More and more interesting facts about social media users emerge as entrepreneurs, university scientists and marketers slice and dice the data that is available to them. For instance, self-described social media scientist Dan Zarrella began capturing links posted to social media sites from popular news outlets in February 2010. From that data – more on his methodology in a moment – he determined what were some of the most popular and least popular words, based on how many times an article was shared.

Words to Avoid

By his reckoning, the least popular words – to the shock of many techies – are vs., apps, review, down, poll, game, Twitter, social, time, iPhone, USA Today, TV and live. Topics such as Twitter, Google, and the iPhone aren’t very popular with the mainstream Facebook audience, he concludes. "These topics might be hot with the bleeding-edge Twitter crowd, but when you’re targeting the much larger Facebook audience, lay off the trendy web geek stuff," is his advice.

Words to Use

Words that marketers might want to try to work into their social media communications? According to Zarrella, these would include Facebook, why, world, how, health, bill, big, says, best, video, you, Apple, media, top, first and Obama. "What I found was that list-based superlatives like "best" and "most" work pretty well on Facebook and that contain that explains something "why" and "how" also does," he says. Zarrella compiled the data by determining the average number of times an article from each individual news site was shared on Facebook and then comparing the individual stories to their domain’s average. Then he combined the percentage difference (either more or less shares) to produce an "effect" number that represents the difference in amount of shares.

Other data he has gleaned:

• Adjectives and adverbs don’t perform as well as regular, plain old nouns and verbs.

• Articles that include sexual references in their titles, are shared on Facebook far more than the average story.

• The reading grade level required to understand the title of an article increased, the number of times it was shared on Facebook decreased – so use simple language if you want to get shared on Facebook.

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No matter how close your wedding day is, this timeline will help prioritise your list of things to do before your wedding. The links within the list link to relevant sections and articles on i-do that will provide more information for even easier planning!!

Look at this wedding to-do-list as a guide only – you probably won’t need to organise everything listed. Cross off what is not relevant to your planning, then priortise the elements left in the to-do-list that you believe will help create your perfect wedding.

Editors Tip:

Wedding reception venues book up quickly so we recommend you book your wedding venue first, particularly if you want your wedding on a Saturday. 75% of brides choose Saturday as their wedding day.

Below we have pulled out of the to-do-list wedding services you should book sooner rather than later. Certainly not because they are more important, we know that the wedding dress is number one on that list!! These are the wedding service providers who can usually only do one wedding on a Saturday.

Start looking and booking:

Wedding venues – ceremony venue and reception venue

Wedding photographers

Wedding videographer

Wedding DJ’s and entertainment

The wedding cars

Things To Do Upon Your Engagement

1. Announce your engagement and start to organise your engagement celebration.

2. Buy the engagement ring (if you haven’t already got the rock on your finger!)

3. Decide on a wedding budget, and sit down with you partner to make important wedding decisions. Consider the style of wedding you would like ie black tie, lounge suit, smart casual etc and the atmosphere of the wedding day itself.

4. Decide on whether you are having a wedding close to home or a destination wedding

5. Decide on the date and time you would like to hold your wedding

6. Book your wedding reception venue

7. If you plan on using a wedding planner to organise your entire wedding, book your wedding planner now

8. Start your health and beauty regime

When You Have Set the Date

1. Book and confirm the wedding venue for both your ceremony and reception

2. If you are planning an outdoor event, make sure you have shelter if needed or an alternative venue

3. Consider your wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses. Get the lowdown on finding the right wedding dress.

4. Choose your bridesmaids and groomsmen

5. Start looking and booking wedding photographers and videographers portfolio’s

6. Look at wedding stationery designs

7. Look at wedding cars and get some quotes

8. Do a rough guest list to be edited as needed to get down to the size you have planned

9. Start thinking about your honeymoon destination

10. Keep up your beauty and fitness regime

First Things First – Start Booking

1. Book and confirm your wedding photographer and videographer

2. If the venue you have chosen does not supply the food, start looking for and booking your wedding caterers and think about your wedding feast, the menu and the drinks

3. If hire equipment is needed, find a reputable and reliable hire company and book whatever you need ie tables, chairs, marquee etc

4. If you are having your wedding dress made (as opposed to buying off the rack), select your wedding designer and wedding dress and get started on the gown.

5. Get the designer and dressmaker to start work on your bridesmaids dresses if they are being made and to schedule in all the fittings required giving everyone plenty of notice.

6. Decide on your wedding decorator and book them (they may be able to assist with the hire of any equipment you may need)

7. Consider your wedding ceremony music and the entertainment for your wedding reception. Listen to clips from different musicians via their website or ask them to send you a demo. Book your wedding entertainment.

8. Book your wedding cars and any wedding transport you may need for your guests.

9. Make preliminary bookings for you honeymoon, particularly if you are planning a to go overseas

10. Make sure your passport is up to date, and if you are changing your surname, you may have to do some alterations

11. Give your overseas or interstate guests notice of the wedding date – send out a save the date card.

12. Book the celebrant or chaplain and speak to the who will be marrying you, and discuss your requirements

13. Decide on a theme and colours you would like to follow beach, moroccan, indian summer, hawaiian, medieval, white or ivory, gold or silver, lemon or lime….

14. Consult potential wedding decorators , make a decision whether you are using them as soon as possible.

Next Consider….

1. Secure the suits for the groom and groomsmen

2. Consider your wedding invitations and stationery and organise to have them printed ready to send 6-8 weeks in advance or 12 weeks for guests coming from overseas, ie invitations, RSVP’s, thank you notes, place cards, bridal registry cards etc.

3. Find a florist specialising in wedding flowers. Select your bridal bouquets, button holes, wedding ceremony and wedding reception flowers

4. Start looking and booking your hair and makeup artist

5. Mothers of the bride and groom may want to coordinate their outfits so give them an indication of your chosen colours, flowers and style.

6. Book the Bridal Suite or Wedding Night Accommodation for the wedding night

7. Find a bridal registry and start shopping. (print cards to be included with your wedding invitations or have your bridesmaids and friends subtley spread the word.)

8. Fill out Notice of Intention to Marry, no more than 6 months before but no less than 1 month and a day

And then….

1. Organise your wedding bands (allow the jeweller at least 4 weeks to supply the wedding bands leaving time for resizing if necessary)

2. Look at wedding cakes and order your favourite for the wedding day.

3. Finalise the menu with the wedding venue or wedding caterer, and select the wines and champagnes

4. Finalise the floor plan for your wedding reception; where the bridal table is, how the guest tables will be arranged, where the DJ will be, where the band will play, where you will cut the cake, where the dance floor will be, where the MC and speech makers will stand.

5. Start to make a tentative guest seating plan including the organisation of the bridal table and tables for the parents of the bride and groom.

6. Order your bomboniere and other wedding day extras such as confetti, wedding bubbles, rose petals, disposable cameras etc

7. Send out the wedding invitations (6-8 weeks before)

8. Start planning your order of service for the wedding ceremony and select (or start writing your own) hymns, vows and readings.

9. Choose what ceremony music you’d like to have played by the ceremony musicians throughout the wedding ceremony.

10. Buy your gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen, mum and dad too and of course for each other too.

11. Get documentation from the celebrant/church/synagogue/temple and fill in necessary forms

12. Appoint your MC either a reliable friend or a professional

Final Bits And Pieces

1. Pick up wedding rings and get engraved if necessary

2. Put together a schedule for the wedding and give the relevant sections to all the people involved. Include maps if necessary. i-do has an examples of schedules for pre wedding preparation, the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception.

3. The running sheet. Decide the order of toasts and speeches

4. Keep your guest list and rsvp’s up to date using your i-do guest planner

5. Make sure your attendants organise your hens or bucks night at least a week before the wedding to avoid any hangovers on the day!

6. Start getting into the wedding celebrations and hold your bridal shower.

7. Have a trial day with your hair and makeup artist to experiment with styles, try and take your head piece with you.

8. Book an appointment at a beauty salon for at least 1 week before the wedding day for any waxing, facials you may need, and organise a manicure and pedicure for a few days before.

9. Buy your wedding lingerie and spare hosiery for both yourself and the bridesmaids.

10. Provide the wedding venue and caterers with an estimated number of guests

11. Make sure you have a definite collection date for everyones wedding attire and they know about it.

12. Reconfirm everyone…the wedding cars, wedding flowers, wedding entertainment, hair and makeup artist, wedding photographer and videographer etc

13. Book in the entire bridal party for the wedding ceremony rehearsal usually held in the week leading up to the wedding.

Bringing It All Together

1. Have your engagement ring professionally cleaned

2. Finalise seating arrangements

3. Write the place cards or have the written by a calligrapher

4. Make a master seating plan display so your guests can see where their tables and also give one to the reception venue

5. Check all wedding speeches are well on their way

6. If you have time, start writing thank you notes as you receive gifts

7. Wear in your wedding shoes, and scruff the bottom to ensure you don’t slip

8. Confirm EVERYTHING once again!

9. Start getting plenty of much needed rest!

1 Week Before

1. Have your waxing and other beauty treatments at the salon

2. Reconfirm the bridal suite

3. Confirm final numbers with venue and caterers

4. Have the wedding ceremony rehearsal

5. Pack your bags ready for your honeymoon.

6. Pick up the tickets and itinerary for your honeymoon and organise travellers cheques, travel insurance and a little extra spending money on your credit card if possible.

7. Reconfirm flights 72 hours before

The Night Before

1. Lay out your your wedding shoes (scuffed so you don’t slip), jewellery, tiara, veil ready for the following day and keep you wedding dress in a safe place.

2. Take a long bath, burn some essential oils and listen to some relaxing music.

3. Get a good nights sleep.

On The Day

1. Eat! Eat! Eat! Have a healthy breakfast and lunch – we don’t need to tell you what happens after a glass or two of bubbly on a stomach full of nothing but nerves – you will be needing all the energy you can get!

2. Refer to your schedules if you need to.

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In large meetings, we tend to corral people into rooms, sitting shoulder to shoulder for 90 minutes or more, and then we expect them to be attentive. Is it any wonder many of these folks fidget and miss half of what’s going on?

According to Brain Rules author John Medina, that’s no way to learn. Medina’s Brain Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.

When we move, we oxygenate our brains. And when our brains are pumped up with oxygen, amazing things happen. We actually think more clearly, apply new concepts more soundly and remember this new info for more than an instant.

Keeping in line with this oxygen/movement strategy, when it’s break time, place your break tables at distant points of the hotel/conference table. Give everyone a map with all tables clearly marked and the number of steps between each break destination. Have them get their cards stamped at each table and award prizes to those who complete the full cycle.

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Business blogging is a different kettle of fish to blogging for money and that, in turn, is entirely different to blogging socially. The type of blog you manage will determine the voice, design, and style of your blog as well as the efforts you’re likely to put into promoting it.

A business blog needs to be professional as well as appear it. Regular posting on topics that your readers will genuinely find interesting can promote you as an expert in your field. A blog can keep the line of communication between you and potential customers open. It enables you to post relevant, keyword rich postings that encourage new traffic and help increase your client base.

It’s far from an exhaustive list but below are ten tips to remember when blogging for business:

A simple but potentially effective SEO fix is to change the format of permalinks or URLs so that they dispense with the default page id to be replaced with an easier to read and keyword optimized page URL. You can do this through the Wordpress dashboard.

3 – Consider Your Media Placement

Try to set yourself a regular schedule but remember that it can be broken and it can be added to when necessary. If news breaks, then post your own commentary on it. If you intersperse product reviews and articles that relate to your own business then try to schedule these. Make sure you post regularly, at the very least once a week, and spend some time getting involved in the community that builds up around your blog.

7 – Not Every Post Need Be an Advert

Blogging and Web 2.0 in general can quickly become addictive. It should be treated as a tool to assist in managing your online business, which means that you need to concentrate on the other aspects of your business. Outsource your blog development and content creation if necessary and enjoy the results.

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Getting married is a big event. Gathering friends and loved ones together to take part gives the day greater meaning, and following up with a party to celebrate is perfectly natural.

The party, however, can take on a life of its own, with expenses spiraling out of control. A poll taken by wedding site TheKnot.com placed the combined cost of the average wedding and reception at $25,000: the cost of a nice car. Granted, many weddings cost far less, but $25,000 is an average – so plenty break that budget too.

Wedding planning requires toughness

No one sets out to go broke on a wedding, yet many couples end up spending more on a wedding than they would on a starter house. The fact is, there is an entire industry built around weddings, and add-ons and options will be coming at you from all angles. If you don’t take steps early on to control expenses, you might find yourself blowing past your budget and heading deep into debt. Read on as we explain the hows and whys of responsible wedding planning.

Plan to stay within budget

Controlling expenses early is key, because as you start to spend more it becomes harder for you to keep perspective on how much is being spent. The more you have already dished out, the smaller each new expense will seem in comparison. This size distortion is part of human nature, and the reason why we don’t balk at the $100 hidden fee that appears just as we’re about to make a big purchase like a car or boat. A short person looks even shorter when there is a tall man next to them, and these little expenses are going to look insignificant next to the huge amounts of money you will have paid out by the end of the wedding. “It’s only $100” is the common rationale. Just remember that these expenses seem small now, but can be painful in retrospect.

Put another way, by planning to save money early on, you’re making choices before the big price tag on the wedding distorts your sense of value. Some early decisions that can make a big difference include:

Guest list

Each additional guest bumps up the price of the wedding by an increment. Pay close attention to your list, and you could save a bundle by keeping the list down as much as possible.

Food and drink

Are you going to offer a set menu or options? What about a buffet? Open bar versus a limited bar can make a huge difference too. (For more specifics, read our story 10 Ways to Cut Wedding Food Costs.)

Date and venue

Most regions have a wedding “season,” and people getting married during that season will face much higher prices than those who wait for a slower time. Consider a destination wedding, traveling somewhere beautiful with a small, core group of guests. It’s cheaper — and comes with a built-in honeymoon.

Don’t believe the hype

Whether you’re getting married on the beach or in a giant downtown chapel, weddings are still big business. There are hundreds of variables, and each “premium” option you pick can subtly raise the price tag on your wedding day. That’s why you need to be clear from the beginning about what matters to you — and what doesn’t. You need to decide what details are really worth shelling out for and what to let slide. Otherwise, you’ll be making these decisions in the moment, and asking the caterers if you really need a champagne parade is like asking a car salesman if you really need the premium stereo package.

Each of these people is a salesperson, and they will do their best to convince you that without whatever it is they’re selling, your wedding day will be missing something. If you go to a salesman without an idea of what you want to buy, they will try to sell you something, and it may not be the right fit for you. So, decide what you’re willing to splurge on, and don’t shell out for X, Y or Z just because a wedding magazine says you need to. It’s your day, so do what makes you happy.

Communicate early and often

So, if you understand the importance of deciding early, what should you do? You’ll need a plan, and that means having a clear-headed discussion with your spouse-to-be. Sit down together early and often to discuss your expenses. Get clear on your budget for the wedding, and if you’re fortunate enough to have financial support from parents, get clear on what scale is reasonable for them. Speak up, and talk about what’s important to each of you.

Most of the time, women have much stronger opinions on wedding planning than men. This isn’t just a gender issue; women have been targeted since they were kids with images of brides and massive banquet halls full of dancing guests. So the man in the couple might need to play the voice of reason. As a team, you need to pick and choose which parts of that fantasy are right for you, and what you can afford to save some money on.

Wedding planning won’t kill you

Like we said in the beginning, the key to wedded financial bliss is minimizing expenses early. We’re not saying to eliminate them, just minimize: Identify what’s unnecessary and unwanted — and get rid of it. This frees more of your money and energy for the things you do want to have. If something is important to you, by all means go for it. But don’t let size distortion and pushy salespeople take more money from you than you can afford to spend. What truly matters at a wedding is the ceremony, and any happiness or enjoyment you can afford to share with your family and loved ones on top of that is a bonus.

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Perth

This is a genuine opportunity to reap the financial rewards your extensive experience and superior skills set affords you.

With the kind of projects that will challenge and excite even the most seasoned of professionals, this role requires a hands on approach to project management. Our client offers the kind of work environment that is hard to match and is on the lookout for a dedicated and professional PM to come on board and reap the rewards on offer.

 Your role:

Coordinating technical and engineering works for mining related projects

Acting as an interface to the project and engineering design personnel

Ensuring the timely completion of installation and commissioning schedules

Developing annual and monthly project management planning and reports

Liaising extensively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth project progression

Scheduling and correct resource allocation

 Your experience:

A minimum of 15 years experience in project management within the mining resources industry.

Some substantial PM exposure

A higher level tertiary qualification (an MBA really would be ideal)

Registration as a PMP, or similar an advantage

 What’s in it for you?

An impressive remuneration package that reflects the superior skills and experience you will be bringing with you into this role

The opportunity to join a progressive and forward thinking company that will recognise your superior abilities and reward you both professionally and financially for your contribution

This is essentially a staff position because of project duration however a contract arrangement would be considered for the ideal candidate.

Opportunities to join an outfit such as this that will value like no other don’t exactly come along every day…

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Brisbane

Excellent career opportunities

Strong work / life balance / supportive team environment, cbd based role.

An exciting opportunity to join a thriving Civil Construction firm based in Brisbanes CBD. This leading company is focused on major South East Queensland road and civil projects ranging from small scale jobs all the way up multi-million dollar government contracts.

This company strives themselves on sustainability, delivery, meeting timelines, staying within budget and maintaining a strong client relationship.                                                                     

To be successful for this position the ideal candidate would have:

Tertiary Qualifications in Construction Management, 3 4 years practical experience in managing various projects, a strong knowledge in preparation of contracts, managing approvals and the certification process, an understanding of the method of a project from tender to completion and having site based experience.

If you have the skills to be a  successful project manager working on large scale projects and are looking todevelop your skills and take on a new challenge this is the role for you. Please submit your resume immediately.

Source

Melbourne – Inner

6month Contract

The Project Manager will be responsible for overall management of the upgrade of the existing CA Asset Management Systems.  This will include:

Provisioning of new infrastructure

Decommissioning unused existing infrastructure

Performing a successful DR test of the CA infrastructure.

Performing functional and non functional test phases

Day to day management of the system integrator who in turn is responsible for the Software upgrade as well as the development of a number of associated work processes.

The following R12 CA applications are in scope for this project:

CA Service Desk (USD) – already in production, but requires configuration and/or customisation

CA Configuration Management Database (CMDB) – already in production, but requires configuration and/or customisation

CA Asset Manager (UAM) – already in production, but requires configuration and/or customisation

CA Asset Portfolio Manager (UAPM) – already in production, but requires configuration and/or customisation and

CA Software Compliance Manager (SCM) – new application to manage software compliance.

Source

Melbourne Inner

$60,000 – $63,000k Package

This national SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR is looking for an experienced PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICER ior project coordinator to support the project managers and the project team.

With aspirations to move into a junior project management role you will have experience with MS Project and Excel.

You will be:

         Working with the Project Manager to produce monthly invoices

         Involved in project scheduling

         Producing the project status reports

         Ensuring that the team adheres to version control

         Maintenance of the Change Control Register

         Maintenance of the Risks and Issues Register

         Generation of the first draft of the Board Report

You will be articulate, intelligent and self motivated with clear communication skills.  You will be able to demonstrate the above and have experience in a similar role.

You will have 2-3 years in a project support role.

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