shooting at a range in competition but it wasn’t. Some of the best in the world were not clutch. Kiev realized what they needed to do is have the discipline to shoot between breaths. And Kiev took that finding about discipline to the hedge fund world, where he became famous and wealthy. - Paul Sullivan writes the Wealth Matters column for The New York Times. His articles have appeared in Conde Nast Portfolio, The International Herald Tribune, Barron’s, The Boston Globe, and Food Wine. From 2000 to 2006, he was a reporter, editor and columnist at the Financial Times. His first big story for the FT was a profile of the author Kurt Vonnegut based on a train ride they took from Springfield, Massachusetts to New York City. His last piece for the FT was Vonnegut’s obituary. Paul has been interviewed on radio programs across America and has appeared several times on Fox News. He received degrees in history from Trinity College and the University of Chicago. Clutch: Why Some People Excel Under Pressure and Others Dont is his first book.

Zombie Writing Resume

Zombie Writing ResumeZombie writing resume is a valid way to get a job or advancement. Some people do not even bother about it and just put together something that will be good enough for them. In this article, I will show you how to get a job in zombie writing.Zombie writing resume should be short and sweet. Just as you would write your article or blog post for the sake of promoting yourself, you can write your resume to promote yourself. Use the same strategies that you use for promoting yourself. You can post your resume online. And then, you can use your keyword targeted ads in a blog or social network site.You can use your keyword-targeted ads in social networking sites as well. After doing this, you can ask friends and colleagues if they know anybody who uses WordPress. Then, ask them if they can recommend it to you. This is called the WordPress Affiliate Program.When you create your resume, just like in article marketing, you have to focus on your skills and talents. You can t ake a screen shot of your WordPress profile and use it as a template.Just like in article marketing, you should put your writing skills and the knowledge you have on marketing on the list of things you can offer to people. Another thing you can do is to set up a WordPress blog and offer WordPress consulting or WordPress training to people. This way, you will show your expertise and knowledge of the web.Be sure to put a lot of content in your resume. It is only when you have a lot of information about you that people will know you are worth hiring.There are lots of websites where you can get WordPress help. You can use them as a source for finding a job. The more technical blogs are most likely to be hit than those that talk about just about anything.Zombie writing resume is great. It shows that you have the knowledge about WordPress and market yourself and find your way in the world of writing.

How to Revive an Interview Thats Going Poorly - CareerAlley

How to Revive an Interview Thats Going Poorly - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Weve all been there. You enter the interview room with nerves. They take over, and you reach out your sweaty hand and sheepishly shake your interviewers hand. You forget all those tips to ease nervousness and its effects and are starting to feel queasy. After all, you dont want your interviewer to notice how nervous you are And then, youre so focused on where things went wrong that youre barely able to think of answers to the questions. You stutter. You stumble. This is not going well. Its a scenario that plays out in everyones life at least once. But all is not lost. You can revive an interview thats going poorly. Here are some tips to revive an interview when you feel like all hope is lost. Bad Interview? Create a trigger that will restore your focus and bring you back into the present moment. Something like pinching your leg would work wonderfully. Tweet This Reset Your Mindset This is going to be easier said than done, but if you can bring yourself back to the present moment, you can turn things around. Before you get into the interview, set a turning point. Create a trigger that will restore your focus and bring you back into the present moment. Something like pinching your leg would work wonderfully. Let this thing serve as a reminder that you have a fresh opportunity at this moment, and you dont have to worry about the moments that have passed. Yes, your interviewer may have noticed the slight pause, but worrying about the past will only hinder you in the present. When you reset your focus to the present moment, you can let go of the worry and allow yourself to shine. Ask for a Minute Heres one thing you may not have considered before going into your interview. Yes, your interviewer is busy, and yes, they probably have to get through a lot of interviews that day. But know this above all else: Theyre human. Whether or not you get the job, your interviewer will likely empathize with your nerves. Weve literally all been there. Its okay to ask for a minute to calm yourself. Tell the interviewer that youre a little nervous and just need a minute to refocus yourself. He or she will understand. And they may actually appreciate that you can come back stronger. Itll give the interviewer a better picture of how you are on a day-to-day basis with less stress, which is incredibly valuable for determining fit. Practice Simple Breath Exercises You dont want to call attention to your breathing while youre in an interview, so try to avoid loud deep breathing. If youre feeling especially nervous while youre sitting down and waiting for your interview to get started, practice a simple breathing exercise. Just shift your focus to your breath as it flows in and out. This is a simple form of meditation that can help calm your nerves and possibly ease an upset stomach (related to nerves) as you prepare for your interview. And its a whole lot better than obsessing over what youre going to say because we know that never ends well. Ask the Interviewer a Personal Question Small talk can really help ease your nerves as you prepare to answer tough questions. When you realize that your interviewer is a person with a life and maybe even a sense of humor, it can take the pressure off your chat. Just dont get too personal. You can ask about things like their commute or how long theyve worked for the company, but youre going to want to avoid asking about personal things like their marriage or kids unless they bring it up. As you can probably tell, there are numerous ways to help reduce interview nervousness to help show why youre a great fit for the company. Despite this, theres really nothing you can do to completely end nervousness, but you can take control of the situation and turn things around when you see an interview is going badly. Mastering this ability will allow you to excel in any interview and will make stressful moments in your career much easier to conquer. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to nail the interview and get hired. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

Improve Safety Throughout Your Supply Chain

Improve Safety Throughout Your Supply Chain Ensuring health and safety throughout a supply chain is tricky, but its also imperative. One slip up in one part of the supply chain can have a knock-on effect for the rest of it. From manufacturers to retailers, everyone needs to be responsible for keeping employees and customers safe. You might not be able to control what other companies do, but you can make smart choices about which companies you choose to work with. You also have plenty of control over certain parts of your supply chain, so you can make sure they are performing to the right standards. Use the following advice to maintain safety throughout your supply chain. How Health and Safety Can Move Down the Supply Chain Its important to understand how health and safety can affect your supply chain. Something that happens in one part of the supply chain can easily have ongoing repercussions. For example, if a supplier chooses to package their goods in heavy, difficult to manage packaging, it could mean health and safety problems for the delivery drivers, warehouse workers or retailers who have to handle them in other parts of the supply chain. Therefore, its essential to consider not just how a choice will affect one area but how it could have a wider effect too. Gather Data to Monitor Risks One of the best things any company can do to improve safety along their supply chain is to collect relevant data. Big data is becoming more and more important throughout different industries, and it has many different applications. Collecting data and information from throughout your supply chain can help you to spot any safety issues and make the best decisions about how to address them. Some monitoring can be done automatically, using sensors and other high-tech tools. Other information can be gathered with the input of staff or even customers. With the right information, you can identify the best ways to improve safety. Make Sure Third-party Buyers and Suppliers Are Being Safe Its difficult to have a lot of control over what third-party suppliers or buyers are doing. However, you can examine them carefully and ensure that theyre working safely. You can also set guidelines that you expect them to follow as part of your supply chain. If youre not happy with the conduct of anyone concerning safety, there is always the option of cutting your losses and working with someone else. If any part of your supply chain has issues with safety, it can reflect badly on you. Auditing your suppliers and buyers will help you to keep everything in line. Use the Right Packaging Solutions One specific issue that you might need to consider for your supply chain is how things are packaged. Packaging can make a big difference to several factors related to handling products in your supply chain. It can dictate how much contact people have with a product, as well as how the product must be transported. Some liquid products might need to be transported in steel drums like those from www.clsmith.com to ensure proper safety standards. Some products may need to be packaged in sizes, shapes and weights that can easily be carried manually, without the risk of injury. Its essential to think about this throughout the supply chain. Examine the Impact of Customer Requirements Businesses should think about how customer requirements could impact on safety within the supply chain. For example, customers could have particular requirements for processing or presentation of products that make it difficult to achieve proper health and safety. Hygiene requirements could even have an effect on safety. For example, keeping floors clean could lead to slippery surfaces. This makes it important to work together with customers to ensure that the correct levels of safety are being maintained. Fulfill Legal Responsibilities Its always important to check your legal responsibilities where safety is concerned. Your requirements can vary, depending on your industry, your location, and even the size of your business. If youre not sure, you can check local and federal websites to find the relevant regulations. Failing to follow the law could not only lead to injuries, but it could also mean that your business gets in a lot of trouble. If you want to avoid big fines or getting sued, you should comply with regulations. Check Your Workers Knowledge and Experience You need your employees to cooperate if you want to improve safety throughout your supply chain. However, if youre unsure about how well they are currently able to help you, you need to ask them. Conduct a survey to ask your workers about their knowledge and experience related to health and safety. Use the survey to find out about what they know, and whether they feel that safety practices are carried out adequately. Provide Training to Staff If your survey raises any issues, you need to make sure that the correct training is provided to staff. Of course, you also need to ensure everyone has the tools and the management necessary to help them work safely. Staff training gives your workers the knowledge they need to work safely. You can also partner with suppliers and customers to make sure that they are also paying attention to their employees. Good management is also key to training so make sure that it is in place. Develop Stronger Guidelines You dont have to just pay attention to the legal requirements imposed on your business. You can show that youre willing to go further and take responsibility without being compelled to do so by the law. Creating your own robust guidelines for ensuring safety throughout your supply chain is a smart and useful thing to do. These guidelines can be useful not just for your own company but for anyone you partner with too. You might create guidelines concerning how materials should be packaged, handled or transported, for example. Start improving safety in your supply chain to make sweeping improvements throughout your business. There are many ways you can improve safety and make things better for everyone.