"I need a new job." These words are thought by millions of members of the workforce every single day. Maybe even every hour of every day! Managing a career can feel like walking through an elaborate maze where you never end up where you want to go. You want to move forward, but find yourself stagnating in the same crummy job. Knowing the signs you are lost in your career can prevent you from slipping into neutral and jump start your career towards your ultimate professional destination. Same Old Job How long have you worked in your current position? Have you held the job for more than five years? The first sign that you are lost in your career is job status quo. You perform the same tasks and assume the same responsibilities that you did when you first took over the position. To free yourself from the same old job description, discuss your ideas with your manager on how to improve your job or move on by working for another company. This will keep you from saying "I need a new … [Read more...] about 5 Things to Make You Say, "I Need a New Job"
The Path to the American Dream is Through the Stomach
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. All opinions are 100% mine. Everyone is always hungry. Sometimes for food, sometimes for career advancement. Its when you combine the two that you realize what the most fruitful industry is for chasing the ultimate American dream. Restaurants. Let’s say you are 18 years old, fresh out of high school, casting about for a job that will give you some extra cash, while also presenting the opportunity for moving up through the ranks (quickly). You could do worse than the restaurant industry. Finding your way to the American dream of a stable, growing career should start behind a host stand, a bar or a piping hot grill. … [Read more...] about The Path to the American Dream is Through the Stomach
Best Careers 2015
Determining the best careers 2015 requires the close examination of demographic trends, especially the trends that define the baby boom generation. With another year under their belts, the baby boomer generation continues to create numerous promising careers within the financial and health care industries. Technology also plays an important role in analyzing the most promising careers of 2015, as corporations and non-profit organizations transform antiquated technology infrastructures into lean, mean fighting machines. The factors involved in determining the most promising careers of 2015 also include job growth and compensation. Here are the best careers 2015: Personal Financial Advisors Retiring baby boomers seek professional advice on where to place their hard-earned nest eggs, which creates strong demand for personal financial advisors. Labor experts expect financial advisors positions to grow by more than 30 percent between now and 2018, so the career has substantial staying … [Read more...] about Best Careers 2015
Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
This post brought to you by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Jobacle. We always remember our first. Our first boy or girlfriend. Our first car. And of course our first job. I know that my first job taught me a lot. From what I liked about to the world of work to absolute deal breakers; it was an amazing learning experience. I was happy to get my "working" feet wet at a big box retail store. However, most of my friends started out in the restaurant industry. In fact, 69% of of employees ages 18-24 have their first job in the restaurant industry. And it's these folks, who don't know it at the time, that are the backbone of the nation's economy. It also starts many folks on a career path that they never veer from. After experiencing the high-energy work environment of the restaurant world, those desk jobs lose some of their luster. … [Read more...] about Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
Signs Your Boss Is Job Hunting (and why you should care)
Workers have several reasons for remaining with the same company for years, even decades. They receive generous compensation that includes hefty bonuses and lucrative benefits. The work stimulates them by offering challenges that lead to professional growth. Many workers stay with the same companies because they enjoy working for their bosses. If you are someone who enjoys working with your manager, you need to know the signs that your boss is job hunting and why you should care. Company Reorganization The reorganization of companies often leads to dramatically altered job responsibilities for managers, including your boss. Company reorganizations can reduce manager responsibilities, which translates into lower pay. We all know that lower pay quickly turns an enthusiastic boss into one that mopes around in his or her office. You should not only care how a company reorganization affects your boss, but also how it affects your job. … [Read more...] about Signs Your Boss Is Job Hunting (and why you should care)
What an Office Parking Lot Reveals About a Company
The old saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover" has no relevance when assessing a company from the outside. After all, you can form accurate impressions about the quality of a company by looking over the building and the surrounding property. The biggest tip off to what is inside of a company often receives little or no attention. Office parking lots can provide considerable insight into a company. You simply need to know what an office parking lot reveals about a company. First Impressions Count for Cleanliness and Maintenance Do you want to know how well a company keeps its office building? Walk around the parking lot and analyze cleanliness of the lot. Trash strewn across the lot indicates that cleanliness does not matter to the company. Filthy pavement and crumbling sidewalks leading from a company parking lot demonstrate a lack of caring for keeping the inside of the office building clean and well maintained. Cleanliness and maintenance require dedication to upholding … [Read more...] about What an Office Parking Lot Reveals About a Company
Online Education Made Easy With Video Conferencing
The twenty-first century has seen a massive move towards distance learning. In the past, getting an education from a university sometimes required leaving your home town for months at a time. Now, the internet has made it much easier. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics says that approximately twenty percent of undergraduate students have taken at least one distance learning course. However, this is just the first step in the internet revolution as far as distance learning goes. Ease of hosting has made online education via video a very real occurrence. The fact that physical presence makes a difference in the rate of learning has been a well-documented fact in academia. Low-cost distribution solutions like those offered by Blue Jeans video conferencing makes it easy to access hosted information from any device. Here we explore the education revolution that video conferencing has become a part of. … [Read more...] about Online Education Made Easy With Video Conferencing
Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
We always remember our first. Our first boy or girlfriend. Our first car. And of course our first job. I know that my first job taught me a lot. From what I liked about to the world of work to absolute deal breakers; it was an amazing learning experience. I was happy to get my "working" feet wet at a big box retail store. However, most of my friends started out in the restaurant industry. In fact, 69% of of employees ages 18-24 have their first job in the restaurant industry. And it's these folks, who don't know it at the time, that are the backbone of the nation's economy. It also starts many folks on a career path that they never veer from. After experiencing the high-energy work environment of the restaurant world, those desk jobs lose some of their luster. … [Read more...] about Consider the Restaurant Industry As a First Job
Why You Should Disengage From Office Gossip
They say there are only two certainties in life: Death and taxes. Well, Shirley MacLaine has a different view of death and you can ask Michael Milken about how he felt about paying taxes. Just to be on the safe side, let's assume death and taxes are inseparable parts of life. Then, there must be one more certainty that clings to us like a Koala Bear clings to a lush Eucalyptus tree. Office Gossip. Gossip pervades virtually every office from the corridors of multi-story corporate buildings to the coffee stained small rooms that business owners use to hold employee meetings. The reasons vary for the presence of office gossip, but the negative effects of the rumor mill often poison the business culture beyond the point of no return. Offices that sink in the mire called office gossip experience poor morale, lower productivity, and worst of all, high employee turnover. Why you should disengage from office gossip begins and ends with the bottom line. … [Read more...] about Why You Should Disengage From Office Gossip
The Worst Employee Motivation Tactics
Employee motivation is a tricky world. How many times have we heard a boss say, 'If that is not on my desk by the end of day Friday, you can kiss your job goodbye." Yes, the blatant threat is one of the worst employee motivation tactics, as it inspires most employees to dump the project into the trash and walk out the door. Employer threats do nothing more than alienate employees by creating a hostile work environment. Most of us understand that threats from the boss comprise one of the worst employee motivation tactics, but what about other less discussed motivation tactics that fall flat in front of disgruntled employees. Rah-Rah Equals Blah-Blah Many managers implement cheerleading tactics to motivate their employees. They believe that by pumping their fists and yelling worthless catchphrases that employees respond with energy and passion for their jobs. However, cheerleading grates on most employees, as they perceive the rah-rah exhortations of their bosses as childish ploys that … [Read more...] about The Worst Employee Motivation Tactics