The people who make up your business are among your most valuable assets. Proper management of those human resources is critical for creating and sustaining a skilled and engaged workforce, developing a positive business culture, and generating a competitive advantage. Human resource personnel are involved in tasks like recruiting, selecting, compensating, training, developing, and disciplining employees. Who carries out these tasks varies depending on a business' size and organization. Large organizations may have a dedicated HR manager or even an entire HR department. In smaller businesses, on the other hand, HR responsibilities may be carried out by the CEO or business owner, delegated to staff, or outsourced. Regardless of whether they will be responsible for carrying out HR tasks themselves, small business owners should be aware of important human resource issues, options, and controversies. This course reviews key areas in human resource management, like crafting job descriptions, finding the right people for those jobs, fairly compensating employees, and responding to performance issues. We also survey important employment laws and some best practices for creating a workplace that is safe and healthy for employees. Experts provide commentary and share their personal experiences relating to common HR issues. Click here to register #MindEdge

Whether adopting new technology or adapting to a drastic shift in an organization's core focus, change is a constant in any successful business. Managers play a fundamental role in successful effecting changes across an organization, and meanwhile, humans, by nature, will often resist change out of fear of the unknown. This introductory course addresses the key issues managers face in a dynamic environment. By understanding the steps in effecting change and how to overcome resistance, a manager can successfully lead change at various levels of an organization. Click here to register #MindEdge

Leading a team through any task or project requires special skills, and an understanding of the team dynamic and politics. This introductory-level course for managers or anyone interested in leading teams, addresses the key issues surrounding leadership in a team environment. Why is leadership important to team success? What is required of a team leader to lead his team effectively? This course considers how team leaders must account for the special and unique circumstances of working in a team, where responsibility, accountability, communication, and leadership are shared. Click here to register #MindEdge

One-on-One instruction with Adobe certified instructor Rob Underwood. You pick the date, time, and what you want to work on. This is two, one hour sessions.

Instructor: Rob Underwood

#1on1

This 55-hour remote learning real estate agent course, approved by the Maine Real Estate Commission, is a prerequisite to taking the Pearson VUE state licensing exam. Based on the book, Introduction to a Successful Career in Maine Real Estate, by Charles “Kim” Coit, its content includes material that is basic to the practice of real estate in Maine.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) encompasses the practices and metrics of trying to increase a web site's ranking with search engines. This course will engage learners through a variety of assignments that span the history and technology of the World Wide Web. Students will learn how to leverage both content and technical features in order to increase ranking while also learning about the latest tools to measure performance. These aspects are then incorporated into real-world scenarios that challenge students to apply what they have learned. Click here to register #MindEdge

Small business operators are often faced with the daunting task of advertising and building a brand with a restricted budget. They must also effectively use social media and search engine optimization to differentiate themselves from their competition and attract potential customers. This course is designed for small business owners, entrepreneurs, managers, and other professionals who want to understand the basics of small business marketing. The material explains how to utilize social media marketing, content marketing, and search engine metrics strategically to reach not necessarily a wide audience, but the right audience. After completing this course, small business owners and marketers will be better prepared to promote their services and products in the highly competitive virtual world. Click here to register #MindEdge

The emergence of eCommerce has dramatically reshaped the modern marketplace. Business owners are no longer anchored to a physical store—or stuck paying the overhead costs to operate them. Whether you know exactly what you want to sell or are still fishing around for ideas, this course will guide you through the process of generating product ideas, performing market and audience research, organizing a sourcing process, finding the best eCommerce platform, developing a shipping and fulfillment strategy, and marketing your online store to boost traffic and sales. Click here to register #MindEdge