Career Advice

Whatever job you do and however much you are paid, managing your pay check well is important. So how do we make the most of our paycheck and make it go further? Set a Budget Working out a realistic budget is the foundations of making your pay check go further. Sit down and work out all your essential expenses first (rent/mortgage, utility bills etc) and then move onto other expenses in order of priority. If you realise that your rent is taking up too much of your pay check, could you downsize or find somewhere cheaper to rent? What bills could you reduce? Get creative and see what expenses you can reduce in order to free up more of your pay check. You could try tracking all your expenses for a month to get a true indication of what you are spending your money on, so that you can get really clear about what you want to keep spending on and what can be cut. Live Within Your Means Once you have set yourself a budget, make sure you live within your means. It is important to make your … [Read more...] about How to Make Your Pay Check Last

Traveling for work is a great way to break up the monotony of your workplace routine. Business travels are also ideal occasions for learning more about your fellow coworkers and to build stronger friendships with them. However, while you may be accustomed to the relaxed routine of traveling with coworkers, traveling with your boss can be an entirely different experience. Here are four fatal mistakes to avoid. Being Annoying It’s natural to feel a little nervous regarding a business trip with your boss. However, you mustn’t allow your nerves to cause you to talk too much or adopt other annoying habits. Few things are worse than being stuck with a coworker in a car or airplane who won’t stop talking or who is constantly sending and receiving text messages. Keep your annoying habits in check while traveling with your boss to secure your slot on future business trips. Drinking too Much Relaxing after conferences or client meetings with a tall beer or glass of wine is perfectly … [Read more...] about 4 Mistakes to Avoid While Traveling With Your Boss

National Bosses Day is Tuesday, October 16, 2012. Are you buying your boss a gift? I've always believed in shopping down. In short, I am willing to buy a gift for people who are my peers or work for me, but not for a boss.  However, as I mellow (and age!) I do believe there are exceptions.  Before you just go through the motions, ask yourself the following before purchasing a Bosses Day gift for the big cheese. Have they gone out of their way for me? Oftentimes, the boss is in the unique position of directly impacting your life. If they have done anything to make the job, or your life, a bit better, say thanks with a token of appreciation. For example, perhaps your boss granted you permission to work from home one day a week after having a child or made an exception for you to accommodate a personal issue.  Perhaps you are simply grateful to be treated with respect.  In cases like this, celebrate Bosses Day 2012 by giving a gift. Does my boss have my best interest at heart? Bosses … [Read more...] about National Bosses Day 2012: Should You Buy a Gift?

Human resources—whether this is a manager or a department, their responsibilities are the same: to protect the company who hired them against things like staff turnover, lawsuits, low employee morale or unsafe working conditions. If you have issues or complaints as an employee and are tempted to talk to HR, you may want to think twice. Human Resources are not bound by confidentiality laws. Human Resources professionals are good with people and they are good listeners. Employees often view HR staff as a counselor of sorts—kind of like a work psychiatrist with patient confidentiality in place. This can sometimes lull you into the sense that they are your friend and that they are trustworthy. But at the end of the day, even if they are trustworthy and of good character, HR professionals have a job to do. When asked questions by your employer, they are going to answer truthfully. Even if it means sharing information that you shared with them. They may share information you share with … [Read more...] about The Top 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Share With Human Resources

If you are feeling overwhelmed at work, you will know that it isn't a nice feeling. Everyone feels overwhelmed at one time or another, but if you can't see your way out of it and can't see a light at the end of the tunnel, here are a few ideas to help you handle this tricky time:  Do You Need to Delegate? Maybe you just have too much work to cope with now? You might have some personal issues that are making it more difficult to stay on top of your work than usual? Whatever the reason, if you continue to feel overwhelmed it is important to let someone know and delegate or speak to a sympathetic manager that can help you do that. Don't continue to battle on alone and ignore the issue; that won't help anyone. Have You Been Trained Properly? At times, people are thrown into jobs that they just aren't trained for. Take a step back from your situation and see if you can get a sense whether that is what has happened to. You could ask a trusted co-worker for their feedback. If you … [Read more...] about Overwhelmed at Work? How to Cope

Dealing with unfairness in life can be tricky at the best of times, but what do we do when we are being treated unfairly in the workplace? What’s the Problem? Identify the issue(s). Is it a personality clash with your boss or do you feel that you are always overlooked for promotions or perks? We all take things personally at times and human interactions can be hard to quantify, so it’s worth drilling down and seeing what’s really going on as objectively as possible. You don’t want to make yourself more miserable at work by bringing up an issue that doesn’t really exist and alienating people at work. However, it is important not to allow unfair treatment to carry on if that’s what’s happening. If you are unsure, ask for an objective opinion from someone you trust to start with or seek legal advice on your employment situation. Keep A Record Keeping a record of your treatment is a good practice to get into if you feel you are being treated unfairly at work and will also help … [Read more...] about How to Deal with Unfairness in the Workplace

Trying to find work you love? Stuck in a rut with work and looking for some inspiration? Here are 29 quotes about work to lift you up and give you that inspiration you are looking for: Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.  Booker T. Washington  Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction. Anne Frank  Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it. Henry David Thoreau  I think the person who takes a job in order to live - that is to say, for the money - has turned himself into a slave. Joseph Campbell  There is joy in work. There is no happiness except in the realization that we have accomplished something. Henry Ford  Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and … [Read more...] about 29 Inspiring Work Quotes

Is the cubicle lifestyle not something you envisioned entering daily? Is the generic office building not your style? Luckily, today's corporate infrastructure is taking a departure from cookie cutter settings, opting to  repurpose structures and repurpose spaces. Throughout North America, it's not a surprise to find digital ad agencies working from the corridors of a converted paper factory. In major cities throughout the world, warehouses have  been reworked and have become home to white collar workers. Here at RevZilla.com we reside in an old hat factory that is also home to a recording studio and a group of Philadelphia Mummers. We had a blast making this space our own! Here are some ideas for making a space with character reflect your corporate culture. 1. Add Some Green: Being “Green” is more of a catchphrase to some, but for others it's a lifestyle. Living Green doesn't need to end in your garden or at an organic market. Setting up a small rain forest around your workspace … [Read more...] about 5 Easy Steps Toward a More Creative Workplace

Blending various personalities together into an office team can breed great success or utter failure. If you’re currently dealing with the aftermath of the latter, it’s time to regroup and make some difficult decisions. Most managers deal with broken down office teams at some point during their careers and your actions in this situation can greatly affect your future company leadership opportunities. Here are five ways to get started. Address the Problem The breakdowns of office teams can often be traced to an initial complication or coworker argument. Rather than sweeping the problems under the rug, properly address the situation by discovering what went wrong. After discovering the problem’s source, you can then take the necessary actions to fully resolve the issues rather than having them occur again in the future. Start Slowly From working out an argument to regaining trust in the company’s environment, the rebuilding of office teams takes time. Avoid pushing your employees to … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Rebuild a Broken Down Office Team

Not sure if you’re in the right career field? Feel a little lost as to what your next career move should be? Find answers to these and other questions by meeting with a career mentor. Many people simply go through the motions of work each day without ever really creating a career aim. A career mentor will provide direction for your career future and will set the record straight on many of your work-related questions. A career mentor can be anyone from a professional business coach to an experienced professional you happen to meet who is also in your career field. The following are five reasons why a career mentor may be right for you. Build a Professional Network A great way to secure a successful career future is by building a professional network. Professional networks often lead to higher paying jobs, a better understanding of career fields and insight into career-related issues. Unfortunately, building a professional network can be a little tricky, especially if you’ve recently … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons to Find a Career Mentor