Yes, I know, I should just be grateful to have a job. But what fun would that be?It would be easy to sit back and allow the $100 a month raise - $35 a check after taxes - to simply fade into our finances. Such an inconsequential amount of money would easily be absorbed into our regular spending habits without us ever noticing a change. So I've decided to make the most out of the extra ducats - but I need your help.How should I spend my 3% raise?A. Additional money to mortgage paymentSubmitting an extra $70 a month towards my mortgage will save me $19,482 on interest over the life of the loan (29 years).B. Donate each monthIt's nice to help others, but in reality, you are really helping yourself. If you believe in the Law of Reciprocation - or Karma - then by giving freely, you are building up positive equity that can be cashed in at a later date.C. Invest in myself by taking a classWill greater education lead to a bigger paycheck? There's no … [Read more...] about What Should I Do With My 3% Raise?
Career Advice Blog
Stress-Busters and Holiday Survival Guide
I can already feel my jaw start to clench when someone asks me about my holiday plans. Combined with heavy workloads (last quarter/last chance?) and family expectations, we get a little nuts this time of year, but a lot of that stress is self-imposed. So, how can we not give in to the usual frenzy and stay saner this year? I love a good acronym, don’t you? H.A.L.T. is one I borrow from 12-step programs because it’s especially applicable this time of year. HALT stands for “hungry, angry, lonely and tired.” A great tool for the newly recovering person, it fits for the “lay” population, too. H - Don’t get too hungry: Over-indulging is practically a national pastime this time of year. (I come from and married into a family where eating is almost a contact sport - it’s not pretty.) But high-carb and sugar intake can make you cranky and stressed. Pace yourself.A - Don’t get angry: Going into potentially stressful situations … [Read more...] about Stress-Busters and Holiday Survival Guide
Managing Your Boss
The past several weeks of work have been pretty darn swell, and I have no one to thank but myself.After an annoying stretch where everything work-related that could go wrong did, I decided that checking my anger and recalibrating my focus was essential for my mental health. A weekend of healthy eating, exercise and meditation helped. But by the time Wednesday came, I felt my equanimity begin to shift. Then I received a package at Jobacle HQ...inside, a career book titled Working for You Isn't Working for Me. With several books and review offers coming in each day, I've learned to temper my expectations. Actually, I've learned to realize that most career books suck. But not this one. In fact, I'd like to thank the authors - without this book, I don't think I'd be on the good run I'm currently experiencing.Written by pyschotherapist Katherine Crowley and management consultant Kathi Esther, the book is the "ultimate guide to managing your … [Read more...] about Managing Your Boss
Embrace Your Co-workers’/Family’s Dysfunction for the Holidays
Awhile back, I wrote about skipping the office holiday parties, “How Do You Politely Decline the Workplace Ritual?” If you weren’t able to dodge that bullet or have more work functions plus the usual family fetes coming up, here’s another strategy.We all have those annoying, borderline loony co-workers to contend with - the one who always labels her bag lunch in flowing script with the fat Sharpie, the office-supply Nazi who restricts your paperclip access or the incessant suck-up. I truly believe that we often act out our own little office “family” dysfunction with everyone assuming a specific role. Make it a game (ooh, maybe this could be the new Bingo?) and look around and see what roles you can identify.Then there’s your real family. Holidays can be especially challenging as they often highlight those not-so-Hallmark-card relationships. But how about making this year about acceptance? Let’s try accepting those close to us and … [Read more...] about Embrace Your Co-workers’/Family’s Dysfunction for the Holidays
Jobacle Web Traffic Gives Me the Finger
Every year I set goals for Jobacle. This year I set some pretty lofty traffic numbers. I'm grateful to our loyal readers - and the new ones - who have helped us FAR surpass the goals I set.I'll share a more detailed report later this month. But for now, I can't help put feel my traffic reporting system is giving me the finger. … [Read more...] about Jobacle Web Traffic Gives Me the Finger
Should I Apply for This Job?
Imagine you are looking for a job. You find one, but it is above your level of experience. Should you apply for it? This is a question that I didn't think I would be dealing with for a long time. I started a solid job with a great company about seven months ago. I love what I do and have a great culture at work. But I recently found out that a position will be opening up internally that would be a step up for me. The only problem? I have little experience. However, in the past I have encouraged people to go for jobs that are above their level, because the requirements are really a sort of "wish list" for the company that they use to screen out undesirable candidates. I have nothing to lose from applying for this position, but if I wimp out, I will always wonder if I could have done it or not. I sat down and made a list of what I have going for me in this, and it's actually not as bad as I thought.Pros I know the company, people, culture, and mission. I have a pretty solid … [Read more...] about Should I Apply for This Job?
Jobacle on the Kindle
As if you were looking for another reason to buy an Amazon Kindle...you can now subscribe to Jobacle.com and get innovative career advice and breaking employment news auto-delivered wirelessly!Don't forget that you can also listen to the Jobacle podcast for FREE on your mobile phone! … [Read more...] about Jobacle on the Kindle
Care for Your Career Like You Care for Your Teeth
You can't escape the chair!No one wakes up one morning and decides that they hate their job. It might appear that way, but the reality is that there have been warning signs and build up for quite some time. The same goes for oral health problems. A Gallup-Healthways poll from earlier this year indicated that one out of every three Americans did not visit a dentist last year. Whether it's fear, laziness or money holding you back, a visit to the dentist's chair is inevitable, so why delay?Caring for your career is a lot like caring for your teeth; when problems arise, they can be severe. There's also a good chance that they could have been prevented. Here's your oral care work maintenance tool kit.Regular Checkups. If you wait for a problem to emerge, it might already be too late to repair it. Self-evaluate your situation at work on a regular basis. Don't be overly reactive, but be aware of problems before they arise. Take … [Read more...] about Care for Your Career Like You Care for Your Teeth
Adjusting to Re-employment Can Be Tough
Maintain the Positive Gains from Your LayOffA recent Wall Street Journal article by Dana Mattioli, When Returning to Work Is Harder Than It Seems, underscored an aspect of re-employment that you don’t hear discussed much. There are many positive, healthy gains that people report from their experiences while laid off.The article's main focus is on laid-off people who bonded or reconnected with their children much more than they could while working the daily grind. Being home to hang out with your kids after school and pursuing hobbies together can be invaluable. Other folks reported having time to spend with friends, working on self-care like losing weight or catching up on sleep and generally finding a good balance in work (the job search) and play.A few years ago, I went from working at home alone to taking a contract job on a work site. I had to be there by 7:20, which meant a wake-up time my body hadn’t done in years. I had to re-learn biz culture; sitting in … [Read more...] about Adjusting to Re-employment Can Be Tough
Small Ways Employers Can Retain Good Employees
It Starts with “Thank You”A recent article in the Wall Street Journal, Businesses Mount Efforts to Retain Valued Employees, started me thinking about the topic of gratitude in the workplace. One thing that was particularly interesting in was a study cited in this piece about the discrepancy between what employers think keeps workers happy (“management climate and workers’ relationships with their bosses”) and what employees say (“pay and benefits”).We all know that a “thank you” from a boss can make a worker to feel appreciated. But that doesn’t always mean just a pat on the back for a job well done. Perceptive employers taking a closer look might acknowledge good employees struggling to accomplish tasks/projects with less personnel and resources. How this is conveyed to workers is a key factor, too.The end of my tenure in Corporate World coincided with the rise of the “consultant” - hiring outsiders for obscene … [Read more...] about Small Ways Employers Can Retain Good Employees