breathe new life into your career

Today I am very excited to feature as guest writer in the Feb 2013 issue of CareerSeek e-Magazine. It has been a fun article to write and I hope that you all enjoy it!

It's so easy to get stuck in our careers, and very important that we make some adjsutments along the way to keep things fresh and interesting. So without further adue, please head on over to their cool e-mag and let me know your thoughts about this post - over here...

courses every professional could benefit from taking

Happy Friday everyone! Hope your week has been great so far! Today I am happy to introduce another eager and motivated guest writer called Liz Becker. I love her post because I am a big fan of continuous education.

Every professional has an array of skills that are specific to whatever type of work is being done. There are also a core set of skills that can benefit any professional because of the common elements in nearly every work environment. These skills can be enhanced, refreshed or learned for the first time through a few simple college classes:

1. Communications

There are several varieties of communications classes available in colleges and universities. These classes can help professionals to learn the most effective ways to relay ideas or instructions to co-workers. Communications can cover speaking in public, writing or visual communication with charts and graphs.

Nearly every professional position involves daily communications between an employee and co-workers, management or clients. Ineffective communications skills can hinder a career and can generate confusion among co-workers and clients.

This type of class can become necessary when an individual rises to a level where large groups of people, the media or government committees must be addressed in concise and unambiguous ways.

2. Introduction To Business

Every professional from a pharmacy technician to a lawyer works within the framework of a business. There are various factors that can determine exactly how a business works and what contributions an individual is responsible for making towards the success of the company.

Understanding how businesses work can allow a professional to advance more readily through a familiar structure. Knowing basic terminologies, concepts and processes can give an individual the ability to more readily contribute to the business as a whole instead of filling only a niche position.

3. Computer Literacy

There are very few professionals who do not work with computers, mobile devices or some form of technology on a daily basis. Computer literacy classes are designed to give students an overview of how technology works and how the Internet functions. This can give a professional the extra skills that are necessary to become more efficient or to take on new responsibilities.

The can also be important for tech-savvy employees who have not kept up with changes in the computer industry. Learning how to use new programs, new web services and learning what techniques have fallen into disuse can all become valuable skills that can benefit nearly any career.

These classes are all introductory and can be taken at a variety of schools. Some people might even benefit from taking certain classes regularly every few years in or to remain current. Communicating effectively with others, understanding how an employer operates on a larger level and being able to efficiently use new technologies are all skills that can benefit any professional regardless of the industry.

Liz is a blogger, freelance writer and recent college graduate. She currently performs market research for an online marketing firm when she is not contributing her own thoughts and observations to the online community.

 

10 hidden reasons why you might hate your job

Another Monday, another great guest post. Today's post is written by freelancer Carol Brown and I am sure many readers will be able to relate to this topic! At some stage, most of us will be in a job we really dislike so let's see if we can use these handy tips to diagnose the situation.

Do you grudgingly roll out of bed each morning, downing cup after cup of coffee in an attempt to work up the motivation to head to work? While this might be the reality for many out there, it certainly doesn't have to be, nor should it be. There are a variety of reasons why you might not be thrilled to go to work in the morning and most of them are pretty obvious, from a bad boss to grating coworkers to feeling like you're at a dead end. Yet there are often more subtle factors at work that make going to work a miserable experience, many of which you might not even realize apply to you. Here, we share some of the often hidden reasons your job seems like torture even when it shouldn't.

1. YOU'RE BORED

If you're finishing assignments quickly, don't find them particularly challenging, or just don't have enough to do at work, it likely isn't helping your morale. While some people might think a job that requires little of them would be ideal, the reality for most people is that a job that doesn't ask much is just plain boring. You might not even realize how bored you are at your job until you really stop to think about it. Boredom is one of the easiest gripes with work to remedy, however, as you can challenge yourself to take classes, work on your own projects, or simply start looking for a job that's more engaging with all that free time you have.

2. YOUR JOB IS UNSTABLE

Living in constant fear that you'll be laid off, demoted, or pushed out of your current position can lead to a whole lot of workplace stress which, in turn, can make you generally miserable at work and everywhere else. With the economy struggling and many businesses cutting back, this may be a bigger concern for many employees than ever before, and one that you may not even realize is constantly in the back of your mind. Fear can shape your decisions, destroy balance in your life, and might even make you start to resent the power your boss has over your life. Learn to realize you can only control so much in your life, do your best at your job, and start creating a backup plan just in case the worst really does happen.

3. IT PROMOTES BAD HABITS

People often don't realize how many of their bad habits are tied to work. Afternoon snacking? Happy hour binge drinking? Lack of sleep? Skipping workouts? All of these things, and many others, can be tied to a workplace that is overly stressful and demanding. While you might notice the stress, you may not notice just how much your work is impacting other areas of your life, destroying your health, relationships, or work-life balance. When stress and bad habits are coupled with an office environment that promotes your bad habits, things get even worse. This often leads to you beating yourself up about not breaking those bad habits, many of which are tied directly to issues at work, which ultimately results in you disliking your job.

4. YOU'RE NOT GROWING

One of the reasons you may hate your job is because your job simply doesn't give much back to you. If there's no prospect of advancement, and no chance to grow, develop, and learn as an employee, you're bound to feel frustrated and unhappy. The ideal job should give back as much as you put in, and if your workplace doesn't offer this kind of payback, it could be weighing more heavily on you than you realize. If this is one of the underlying reasons you hate your job, it may be time to start looking for a new one or finding new ways to push yourself at work.

5. THERE'S NO REWARD FOR HARD WORK

Do you put in long hours, work extra hard, do your best, and still never get so much as a word of thanks from your boss or coworkers? While you can't expect to get high praise (or a raise) for everything you do at work, we all want to feel like what we do matters. If your job isn't making you feel valued, even if you're helping to push the company forward or developing great products, then it's almost impossible to be happy working in that position. If your company doesn't value you, then it might be time to move on.

6. YOU HAVE NO PERSONAL LIFE

For some, the workaholic lifestyle is great, but for the rest of us, spending every waking hour at work, thinking about work, or tied to the office isn't a good thing. Even if you like your job, you may begin to resent its imposition on your personal life, especially if it means missing out on important events, sacrificing vacations, or just not having any time to yourself. Really think about how much time you put into work each week. It might be sucking up more of your time than you realize, which may be a big part of why you don't have much good to say about your job.

7. YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION HAS CHANGED

If you feel yourself hating your job, it may be because the job you were hired for has morphed into something else that may or may not reflect your career goals. Often this starts out as taking on a few other tasks and can add up to your position being radically different than the job you agreed to take from the company. While this can be a good thing for some people, others may find that it makes going into work boring or unfulfilling. If this is you, talk to your boss or start looking for a position that really reflects what you want to do.

8. THE COMPANY ISN'T A GOOD MATCH

Surprisingly, it can make a big difference whether or not you agree with your company's long-term goals, mission, or management policies. For instance, if you're a high-tech-focused person working for a company that is resisting the digital revolution, you might feel pretty restricted or frustrated at work. If HR policies make it hard to do your job, you're not likely to jump out of bed to get to work in the morning. Sometimes a company just isn't a good match; you just have to figure out if that's true for you and be willing to break it off if it is.

9. YOUR WORK GOES AGAINST YOUR VALUES

Do you have to keep your values secret at work because they don't match the company values? For instance, it's pretty hard to be crazy about environmentalism when you work for a company that specializes in potentially deadly chemicals. That's an extreme example, but there are many more subtle ways that your job can be a mismatch for your personal beliefs, and that may be an impossible gap to bridge. Ultimately, something will always feel wrong, and that may lead to you hating your job.

10. WORK FEELS MEANINGLESS

We all want to feel like we make a difference in the world, whether we're battling hunger, helping a family deal with setting up a will, or just ensuring people choose the right toaster. Ideally, jobs should offer us some sort of meaning, but if yours doesn't, then it may be a big part of the reason you hate going to work every day. This can be especially true in a large, corporate setting where you may feel like you're just another nameless person working away in a cubicle. Seek out a job that offers you some meaning in your work and see how quickly you start feeling more optimistic about going to work in the morning.

 

Carol Brown is a freelance contributor to www.Onlinecollege.org and writes the Job, Career and Education articles for the site. You can view the original post she just shared with us over here.

5 ways to counter a depressing work environment

I am very excited to feature a new guest writer today - Melanie Slough. Thank you Melanie for your wonderfully positive and refreshing article!

 

To me, working in a cubicle is the ultimate form of mental torture. Well, maybe I won’t go that far, but still, it is pretty bad. Staring at boring beige walls eight hours or more a day can really get on your nerves. Then the personalities of your co-workers come into play. If they are as drab as the walls, or worse, it can really bring you down. But what can you do? Here are five tips on overcoming the beige blah of work.

1. Brighten your space – If your company allows it, decorate! Get some photos of your friends and loved ones, add some knick-knacks and add color with posters of vacation destinations. If you’ve got a hobby you love, bring that into your space too. Anything that reminds you there is still a life outside of these four walls. 
2. Get some green – Another thing that will help you is adding some plants. Green is the easiest color on the eyes, and plants also offer another advantage- some extra oxygen. They are proven to be relaxing and give you a grounded feeling. All it takes is a little indoor plant on the corner of your desk to make the space feel alive. 
3. Make it yours – If your company doesn’t allow you to personalize your space (why are you working there, again?) then you’ll have to find other ways of making it yours. A favorite scent, in candle or spray form, can help you focus. Some comfy shoes tucked under your desk or a fuzzy pair of socks to keep your feet warm. If you are consistently cold, find a stylish but warm coat to wrap yourself in when the going gets tough. These little comforts will help to turn a blah day into an ahh day. 
4. Connect – If your co-workers are the problem, then there is one solution. I know it is painful, but you may have to connect with them. There are very few people that are actually boring. Most are overworked, stressed, or just shy. If you can find some common interest, it will help the day pass faster, and make it a lot less depressing.
5. Get creative – If all of the above fail to lighten the mood, you may have to get creative. Talk to management about ways to brighten the workspace. Maybe movie Fridays or birthday lunches. Remind them that happy workers work harder, and then point out the bare walls. You might be surprised by the light bulb that suddenly appears above their heads.

No matter what you do, enjoy yourself. Work is not the be all and end all of existence. Have a life outside your job and you will be a happier, more balanced person. Remember that life is what you make of it. Set your mind on the positive and don’t let circumstances get you down. One happy person can change an entire office.

Melanie Slaugh is enthusiastic about the growing prospects and opportunities of various industries and writing articles on various consumer goods and services as a freelance writer. She writes extensively for internet service providers and also topics related to internet service providers in my area for presenting the consumers, the information they need to choose the right Internet package for them. She can be reached at slaugh.slaugh907 @ gmail.com.

stunts that can harm your career

I love the idea that we can be the creators/architects of our careers. Gone are the days when you have to accept the first desk job that comes your way and stay with one company for 30+ years. There are no limits to how creative you can be with your career, and it's never been a better time to be your own boss or juggle multiple projects/roles. I love having a full-time job and combining it with free-lance projects and part-time studies.

But whether you work for yourself or for an actual boss, there are some things that can really harm your career and personal brand if you don't pay attention:

• A bad attitude: Weather you work in an office full of people or with clients you visit for consultation, people will be people, and if you leave your manners at home it will have a negative impact on whatever you do for a living. A client will often choose a provider they get along with above an arrogant one that does the job equally well.
• Missing deadlines: We all know the saying "under-promise and over-deliver". Promising your boss or client the world but not delivering on time will reflect very poorly on your sense of professionalism. An employee or consultant who does not keep to agreed timelines will most likely be perceived as unreliable.
• Not saying sorry: Just like respect and good manners, admitting your mistakes and being open to criticism will show your character and encourage people to trust you more. No one likes to work with someone who is too proud to admit that they are not perfect.
• Gossip: Even if some colleagues enjoy your gossiping at the office, it ultimately sends the message that you cannot be trusted with sensitive information. Your lunch-buddy who can't wait to get the next scoop from you will most definitely not trust you with his/her confidential information. Clients also need to feel confident that you will act in their best interest.
• Inconsistency: Any boss and any client will be frustrated if you perform inconsistently. Can they trust you with projects or not? Can you stick to timelines or not? Can you manage your personal life or will it constantly be interfering with your job? You don't want them to be asking these questions, so be sure to maintain some consistency in your performance, regardless of what kind of day you are having.

We are all human and it's impossible to behave perfectly professional every second of every day, but these are things that are within our control to a large extent. Working on these skills are just as important as knowing your job content and improving your performance if you want to be a rock-star employee.

What other stunts can you think of that can really your career?

how to know if you are the annoying co-worker

Welcome back after a very long weekend! We have a very fun and interesting topic to discuss this Monday. I had a few giggles while writing this one, because odds are that if you are in fact annoying others at work, you will most likely NOT be aware of it and not be interested in reading advice on the topic.

But for those of you who value their personal brands and the relationships you have with colleagues,  here are a few great posts I found to help you ensure you are not a source of frustration in the workplace:

• 10 Ways you are annoying your co-workers (HR People)
• Are you the annoying co-worker? (Career Builder)
• 5 Sings you are a bad co-workers (US News Money)
• Are you the annoying guy at work? (Ask A Manager)

Hoping you also had a smile on your face while reading these, even if you may have noticed a few annoying quirks of your own! Even the most pleasant person can have habits that annoy others, so here's to polishing your professional image and adding to the positive atmosphere at work!

thoughts on job hopping

Until pretty recently it was frowned upon when you apply for a position with a resume that shows you worked only 2-3 years for each of your previous employers. A few generations ago an employee often stayed with one employer for the majority of his/her professional life, and loyalty was high on the list of desirable traits employers looked for when hiring. Modern career paths are different in the sense that you can actually weaken your career by staying too long at any one company, because of the way it limits your exposure to new challenges.

So how long is too long and how short is too short? ☺ Here are a few thoughts from the experts:

• The Pros and Cons of Job Hopping (Eat Your Career)
• How to Stop Job Hopping Once and For All (Forbes)
• How Long Should You Stick with a Job You Really Hate? (Brazen Careerist)
• Career Lessons from a Serial Job Hopper (Huffington Post)
• Job Hopping: Career Killer or Saviour? (Monster)

I believe that trying out a few options at the beginning of career is not the end of the world and can actually help you decide what you would like to specialize in later on. But I would also be sceptical of a resume that shows a pattern of repeatedly leaving after a year or two.

What do you guys think??

coping in a job you really dislike

In an ideal world all of my readers would be doing challenging and interesting jobs that they love! But in the real world this is a tricky and very common problem employees face: what to do if you are stuck in a job that you can't stand. Most of us cannot afford to quit our jobs just because we don't like doing them - jobs are scarce and bills need to be paid...

If you currently spend all your time at work wishing you had a different job, here are a couple of questions I would like to run by you:

• What is it about your job you don't like? Your boss, your coworkers, the work load or the working environment? Some things (like work load) can be addressed with a little effort and resourcefulness while other reasons (like an abusive working environment) are reason enough to consider actually leaving.
• What steps have you taken from your side to address the issues? If you do decide to leave, can you say with complete confidence that you did your best to turn things around? If you can't say this, odds are you will leave feeling bitter and struggling to find closure.

If you have done all you can do, and you still wish you could leave but you cannot take the risk of losing your income, you can try a few of the following strategies to keep yourself positive and focused until you find a new opportunity to apply for:

• Career planning - Set up alerts to notify you when relevant positions open up. That way some of the best opportunities arrive in your mailbox before you need to go looking or them. Decide if you would like to stick to your current career path or try something new. What goals do you need to set in order to make a career change?
• Remember to smile - If your work drains you, find time to do things that recharge you and put a smile on your face. We often here people talk about work-life balance: just like a bad day at work can negatively affect your personal life, a good day away from work can carry some positive energy over to the office.
• Time for some training - Now that you know you would like to apply for other positions, are there short courses or workshops you can attend in order to add to your skill set? It might cost you a little money, but showing that you are committed to continuous education can give your job applications a bit more weight.
• Finish strong - Keep in mind what you would like your employer to say about you when you are no longer working for the company. Even though you may not be very fond of them, they will be on your reference list for a long time to come, so be sure you show integrity and professionalism despite your frustrations.

If you have ever survived a situation like this, what helped you stay strong to the end!?

crucial tips for quitting your job

Odds are each one of us may need to quit our jobs at some stage in our careers. Part of life.

I often read questions from readers about all the uncertainty that goes along with quitting their jobs, and it made me realise that quitting in the most respectful way possible can actually give your personal brand a boost and add weight to the reference your ex-boss gives you in future. Seeing this (sometimes uncomfortable) process as an opportunity to grow and build your network is the best advice I can give anyone who is considering to quit.

So here are a few links to save for when you may need it in future:

• How to Quit Your Job (by Alison Green for US News: On Careers)
• Etiquette: The Right Way to Quit Your Job (Classy Career Girl)
• How to Resign Gracefully (Corporette)
• 7 Awesome Ways People Have Quit Their Jobs (Huffington Post)
• How to Quit Your Job with Style (Harvard Business Review)
• How to Quit Your Day Job (Illuminated Mind)

I hope these tips have been helpful. Quitting a job is part of any normal career journey, so try to see it for what it is instead of making the process too personal or emotional. Sometimes we're sad to leave and other times we count the minutes to our last day, but regardless of how we're feeling we can go through the process with style!

Enjoy your Monday everyone!

are you a clock-watcher at work?

Companies approach working hours in whichever way suits them best, and for many of us working 9-5 is standard procedure. This means that work often feels like school and you may find yourself counting the minutes until the final bell rings so you can rush outside to head home. In many ways this keeps us employees in a mode where our goal often changes from performing well to simply getting through another day - would you agree? 

It’s not surprising that “flexible working hours” is one of the most desirable traits employees seek in potential employers these days. Working flexible hours may allow parents more time with their children or give employees the opportunity to be part of extracurricular activities/hobbies without interfering with their performance at work. I'm sure these people will report better work-life balance and employee engagement.

If your job allows you to manage your own hours (or even just adjust them a little), how would you describe your productivity and engagement at work? If you are someone who really enjoys the security and predictability of working set hours, do you think you would ever want to try a more flexible arrangement?

Always remember that it's easy for your boss to spot the clock-watchers, and you don't want to be sending those vibes. Showing that you can create work for yourself when days are slow can really improve your personal brand. Working on a project until it's complete instead of rushing home when the clock strikes 5 will do the same.

If I were forced to sit at my desk from 9-5 I would try to find ways of focusing on "outcomes reached" instead of "hours worked" by listing goals or outcomes for each day and aiming to tick off as many as possible. For those of you who don't have the luxury of bending your working hours, what effects do you think it has on your performance, engagement and attitude towards your work? What are some things that help you get through the day without looking at the clock and wishing the time away?

Check out this post on changing a culture of clock watching and let me know your thoughts!

bored at the office?

 

Servicing employees can be a full time job and most of the time there’s a lot to work on (especially when we’re recruiting for multiple vacancies and the occasional crisis comes along). But there are days (like today) when everyone is happy, we’re not recruiting and we have yet to start with our next special HR project. There is no hovering deadline or serious crisis, my phone doesn’t ring for most of the day and I only have 2 random emails in my inbox. Not the most exciting way to spend time at work!

Lucky for me, this doesn’t happen too often. And I’ve come to realize that it’s just part of being in employee service. It’s a good thing if everyone is OK, and so I can use this time for something else. So instead if feeling frustrated, I try to focus on the following:

• Filing – Yes, I know, this can be gruelling! But when most days are rushed and jam packed, filing is something that’s easily neglected. And even though it’s no fun, it helps to either organise or “audit” our files to be sure we’re keeping track of everything important. Sometimes it leads me to a crucial oversight or a gap in our paperwork, which means... more work – Yeah!
• Reading – This can be challenging because it really wears out my eyes to focus on my monitor all day, so I subscribe to a couple of HR magazines and I have a labour law guide or new book to flip through every now and then. Even though some of the info is repetitive, it keeps me aware of what’s happening in our industry and it expands my basic understanding of HR. This means that I can make more valuable contributions or suggestions at work.
• Connecting – We tend to get a little disconnected by using hi-tech communication to replace real face-to-face interaction. Taking a stroll through the office and having a chat with one or two employees helps me break this barrier. Making some friends or just getting to know your colleagues is a sure way to improve your job satisfaction and engagement.
• Career planning – Whether it be within my current organisation or a future employer, it’s important for me to set some goals for what I would like to achieve in my career. I can also think of new initiatives, or ideas to improve our current systems. This shows that I’m pro-active and that I want to add value. Also, I don’t EVER want to become too complacent in my current role, so monitoring my skills gaps is a good indicator for which workshops or seminars I might want to attend.  
• Networking – Referring back to my grad school textbooks might be outdated, but catching up with peers and old classmates really broadens my knowledge of what others are doing in my field. Meeting new people at seminars or workshops can also add to the people I learn from, and you never know when someone might want to consider you for a position because you've gotten to know each other before a position was even advertised.

I found this post on what to do when you’re unstimulated at work – enjoy!