Halloween has been a popular celebration for children for many years, particularly in the United States, and in recent years has crossed over to adults and even become a good excuse for a work Halloween party! Done right, celebrating this occasion at work can be a great staff morale booster and team building experience, you'll get to see a different side to your colleagues, get to interact with staff members you would otherwise have little chance to meet on a regular working day, and an opportunity to show a side of yourself, away from your work persona. It's also a chance to demonstrate talents such as organizing, planning and creative skills, as well maybe hidden skills such as story and joking telling! Do and don'ts Do encourage creativity Part of the joy of Halloween is showing off your creative costume ideas. Do arrange games Choose games appropriate for your working environment. These could be judging the most creative or original costume idea, awards for best decorated … [Read more...] about Organizing the Work Halloween Party
Five Ways Job Hunting Has Changed Since You Last Looked
The world has changed so much over the past 10 years as more of our lives have been transferred from offline routines to online duties -- that includes job hunting. There are few of us who have not ordered shopping online, caught up on TV shows or used a social network. A consequence of this shift to the digital is how we apply for new jobs. Go back ten or twenty years, and the weekly or monthly newspaper, the job centre and even the local newsagent’s announcement board was the main source of jobs. Now the world of searching for a new job is a mixture of online job boards, social media and browsing potential websites. E-mails have taken the place of postal applications as the recruitment process has been slimmed down. … [Read more...] about Five Ways Job Hunting Has Changed Since You Last Looked
How to "Refresh" Your Current Job
In an ideal world, once you become bored with your current job, you search and apply for others, have a few interviews, and then pick your preferred choice from the offerings. Unfortunately, it seldom works like that. Financial commitments, lack of employment in your area, and lack of skills and available training often mean the only choice is staying in your current employment. However, if you can't change your job, the next best thing is to refresh it! Ask for a pay rise Not many things can ignite new enthusiasm for a job than a healthy increase in your salary. Work towards a promotion Look and apply for progression in your job if there are career prospects available. Stretching your mind and developing your skills and abilities will stop you getting bored and will help develop a sense of accomplishment in your job. … [Read more...] about How to "Refresh" Your Current Job
Should You Work for Yourself?
If you’re in your late 20s or early 30s you are likely to be in an awkward position as far as careers go. Many people in this age bracket have recently graduated from higher learning but find that jobs in their fields are hard to come by. According to recent NPR articles, this age group is experiencing the least amount of growth and the most frustration of any age group before it. For many people it seems like there is no upward mobility. Others report that they feel trapped by the day-to-day workload and are not free to reach their full potential. What this means is that more and more people are taking the risk and striking out on their own in the hopes that they will reach their full earning potential and be happier in their career path. … [Read more...] about Should You Work for Yourself?
Breaking the Late to Work Habit
There are many habits that can have negative consequences for your job but, of all of them, being late for work is one of the most common. Being late on more then the odd occasion can result in negative outcomes, probably the most serious being losing your job. Even if your boss is lenient enough to put up with your bad timekeeping, chances are your behavior may hinder your chances for promotion, more responsibility or even a pay rise. Not only does being late for work risk these serious outcomes, it also won't probably be doing you any good either. You'll not feel good about yourself for doing it, the rushing to get to work and avoid being late will create stress, and you won't feel as you've got a handle on your life if your working day regularly starts off badly. The good news is breaking this bad and potentially career damaging habit can easily be achieved with the will and desire to change. Get a good nights sleep Running late in the morning is often a consequence of having a bad … [Read more...] about Breaking the Late to Work Habit
37 Job Websites You Might Have Missed
Seek and ye shall find? Not necessarily, as any job seeker knows. But if you’re just looking on job websites and search engines like Monster, Career Builder, Indeed, and SimplyHired, you might not be seeking as hard, or as smart, as you can. Just as being a specialist in a field typically pays off with a higher salary, turning to a specialized job search site might just pay off in finding that job. To that end, here are 37 niche job search engines you just might have overlooked. Digital and tech jobs Application engineers, database administrators, programmers and others seeking digital and tech jobs will find plenty of sites to help in that search: Dice.com is not only a leading site for tech job searches but offers tech news, advice and talent communities to bring like-minded techies together. Jobs.Mashable.com offers jobs for every tech segment including designers, developers, marketers, programmers and bloggers. Careers.StackOverflow.com is another leading site for … [Read more...] about 37 Job Websites You Might Have Missed
Should I Take a Job for Less Money?
In a time when status and money get all the glamour, does it ever make sense to take a job for less money? Most people’s goals are to continually make more money throughout their careers, not less. Why would you do accept a lower salary, people may ask. But sometimes, it truly is the best answer to a career move and it makes all the sense in the world. Here are some scenarios when taking a job for less money is the right thing to do. When Happiness is a Priority Sometimes a person has a high paying job that they really just hate. It causes undue stress, they work with people they dislike and find no internal satisfaction. Then along comes a new opportunity, and though the money is less, the happiness is greater. If your wallet can handle the pay cut, even if you have to cut back on certain aspects of your lifestyle, you may want to take it. If your happiness is a higher priority than your financial status, the pay cut can be tolerated. And you never know what it may lead to. … [Read more...] about Should I Take a Job for Less Money?
Is My Credit Score a Job Search Issue?
You have it all you think, that great resume, the snappy new business clothes for the interview, and a killer smile...but could something you aren't even aware of be sabotaging your job search? Many job seekers aren't aware that their credit score could be keeping them from the job of their dreams. Here are some things to be wary of: Finance-related Job Searches If you are applying to any area of the financial market, such as stock broker, banking teller, or analyst, you can be assured that the hiring manager is going to take a look at your credit background. If you've had bankruptcies or are always late paying your bills, they'll believe you're at a higher risk around their currency. … [Read more...] about Is My Credit Score a Job Search Issue?
How to Groom Yourself for a Job Interview for Men
First impressions mean everything, and you only get one chance at it. You may be able to nail the interview in your sleep, but you have to look the part as well. Otherwise, the interviewers may not be able to take you seriously. So what can you do to make the right impression and snag that job you want? Here are some grooming tips that you should take to heart before heading into the interview: Keep your face smooth You don’t want to just look like you got done shaving hours ago, you want to look like you just got done shaving seconds ago. That’s why it’s important to use all the necessary tools to get rid of any stubble that may have been left behind that morning. Don’t skimp on the face grooming products, that $0.50 razor isn’t likely to do the trick. Use a shaving brush such as a badger hair shaving brush and a great sharp razor to make sure everything is even and looking good. … [Read more...] about How to Groom Yourself for a Job Interview for Men
Dead End Job? Is Your Career Better Off Than a Year Ago?
Do you know if you are in a better place in your career than a year ago? Do you know how to tell if your stalled in your job field? Or worse yet, you're in a dead end job? There are some very telling ways to understand when you're just treading water in the pool of business. Dead end job? You're Still Doing the Same Thing Has your job description or job title not changed for a few years? If so, you may want to assess your spot in the company. This can be a big red flag of a dead end job that they do not see you in other roles or suited for a higher position. However, this could also be because you are perfectly suited for your spot and they can't fathom you being elsewhere. If this bothers you, tell them that you are looking to rise in the company and seek their suggestions. … [Read more...] about Dead End Job? Is Your Career Better Off Than a Year Ago?