Showing posts with label Build a More Meaningful Career. Show all posts

Monday, February 14, 2011

20 Ways to Impress the Boss

Whether you're vying for a promotion or just want to make a good impression, here are 20 ways to show you're dream team material:

1. Know the mission. Align yourself with your boss' and company's goals and values. Make your boss' priorities your priorities.

2. Understand how you'll be evaluated. Know precisely which skills, behaviors and accomplishments you will be judged on and rewarded. Focus on them like a laser.

3. Be dependable. Do what you say you're going to do. Better yet, under-promise and over-deliver.

4. Project positive energy. Don't be the one to whine or criticize the boss or company direction. Be a motivator: the person everyone wants to be around.

5. Make your boss look good. Finish your work on time and with a high level of professionalism. Bring your boss ideas that will help him and the department and offer to take charge and implement them.

6. Own up. Take responsibility for your mistakes by focusing on what you've learned rather than what you've done wrong. For example, "I think this project could have been better if we'd gotten the group's buy-in early on," or "Next time I would talk more with the end-users up-front..."

7. Be organized. Plan your next day before you leave work. Rank your tasks by urgency and importance and make a point of doing at least the top two items on your list.

8. Be punctual. Arriving for work or meetings on time (even early) shows you're enthusiastic, dependable and able to manage your life effectively.

9. Be resourceful. Don't run to the boss with every question you have or setback you encounter. Think things through first. If you must report a problem to the boss, develop possible solutions to present.

10. Broaden your horizons. Take advantage of company-sponsored training courses and volunteer for projects in areas outside your everyday expertise.

11. Stay informed. Keep abreast of industry and company trends by reading trade journals and attending professional association events.

12. Be trendy. Stay current with technological, legal and knowledge advances in your area. Upgrade your skills and learn new ones.

13. Be courteous. Show respect and loyalty to your boss and speak well of her to others. (At the very least don't bad mouth her to anyone.)

14. Be flexible. Change is inevitable. Companies need people who can adapt and go with the flow.

15. Take care of your health. When you're run-down, productivity and ambition suffer -- as does your image.

16. Leave your personal life at the door. Using your co-workers as therapists not only hurts productivity; it damages your credibility and can contaminate your work relationships (even if people seem sympathetic).

17. Go beyond the call of duty. Take on added challenges, put in extra hours, and never use the phrase, "That's not in my job description."

18. Be a team player. Show your boss and co-workers you have their best interests at heart by being empathetic and offering to help out when they need it.

19. Take a break now and then. A clear head and balanced life can give you energy and perspective.

20. Look and act promotable. Don't let anyone think you work because you have to.

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By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder Editor

Friday, January 21, 2011

10 Things to Do When You Leave Corporate America

What’s the best part about not having to get dressed up and go to work every day? Time.

If you're working full time in Corporate America today, eventually you will leave. What are you going to do with all that time? Or, if you’ve already left, what are you doing with all that time?

Here’s my top 10 list for things to do when you leave Corporate America (in no particular order):

1. Go to the gym. I understand (really, I do) when you’re working you just don’t have the time. My first inclination was to make up for lost time by cramming years of workouts into one month while making believe that I can still do what I did in my 20s. But that resulted in one trip to the emergency room and four stitches. Now I’m approaching my workouts more like a 30-something (a-hem).

2. Cook. It’s always been my job to make dinner. But let’s face it making dinner is not quite the same thing as cooking. I’ve known this for a long time even though I did my best to convince my family I was actually cooking. My new approach is causing some disruption though when my husband comes home expecting that I’ll pull something together in twenty minutes or less.

3. Read. Admit it you all have that pile of books that you’ve been collecting from Amazon to read some day. They have been collecting dust and consuming precious shelf space. When you leave Corporate America you just might have time to read those books while simultaneously encouraging the pile to grow larger.

4. Master the laundry process. I used to spend all weekend mass processing the laundry. It was the only time I had to do it, and with kids playing messy sports there was quite a bit to do. I have discovered that it is far more efficient to spread the loads across the week. And the weekends remain free for other things like:

5. Pay attention to what your kids are doing. Your kids won’t like this. It will disrupt the normal order of things. They aren’t likely to give you full Facebook friend status, but there are covert methods that work quite well (which can’t be divulged here for fear that I will lose my sources).

6. Annoy your spouse. When you have time to clean and organize you start to realize that you have collected enormous amounts of junk over the years. So when that yellow t-shirt disappears and your spouse is annoyed well, just think of it as getting even.

7. Learn what a savasana is. Don’t think about, just do it.

8. Write. Everyone has a story in them, right? You know all that stuff that’s been cluttering up your brain? Now you can write about it. If you’re lucky someone might even read it.

9. Get some Vitamin D – from the sun. Some of you may not know this because you never see the sun, but the sun does actually shine at least a little on most days. And ten minutes (without sunscreen) is equal to 10000 international units of vitamin D.

10. Watch Mad Men. I can’t be the only person on the planet who had no idea this AMC TV show existed until a few months ago. If you’ve worked in Corporate America this might become your new favorite show. You get bonus points if you were born in the 50s or 60s.

What’s on your list?

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By Colette Martin

Thursday, January 6, 2011

25 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers – with Annual Salary and Projected annual openings

Baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, are nearing retirement age. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are 78.2 million boomers, and that every hour, 330 of them turn 60. That means an entire generation of workers might leave the work force in the coming years.

But they might not.

Many baby boomers are choosing to postpone retirement and stay at their current jobs or find new ones. Some can't afford to retire, but many want to explore new avenues. After decades of working in jobs that paid the bills but didn't fulfill them, they're moving to different industries.

For their book "225 Best Jobs for Baby Boomers," authors Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin decided to comb through data to discover what the best jobs are for baby boomers. They looked at salaries, projected job growth and the number of openings to calculate which jobs have the most promise.

Farr and Shatkin break down their findings in more than 70 lists, ranging from the best-paying jobs to the best jobs for boomers age 45-54. Whatever your criteria are, Farr and Shatkin have the job for you.

Below you'll find the list for the 25 overall best jobs for all baby boomers:

1. Management analysts
What they make*: $67,005
Projected annual openings**: 78,000

2. Teachers, post-secondary
What they make: $68,456
Projected annual openings: 216,000

3. Logisticians
What they make: $44,563
Projected annual openings: 162,000

4. General and operations managers
What they make: $93,594
Projected annual openings: 260,000

5. Registered nurses
What they make: $66,427
Projected annual openings: 215,000

6. Anesthesiologists
What they make: $310,132
Projected annual openings: 38,000

7. General internists
What they make: $351,307
Projected annual openings: 38,000

8. Obstetricians and gynecologists
What they make: $285,254
Projected annual openings: 38,000

9. Family and general practitioners
What they make: $198,221
Projected annual openings: 38,000

10. Psychiatrists
What they make: $191,080
Project annual openings: 38,000

11. Surgeons
What they make: $322,281
Projected annual openings: 38,000

12. General pediatricians
What they make: $181,764
Projected annual openings: 38,000

13. Medical and health services managers
What they make: $94,269
Projected annual openings: 33,000

14. Financial managers, branch or department
What they make: $101,963
Projected annual openings: 71,000

15. Treasurers, controllers and chief financial officers
What they make: $172,946 - $240,588
Projected annual openings: 71,000

16. Chief executives
What they make: $382,705
Projected annual openings: 63,000

17. Government service executives
What they make: $167,766
Projected annual openings: 63,000

18. Private sector executives
What they make: $169,570
Projected annual openings: 63,000

19. Pharmacists
What they make: $108,499
Projected annual openings: 23,000

20. Lawyers
What they make: $116,810
Projected annual openings: 53,000

21. Education administrators, elementary and secondary school
What they make: $150,467
Projected annual openings: 31,000

22. Administrative services managers
What they make: $86,666
Projected annual openings: 40,000

23. Sales representatives, agricultural
What they make: $53,034
Projected annual openings: 44,000

24. Sales representatives, chemical and pharmaceutical
What they make: $88,049
Projected annual openings: 44,000

25. Sales representatives, electrical/electronics
What they make: $51,105
Projected annual openings: 44,000

*Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com, powered by SalaryExpert.com
**Projected annual openings figures based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder writer

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Who is Hiring This Week Jan-02 to Jan-08, 2011

We know that your job search can get quite frustrating these days with more people trying to find a job and less employment opportunities available.

To ease the burden, we've tracked down 10 top companies with the most job openings this week from sales jobs to finance jobs, full-time jobs to part-time jobs. We hope you find a job that's perfect for you. Good luck job hunting!

01. American Express
American Express Company is a global travel, financial and network services provider. The Company has three operating segments: Travel Related Services (TRS), American Express Financial Advisors (AEFA) and American Express Bank (AEB).AEB provides banking and other financial services to wealthy individuals, financial institutions and retail customers outside the United States.

Top Job Categories:

02. Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a home improvement retailer, with specific emphasis on retail do-it-yourself (DIY) customers, do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers, who utilize its installation services, and commercial business customers. The company currently has 15,000 job openings across the nation!

Lowe's offers a line of products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, remodeling and property maintenance. Lowe's Companies, Inc. serves homeowners, renters and commercial business customers. Homeowners and renters primarily consist of do-it-yourselfers, and others buying for personal and family use. Commercial business customers include repair and remodeling contractors, electricians, landscapers, painters, plumbers, and commercial and residential property maintenance professionals, among others.

Top Job Categories:

03. Sears
Sears Hometown Stores were developed sixteen years ago to serve our customers in locations outside of major metroploitan cities. There are currently about 900 Hometown Stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. These stores carry all of the top home appliance brands, consumer electronics, tools and lawn and garden equipment.

Top Job Categories:

04. Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch, now part of Bank of America, is one of the world's premier providers of wealth management, securities trading and sales, corporate finance and investment banking services. Working with our clients as strategic partners, we create and execute winning solutions, which address our clients' most pressing strategic, financial and investment needs-anywhere in the world. We stand apart by building and maintaining solid partnerships with clients. Merrill Lynch places our client relationships first and is proud to conduct our business based on five unwavering principles: Client Focus, Respect for the Individual, Teamwork, Responsible Citizenship, and Integrity.

Top Job Categories:

05. Dell
For more than 25 years, Dell has provided technology solutions to customers that improves their productivity, enhances their lives and meets their distinct needs. Headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, Dell has framed its business around the customers it serves, from the world's largest and most demanding businesses and public sector organizations, to small and medium businesses, to consumers worldwide.

Top Job Categories:

06. IBM
Working at IBM provides opportunities you may not experience anywhere else. It gives you the chance to change the way the world works. The chance to help the world learn, to make education more available, knowledge more attainable and information more accessible. The chance to participate in research and development projects that facilitate technological and medical breakthroughs. These are the kinds of opportunities you'll find throughout our company. Opportunities that could certainly make a difference--in ways that are exciting, demanding and perhaps even unimaginable.

Top Job Categories:

07. CVS
CVS Caremark, through our unmatched breadth of service offerings, is transforming the delivery of health care services in the U.S. We are an innovative, fast-growing company guided by values that focus on teamwork, integrity and respect for our colleagues and customers. What are we looking for in our colleagues? We seek fresh ideas, new perspectives, a diversity of experiences, and a dedication to service that will help us better meet the needs of the many people and businesses that rely on us each day.

Top Job Categories:

08. Dollar General
Dollar General stands for convenience, quality brands and low prices. Dollar General's successful prototype makes shopping a truly hassle-free experience. We design small neighborhood stores with carefully edited merchandise assortments to make shopping simpler. We don't carry every brand and size, just the most popular ones.

Top Job Categories:

09. Bayada Nurses
Bayada Nurses provides care to children, adults, and seniors in their homes. Even though we have grown from one office in 1975, to more than 140 offices in 18 states today, founder Mark Baiada still runs the company with the same compassionate, human focus that clients and employees appreciated from the beginning.

Top Job Categories:

10. Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores, the internet and other distribution channels across North America and internationally.

Top Job Categories:

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By AOL Jobs

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Top Five Industries for Salary Growth

Looking for a well-paid job in construction or real estate? Most people know that the chances of getting hired or getting a raise in either of those industries are pretty slim these days. In fact, average salaries in both real estate and construction are down even from where they were a year ago. But, there are industries where wages are finally growing, post-recession.

Online salary database PayScale.com has collected salary data dating back to 2006 to create a new economic indicator, The PayScale Index. The PayScale Index, which will be refreshed quarterly, tracks the changes in average wages of private industry, full-time employees in 16 different industries. It's clear that the recession hit every sector. But, which industries suffered the greatest wage losses and which are recovering fastest?

The following is a list of the top five industries for salary growth and the percentage of average wage increase between Q3 2009 and Q3 2010 for each:

1. Utilities +0.8%

This industry's resilience isn't too surprising considering that, no matter what the economy is doing, consumers are likely going to spend money on electricity, natural gas and other basics, says Al Lee, PayScale's director of quantitative analysis. They may try to cut back on electricity use, but they'll still need it and pay for it.

2. Mining, Oil & Gas Exploration +0.6%

Commodities have been doing well in recent years, with the price of gold up fourfold since 2001, according to OnlyGold.com. Plus, oil and gas exploration continues to expand through the use of new extraction technologies and the discovery of new deposits. And, oil and gas demand tends to stay high because it is measured internationally and if one country is growing slowly for a while and using less petroleum another one is booming and consuming more, says Lee.

3. Finance & Insurance +0.5%

Banks suffered big human resource losses during the recession, with layoffs becoming the norm. Yet, while many finance industry people may remain unemployed, those who have jobs are seeing an increase in wages. Lee suspects this is due to a return to profitability across the industry in 2010, after the crisis and federal bailouts of 2008 and early 2009.

4. Health Care & Social Assistance +0.2%

Health care is not a cyclical industry so it's no surprise that it is on the positive side, according to Lee. "People don't stop going in for surgery or high blood pressure medication," he says. Compared to all of the industries in The PayScale Index, health care suffered a relatively small, brief drop in wages during the recession.

5. Retail +0.2%

Retail certainly wasn't the place to be when the recession was hitting bottom, but it wasn't the worst and is currently showing signs of life. And, considering how badly retail was hit during the recession, this uptick is a strong hint at economic recovery. Less than half a percent of growth is very small, but it isn't negative and that's the key point, says Lee.

How Are Other Industries Doing?

Of the 16 industries The PayScale Index tracks, seven of them have experienced upward wage trends, or at least not losses remained steady in the last year. Among the remaining industries, those recovering the slowest are still seeing a dip in wages over the previous year:

1. Construction -0.8%

2. Business Operation & Support Services -0.6%

3. Real Estate & Rental Services -0.5%

4. Arts, Entertainment & Recreation -0.5%

5. Information, Media & Telecommunications -0.3%

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By Bridget Quigg

Monday, January 3, 2011

Six Subtle Moves That Hold Women Back From Success

Hello Friends,

It's not that women are supposed to act, dress and sound like men to get ahead in the workplace, but there are a number of gestures women commonly use that denote vulnerability and fragility, rather than power and authority. In a blog called "7 Behaviors that Keep Women from Getting Ahead," Dan Erwin cites an article by Mary Ellen Drummond many years ago, which still applies to many women today.

I know I'm guilty of several, and have been advised by managers and producers to "cut that out if you ever want to go anywhere." Check out these half-dozen behaviors that prevent you from "looking like you mean it."

1. Nodding your head a lot when listening. Women often nod their heads to encourage the speaker to go on, but this connotes approval and agreement when often none is intended or required, and you can end up looking like a bobble-head doll. Men usually nod their heads only to show agreement, or to indicate that they are about to make a point. Constant head nodding can express encouragement, but not authority.

2. Not taking up enough physical space. By this we mean stand firm and tall, shoulders out, head up. When sitting at a table or desk, spread out your papers, you laptop, your pad and pens. Let everyone know you're there don't try to blend in. By receding or folding in, it looks as if you're trying not to inconvenience anyone. Take ownership of as much space as possible; that sends a powerful message.

3. "Uptalking." Women's voices often rise at the ends of sentences as if they're asking a question even when making a statement. For example: "On that report I completed? It says that viral marketing is more effective?" It implies you're asking for approval, rather than stating a fact. Most women are not aware that they do this, and it's a particular habit with the young students and the freshly graduated. Speak with authority and periods, not with tentativeness and question marks.

4. Fidgeting. Are you constantly adjusting your clothing, hair, jewelry, purse, cell phone, etc.? Although the study was done several years ago, Drummond cites that when women enter a room, they make 27 movements. Men make 12. When you appear calm and contained, you appear powerful. Fidgeting implies nervousness.

5. Tilting your head. Women often tilt their heads when they talk. They think that directing an ear toward someone says that they are listening. Instead, it appears as if you're distracted or trying to deflect the message. If looking directly into someone's eyes is disconcerting, look just below their eyes at their cheeks or nose. But look directly at them and don't tilt your head. This, again, is something most women don't even realize they're doing; but if they watch videos of themselves, they'll note it happening.

6. Introducing yourself too quickly. It's common for a woman to say, "Hi, I'm Jane Smith," right off the bat. But studies have shown that people seldom remember anything that's said in the first 5-7 seconds because they're too busy checking each other out, and visually processing whoever is in front of them. When meeting someone new, wait a few seconds before introducing yourself. Instead make a comment about the environment, event, etc. first, then introduce yourself.

The good news is that most of these bad behaviors are learned, so they can also be unlearned. You might want to ask a family member, friend or co-worker to bring it to your attention when some of these negative nuances creep in. They might drive you nuts at first but you'll thank them for it later, when colleagues start showing a renewed respect.

By Lisa Johnson Mandell for AOL.com

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Make $40K-$60K With An Associate's Degree

Conventional wisdom holds that you need a four-year degree to maximize your earning potential. Reality, however, tells a different tale: If you make wise choices, you can enjoy great dividends on a much smaller investment of both time and money.

The truth is that there are many jobs that you can land with only a two-year associate's degree.

You're just two years away from a well-paying career! ...

If you're interested in high-paying jobs that don't require four years at school, read on...

1. Nurses

If the idea of providing health care services to people in need appeals to you, look into nursing. Nurses offer expertise and emotional support to patients.

The Pay Off: Registered nurses (RNs) make a mean annual wage of $62,450.

The Degree: You can join the ranks of these essential heroes with a two-year associate's degree in nursing. From there, get licensed to work in your state.

Explore Nursing associate's degree programs now.

2. Computer Support Specialists

Computer support specialists are trained experts who can troubleshoot and keep computers and computer systems working. As computers have become a larger part of both the home and the workplace, keeping them operational has become a bigger priority.

The Pay Off: Because these unique skill sets are in such demand, the payoff can be very attractive. Computer support specialists can enjoy a mean annual wage of up to $43,450.

The Degree: All you need to qualify for some well-paying IT jobs is a two-year associate's degree in a computer-related field.

Find Technology training programs now.

3. Paralegals

Paralegals assist lawyers in a large variety of ways, preparing depositions, coaching witnesses for trial, drafting contracts, and more. As law firms and businesses continue to shift more legal duties from the hands of high-priced lawyers to paralegals, the need continues to grow.

The Pay Off: The median annual wage for paralegals is $46,120.

The Degree: Unlike lawyers, who must make a hefty education commitment, paralegals can enjoy a great job after earning just a two-year associate's degree in paralegal studies.

Find Paralegal Studies associate's degree programs.

4. Fashion Designers

If you have a passion for clothing, you may want to consider a career as a fashion designer. Fashion designers, who are highly concentrated in Los Angeles and New York City, are responsible for the clothing, accessories, and footwear you see at the mall and in stores around the world.

The Pay Off: In addition to the thrill of seeing their creativity take shape in clothing, fashion designers can be well-compensated. In May 2008, the mean annual wage for salaried fashion designers was $61,160. Remember: starting salaries in fashion can be low, so you'll need to be committed to this career!

The Degree: Fashion designers are hired on the strength of an innovative, creative portfolio and the education that comes with an associate's degree in fashion design. So if you have a strong fashion sense, that two year investment might really pay off handsomely for you.

Search for Fashion Design programs near you.

5. Food Service Managers

If you want a fast-paced career, consider becoming a restaurant manager. Restaurant managers work with kitchen staff, wait staff...they even interact with customers to ensure that the service and food is up to par. Food ordering, employee recruiting, and preparing payroll are some other common duties.
The Pay Off: Food service managers earned an average of $46,320 yearly in last month. Top earners averaged at more than $76,940 per year.
The Degree: Experience in the food services industry is a common entry path into food service management, however, a two-year associate's degree in hospitality or food service management can also give you the real-world experience needed for the job.

Search for Restaurant Management programs now.

All salary data from the U.S. Department of Labor

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By Jason Latshaw

Careers Builder