The allures of higher pay, a new city and new adventures often draw employees to give up their current jobs and relocate for opportunities with other companies. While relocating for work can offer benefits, it also often brings unexpected drawbacks. From higher living costs to personal life changes, workers must assess what job relocations may bring before making their final decisions. The following are four specifics to consider before accepting a job offer in a new city. Review the Pay Difference Relocating for work can be expensive. From paying for a moving van to putting down a deposit on a new apartment, the costs can quickly accumulate. Before relocating for work, review the pay difference between your current workplace and the new job offer. A new pay rate should typically be significantly higher than a current job to cover the costs of moving and settling into the new city. If you don’t think the new pay rate will be sufficient, negotiate for a larger salary with the new … [Read more...] about Thinking of Relocating for Work? Don’t Move Too Fast!
5 Preschool Lessons Most Employees Could Use
As youngsters, we learn the lessons needed to function in society. From parents teaching their toddlers not to whine to preschool teachers showing students the value of taking turns, each early childhood lesson is meant to carry individuals through the stages of life. Unfortunately, as people age and enter the workplace, many lose those important childhood lessons. From whining at employers to being impatient with coworkers, many employees revert to toddler-like actions when faced with workplace stress. Here are five preschool refreshers that double as career advice that most employees could use to improve their workplace relations. Don’t Whine No one wants to hear you whine incessantly about workplace issues. Employees who whine about projects to coworkers or who complain to managers about coworkers are viewed as immature and as unable to handle workplace stress. If you have serious issues with a particular workplace project, approach your manager in an adult-like manner and … [Read more...] about 5 Preschool Lessons Most Employees Could Use
First Day On The Job? How To Survive
So, the first day of your new job is finally here. You’re nervous. You want to make a good impression, but you don’t want to come across as trying too hard or make any first day blunders. How do you strike that all important balance and more importantly, survive your first day? Be Prepared Preparation will help you feel more in control of your first day. Choose your clothes the night before, bearing in mind the impression that you want to make. If you don’t know what the ‘dress code’ is, I’d suggest erring on the side of caution and going smarter, rather than too casual. You can always adjust your attire after that all important first day. Have a good night sleep and set your alarm in plenty of time for the next day. Even if you feel nervous, try to have some breakfast as this will help you feel more comfortable when you arrive… there is nothing worst than a grumbling stomach! Stay Relaxed Your new company have hired you to be you. Of course … [Read more...] about First Day On The Job? How To Survive
Jobs: How Creating an Online Biography Will Help Get You Hired
Picture this trend: there are more and more people wanting the same jobs, who can do what you can, just as well as you can and there aren’t enough jobs to satisfy everybody. However you can distinguish yourself and elevate your perceived value beyond others. In order to do this I want to show you how creating an online biography can be hugely beneficial in making you stand out from other people. The preferred service that I would recommend for creating an online biography is about.me however there are similar services that exist which have their own unique spin on the online bio including favlors.me, follr.com, and Path.to. However About Dot Me plays very nicely off the about pages listed in the menus of almost every professional website out there. I think other services can be vague in communicating what their purpose is or even come across as a little immature. Remember you are ultimately going to want to link your new biography from other places. First things first, ensure you … [Read more...] about Jobs: How Creating an Online Biography Will Help Get You Hired
The Basics Of Good Time Management
How are your time management skills? Do you find yourself getting most of the things done that you plan to each day or does it always feel like time is slipping away from you? Most people could do with enhancing their time management skills to some degree, so if you want to polish up your time management techniques, here are some ideas for you: 1. Have A Simple Plan Planning is vital for good time management. Planning doesn’t have to mean that you spend hours making a detailed inventory of what you want to do – in fact, the simpler the better. Each day write down the two or three most important tasks that you need to do, and work on them first. Five minutes deciding on your key tasks is time well spent and will help you have a focus for your day. 2. Use An Alarm Clock When you have talks to get done, using an alarm clock is a great way to stop you procrastinating and get you focussed. If you have been putting off writing that report, set your alarm for half an … [Read more...] about The Basics Of Good Time Management
How To Look Forward To Monday Mornings
Monday mornings are a source of contention for a lot of people, especially if it means going back to a job they don’t like. So, whatever our work situation, how can we make the best of Mondays and even (gasp) start to look forward to them? 1. Do A Job You Love Do you enjoy your job? Does it feel like work or play? No job will be fun all the time, but if the thought of going back to the office on Monday fills you with dread, then it is a good sign that something needs to change. You may decide to change jobs, go part time or it might be a change of perspective about your current job that makes the difference. 2. Make The Most Of Your Weekends Working through the weekend or slobbing out on the couch because you are so tired every weekend won’t rejuvenate you. The odd weekend working or being lazy is no bad thing but if your weekends constantly feel like work time or recovery time, it is inevitable that Mondays will start to feel like hard work. Plan your … [Read more...] about How To Look Forward To Monday Mornings
Why You Should Never Play Favorites at Work
It does not matter if you are the boss or an employee, you should never play favorites at work. Yes, you are going to naturally like some people more than others, not only for their work ethic either. Most people are drawn to the aura of specific individuals. Not to mention, it is hard not to want to avoid the person with bad breath, or play favorites to the person who always finds the time to bring bagels Friday morning. However, as much as you may prefer one person over another, you need to keep your opinions to yourself. Well, at least until you get home and you can rant to the dog; he is sure to hang on your every word. Bosses + Favorites = Bad News If you are the boss, you well lose a lot of respect by playing favorites. It may seem like a great idea when you are talking about others behind closed doors to your chosen few, but it will come back to bite you in the bottom in a big way. If you think there will never be a day when your favorites won’t be mad at you and run their … [Read more...] about Why You Should Never Play Favorites at Work
Your Employer's Group Health Insurance: Did They Make A Wise Choice?
If companies want to draw in the right people like yourself to work for them, they need to understand that people love perks. Aside from the salary that they are to pay you, you want to know you are also being cared for and are properly looked after. Getting quality heath insurance from your employer's benefit plans covers your health and gives you and your family a lot of piece of mind as far as your health is concerned. A group health insurance makes for an excellent idea for employers to lure in potential talent. Group health insurance plan is a lot cheaper as opposed to a single person health insurance policy since the premium cost is stretched across all of your fellow employees. It also offers plenty of benefits and certainly is the apt decision. Read onwards to find out more of its many benefits. - Such health insurance plan can significantly help boost your morale and the morale of your co-workers. It is a simple fact of life that people love benefits and if a firm plans a … [Read more...] about Your Employer's Group Health Insurance: Did They Make A Wise Choice?
New Boss? Don't Be Too Nice!
As your previous boss leaves for greener pastures and a new manager takes over, you’re likely eager to win them over. Many employees assume that, by being overly nice during a manager’s first few days on the job, they’ll be granted more leeway on future projects and will advance ahead of coworkers. Although a proper welcome for the new boss is certainly in order, don’t be too nice. Overwhelming niceties will label you as a brownnoser and can prevent the employer from seeing a need to earn your respect. Here are a few more reasons why you shouldn’t go overboard on first day pleasantries. Don’t be a Brownnoser This likely won’t be the new boss’s first rodeo in the director’s chair, which means they’ll be on the lookout for brownnosers. Those employees who shower their new boss with gifts and praise are quickly called out as being fake and overly eager to please. By being labeled as a brownnoser, you’d simply cause the new boss to question your credibility and honesty in the … [Read more...] about New Boss? Don't Be Too Nice!
5 Ways to Successfully Handle Your First Customer Complaint
Whether you’ve recently started a business or have taken your first job in customer service, your success depends on the outcomes of your customer interactions. If you’re a business owner, your success relies on the repeat purchases of customers and positive word of mouth regarding your services. If you work in customer service, your work performance is primarily based on how you handle customer complaints or on how you keep customers happy with each interaction. How a customer’s complaint is resolved will mainly impact whether that customer will return for future services. With that being the case, here are five ways to successfully handle your first customer complaint as you step into a customer interaction role. Apologize Genuinely Customers want to feel as if their concerns are fully recognized and instantly know when company representatives aren’t genuine in their apologies. Detach all personal opinions from the validity of a customer’s complaint and instead keep only the … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Successfully Handle Your First Customer Complaint